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[Brian Jojade]

Nope, not needed for a mobile show.

Here's why not "When toasts are made and wedding party is announced the dance floor is empty, no music playing and the dance PA covers everything just fine.  Even talk-overs by the DJ are intelligible in the house if the DJ knows what they are doing."

For a DJ show the sound should be focused onto the dance floor with as little "spill over" as possible into the seating areas.  It's not a night club or rave atmosphere - people want to converse and interact in the seating areas and want to rock out on the dance floor.

In a club yes, fills for announcements are almost always the best approach, for a mobile show in a private party not needed or even desirable in most cases.  For a mobile DJ show in a private party "less is better" in the seating areas.

Yes and no. It depends where the seating area is in relation to the dancing area as well as the shape of the room.  In a typical box where the DJ is set up where the head table is, then yeah, one set of speakers is generally enough.

However, if the DJ is around the corner, or if he's on the opposite side of the room, it can be quite disorienting for the speeches if the sound is coming from the wrong place.  In that case, separate speakers for the announcements makes sense.

If it's a large room, a fill speaker 40' back or so will even out the sound in the room tremendously, making sure those in the back can hear the speeches without destroying those in front.  Once the dance portion of the evening starts this is less important, for sure.

[Paul G. OBrien]

Yes and no. It depends where the seating area is in relation to the dancing area as well as the shape of the room.

Yep, all the larger weddings I do have 2-4 extra speakers on stands covering additional areas the main speakers sometimes don't reach. I typically have these on an AUX for individual level control, they are primarily for speech coverage and background music during cocktail hour and in many cases I strike these once the dance portion starts. On some 200ish person events some of these probably aren't really necessary but I'm just supplying what has been requested and they pay extra for it so...

[John Schalk]

Here are some general guidelines that may help you with your upgrade plans:

--  The PA equipment that you need for corporate A/V and wedding DJ work is different than what is needed for live music.  In my neck of the woods, A/V and wedding DJ work pay many multiples over what I can charge for live music events.   Do you really want to get into the live music scene?

--  It's usually best to stick with the same brand for tops and subs because they will be designed to play well together.  Unfortunately, EV doesn't offer a "big boy" powered system so upgrading a little at a time from your current EK series speakers won't be easy to do.

--  I have limited experience with QSC's speakers, but I think most would say that they would be a bit of an upgrade from EV's EK series.  The most recommended product in that general price range, on this forum, is the Yamaha DZR / DXS series.

--  If I were going after corporate work, I would put most of my money into high quality wireless systems (Shure QLXD), headset microphones (DPA), video projection, and pipe and drape.   

[Steve-White]

Yep, all the larger weddings I do have 2-4 extra speakers on stands covering additional areas the main speakers sometimes don't reach. I typically have these on an AUX for individual level control, they are primarily for speech coverage and background music during cocktail hour and in many cases I strike these once the dance portion starts. On some 200ish person events some of these probably aren't really necessary but I'm just supplying what has been requested and they pay extra for it so...

Yep, all the larger weddings I do have 2-4 extra speakers on stands covering additional areas the main speakers sometimes don't reach. I typically have these on an AUX for individual level control, they are primarily for speech coverage and background music during cocktail hour and in many cases I strike these once the dance portion starts. On some 200ish person events some of these probably aren't really necessary but I'm just supplying what has been requested and they pay extra for it so...

Yes, for sure guys there are times when some PA fills for announcements would be beneficial.

[Jeremy Young]

Lots of great insight already in here.  I'll comment that I own point-source boxes, and yes I do use fills at corporate and wedding events when the space demands it.  I'll happily add line items to an invoice if the client pays the bill and it solves an acoustic problem.

In a business perspective, if you're not planning on buying it all at once, consider buying into something that you can cross-rent more of from another local supplier.  As in, if you truly need a line-array solution for your clients but have the budget for 6 boxes, try to buy 6 of what others have near you, so when you need more than 6 you can cross-rent what you need.  I did the same thing on a different scale with cable ramps and another local supplier. 

A line array solves a problem, knowing the problem and how it solves it comes with owning/operating it, otherwise in my opinion it's not money well spent.  They are not point-and-shoot like point-source or constant-curvature solutions, or at least shouldn't be.  Cabinets that are designed to be arrayed vertically, with multiple splay angles, hardware, modelling software and factory processing, can solve a lot of challenges.  The scaleability of said boxes becomes a question of intent, what you're willing to accept for compromises, and the type of event.  I'm sure you've read some of these challenges already in your research.

Speakers don't cover people, they cover areas that are defined by geometry and SPL requirements.  I can "cover" more heads when they're families in lawn chairs wanting to socialize than I can when they're intoxicated and yelling.  The latter tend to be tighter packed into the same area.   Think shapes, audience distance ratios, raked seating angles, trim heights.... proper line array deployment takes some planning.  There's an excellent book titled "Sound Systems: Design and Optimization" that I'd consider mandatory reading for this industry.  It'll settle all your terminology questions, and all your math questions via formulas.  Also good resources are anything from Nathan Lively, or Merlijn van Veen; both of whom have numerous youtube videos, blogs, and Nathan has lots of podcasts all available at no cost but some of your time.


My advice would be to rent before buying. If you have everything else you need for the larger gigs except the line array/rigging/processing/amplification, as in, enough monitors and associated busses, mics, snakes, stands, mic splits, power stringers, fills, then simply cross rent the array from another provider and include it with your package.  You'll be able to see/hear how it differs and if you can't close the deal with the cross-rented costs included, you've saved yourself some warehouse space and capital.  This is a business of solving problems for profit, after all.


In my neck of the woods, the Yorkville PSA1 is more commonly found than VRX.  It has some Danley-licensed components to the design, but it's a Canadian brand so I doubt it would be cost effective to source in your area by the sounds of things. 


I'm still working on educating my clients that two boxes on a pole are not a "double line array".  So if two is double, and an "array" is multiple boxes, what's one on a stand? /sarc

[Scott Holtzman]

I'm still working on educating my clients that two boxes on a pole are not a "double line array".  So if two is double, and an "array" is multiple boxes, what's one on a stand? /sarc

Offending people giving me money is bad for business.  They can call it anything they want.


I have line array and point source since people are talking about inventory.  My big boy line array is an FBT Muse dual 10" box>. I have 24 of them along with 16 Meyer dual 18 subs.


Then I have 8 JBL VRX932LA.  Most popular boxes in inventory.


On the point source my biggest point source is a 25 year old HK projector rig.  Horn subs that work with two stacked cabinets and the mains are all horns.  It's a 12 box rig.


Then I have just bought an EV QRX system with the dual 12" QRX's as mains.  Excited about this.


I have KW153's lately that are great side fills.


The rest are DSR112's, KW122'S and KW181 subs.  I have some JBL SRX powered subs too,

[Kevin Maxwell]

Then I have just bought an EV QRX system with the dual 12" QRX's as mains.  Excited about this.

If you have time after Monday (just finishing up a musical) I would like to talk to you about the QRX system. I have been using one for quite a while now and have learned a lot about them. Maybe I can call you.

[Scott Holtzman]

If you have time after Monday (just finishing up a musical) I would like to talk to you about the QRX system. I have been using one for quite a while now and have learned a lot about them. Maybe I can call you.

Sure Tuesday is great especially from noon to 3:30 EST I just PM you

[ProSoundWeb Community]