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[Garry Drummond]

Need help! I don't know if this is the right place to ask but here it goes. I am trying to help a local high school upgrade the sound system in their auditorium. The school was built around 1984. What I need help with is what to use for replacement speakers and where to place them. What's there now is a mono system with three EV horns and two EV woofers mounted above the center of the stage. There are two separate amps, one that drives the horns, the other the woofers, a crossover network and graphic equalizer. The auditorium seats around 500. 

I can take pictures of the auditorium if that helps to see how it is laid out and what is there now. I'm not an engineer but more of a technician. I don't know how to design it but know how to wire and operate it.

If no one here can help, would BSW-USA or similar company be able to provide recommendations based on info I can provide? Please advise if further info is needed. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Garry Drummond
Nelsonia, VA

[Cailen Waddell]

A mod will probably move this to another place on the board.

I'm sure there are plenty of speaker recommendations people can make, but pictures, as well as an idea of performance requirements are needed. How loud does is need to go?  Over what frequency range?  Or and easier question - how is the space used?  What kind of events are held in there?

Some manufacturers will help model the space for you with their speakers, but without some criteria about what performance you need it is a guessing game.

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

Need help! I don't know if this is the right place to ask but here it goes. I am trying to help a local high school upgrade the sound system in their auditorium. The school was built around 1984. What I need help with is what to use for replacement speakers and where to place them. What's there now is a mono system with three EV horns and two EV woofers mounted above the center of the stage. There are two separate amps, one that drives the horns, the other the woofers, a crossover network and graphic equalizer. The auditorium seats around 500. 

I can take pictures of the auditorium if that helps to see how it is laid out and what is there now. I'm not an engineer but more of a technician. I don't know how to design it but know how to wire and operate it.

If no one here can help, would BSW-USA or similar company be able to provide recommendations based on info I can provide? Please advise if further info is needed. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Garry Drummond
Nelsonia, VA

What's the problem with the existing setup? 

Are any of the components not up to spec? 

Did they ask you to help or have you initiated this "upgrade"?

Is this primarily a "public address system" or do they expect it to function for live music?

IOW, why the need for change and what use(s) is it required to fill?

[Brian Jojade]

What's the problem with the existing setup? 

Are any of the components not up to spec? 

Did they ask you to help or have you initiated this "upgrade"?

Is this primarily a "public address system" or do they expect it to function for live music?

IOW, why the need for change and what use(s) is it required to fill?

What Dick said.

I've seen it many times when a nearly perfectly functioning system is pulled out completely and replaced with nearly identical equipment just because it was 'old'  The end result was little to no change in the potential performance of the system.

[Lester Seidenberg]

Hire a qualified sound system  company.   If you are asking these questions, then the school's money will be best spent on an experienced sound contractor

[Garry Drummond]

Hire a qualified sound system  company.   If you are asking these questions, then the school's money will be best spent on an experienced sound contractor

I think Lester is probably right. Thanks to all who replied and have a good week.

Garry Drummond

[EvanKirkendall]

I think Lester is probably right. Thanks to all who replied and have a good week.

Garry Drummond

Garry,
Check your PM's



Evan

[Ivan Beaver]

What Dick said.

I've seen it many times when a nearly perfectly functioning system is pulled out completely and replaced with nearly identical equipment just because it was 'old'  The end result was little to no change in the potential performance of the system.

And I have seen worse-a great sound system pulled out because "the new guy" wanted a shiny new line array-and the result was a lot of money spent and worse performance/coverage etc when it was all over.

I have seen it several times.  It is amazing what some people get away with.

[Brad Weber]

Hire a qualified sound system  company.   If you are asking these questions, then the school's money will be best spent on an experienced sound contractor

If you want the party helping you to be indpendent of any related equipment sales or have to issue a bid package to procure competitive bids from multiple contractors, then you may want to consider a qualified consultant rather than a contractor that would then also be bidding on the equipment and installation.
 
I usually don't make an issue of this aspect but I recently received a "bid package" on a project where a Contractor underbid several Consultants for design services and the "bid package" they provided was a joke.  Not only did it include proprietary equipment only they could provide but it did not include much beyond an equipment list, some related product cutsheets, some basic floor plans and a statement that further system design was assumed to occur after the equipment and installation was bid.  No systems descriptions, no specs of any kind, no single lines, no details, etc.  There is no way one could competitively bid from what they provided, so they essentially managed to get paid for preparing a 'bid package' that then assured they would also get the bid for the equipment and installation at whatever cost they choose to propose.  While not all Contractors would act in such a manner, that is what can happen if you are not careful in allowing Contractors who will be allowed to bid on the equipment and installation to also bid for the related Consulting and design services.

[John Halliburton]

If you want the party helping you to be indpendent of any related equipment sales or have to issue a bid package to procure competitive bids from multiple contractors, then you may want to consider a qualified consultant rather than a contractor that would then also be bidding on the equipment and installation.
 
I usually don't make an issue of this aspect but I recently received a "bid package" on a project where a Contractor underbid several Consultants for design services and the "bid package" they provided was a joke.  Not only did it include proprietary equipment only they could provide but it did not include much beyond an equipment list, some related product cutsheets, some basic floor plans and a statement that further system design was assumed to occur after the equipment and installation was bid.  No systems descriptions, no specs of any kind, no single lines, no details, etc.  There is no way one could competitively bid from what they provided, so they essentially managed to get paid for preparing a 'bid package' that then assured they would also get the bid for the equipment and installation at whatever cost they choose to propose.  While not all Contractors would act in such a manner, that is what can happen if you are not careful in allowing Contractors who will be allowed to bid on the equipment and installation to also bid for the related Consulting and design services.

I trust you flushed him out in a group meeting with all the other principal people present, then gracefully fed his quote into an awaiting shredder at your side.

John

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