Sound System for Dance / Karaoke Party

[Extremist777]

What would you guys recommend? What equipment do I need? My friend is having a party and I am providing the sound system. Im thinking of bringing my Home Stereo to the hall and since there would be about 200 people... Im guessing it may not be loud enough for dance music and/or karaoke. I was told that I would need a  high powered speakers?

Anyone wanna help me out? What else would i need besides speakers? Do I need mixers? or poweramps? or is my CD/Karaoke player be enough? Just use a high powered speakers with my existing system?

Thanks in advance guys!

[abyssinianson]

depending on the size of the hall, you could just rent a PA system which would have enough juice to throw out whatever music you play. a home stereo, no matter how powerfull, is not going to be able to compete with a full blown PA system because the drivers and tweeters of the smaller rig just won't be able to physically project enough - that is, considering the hall is open and has very few places for sound to bounce on. also, the frequency capability of a PA system is going to complement your dance music better- better bass, treble, and mids will be better heard on a larger, more powerful system. during my DJing days (i still Dj but not as much as I used to) in the era of warehouse guerilla house parties, the PA systems used to be monstrous to compensate for the size of te venue, and just simply project a better sound. the PA system, though basic, was pretty good and was made up of a small mixer, speakers, and the power amps. the usual array of turntables, DJ mixers, Cd players, and effects were the usual methods of playing music.

sidenote: the rig had to be somewhat portable too. afterall, these were guerilla house parties. ah, house, trance, progr, and urban techno....those were the days:) nowadays, things are more posh and civil with all the music inside clubs, pumping through fancy systems and catering to the martini drinking crowd.

[Tarkuz Toccata]

What would you guys recommend? What equipment do I need? My friend is having a party and I am providing the sound system. Im thinking of bringing my Home Stereo to the hall and since there would be about 200 people... Im guessing it may not be loud enough for dance music and/or karaoke. I was told that I would need a  high powered speakers?

What exactly are the specs of your home sound system (the loudspeakers and amp)? Please include brand and model.

Anyone wanna help me out? What else would i need besides speakers? Do I need mixers? or poweramps? or is my CD/Karaoke player be enough? Just use a high powered speakers with my existing system?

You'll probably need speaker stands and subwoofers also.

[Extremist777]

@ Abby --- Thanks for the input. Its actually a church hall basement... Incase you haven't been in a church hall... its just a big square room .. just like a box. And the venue will accomodate around 200 people.
Basically I dont have any idea what a PA system should consist of. Pair of Speakers? Subwoofer? Cables(what kind)? Power amp and a mixer? Im thinking of maybe just renting a PA speakers and just use my CD/DVD/KARAOKE player. What do you think?

@ Tarkuz --- My home sound system is basically just a basic Panasonic 5 CD changer player. Those small 3-piece sound system you usually find in the department store.. although it can be very loud in a 900 sq ft room... not sure if it will be enough for a room 3 or 4 times bigger than mine.

So do you think oks yung ganito??

DVD/CD/KARAOKE (1 player) + PA Speakers (is  a subwoofer extra?)... since there is a mic input in my player I dont see a need for a mixer unless if the PA system has a different interface/cable connection than my player.

Im thinking of renting a pair Mackie SRM450 or JBL EON10G2... What do you guys think of this speakers? Would I need a subwoofer with those?

Thanks guys! I really appreciate your input/help regarding this matter. =)

[jplacson]

For PA and live events, you don't measure venue size... you do a head count.

A celfone speaker can be heard in a large hall... with no people in it.

200 people in a church hall?  What's the exact address of the venue?

PM me... I may be able to help you out.

[Tarkuz Toccata]

its just a big square room .. just like a box. And the venue will accomodate around 200 people.

What are the room dimensions, length x width x height?
200 people can seat comfortably in a room area of around 170 sq meters or 1830 sq ft.
I can compute for the total system power required and design the appropriate sound system for you.

Basically I dont have any idea what a PA system should consist of. Pair of Speakers? Subwoofer? Cables(what kind)? Power amp and a mixer? Im thinking of maybe just renting a PA speakers and just use my CD/DVD/KARAOKE player. What do you think?

