Loudspeakers Advice for outdoor speakers

[Hansentd]

Hi all,
I'm working on a LARP event which is taking place all over an old campsite.
Unfortunately- there's a highway just a little ways off, and you get the drone of cars pretty clearly.
We want to rig up speakers on some disused telephone poles (no power there, we'll need to run power out from the nearby buildings).
They already own some 1500w amps and small JBL Control 1 speakers from a previous setup- but I don't think those will cut it out in a field.

I'm not really an audio guy. What should I be looking for as far as speakers?
We can lean into the camp aesthetic, the quality doesn't need to be great, just audible at 50-100ft.

Thanks.

 

[almorton]

Sounds like you want 100v line to distribute the audio. They don't have to honk and echo like the speakers of old.

 

[TimMc]

LARP - live action role playing?

What is the program material that needs the sound system, how loud does it need to be, how much physical area must be covered at that SPL, and what other audio assets are available?

Have they done this type of temporary installation before, and why are they changing things if so?

 

[FMEng]

What kind of sounds are to be amplified? Just speech, battle sounds, music, or what?

 

[Hansentd]

LARP - live action role playing?

What is the program material that needs the sound system, how loud does it need to be, how much physical area must be covered at that SPL, and what other audio assets are available?

Have they done this type of temporary installation before, and why are they changing things if so?

Yup. The LARP is a weekend long event with a horror theme (inspired by summer camp slasher films from the 80s)

The sound will be ambient/droning (there's a separate a system for announcements near the tents and cabins)- out in a field up on a hill.
I would estimate the area to be covered is around 50x100ft- we'll try to corral the participants between 2 utiliity poles- where I'm hoping to mount the speakers.

The equipment we own is from previous event (indoors)- a set of Crown XLS 2502 amps, and JBL Control-1 speakers. They were hidden around the hall- nice little speakers but I'm not inclined to trust them for this kind of thing.

 

[StradivariusBone]

That area size isn't terribly out of pocket for what you've got in the way of equipment. Especially if you've got another system already established for general PA. The main trick would be exposing them to the weather, but I think you could use that system to accomplish your aesthetic. How many people are you expecting?

 

[FMEng]

https://technomad.com/ Technomad makes "off the shelf" weatherproof speakers. The little JBLs would self destruct trying to be loud enough.

 

[StradivariusBone]

Idk if it's just ambient background. I've used those exact speakers in a few settings and they're decent enough. If it was for general PA announcement I'd agree.

 

[TimMc]

50x100 is a lot of "throw" for small, direct-radiating loudspeakers, especially continuous duty "drone" sound. I strongly suggest setting this up outdoors on grass (not concrete or asphalt) and see what you think. Make noise, simulate some of the additional sound of the live action and see if you get and can maintain the desired result.

 

[FMEng]

Try the Control 1 speakers knowing they are likely to die under those conditions, but they aren't expensive either. They have low sensitivity, so they need more power to get loud. Power is heat in the voice coils. The high duty cycle of droning sounds may produce more heat than music or speech. Speakers have to be driven harder outdoors due to the lack of walls, ceilings and floors to reflect sound. All of those factors could combine to let out the smoke. For this application, larger speakers with compression horns would be best.