Sound design Advice

A

agcraig

Member
I have been tasked with doing a sound design for an outdoor production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." I only have about $100 in budget, give or take. The director wants the "theater space," to have hidden speakers throughout, for sound reinforcement, and etc. We talked about having 6-8 "zones." One for the lobby area, then one for the front, middle, and rear of the space. My question is, what type of cheap speakers (and amps) would you recommend for something like this? I have 6 outputs from the computer that will be running the playback of cues. That I have no problems with. I just need advice on what equipment you think would be worth using for something like this? I'm usually good at coming up with a money-saving solution for this community theater, but this time I'm drawing a blank.
Any help/advice would be great!
 
You need to purchase (rent? loan?) 12 speakers AND 6 amps or did I read that incorrectly?

Alright, let's work through this as I HATE hearing that it can't be done. Do you or the theatre own any equipment now? You mention you have 6 outputs from a computer, do you have a soundboard and are you using any mics? How big is the area you need to cover?
 
Performance Space
This is the playing area we have. The view is from the middle. The side with the arch straight ahead is looking from the stage area into where the house will be. Behind you (if you spin the view) is the lobby area. The area I need to cover isn't too large.
The lobby area we want to have one set of speakers, and in the playing space we want three. The theatre doesn't own any equipment. We usually beg and borrow (which sometimes screws us over.) There will be no microphones. We don't really "need" a mixer, if we had a set of amps feeding each set of speakers. I do not own any speakers or amps that would really help what i'm trying to do.
And yes, something like 12 speakers & 6 amps.
I also hate hearing things can't be done. Usually I'm great at coming up with ideas to do this, but I need help this time.
 
You just listed 4 sets of speakers, so from what you just said you'd be at 8 speakers and 4 amps, though that space doesn't look that large, is there a reason you want 6 speakers for the audience? You could probably get away with fewer. That would also cut down on the sound delay of multiple speakers spread out over the audience in different locations.


Via tapatalk
 
Right! sorry!
I just went back and forth with the director. I had a moment of confusion. We talked about 4 zones. so that's 8 speakers.
So to clarify, 1 set in the lobby area, and 3 in the playing space. Front, Middle, and Rear. The director and I want the sound to be fluid in the space, so we want the sound to go from front, to mid, to back with the movement of the fairies in the show.
 
I would hop on craigslist or ebay and start buying up used powered studio monitors. Other option would to buy a few old stereo systems on craigslist. For a hundred bucks, 8 mixes will be stretching it at any length. Professional gear is out of the picture. Boxes that make noise is your really goal.
 
agcraig said:
What do you think about sets of these? Or something similar
T-Amp
Speakers
Click to expand...

Before you order, think it through. The amp only puts out 20W and the speakers are rated for 150W RMS, 300W Peak. This did give me an idea; however, I want to preface it with a disclaimer: this is purely theoretical advice and should ONLY be performed if you have experience in soldering, DC voltage, AC current, and fully understand that this solution will NOT produce a high quality sound. At best, it will basically be similar to leaving your car doors open (if you build the boxes right). With that being said, see below for a possible solution roughly $100.


Call around to a few salvage yards (junk yards, just nicer) and buy an old after market car radio (also called a deck or head unit (HU)). Any decent one should be able to put out 60W peak per channel (4 channels). Two used HU's should be cheap. Make sure both HU's have RCA inputs.

Next, salvage 8 door speakers. Make sure the speaker is NOT component speakers - meaning the tweeter is located in the center of the speaker and is not external. Otherwise you will lose your highs. Build some small boxes for these speakers and place where you need them.

Finally, run the wire to the speakers from the HU. The tricky part will be powering the HU's off of AC power. It can be done, but I will leave it up to you to search Google. The last part of this step is getting the audio to play in sync. From your computer, either split the signal or run a line to each HU.


Edit: of you could find a used home stereo at goodwill and speakers from goodwill.
 
