• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

highest SPL tops out there?

#21
I've used the Renkus-Heinz ICL-R mounted on their subwoofers. If I had the coin I'd go about it this way, since the line array, mounted on a pair of subs on each side, gets high in the air and the line array design provides really good horizontal coverage. You'll need to take out a second mortgage. Pricey stuff if you can find it sold anywhere. No doubt, though, this is top grade pro-level stuff.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#22
4Mal said:
Maybe in someone else's hands the BFM stuff would be better but every time I hear them - I find them very loud but very harsh. Seems like the frequency respone is really ragged in the upper mids ...at least for the systems I've heard deployed, I couldn't live with the audio quality.

My PAS stuff sounds very hifi. Super smooth crossovers. Lots of time with SMAART to get them that way. We tested the KW-181 amd K-12 setup with SMAART and other than a slight bump at 100, we didn't need to adjust anything. Their DSP os pretty darned good.

I am 'one of those guys'. Who does not want 'horn'. I want a restrained hi end. I tend to start rolling off at 10k and am gone about 16. I'm happy with a SDC on a hi-hat for metal or reggae. I just don't want it to hurt people.

The BFM system I've heard used banks of piezo tweters. Simply brutal.

I'm also pretty much done with DIY cabs... Time is too limited but I apprecite the suggestion anyway. Those things do move a ton of air.
Click to expand...

You are right about BFM cabs tendency to sound harsh in the upper mids. I don't do anything on your scale but I do use a couple of Jack 12 Lites with the melded piezo array. I RTA'd mine flat in the open air, then translated the resultant EQ curve onto the mains output busses parametric on my X32, so they should sound more neutral. I use the parametric as the last thing the output signal sees before it hits the poweramps, so it's sort of doing a dsp role of flattening the response curve and fooling the system into thinking it's driving a flat speaker. With the mains nominally 'flat' I use the 32 band stereo tru-EQ graphic as an insert on the mains to adjust for the room, but even so I am often fighting to tame those upper mids. They are loud though. Some guys use compression drivers or even ribbon tweets on BFM cabs to get a more hi-fi result.

Downunderwonder said:
those piezo banks don't abide clipping mic preamps. One little orange light turns to arse.

Out of the box all horns need a good bit of compensatory EQ to even out the hot spots. The best place for that is a preset on digital power amps or rack controller.
Click to expand...

All true...got the preset thing done, but I think it needs revisiting in my case because even though the RTA derived parametric setting should be flat, I'm still pulling stuff in the 800-4k region way down on the graphic in most rooms. The piezo crossover operates around 2K so there must be something else going on lower down...maybe it's the fact that most BFM designs call for a driver with a rising mid response. It sounds like I am an unhappy user, I'm not, for the money I've got in them they outperform anything I could've bought of the shelf but I'm not blind to their limitations either.
 
#24
4Mal said:
Reading a thread at prosound.web for a 60 degree diy box. 2x12, horn loaded and bms horn. Sounds pretty impressive...
Click to expand...
Probably somewhat similar to the awesome discontinued JBL SRX722
https://www.jblpro.com/ProductAttachments/JBL.SRX722[1].pdf
Again, they use real full-space SPL ratings so not comparable to QSC's "marketing db's" - specially with the proper DSP and power (4800w peak per box, maybe a pair of Crown I-Tech 12000HD ?). They are 75 degree boxes so two per side is about the same coverage as three per side of a 60 degree box. AFAIK nobody that owns them is willing to give them up :( .
 
Last edited:
#25
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Have a gander at this thread... It is a very different box... 4 of those might be a very nice project next fall and winter...

I would love to hear a set in action. I would also like to hear the Big E PA speaker in action as well. Big claims for a small box. Conceptually a couple of horn loaded co-ax 8's per box over 4 boxes is appealing...
 
Last edited:
#26
I didn't realize you were interested in diy'ing it. Take a look at these.
Invalid Link Removed

This cabinet design is the progenitor of the MVW waveguide designed by BigE for the diy world. 133db IIRC, but I'll have to check on that. That may have been the spec of the dual. There's also a 12 I haven't gotten up yet.

I hope this does not violate TOS. If it does, just yank it.
 
#27
4Mal said:
Maybe in someone else's hands the BFM stuff would be better but every time I hear them - I find them very loud but very harsh.
Click to expand...

That particular sound provider can make anything sound pretty sketchy, at least IME. I played a festival gig where they had a couple of 18 loaded subs along the backline, right behind the mics. No bueno, especially for a jazz group with flute and an always-open hand percussion mic playing in one of the windiest places in the US.
 
#28
Leland, This certainly doesn't violate any of my sensibilities. I'm investigating opportunities, planning ahead and more informaion is better. I had a good experience doing the fearful DIY. still use the stuff today. It might be an option for me ...
 
#29
Passinwind said:
That particular sound provider can make anything sound pretty sketchy, at least IME. I played a festival gig where they had a couple of 18 loaded subs along the backline, right behind the mics. No bueno, especially for a jazz group with flute and an always-open hand percussion mic playing in one of the windiest places in the US.
Click to expand...
yep. I believe I did a surf guitar set same festival. asked about the sub placement and he didn't want them to get wet on the grass... I was wondering uh tarp ? pallets ?
 
#30
lelandcrooks said:
I didn't realize you were interested in diy'ing it. Take a look at these.
Invalid Link Removed

This cabinet design is the progenitor of the MVW waveguide designed by BigE for the diy world. 133db IIRC, but I'll have to check on that. That may have been the spec of the dual. There's also a 12 I haven't gotten up yet.

I hope this does not violate TOS. If it does, just yank it.
Click to expand...

I can only hope that people looking into this thread are looking for "Real SPL" with "Real SPL" measurements. Not fantasy specs.
But please do publish actually measurements. Use some other reference tops that you think you're competing with. Otherwise, it's all fantasy.
 
Last edited:
#31
I think as a commercial user Leland has to be very circumspect in his postings in a thread like this. More likely as my knowledge develops on the topic, I'll come back to this and make some updates as I learn more.

For the record, I'll be starting a convo with Leland off line in the interest of keeping this thread open... I expect that Leland's biz website as well as Big E will be where that data originates. i've seen precious little yet, but that probably has more to do with me not knowing where to look.

I also encourge people who are serious about their SPL and maybe their DIY to have a look at Peter Morris' work over at Prosound.web.
 
#37
Just for the record the referenced cab kit is not an MVW cab. Standard rules apply. It's a trapped design with very long side ports, based on a labryinth/ported hybrid. No voodoo here, just a good solidly designed fairly traditional cab. I also forgot to get the specs from Steve yesterday.
 
#38
lelandcrooks said:
Just for the record the referenced cab kit is not an MVW cab. Standard rules apply. It's a trapped design with very long side ports, based on a labryinth/ported hybrid. No voodoo here, just a good solidly designed fairly traditional cab. I also forgot to get the specs from Steve yesterday.
Click to expand...

Your own ad says "MVW". Regardless it is voodoo as it has no measurements.
$660 for a flat pack, no dirvers, no measurements.
"Shipping must be to a commercial address because of the weight ..."
Thumbs down, Way way Down

upload_2016-4-7_8-45-40.png


Soundforums thread on these designs. Stay clear:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 

Attachments

  • upload_2016-4-7_8-36-28.png
    upload_2016-4-7_8-36-28.png
    52 KB · Views: 54

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back