Sound System How To...

[noname]

I've done some thinking, and bounced a few ideas off of Raj and Dr B on the creation of a (comprehensive) "how to" thread/section for sound systems, and thought I would post the ideas here for people to add their two penneth worth (and maybe even volunteer to help write...) I won't be starting until after our last outdoor party in any case, and any input would be greatly appreciated.

My plan is to split the info into a linked set of posts (sort of like web pages, but using the BBcode the forum uses). I've got a standalone editor for BBcode (using the basic tags like the formatting ones, url, quote, img etc), so I can make them up and then send them to one of the moderators or other volunteers for editing etc before they get posted... It's open source too, so anyone who wants to use it - it's called bbEditor...

The sections I've come up with so far are:


Basic audio theory

Characteristics of an audio wave, and how it is perceived/interpreted by our hearing.

1. The physics of audio transmission in air.
2. The biology of the human ear.

How audio is manipulated or created for the purpose of amplification.

1. Audio sources - string, reed, percussive, brass, voice and synthetic.
2. Acoustic amplification - the soundboard, and various forms of resonant chambers, tubes and horns.
3. Audio Electronics 101 - Reproduction in analogue form.
4. Audio electronics 01100101 - Reproduction in digital form.
5. Audio electronics 0065 - Compressing by various means.

Audio amplifiers and other processing equipment

1. Audio amplifiers (a basic introduction)
2. Crossovers, what they do, and why.
3. Mixers - what they do, and why.
4. Equalisation in it's various forms.
5. Compressors, expanders and exciters.

The speaker cabinet, and drivers.

1. Closed box designs.
2. Ported, or vented designs.
3. Thiele/Small ported radiators.
3. Horn and folded/scoop designs.
4. Other "exotic" designs (flat speakers, shell types - ie the "Ammonit" etc, and any others that don't fit the standard categories).
5. Types of speaker driver.
6. Multi driver cabinets and "drone cones".

Rig design

1. Planning for a particular purpose - what you should take account of, and what can be ignored.
2. Designing for modularity and robustness - why you should.
3. Efficient use of time - what to design and build yourself, and what to buy ready made.
4. Design flowchart, and how to estimate build cost and time.
5. Power - working out the requirements, and working within safe limits.
6. Matching amplifiers with speakers properly.
7. Speaker cabinets - designing the boxes, and matching the drivers.
8. Linking it all together.


Rig building and maintenance

Building and testing

Intro: Safety requirements, and some words of good advice to save you ending up deep baked and crispy....
1. Materials and equipment needed (and some good places to find them).
2. Building the speaker boxes and loading them.
3. Hardwiring into flightcases to save yourself endless plugging and un-plugging (and protect equipment obviously).
4. Ground up building of the electronics (places to find this info if you're wanting to do it hardcore style).
5. Testing out for the first time.

General maintenance and safety on the road

1. Things you need to check before every use.
2. Things you need to look out for and remedy if they happen.
3. Yearly check ups.
4. Fault tracing should it all go pear shaped at a gig.
5. Essential "road" toolbox list.




Rig Power (a generator survival guide)

This is not really my field of expertise (although thanks to DJ Richie, I now know a lot more than I used to...) but I think it is a fairly essential part of any sound system how to...



That's as far as I've got. Any input greatly appreciated (especially if you want to volunteer to do/help do any of the sections...)

[elretardo87]

Power distribution....the most forgotten about part of sound systems.

Seen far too many people running "8kW" of sound system off one 13a plug socket and loads of multitaps.

[Tek Offensive]

wish i could help you on this one but my soundsystem knowledge is fairly limited. most likely nothing i can add that you wont already know in greater detail..

will be great when its done.. very useful!

[Tek Offensive]

especially this section

''1. Planning for a particular purpose - what you should take account of, and what can be ignored.
2. Designing for modularity and robustness - why you should.
3. Efficient use of time - what to design and build yourself, and what to buy ready made.
4. Design flowchart, and how to estimate build cost and time.
5. Power - working out the requirements, and working within safe limits.
6. Matching amplifiers with speakers properly.
7. Speaker cabinets - designing the boxes, and matching the drivers.
8. Linking it all together.''

well done, canny wait to read what u put together.

[Ruff Beat Provider]

This would be extremely helpful!
Should be getting a rig soon but dont wanna just bodge it together something like this would be great!

[globalloon]

good to see people sharing their knowledge

bring it on

[noname]

Cool - I will be getting a start on it after Cluanie (which is in 2 weeks time). I planned to start at the beginning (as it's usually the best place to start), but as there has been some interest in the later sections I am happy to take requests and start there (bear in mind the whole thing is likely to take a good while to complete, so if you want specific parts to be done first, let me know).


