Are more speakers louder?

[jamiefx]

Ok, I am new to PA speakers so this may seem like a dumb question to most of you, but my band is playing in larger places now than when we started. We currently have speakers that are rated at a max of 119db. I've been looking at new speakers that are 132db. I love the speakers I currently have so I have been thinking about adding 2 more of the 119db speakers for a total of 4 speakers as mains (as well as 2 18 inch subs). Would 4 119db speakers be louder than the 2 132db speakers?... Thanks for any help

[agedhorse]

Assuming the speakers are rated to the same metric, 1pair of the 132dB speakers will considerably louder.

[wesg]

If my understanding is correct (I am an amateur), you only get 3dB more sound by doubling the number of speakers.

 

You can buy great-sounding speakers in the 131-134 dB peak neighbourhood. Spend your money wisely and you will not have to sacrifice sound quality. QSC K12, JBL PRX612M, Yorkville NX55P-2 are some that I am familiar with.

 

Will your current speakers work as monitors? They're loud enough..

 

Wes

[Craig Vecchione]

Would 4 119db speakers be louder than the 2 132db speakers?

 

Absolutely not. But note wesg and agedhorse's considerations, both of which are quite relevant. Paring two speakers closely will theoretically gain 3dB. So your 119dB speakers paired will produce about 122dB....far less than one 132dB speaker, and essentially half the perceived volume.

 

BUT....agedhorse wisely mentioned the metrics. Testing speakers is a quagmire of methods. Full space or half? Full range, or only @ 1kHz? For how long? 1 second, 1 hour, 2 hours? Maximum output means nothing if the speaker fails by the third show. Then the Marketing and Sales departments have a go at it, and maybe they fudge the numbers so their widget looks better than the competitors widget. We've seen this happen over the years...the same speaker magically gains all sorts of power without any manufacturing changes at all.

 

The real proof of the pudding is in the eating. If you can, try the new speaker, if possible at a show directly against your existing rig...pair yours on one side as you plan, and use one of the new guys on the other. You'll quickly learn which way to go.

[dboomer]

I suspect the answer that you are really looking for is not really addressed in the way you asked the question. It would be helpful if you named the make and model of the speakers you are talking about.

[DanCostello]

Assuming the speakers are rated to the same metric

 

What are the odds of that being the case? :-b

[OneEng]

As others have said, there is SOME coupling that occurs if you put 2 speakers side by side; however, I believe that this is frequency dependent (I have usually heard this mostly referenced with respect to subs where the wavelengths are much longer).

 

..... but lets get a little more real here.

 

People put 2 tops per side up for a reason. We are discussing the SPL (signal pressure level) at a point directly 1 meter in front of the speaker when we discuss most specifications. The spread (especially the high frequencies) of SPL around the room in different places is wildly different. If you are 100 deg off axis, you can expect only a small amount of the SPL rated volume. THIS is where splaying a pair of speakers per side pays off. You spread the sound around more evenly, so more of the audience hears the music louder and more balanced.

 

If you move out into a deep crowd, the sound level drops off as 1/distance^2. Having 4 tops vs 2 tops would have very little impact on the sound level perceived directly in the middle of the stage at the back of the room (in a long room). Having tops that have an SPL of 132 vs 119 is going to make a huge difference in sound level (more than double).

[monthlymixcd]

I doubt that the OP will be back, but FWIW I almost never run more than one top per side except when I need the extra coverage in REALLY wide rooms... and only when I know that I can splay them properly to avoid comb filtering. We use PRX615Ms as tops and they're loud and throw really well. I'm also far more likely to use a pair of smaller speakers on delay half-way back on a really deep outdoor patio that we play regularly or in an auxiliary room for a wedding reception than I am to double up at the stage. Of course, that's also partially due to us being such a large band and needing every bit of the stage.

[agedhorse]

I often run more than 1 top per side (when not using line arrays) and don't have objectionable comb filtering. If the off axis response is uniform, it's not as big of an issue as Internet myth might suggest.

[witesol]

I often run more than 1 top per side (when not using line arrays) and don't have objectionable comb filtering. If the off axis response is uniform' date=' it's not as big of an issue as Internet myth might suggest.[/quote']

 

 

yup. I see people spreading the advice that you'll completely ruin your sound putting another cabinet next to the same model no matter how you do it. Then the myth is spread. Gearslutz …argh! Sure, you need to splay the two cabinets somewhat and that helps. What's interesting is that we're really only talking about horn patterns….take a JBL SRx722. It has two 12s aimed in the same direction. 12" speakers have a polar pattern too, last time I checked.

 

One time i flipped a 12v Yamaha club upside down on top of another to couple the two horns. I A guy came up and told me I didn't know what I was doing. I told him "yea, the 12s are now combing at a different set of frequencies"