Originally Posted by
RMC
Hi budney,
First, forget the "Hi-Fi" aspect this is all Sound Reinforcement stuff in a club system. Second, I don't know why (though I have some ideas about it) but way too many people, like in your case, keep repeating the same mistakes of mixing in same stacks short-throw and long-throw equipment without proper consideration to many acoustical issues involved. Since you're writing "a party space I'm planning on opening" my understanding is that this will be Inside, not outdoors. Therefore, long-throw stuff like the Altec 816/828 (equivalent to JBL's 4560A) are not really appropriate for normal-size indoor rooms, even if others do it, unless you have a VERY LARGE (HUGE) place, because the horn "concentrated" low frequencies will more likely be bouncing on opposite walls and everywhere around the place, while the mid/high frequencies with shorter throw will be dispersed according to the device's coverage angle and throw. It's not because you've seen it done elsewhere that it necessarily makes good sense acoustically...
Since your top-end is already pretty much determined, with the most important of it being short-throw stuff (e.g. 2395 slant plates acoustic lens and 2404/2405 tweeters), then this is what you have to go with also on the bottom-end for it to be acoustically wise (i.e. technically sound) to avoid all sorts of sound quality problems. The 2402 bullet-type tweeters are more suited for long-throw applications. Mixing both types (short/long throw) close together is begging for trouble acoustically speaking. But then, it all depends on what you're trying to achieve: to impress the gallery with too loud bad sound or quality reproduction in a venue that MAY also turn out to be a difficult acoustical environment ?
W bins, berthas and levan extensions, all of that is for long-throw... To be logical with the top-end you chose, and if you don't want to repeat the errors of others, you should be looking more, for low-frequencies, at JBL 4520/4530 type cabinets or even at vented-boxes which would make more sense than front-loaded horns/BR enclosures such as Altec 816/828, and the former are much less difficult to build.
Based on some of the high/low-frequency choices you are mentioning, and with all due respect, it seems you have been improperly influenced by some of the technical non-sense circulated around here by some individuals who have clearly not done their homework. In simple terms, it's mostly a question of level, coverage and "reach" (i.e. spl, directivity and throw). I have written here before (in another thread) about some of this technical non-sense being thrown around here right and left, I quoted serious reference to JAES (and sent a personal copy) from some of the world-renowned JBL Engineers (Mark Gander and John Eargle) that what was mentioned by this member didn't exist (other than in his dreams) and guess what ? I still see that member here repeating again and again the same things as he did before in a new thread... Some people never learn! Or their ego refuses to admit they don't really know...
To avoid repeating the errors of others and maximize return (sound quality) on investment, my best advice is do yourself a favour, consult some professionnal and respected manuals like: JBL's Sound System Design Reference Manual, Yamaha's Sound Reinforcement Handbook or John Eargle's Handbook of Sound System Design, or to some extent even JBL's Dance Clubs Systems Booklet 2003 (I tried to upload this last one for you but the file is too large to be allowed by this site, write me with an address I'll send it to you by e-mail). Regards,
Richard