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[Keith Broughton]

It was said many years ago by a wise man, what we need is a 100 watt continuous amplifier that can pass 10,000 watt peaks (20dB).  For single channel, we are not there yet, on the peak side anyway.

I'm sure I saw specs for a Pyramid car audio amp that would do that AND double as a welder!

[John Roberts {JR}]

It was said many years ago by a wise man, what we need is a 100 watt continuous amplifier that can pass 10,000 watt peaks (20dB).  For single channel, we are not there yet, on the peak side anyway.

Back in the 80s I designed a power amp that exhibited an above average crest factor. The AMR (Peavey) PMA70+ would deliver 2x35W continuous, 2x60W for something like 15-30 seconds, and >2x100W for momentary peaks...  As expected it sounded more like an 100W amp than 35W reproducing full range music.

I had grand plans of designing a full line of higher power amps ranging up to kW of peak power, but sadly the cost calculus was not that attractive. To deliver kW peak power using conventional bipolar output devices was too close to the cost of the more continuous power implementation (the small savings in heat sink and power transformer was not that compelling.)

Now using class D amplifiers you can do a similar exercise but it amounts to derating a higher output power amplifier, with perhaps an undersized duty cycle power supply.
 
JR

PS: For very narrow transient peaks I am not convinced that clean (unclipped) reproduction is that noticeable of a benefit. So IMO several dB of that wise man's headroom could be a waste of money.

[John Fruits]

Bob Foreman,  who among other things has blogged  extensively about the Atlanta Fox Theater has now posted a link to:
Peter Clark
It includes a few photos of WE gear, including a grainy BW image of the WE 16-A shallow sound horns, and a picture of the Atlanta Fox Movietone WE speaker lift.
EDIT: Oh and it seems that WE also invented the "god mike" for S.L. "Roxy" Rothefel for use at the FOH rehearsal desk.

[Dan Mortensen]

Bob Foreman,  who among other things has blogged  extensively about the Atlanta Fox Theater has now posted a link to:
Peter Clark
It includes a few photos of WE gear, including a grainy BW image of the WE 16-A shallow sound horns, and a picture of the Atlanta Fox Movietone WE speaker lift.
EDIT: Oh and it seems that WE also invented the "god mike" for S.L. "Roxy" Rothefel for use at the FOH rehearsal desk.

That is really a terrific website, thanks for posting the link!

There's a lot of historical firsts from that company. I hope the Daily News globe is still visible to passers-by in their lobby on 42nd St.; it was fun to be in its presence, and it's cool that Clark's company built it.

The building that they were in (variously 534-538-542 W. 30th St.) is still there, right where the High Line Park turns towards the West at 30th St.

For those who don't know, the High Line was an abandoned elevated rail line until it was transformed with incredible attention to detail and a budget to match into a phenomenal elevated linear park, and the (former?) Clark building is still there and abuts the rail line/park, which in fact cuts off the building's NW corner. It's easy to imagine that this company which built very heavy theatrical building pieces used the railroad, which literally stopped at or in the building, to ship its pieces to the four corners of the world.

Thanks again for that wonderful link which tells a fascinating story.

[John Fruits]

If anyone is interested, more Bob Foreman links:
https://foxfact.blogspot.com/search/label/INDEX
It seems that it is sort of a treasure hunt to locate some pages, for instance this mostly takes you to the blog about the 1932 Center Theatre which was built about the same time as RCMH.
But at the top of that page is the "Index of Catalogs" link
1932 Center Theatre.

[Tim McCulloch]

If anyone is interested, more Bob Foreman links:
https://foxfact.blogspot.com/search/label/INDEX
It seems that it is sort of a treasure hunt to locate some pages, for instance this mostly takes you to the blog about the 1932 Center Theatre which was built about the same time as RCMH.
But at the top of that page is the "Index of Catalogs" link
1932 Center Theatre.

Bob gets around.  Lots of stuff on his sites, you just have to think like he does to find specific stuff.

[ProSoundWeb Community]