FACTplayers said:
Before you order, think it through. The amp only puts out 20W and the speakers are rated for 150W RMS, 300W Peak. This did give me an idea; however, I want to preface it with a disclaimer: this is purely theoretical advice and should ONLY be performed if you have experience in soldering, DC voltage, AC current, and fully understand that this solution will NOT produce a high quality sound. At best, it will basically be similar to leaving your car doors open (if you build the boxes right). With that being said, see below for a possible solution roughly $100.


Call around to a few salvage yards (junk yards, just nicer) and buy an old after market car radio (also called a deck or head unit (HU)). Any decent one should be able to put out 60W peak per channel (4 channels). Two used HU's should be cheap. Make sure both HU's have RCA inputs.

Next, salvage 8 door speakers. Make sure the speaker is NOT component speakers - meaning the tweeter is located in the center of the speaker and is not external. Otherwise you will lose your highs. Build some small boxes for these speakers and place where you need them.

Finally, run the wire to the speakers from the HU. The tricky part will be powering the HU's off of AC power. It can be done, but I will leave it up to you to search Google. The last part of this step is getting the audio to play in sync. From your computer, either split the signal or run a line to each HU.


Edit: of you could find a used home stereo at goodwill and speakers from goodwill.
Click to expand...

The amp was a result of a quick amazon search, I would of course look at the power outputs.

But that is a rather ingenious proposal. However, I don't have much time to build a system and find the parts. The show goes into tech June 6th. Making/finding the sounds shouldn't be a problem. Making the system work is my biggest obstacle. Having a very limiting budget (usually I have no budget, but scenic didn't need an extra 100,) makes this no less easier.
 
You might also ask around in the cast and crew if anyone has a home stereo they'd loan you for the shows. Then spend the $100 on cable and connectors.

Is there electricity in the space? If not, find boom boxes that have an audio input, and spend your money on cable, connectors, and batteries.

Jen
 
carproelsofly said:
You might also ask around in the cast and crew if anyone has a home stereo they'd loan you for the shows. Then spend the $100 on cable and connectors.

Is there electricity in the space? If not, find boom boxes that have an audio input, and spend your money on cable, connectors, and batteries.

Jen
Click to expand...

The problem with this, which we already spoke about in our meetings, the shows run for a month and are outside. No one is really willing to part with their personal stereos for that long and risk damage due to having the SM team setting up daily (they are college interns,) or having them left out in the weather.

My biggest complaint with community theaters who try to put on good productions, but they don't want to spend any money to do so. They need to realize that comp tickets aren't a valid currency.
 
carproelsofly said:
Bummer.

So you need lots of durable, portable, weather-proof speakers, that are simple to set up and take down....

For $100.

Thrift store, maybe, or back to the car speakers. This could get you most of the way there:
Pyle PL42BL Blue Label 4" Coaxial Speaker Pair | 267-078
Pyle PLMRA400 Marine Waterproof 4-Channel Amplifier | 267-7040

That was a quick search - more time might get you some cheaper stuff...
Click to expand...

I wanted to try to steer away from marine/auto systems if I could. but I'm running out of options.
 
FACTplayers said:
I've been thinking about it all day and I don't see a better way without going over your budget.
Click to expand...
I originally had zero budget. Which usually I would have no problem with, I've done it before. But like I said, We are doing the show outside, In Richmond, VA, where rain could happen at a moments notice. I'll have to keep researching.... I have to have a definitive plan before our production meeting this Monday.
Thank you for all of your help!
 
And what's worse, besides my budget being $100, that's also what I'm being paid to do the show

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
 
Junkyard speakers is a great suggestion. Stick with the round ones. Easier to cut holes in the coffee cans that I suggest you mount them in. Spray cones with rattle can outdoor paint. Then hit up local Networking and or system integratiom companies for scrap cat5 or other cable for speaker wire. Some convention ctrs have entire dumpsters full of it after floor shows.
 
Even here in the land of low cost of living, that's at least a $500/night gear rental - not including wireless mics for the cast.
 
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