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[Sam Costa]

I’m looking at supplying audio for an event in central California next month for a festival expecting roughly 1500-2500 people.
The venue is an outdoor amphitheater Styled venue with grass all along the area for mostly seating and elevates about floor level to an elevation of about 15’ft with a gradual slope towards the back of the venue or grass area. Stage is concrete at about 30’ft wide  and about 3’ft above the grass area (some people dance up front in the grass but a lot of people bring their chairs and sit on the grass towards the middle and back of the venue area.

My question, I’m planning on using my 4- JBL SRX835P mains (2 per side) floor stacked on top of my 4 - Dual 18” sub cabs (2per side) which gets the mains above 8’ft.

Do I have enough audio to fill this area? I’ve done shows with this system for live bands before at other shows around 1500 and it still sounded great but going 2500 possibly might not do it.

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.
-Sam

Here’s a picture of the area:

[Mike Caldwell]

Keep in mind the people in the back are may choose to sit there because they don't
want to be rocking out like the people in the front rows.

It also looks like there are some out fill speakers for the side of stage audience.

[Mal Brown]

The setup in the pic looks like 2 12&horn, maybe 15 horn 2 ways over 2 single 18's setup in splay array... plus the out fill...  your rig ought to be able to bury that one.   

How well to the 835's array ?  Do 2 per side actually sound good ?  Assuming they are 75 to 90 degree boxes, you might be just as well off with 1 per side amd skip the potential combing.

If it were me I'd have a vocal in fill mix down front covering the party amd if required a couple of flanking outfills.

I would also concur that the larger crowd to the back are folks there to socialize and not necessarily there to have their hair parted buy the horns in that rig.

All that is subject to change based on the act though.   

[Mike Monte]

I’m looking at supplying audio for an event in central California next month for a festival expecting roughly 1500-2500 people.
The venue is an outdoor amphitheater Styled venue with grass all along the area for mostly seating and elevates about floor level to an elevation of about 15’ft with a gradual slope towards the back of the venue or grass area. Stage is concrete at about 30’ft wide  and about 3’ft above the grass area (some people dance up front in the grass but a lot of people bring their chairs and sit on the grass towards the middle and back of the venue area.

My question, I’m planning on using my 4- JBL SRX835P mains (2 per side) floor stacked on top of my 4 - Dual 18” sub cabs (2per side) which gets the mains above 8’ft.

Do I have enough audio to fill this area? I’ve done shows with this system for live bands before at other shows around 1500 and it still sounded great but going 2500 possibly might not do it.

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.
-Sam

Here’s a picture of the area:

My first thought: If you got the picture from that particular band (who performed that particular show) and they were happy - do the same
but
I would approach it differently (if you have time to experiment).
I am not privy to dimensions of your cabs but I would try: two subs per side with one mid/hi cab resting "on its side" on-top of a sub stack - if the mid/hi cab has an array-able cab (non-box) design.
This way the mid/hi cab would be angled-up a bit.
Using my double 18's stacked on their side (as a guide) [48"] plus the 3' rise of the stage would put your mid/hi cabs 7' in the air - add a couple of front-fills and you'd be good to go...

I'd try the above first - but - who has time to experiment these days?


 

[Mike Caldwell]

I just looked up your cabinets, according to the spec sheet they are rated as a 60 x 40 (give or take some) box, that is through the mids and high were it matters the most.
Splay two per side on top of your subs and start the party.

Maybe if you have the extra speakers, the time and budget as mentioned a little front fill
would help for the people dancing up close.
If it were me I would put up out fills before adding a front fill.
 

[Brian Jojade]

The dimensions of the area you expect to cover as well as the desired SPL are important considerations to know if you'll have enough sound.

Looking at the space in the photos, I'd say your speakers are going to be enough to be heard in the entire venue. No, it won't be the same level at every point in the venue, but most often, that's desirable, as long as the sound is clear.

The other thing that needs to be taken into consideration is the TYPE of music being played.   A light folk band needs way less than a heavy metal band would need, although the same system could be used for both.

[Sam Costa]

The setup in gp the pic looks like 2 12&horn, maybe 15 horn 2 ways over 2 single 18's setup in splay array... plus the out fill...  your rig ought to be able to bury that one.   

How well to the 835's array ?  Do 2 per side actually sound good ?  Assuming they are 75 to 90 degree boxes, you might be just as well off with 1 per side amd skip the potential combing.

If it were me I'd have a vocal in fill mix down front covering the party amd if required a couple of flanking outfills.

I would also concur that the larger crowd to the back are folks there to socialize and not necessarily there to have their hair parted buy the horns in that rig.

All that is subject to change based on the act though.

Mal,
Band will be a classic rock (Bob Seger tribute band) the 2 - 835P's play nicely together as the cabs are 60x40 when side by side. For this event shown on the picture, I ended up using 4-PRX818XLFW subs and it sounded "ok" but I was loosing most of it past 80'ft or so. So I'm going to deploy the 2-Dual 18" cabs per side with the mains stacked on top.

It's hard to see it but I did have 2 - QSC K12.2 as front fills for the dancers (mostly vocals, keys, minimal drums and guitar piped in) It's hard to see them on that photo but they are there.

We also had 2 out fills for some of the people on those Hard right and hard left grass areas with 1 - PRX 712 per side on sticks.

[Mal Brown]

Sam, your plan of horizontal array 835's over 2 double 18's plus the K12.2 in fills seems like a good bet.

[Douglas R. Allen]

  With all your tops being able to go up on tripods I'd put your four subs down front together placed on their side to be as low as possible. Outside like that there is bound to be some power alley coming into play.

Douglas R. Allen

[Bill Hornibrook]

I'd also line the subs in front on their sides - butted against the 3 foot concrete wall of the stage. Always seems to give me a little bit more oomph subjectively. Whether or not it does - I'll leave the analysis to the pros.

But looking at the people in the pic, I think you'll be OK with whatever you choose if you just double up your subs. With the exception of one kid, most everyone else looks to be over 40.

Edit: clarity

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