Football Field Thoughts

AVGuyAndy

Active Member
New portable sound system was just delivered (yay). Specs are as follows:

4 EV Sx300E speakers
RMX 2450 amp (750w @ 4 ohms)
8 input Mackie.
EQ, CD Player, etc.

Every year for the past 35 years we have used 4 70v horns on the football field. They sound like crap. Just today we had to take apart the powered mixer and fix it. We want to try and use this new PA system for football season. What we can't figure out is speaker placement. Right now I have a list of places where I can't put speakers. They are:

1. I can only put one on top of the pressbox. Our coaches get pissed easily at loud speakers.
2. On the track. There's too much traffic between the hot chearleaders and golf carts,band stuff, etc.

So right now I'm kind of stuck. I don't really care if the away bleachers can hear or not. There's a possibility of having 2 similar Peavy speakers(they would be mine personally, so I'd be pissed if they got f'ed up during a game)

Let me know what you think might be good speaker locations. Remember, this is meant to be a portable system, so it must be setup and torn down for each game.
 
BTW, I'll snap a pic tomorrow to show what we're dealing with. Basically on the home side there's a pressbox, and the bleachers extend to the 20 yard line on each side.
 
Is it possible to mount them onto the poles for the field lights? If you do so don't forget to take wind into account..it would be horrible if a speaker fell because of winds.
 
and rain... if your speakers are not waterproof you dont want to do that. i generally like to avoid bringing too much of my own equipment to school on a regular basis. i have a huge toolchest full of tools, equipment and food that is under my own lock and key. the only ppl with access to that are me and my lighting tech. Because i have that i feel comfortable bringing in my own mics which are expensive, but i can ensure their safety in a locked box that is chained to the wall of a locked room. i only brought my own PA twice, once before we got out new system and once to dj something in another area of the school. if i were you i wouldnt bring any personal gear, over the course of hte season it could get damaged or stolen. if your school sees that the equipment they own is not sufficeint, maybe u will get lucky and they will buy more.
 
I'm sure this is a point that you are already aware of, but since this is a public forum where others may try to do a similar thing based on the advice posted here, I'm going to post it :)

Do keep in mind that, with regards to rigging the speakers in the air, you need to only use rigging hardware designed specifically for those speakers. I'm not familiar with those speakers, so don't know what rigging options there are, but if you're rigging them in the air and add hardware onto them that's not manufacturer approved, and it fails, you and your boss and your school district, etc. will all be liable for it.
 
I am guessing this is for the announcements and play-by play stuff..and not a concert. Position depends a lot on the space and what you have for mounting and throw positions and rigging possibilities. In the past when I have done some PA for stadums and ball fields for emcee and referee announcements, I have used long-throw multicell horns w/ 4" diaphrams as its mostly just speech and some minor ad music being put thru. But given your predicament and an active football field, you could take a tip from the guys who do the Superbowl halftime show.. They routinely will set up small speaker clusters stacked, arrayed and angled towards the crowd on golf carts or cushman dolly's, which they drive into position quickly and park. They don't get knocked over or messed with cause they are on the carts or dollies.. and if a player runs into a golf cart they will hurt themselves rather then knock over a open free-standing tripod stand.

Need more info to better get an idea what you need to do here....
-w
 
There is no way to rig anyting to poles, etc. We don't ave the money for any rigging equipment. Besides money, tis system needs to be totally torn down after each game, so rigging seems to be a waste of time. I've seen the superbowl sound carts on Prosoundweb. That's not a bad idea.

Basically, it will be announcements and play by play stuff. We do usually have a girl from the chorus sing the national anthem.

I do have the option to put the speakers on stands or carts. I'm just trying to figure out where to put them. I think over the summer I will just have to go outside and try some locations for speakers.
 
You should also take into account the cost of a means to secure speakers to said carts.
 
If you're in a neighborhood, try to make sure that the new system doesn't annoy the people living in the houses nearby.

That's why I love the 70v horns. Back when it was first installed, I've heard we got complaints from people several streets away.

I would just stick with what we have now, but being a sound geek, and having new stuff, I can't help myself. :)
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back