I think it's more practical to rent a Mobile DJ package -- PA system including lights.

@ Tarkuz --- My home sound system is basically just a basic Panasonic 5 CD changer player. Those small 3-piece sound system you usually find in the department store.. although it can be very loud in a 900 sq ft room... not sure if it will be enough for a room 3 or 4 times bigger than mine.

No technical specs? example: type of loudspeaker, woofer size, power handling, sensitivity, horizontal angle of dispersion, etc.
Very loud music = 100 decibels. This is probably the minimum required loudness at the dance floor.
100 people can seat comfortably in a 900 sq ft room.

So do you think oks yung ganito??

DVD/CD/KARAOKE (1 player) + PA Speakers (is  a subwoofer extra?)... since there is a mic input in my player I dont see a need for a mixer unless if the PA system has a different interface/cable connection than my player.

Ito sample ng basic Mobile DJ sound system list:

4 dual 15" loudspeakers (or single 15" loudspeakers + 18" subs)
1 power amp (or 2 power amps + 2-way crossover)
1 DJ mixer
2 vinyl/CD turntable
1 headphone
1 mic
1 lot assorted cables and stands[/list:u]

Im thinking of renting a pair Mackie SRM450 or JBL EON10G2... What do you guys think of this speakers? Would I need a subwoofer with those?

Get a pair of JBL Eon15 G2 instead of Eon10 G2. Mount them on speaker stands then just add a pair of powered subs. That's all.

[Extremist777]

For PA and live events, you don't measure venue size... you do a head count.

A celfone speaker can be heard in a large hall... with no people in it.

200 people in a church hall?  What's the exact address of the venue?

PM me... I may be able to help you out.

JP thanks for the offer. pero outside pinas gaganapin yung party eh.

[abyssinianson]

For PA and live events, you don't measure venue size... you do a head count.

A celfone speaker can be heard in a large hall... with no people in it.

200 people in a church hall?  What's the exact address of the venue?

PM me... I may be able to help you out.

i am quite confused - you don't consider venue size when addressing PA setup design but consider the head count instead? if this is true, then wouldn't suggesting an appropriate powered PA system be a null point if you just want to be heard? heck, a fart in a clost in an auditorium can be heard. i can see this is a variation of the "Can a falling tree in a forest be heard if no one is there to hear it?" kinda scenario:) but seriously, from a physics stand point, a cell phone's audible signal is not the same as setting a goal for a party to be "rocking," don't you think? these are apples and oranges; a comparison that does not add up.

to recommend a PA system, have it be heard - not just audibly, but accurately as well - you need to know the venue size, its acoustics, and then, how many are approximately going to be present. why? unless you don't care about the sound, you can bring a boom box and be fine with the thin sound from anywhere in the room. however, if you want the music and party to be well received, that is a different story. as a DJ, if the music is not represented accurately, which I think is of importance here since Extremist did mention Dance music and Subwoofer in the same sentence, then then you need to consider a well matched PA for the venue. i understand it is a basement of a church but what is the goal of this gathering? a casual party? a fundraiser? a full blown rave? for each reason there are measures you can take which may, or may not, require you to get the proper equipment. point is, what goals do you have for this event and do you REALLY care about the sound enough to go through the trouble of getting a PA when a small Karaoke machine is going to cut it?

@extremist777: we might not be on the same page as far as understanding the goals of your event but I am coming from a different background which, in this case, is that of a DJ. i've played clubs, warehouse raves, as well as outdoor festivals so sound is very important to me most of the time. if you play for a crowd, the level of energy and interest that you get is dependent on the quality of the music that is being heard. in my case, the PA system better be good, otherwise, there are going to be a helluva lot of people pissed off at me enough to riot rush the DJ booth..lol. in your case, i don't think it has been established clearly enough if you really care about the quality of the sound versus just being content with being heard because there is a distinct difference between the two situations.

[Extremist777]

@ TARKUZ  --- Venue size i'd say is about the size of a tennis court (or maybe even a bit bigger).. I dont think i'd need turn table because I just wanna play some good music that people can dance to... and also not compromising sound quality. Although I'll be using my laptop and/or karaoke/CD/DVD player to play the CD's.... I wanna rent some good quality PA system that wont sound terrible.

