Need "sound advice" about main PA speakers

[Tx Basser]

OK bassin' guys and gals:

In the band I play in, a couple of the guys like to put the PA speakers up on stands (poles) while another guy and I like to have them on the floor. The mains are always on each end of the stage. The venues we play are always indoors and vary in size but they are generally medium sized places with a dance floor in front of the stage and plenty of sound projection room.

Your opinions and experience?

 

[seanm]

I've had nothing but bad experiences with having the mains on the floor. With the exception of one very small bar where we use the monitors to provide the volume.

 

[walterw]

the horns on the PA cabs need to be above people's heads! otherwise, they'll kill whoever's right in front but get blocked before anybody in back hears them.

get those boxes up there, to where most of the speaker is above folks' heads, too.

 

[Munjibunga]

Shooting your sound into the legs of the audience doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It'll kill the sound within about 5 feet.

 

[1954bassman]

Are you talking about seting them on the floor of a elevated platform stage?

Putting FOH speakers at dance floor level makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[Big_Daws]

yeah i don't need to comment here...lol only cos everyone has said what i would say already...lol

 

[Floyd Eye]

yeah i don't need to comment here...lol only cos everyone has said what i would say already...lol

Yep.

 

[two fingers]

I would be really interested to read WHY that guy thinks putting PA mains would be a good idea. WHERE did he get such an idea?

 

[modulusman]

No wonder some bands sound like crap.

 

[Big_Daws]

I would be really interested to read WHY that guy thinks putting PA mains would be a good idea. WHERE did he get such an idea?

i could be wrong...but i he could be thinking about pa stacks and thinking that if its ok for a stack then its ok in that situation...only a guess though...it seems most logical

 

[DWBass]

On the floor? Really? Well, if you're talking dual 15" mains, you really have no choice but single speaker cabs should be raised, IMO.

 

[almightycrunch]

yep, couple your subs to the floor, and elevate your mid/hi packs to above ear height.

 

[sdenney78]

Check out these links to a very informative explanation and diagram of optimal speaker placement for a standard room. I've found that following the described guidelines gives me great results. The info seems logical and easy to understand. Also, some of the advice that people have already mentioned are shown in these diagrams as to why/how they are correct.

Vertical Pattern:
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Horizontal Pattern:
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Subs:
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[walterw]

On the floor? Really? Well, if you're talking dual 15" mains, you really have no choice but single speaker cabs should be raised, IMO.

which is another reason why double 15 mains are the answer to nobody's question.