Raising Large Speakers

[moten33]

Hey all,

My band had been using Behringer 2x15 mains and just bought a few old Carvin 942s. They are probably a little over 3 feet tall, 2 and a half feet wide and weigh approximately 90 pounds. They do not have pole mounts. We had this same issue with the Behringers. Is there any way to effectively get them up off the floor? A tilt back amp stand maybe? We're adding some subs as well and thsoe would be on the floor but unsure what to do with large mains like that.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Before I bought the TL505 bottom bins to (incorrectly ) raise my top boxes back in the day, we fabricated two road cases with the drummer for the cabs to sit on.

It wasn't much, about 45cm/1.5', but it made a considerable improvement to the projection.
Not to mention their double duty as road cases.

Regards
Sam

[Big_Daws]

ummm not without stacking them on something...

[pflash4001]

I would NOT under any circumstances raise anything bigger than a 15 inch 2 way on a speaker stand. That's too tall and asking for an accident. If that thing topples on your audience you're screwed. That's a hell of a lawsuit.

[Zooberwerx]

I bought a secondhand pair of Quik-Lok folding stands which can be used as mixer, keyboard, or speaker stands. The 4 legs are telescopic and "octopus-like" so they can be moved in or out to provide optimal support for the given load. Very stable if set-up correctly. Mine are actually too wide even when minimized to accommodate the narrower 2 X 15 footprint. I need to build some type of stiffening support shelf to lay on top.

Edit: this is what I have http://www.quiklok.com/catalog/?p=pr...2&sName=WS-650

Riis

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by T-Bird

Hi.

Before I bought the TL505 bottom bins to (incorrectly ) raise my top boxes back in the day, we fabricated two road cases with the drummer for the cabs to sit on.

It wasn't much, about 45cm/1.5', but it made a considerable improvement to the projection.
Not to mention their double duty as road cases.

Regards
Sam

This is actually a great idea. I've been looking for a way to raise my Carvin 2153's, and this will do just fine.

[derrico1]

Originally Posted by moten33

We're adding some subs as well and thsoe would be on the floor but unsure what to do with large mains like that.

What size venues are you playing? When you add the subs, I'd be looking to sell the heavy mains, and get smaller pole-mountable tops.

[gearhead1972]

These might be the ticket

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

I bought a secondhand pair of Quik-Lok folding stands which can be used as mixer, keyboard, or speaker stands. The 4 legs are telescopic and "octopus-like" so they can be moved in or out to provide optimal support for the given load. Very stable if set-up correctly. Mine are actually too wide even when minimized to accommodate the narrower 2 X 15 footprint. I need to build some type of stiffening support shelf to lay on top.

Edit: this is what I have http://www.quiklok.com/catalog/?p=pr...2&sName=WS-650

Riis

I have the same thing. Here's a pic.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by gearhead1972

These might be the ticket

[walterw]

now you know why 2x15 tops are mostly a bad idea for bar PAs.

you can't get them high enough for the horns to cover the room unless you stack them on something heavy (like subs, at which point the bottom 15 of the 2x15 becomes pointless).

[Ukiah Bass]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Nice! I can use this for my Crazy88 and small tube amp. Perfect boost height.

[ggunn]

I like the spring loaded cab stands. You set the cab on it and release the spring, and the cab elevates and lowers nearly effortlessly. Just don't release the spring with no cab mounted!

[Ukiah Bass]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I checked this out at Home Depot and cannot recommend it as a speaker stand. It's too wobbly. Maybe it would suffice for a backline item, but it's a disaster in waiting for FOH cabinets. A simple bump would topple it over. Also, it's kind of awkward to carry as it is quite wide when folded. Wouldn't work at all on a small carry cart so you'd have to lug it with one arm. Pass.

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by Ukiah Bass

I checked this out at Home Depot and cannot recommend it as a speaker stand. It's too wobbly. Maybe it would suffice for a backline item, but it's a disaster in waiting for FOH cabinets. A simple bump would topple it over. Also, it's kind of awkward to carry as it is quite wide when folded. Wouldn't work at all on a small carry cart so you'd have to lug it with one arm. Pass.

Thanks for the review & warning. A similar problem occurs with Quick Lok stands pic'd in post #9...position the legs inward to lessen the footprint and/or provide addt'l support for the enclosure and you may have a recipe for disaster if located in a vulnerable high-traffic area.

Riis

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

Thanks for the review & warning. A similar problem occurs with Quick Lok stands pic'd in post #9...position the legs inward to lessen the footprint and/or provide addt'l support for the enclosure and you may have a recipe for disaster if located in a vulnerable high-traffic area.

Riis

Any design with squares instead of triangles is going to be less stable.

[MrDOS]

I think aluminum scaffolding is a good, albeit expensive solution. I like to put my subs together in front, or off to the side that the bass amp is not on.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by MrDOS

I think aluminum scaffolding is a good, albeit expensive solution. I like to put my subs together in front, or off to the side that the bass amp is not on.

again, once you have those subs, the bottom 15 of the 2x15 top cab becomes pointless; might as well ditch 'em for some single 15 (or whatever) top boxes, which will go right up over the crowd's heads on stands like they're supposed to.

[derrico1]

+1 (this was my point above, as well).

Big 2x15 mains are marketed to carry *some* low-end authority in sub-less systems. Once you're running subs, the system will be crossed over in the neighborhood of 100 Hz; freed from the need to carry low end, the mains can be *much* smaller boxes.

[moten33]

The Carvins are a single 15 with a large horn. It is huge because it is old but they sound great and are in good condition. I was going to sell the Behringers, use the Carvins as our mains until my next upgrade and get subs to go with the Carvins then start looking for new tops. I upgrade piece by piece as I find deals and such.