@ elretardo87 - Power distro will be taken into account in the last section (and absolutely right - I too have seen many "8K" rigs being powered over a standard 13amp house supply - very silly indeed). As I say, I'm kinda hoping I can get DJ Richie to have a go at that section, as he is much more of an expert on it than I am...

[Nadz]

This sounds like a great idea, as someone who knows very little about soundsystems but is currently getting involved with one this sort of thing would be perfect. Fair play to ya for spreadin the knowledge for free.

[magneze]

Great idea.

[suffolkravas]

hehe very nice, i woul actually find this very useful as well as i am part of a rig but im definately next to useless technically, im the one who finds the best speakers with the best sound and best prices and amps that power em perfectly, but as for the whole hooking up and electronic side of thins, im fecking useless, so this would be very useful. ill have a check when you done to see if theres anything useful i can add, cheers mate!

[suffolkravas]

Originally posted by noname

I too have seen many "8K" rigs being powered over a standard 13amp house supply - very silly indeed). As I say, I'm kinda hoping I can get DJ Richie to have a go at that section, as he is much more of an expert on it than I am...

hehe our rig is exactly 8k at the moment, but we power it with $2000 worth of amps amps are more expensive than the speakers themselves!! you gotta have the good ones tho if your serious about your rig

Me amp got that hot tother night its warped the fans in it

[suffolkravas]

gutted mate

Originally posted by suffolkravas

gutted mate

Nah it was funny in a way. Raj & GL would of been in shock with what I was doing....

[d.r.e.a.m]

Originally posted by MrAHC

Nah it was funny in a way. Raj & GL would of been in shock with what I was doing....

what wos you doing?

[Raj]

Originally posted by MrAHC

Nah it was funny in a way. Raj & GL would of been in shock with what I was doing....

* Raj waves a finger and goes tsk tsk

Actually I just think its a shame to damage such important bits of equipment - we have fitted extra fans at the back of our flightcases to prevent just this problem.
Our amps range in age from 16 to 36 years and are kept in tip top working condition so as to keep them running as long as possible as they are fantastic bits of kit and we would be sad to lose them.

Originally posted by d.r.e.a.m

what wos you doing?

Powering a 3k rig with a 700w amp bridged in & maxed out to fuck. Sounded ok though
Had to be done realy.

[!sinner69!]

Originally posted by Raj

* Raj waves a finger and goes tsk tsk

Actually I just think its a shame to damage such important bits of equipment - we have fitted extra fans at the back of our flightcases to prevent just this problem.
Our amps range in age from 16 to 36 years and are kept in tip top working condition so as to keep them running as long as possible as they are fantastic bits of kit and we would be sad to lose them.

then should you, as the good mentor you are, at same time we are with the subject of cooling, be sure of that you pass message on cooling after a hard and hot job, the amps should stay turned on to cool down for a good time, while you start to pack random objects, many a good amp has gone to the eternal partyground for not being propper cooled down after and good nights(and days) work...

age of amps....hmmm that is not a drawback to have old amps, they are more solid and do not have all those small electronical bits and pieces that can not withstand dirt and moist or bad gennies...

[Raj]

Thank you Sinner and you are so right

[Tek Offensive]

whats the status on this? could really do with some info as weve only been doing linkups and have expirienced people helping out/doing it for us! when we do one ourselves were probs gonna run into problems we havent got an idea how to sort out.

[noname]

Originally posted by Tek Offensive

whats the status on this? could really do with some info as weve only been doing linkups and have expirienced people helping out/doing it for us! when we do one ourselves were probs gonna run into problems we havent got an idea how to sort out.

I've gotten a start on it - some has been posted. Winter hasn't been quite the layover I expected though, so it's not happening as quickly as I might like...

[elretardo87]

Originally posted by Tek Offensive

whats the status on this? could really do with some info as weve only been doing linkups and have expirienced people helping out/doing it for us! when we do one ourselves were probs gonna run into problems we havent got an idea how to sort out.

post up some questions theres a fair few of us who can help you out with any specific issues you have.

[General Lighting]

Originally posted by !sinner69!

age of amps....hmmm that is not a drawback to have old amps, they are more solid and do not have all those small electronical bits and pieces that can not withstand dirt and moist or bad gennies...

many new amps now seem to have switchmode power supplies.

These work by chopping up the mains electricity into a different frequency so its voltage can be changed using smaller and lighter (and therefore cheaper) components. This means you can get a more powerful amp into a smaller case, but the equipment is more sensitive to poor quality mains power (such as that produced by cheap or overdriven gensets).

Switchmode PSUs are used in computers (otherwise in many cases the power supply would have to be bigger than the computer case!).

I have two dead ones of these in my office that got blown up by mains power surges and that was just on a "normal" mains connection in a rural area of East Anglia.

"advances in technology" often have other tradeoffs...

[Sidthesloth]

How's about a section of links? since it will take a while until the whole guide is complete :)