Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

P

Phil Graham

Honorary PhD
Mar 10, 2011
651
1
18
Atlanta, GA
Folks,

For an upcoming FOH article I'd like to solicit photos of "in the field" subwoofer configurations. Preferably configurations that you implemented at live event, and not for a permanent installation.

I'm not looking exclusively for fancy (e.g. endfire) arrays, but also circumstances where you had to make compromises, or did something that felt unusual. I'd prefer it being an event you worked either as a tech, BE, etc., not merely as a spectator. I do need a "fancy" array setup or two.

I'd also like a caption on what the event was, why you implemented the configuration as seen, and how it worked out. All photos and details will be used with attribution.

PM me, and I'll give you an email address to send the photo and caption to.

Thanks in advance!
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

Dave Rat has some tasty stuff on his blog including pics and drawings. I'm sure he'd give you permission to use it if you're inclined.
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

Greg Cameron said:
Dave Rat has some tasty stuff on his blog including pics and drawings. I'm sure he'd give you permission to use it if you're inclined.
Click to expand...

Greg,

Its been many years since I've had direct correspondence with Dave. If you want to tee up the re-introduction for me, I'll happily use his photos, as he was doing clever stuff as I recall.
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

This is a photo of our sidefills and subs for the recent Cee Lo Green residency in Las Vegas. He likes the stage loud, especially in the sub range so we were pushing 'em hard. Went with a cardioid setup since we were killing our stage manager who was forced to locate himself right behind 'em for the entire show. It was very rewarding to get it working like that and make him happy.

photo.jpg
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

Robert, I noticed they were stacked on a wheelboard. Do they have to move during the show?
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

In a cardioid sub array, does it make any difference at all which position you put your reversed sub in?
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

You want the middle of the stack to be reversed, which means that in a groundstacked situation, you would reverse the bottom cabinet, due to 1/2 space loading).
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

Hey Phil,

Here's a few of mine... lots of directivity going on in the outdoor photo as the main subs are end fire and the sidefills are cardioid! Those center subs were on another aux just for kick and bass, which was pretty fun.

IMG_0342.jpgIMG_0659.jpg

And here's another show at the same venue where the headliner brought supplemental subs.

IMG_0012.jpg
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

Bennett Prescott said:
Hey Phil,

Here's a few of mine... lots of directivity going on in the outdoor photo as the main subs are end fire and the sidefills are cardioid!
]
Click to expand...

Bennett,

Do they ever unstack those single unit subs to make different arrays, or are they always used in stacked pairs on dollies?

Best regards,

John
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

John Halliburton said:
Do they ever unstack those single unit subs to make different arrays, or are they always used in stacked pairs on dollies?
Click to expand...

They're not bolted together, so "they" have unstacked them in the past - in fact in the third photo you can see them in a line under the stage. The pair stacked on dollies is just convenient and works for most shows.
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

Phil Graham said:
Folks,

For an upcoming FOH article I'd like to solicit photos of "in the field" subwoofer configurations. Preferably configurations that you implemented at live event, and not for a permanent installation.

I'm not looking exclusively for fancy (e.g. endfire) arrays, but also circumstances where you had to make compromises, or did something that felt unusual. I'd prefer it being an event you worked either as a tech, BE, etc., not merely as a spectator. I do need a "fancy" array setup or two.

I'd also like a caption on what the event was, why you implemented the configuration as seen, and how it worked out. All photos and details will be used with attribution.

PM me, and I'll give you an email address to send the photo and caption to.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Just in case you have not seen these... http://soundforums.net/varsity/783-carrie-underwood-sub-woofer-array.html
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

Jason Phair said:
You want the middle of the stack to be reversed, which means that in a groundstacked situation, you would reverse the bottom cabinet, due to 1/2 space loading).
Click to expand...

Hm... so I had it wrong then by flipping the middle cabinet? Interesting, that does make sense. It still worked, very well actually. I'll have to try it with the bottom cab swapped next time and compare the results.
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

Robert "VOiD" Caprio said:
Hm... so I had it wrong then by flipping the middle cabinet? Interesting, that does make sense. It still worked, very well actually. I'll have to try it with the bottom cab swapped next time and compare the results.
Click to expand...

Just spit balling here, but I would assume being up a few inches (because of the casters) would help minimize the difference to some (small?) extent?
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

Robert "VOiD" Caprio said:
Hm... so I had it wrong then by flipping the middle cabinet? Interesting, that does make sense. It still worked, very well actually. I'll have to try it with the bottom cab swapped next time and compare the results.
Click to expand...

Eh... Wrong is not really the correct way to put it. If you imagine that the ground works like a mirror, and you get the same stack above as "below", there are small differences between the patterns but in the end we are talking about wavelengths of between about 10 - 40 feet. Close enough matters for horseshoes, hand grenades, and subwoofers. Personally I would reverse the middle sub so there is not such a variable path length between the rear and front facing subs, but you can see the results below. The left plot is with the bottom sub reversed, the right with the middle. Unless you care a lot about way off axis behavior it makes basically no difference.

Bottom Sub Reversed.jpgMiddle Sub Reversed.jpg
 
Re: Open request for photos of your subwoofer configurations

Bennett Prescott said:
Eh... Wrong is not really the correct way to put it. If you imagine that the ground works like a mirror, and you get the same stack above as "below", there are small differences between the patterns but in the end we are talking about wavelengths of between about 10 - 40 feet. Close enough matters for horseshoes, hand grenades, and subwoofers. Personally I would reverse the middle sub so there is not such a variable path length between the rear and front facing subs, but you can see the results below. The left plot is with the bottom sub reversed, the right with the middle. Unless you care a lot about way off axis behavior it makes basically no difference.
Click to expand...


I gather this is also true for the spacing front to back on the end fire array?
 
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