Different PA philosophy?

[RainsongDR1000]

I was just at our local state fair. They had an acoustic duo performing but instead of the standard 12" -15" speakers on poles, they had these 2 really small (infinity's, I think) speakers on poles and a big peavey subwoofer behind them. The small speakers were only about 10" x 8" x8" and may have even been home stereo speakers. The duo sounded surprisingly good w/ a very full sound. Has anybody else used this philosophy of only having the mids and highs run through small speakers w/ no woofers and having the bass frequencys running through a seperate sub? Seems like it sure would be easier hoisting a 10-15 lb. speaker on a pole and just dollying in a sub to but behind you. Would feedback be more of a problem w/ the sub behind you? Interesting philosophy, I guess kinda like the Kustom "Dawn" setup. Are there any "Better" systems out there that work on this principal? Discuss...

[Terry Allan Hall]

I use a somewhat similar "philosophy" with my system...a pair of small 10" + horn boxes (that weigh 24# per) on stands (these work great for solo gigs) and a pair of subs at the base of the tripods (for trio gigs), to add more bottom for the bass and percussion. A lot easier on the ol' spine, I'll tell ya!

Look on the corner for the cab-on-a-stick between Red (bass) and Doc (percussion).

Another advantage to putting the sub behind you is that you get a convenient place to put your mixer.

[OrvilleGibson]

Anyone taking bets on when the first post comes in mentioning the Bose PAS?

Oh. I guess I just did. How about the first serious post?

[adouglas2001]

This isn't quite what the PAS does. The system you describe is a simple bi-amp setup. Nothing new or unique at all. I had a bi-amped bass rig 22 years ago. The concept is valid IMHO. Note that Bose was doing something similar a long, long time ago. For all I know somebody else besides those you mention has comparable systems these days.

What the PAS would do is replace that bi-amped FOH (Front Of House) system, plus any stage amps, plus monitors, plus the rack of gear needed to drive it all. The bi-amped system you describe cannot do that...it just replaces the main PA speakers.

A PAS would also allow the band to hear the same thing that the audience hears instead of a separate monitor mix. This is not insignificant...if you see that band again, see if you can step behind the pole-mounted PA and hear what the band is hearing. Prepare to be astonished at how much different it is from the sound out front. If you've ever played in a band with a PA you already know what I'm talking about.

And the PAS would allow audience members who are off-axis from the PA to hear everything clearly (try stepping out of the "beam" of those pole-mounted speakers and see how the sound changes...doesn't happen with a PAS until you're almost 90 degrees off axis).

Finally, the sound from the PAS drops off differently (more slowly) than it does from a conventional loudspeaker, so the volume right in front of the stage can be lower while still carrying to the back of the crowd. (This seems impossible until you consider that a conventional speaker produces a spherical wavefront, while the PAS produces a cylindrical wavefront...do the math for the surface area of a sphere vs. the surface area of a cylinder and you'll find that it does in fact work out properly.)

Then there's the simplicity and light weight (no part of the system weighs more than 35 lbs.), low parts count, quick setup and breakdown, etc. etc. etc.....

Standard anti-flame disclaimer: I have no vested interest in the PAS. I'm just a satisfied user.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by adouglas2001 This isn't quite what the PAS does. The system you describe is a simple bi-amp setup. Nothing new or unique at all. I had a bi-amped bass rig 22 years ago. The concept is valid IMHO. Note that Bose was doing something similar a long, long time ago. For all I know somebody else besides those you mention has comparable systems these days. What the PAS would do is replace that bi-amped FOH (Front Of House) system, plus any stage amps, plus monitors, plus the rack of gear needed to drive it all. The bi-amped system you describe cannot do that...it just replaces the main PA speakers. A PAS would also allow the band to hear the same thing that the audience hears instead of a separate monitor mix. This is not insignificant...if you see that band again, see if you can step behind the pole-mounted PA and hear what the band is hearing. Prepare to be astonished at how much different it is from the sound out front. If you've ever played in a band with a PA you already know what I'm talking about. And the PAS would allow audience members who are off-axis from the PA to hear everything clearly (try stepping out of the "beam" of those pole-mounted speakers and see how the sound changes...doesn't happen with a PAS until you're almost 90 degrees off axis). Finally, the sound from the PAS drops off differently (more slowly) than it does from a conventional loudspeaker, so the volume right in front of the stage can be lower while still carrying to the back of the crowd. (This seems impossible until you consider that a conventional speaker produces a spherical wavefront, while the PAS produces a cylindrical wavefront...do the math for the surface area of a sphere vs. the surface area of a cylinder and you'll find that it does in fact work out properly.) Then there's the simplicity and light weight (no part of the system weighs more than 35 lbs.), low parts count, quick setup and breakdown, etc. etc. etc..... Standard anti-flame disclaimer: I have no vested interest in the PAS. I'm just a satisfied user.

 

 

No idea how well the PAS would work for outside usage, but here's my impressions of it inside a venue:

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=701483