Back to speaker wire gauge/length...

[JLNorthGA]

Eventually we will be getting new speakers and new gear.

Currently we have a combination of inherited equipment and equipment on loan.

We have 2 - 12 channel snakes going from the front of the stage to the sound/light booth. There are 4 "sends" or returns on the snakes. We have cable going from one of the snakes to two amplifiers under the stage. The amplifiers are connected to four speakers under the stage. These act as our subwoofers and fill speakers. Not the best solution, but it works. The "incoming" signal from microphones and instruments goes into the snakes and up to the sound booth - and then back down. We have 100' snakes. The amplifier in the sound booth sends power through two 100' 12 gauge speaker cable to a set of Nady 15" speaker cabinets (PS115, 500W (250W RMS) at 8 ohms) which are mounted on the walls beside the proscenium opening.

Eventually I would like to replace the equipment we have on loan and get some real subwoofers and some amplifiers.

I've been looking at the Nady PSW-152 Dual 15" subwoofers (4 ohm, 800W peak power rating-400W RMS).

The question - should I continue with the current set-up which has the amplifiers under the stage? Or should I get some 10 gauge speaker wire for the 125' of length and have the amplifiers in the sound booth?

Currently we have four speakers under the stage. This would mean getting a 500' roll of speaker wire and ends. We would then have the amplifiers in the booth.

Either way, I need amplifiers and subwoofers.

 

[DuckJordan]

Or you could go with powered Subwoofers, Then you just have a signal line running to the subs under the stage.

 

[Dionysus]

I just at first say that in my personal preference as a general rule of thumb I always prefer the amplifiers to be closer to the stage and further from the booth. It is a lot better to send the signal a long ways balanced and not powered by your amps, than unbalanced and amped.

If I were you, I'd think about powered subs under the stage and just send signal on your standard XLR microphone cable and snake than run long speaker cables.

Either way will work, amps in the booth, or amps back (or below) stage. The only issue with amps under the stage is getting to them!
I always like to have amplifiers and the cables/snakes going to and from them to be easily accessible at all times in case of disaster.

 

[djyojoe]

If the system isn't broken then don't mess with it.

Amps at the stage or near the speakers are best. This is normal practice. Don't move them to the booth.

Powered speakers are great. But I don't really like them for installs. When power amps fail. Including the ones in the cabinets of self powered speakers. It's much easier to deal with power amps in a rack to have removed for repair. Especially when it's minutes from show time. You can always get a spare amp hooked up in a bad situations.