Installation speaker ideas for a gymnasium

Hey Folks,

After doing a significant system upgrade in the local High School's multipurpose room, they are now asking me to submit a proposal for a new PA system in the Gymnasium. The inputs, mixer and processing are already sorted out, but I'm still unsure of the speakers.

The gym is not particularly large, roughly square, two Basketball courts side by side with 10 feet on each side and bleachers along one wall. Seating capacity is 400 or so.

The general idea is to have four speakers evenly spaced covering the bleachers, mounted from the roof steel with beam clamps http://adapttechgroup.com/products/allenproductpages/bc3-8.html , U Brackets and safety cables. There would be two more speakers in the center to cover the gym floor, although I may wall mount them on the far side of the gym.

This is a short throw situation, about 40 feet from speaker to bleacher, and a bit more for the center pair, so there isn't a need for horn loaded long throw boxes, but a tighter horn pattern, no more than 80x50, would be needed.

Based on mounting options, cost and shipping weight (must be under 70lbs), the Yorkville NX600 with NX600U U Bracket seems like a fair choice, but I'd be interested to hear what other folks have used and found to work well. Since they will use the system for music playback during games and other events, reasonable low frequency response is needed.

Ciao
Simon Coffin
Median Engineering llc
 
Re: Installation speaker ideas for a gymnasium

Likely a budget problem, but have a look at the Danley SM60-F, and SM96.
We often use the SH100's for gyms-positioned right in front of the bleachers. The wide coverage covers well and the large horn helps to reduce the sound energizing the reverberant field as much.

When tlaking pattern control-size matters.

Sometimes we add a sub for some low end.
 
Re: Installation speaker ideas for a gymnasium

Hey Craig,

I was wondering about the Community R Series boxes, but the speakers do not need to be water proof for this install and the low freq. response is a bit lacking. The ruggedness is an asset though. With balls flying everywhere, the speakers are going to take a few direct hits.

Any clue on a street price for the R.5coax66?

Ciao
Simon
Median Engineering llc
 
Re: Installation speaker ideas for a gymnasium

Hey Craig,

I was wondering about the Community R Series boxes, but the speakers do not need to be water proof for this install and the low freq. response is a bit lacking. The ruggedness is an asset though. With balls flying everywhere, the speakers are going to take a few direct hits.

Any clue on a street price for the R.5coax66?

Ciao
Simon
Median Engineering llc

Full Compass has them for $765
http://www.fullcompass.com/product/341809.html
 
Re: Installation speaker ideas for a gymnasium

Asking for a loudspeaker choice in a simple forum like this for a space without the responders knowing what are the expected system performance parameters, what the the impulse response of the room is, the wall and ceiling surfaces et al; is the type of question that really disappoints me. I think it is incumbent upon a professional audio consultant, especially who uses the word 'engineering' in their company name, to use the tools of the trade such as EASE and EASERA to define the room in a CAD model and try various cabinets whose manufactures supply the data for such tools. There are so many benefits to this approach not the least of which is a very high confidence level in your own work and being able to present to the customer what they will get for their money. Such questions lead me to believe such do diligence isn't taking place.

I suspect this space is highly reverberant yet needs a high STI so that the announcer's speech is intelligible even with a typically loud crowd in the bleachers. This is definitely something you don't want to guess at.
 
Re: Installation speaker ideas for a gymnasium

Asking for a loudspeaker choice in a simple forum like this for a space without the responders knowing what are the expected system performance parameters, what the the impulse response of the room is, the wall and ceiling surfaces et al; is the type of question that really disappoints me. I think it is incumbent upon a professional audio consultant, especially who uses the word 'engineering' in their company name, to use the tools of the trade such as EASE and EASERA to define the room in a CAD model and try various cabinets whose manufactures supply the data for such tools. There are so many benefits to this approach not the least of which is a very high confidence level in your own work and being able to present to the customer what they will get for their money. Such questions lead me to believe such do diligence isn't taking place.

I suspect this space is highly reverberant yet needs a high STI so that the announcer's speech is intelligible even with a typically loud crowd in the bleachers. This is definitely something you don't want to guess at.

+1 ...and...you may need more than two pair of speaker boxes for coverage.

Hammer