@ Abyss ---- The event is a dance/karaoke  party. A typical filipino gathering consisting of mixed crowd.. young and old. I'm a musician so a good (if not excellent) sound quality is definitely a MUST.

Thanks so much for your help and input guys! Here's what I came up with at the moment...

1 x Yorkville M1610 mixer/amp (600 watts per channel ito 8 ohms)
2 x Elite E12 speakers (400 watts)
2 x Speaker stands
1 x Elite LS200P powered sub woofer (optional for more bass)

Let me know what you think. Thanks!

[Tarkuz Toccata]

Venue size i'd say is about the size of a tennis court (or maybe even a bit bigger)..

Tennis court dimensions: 78 ft length x 36 ft width = 2808 sq ft
Capacity: 312 seats

Here's what I came up with at the moment...

1 x Yorkville M1610 mixer/amp (600 watts per channel ito 8 ohms)

Okay.

2 x Elite E12 speakers (400 watts)
2 x Speaker stands

E12 specifications

Power Handling: 400W program
Nominal Impedance: 8 ohms
Dispersion Angle: 80 degrees H x 50 degrees V
Sensitivity: 102 dB/W/m
Woofer Size: 12"
Note: When used with the EP1215 processor, the E12 can be easily bi-amplified, or used with any élite series subwoofer.[/list:u]Okay but you also need the EP1215 which I think is a low pass filter.

1 x Elite LS200P powered sub woofer (optional for more bass)

LS200P specifications

Power Rating: 200W program
Max SPL: 125 dB
LF Driver Size: 10"[/list:u]The max SPL lacks information on how far from the sub was 125 dB measured. At what distance, 1 meter? Anyway, that won't work. You will need at least 8 of that in order to achieve the desired loudness which the farthest listener at the tennis court needs to hear. Why only 1 sub?!?

Let me know what you think. Thanks!

Sound Engineering is like "filling in the blanks." I enjoy evaluating sound reinforcement systems and analyzing their performance. I pity clients who get fooled by bad and incompetent sound contractors. Beware!

[Extremist777]

Venue size i'd say is about the size of a tennis court (or maybe even a bit bigger)..

Tennis court dimensions: 78 ft length x 36 ft width = 2808 sq ft
Capacity: 312 seats

Sakto.. pero room to... indoor..right at a church basement.

Why only 1 sub?!?

May mga bata na less than 1 yr old.. medyo takot sa boom boom.. so it should be enough. Sabi sakin ng one rep sa isang store na optional nga lang daw yung Sub.. So I think if theres enough bass on the speakers then I wouldnt bother getting a sub. baka magiyakan lahat ng bata eh. hahaa

salamat Tarkuz sa mga tulong. Yung event pala binyag. So its not a full blown dance party.

[Tarkuz Toccata]

Sakto.. pero room to... indoor..right at a church basement.

Yes, I know it's indoor. Walang height ng ceiling kasi e so I just worked with the tennis court data.

Why only 1 sub?!?

May mga bata na less than 1 yr old.. medyo takot sa boom boom.. so it should be enough. Sabi sakin ng one rep sa isang store na optional nga lang daw yung Sub.. So I think if theres enough bass on the speakers then I wouldnt bother getting a sub. baka magiyakan lahat ng bata eh. hahaa

Huwag nalang maglagay ng sub. Useless kung isa lang. Better add one more pair of E12 with speaker stand para hindi kapusin kung sakaling mapuno ang 200+ seats. Position the speakers on each corner of the room's listening area or dance floor. That should be adequate.

[abyssinianson]

May mga bata na less than 1 yr old.. medyo takot sa boom boom..

Start them off early para mag ga-GAS yan sila when they get older, it is always good to start the next generation of GAS enthusiasts when they are really young:)

[Extremist777]

@ TARKUZ ----- Yung ceiling height i'd say na about 9 ft ceiling at most. A guy at the store told me na yung E12 eh may integrated sub.. so he tol dme basically optional na yung extra sub if i want more bass. What do you think? I'm thinking na kunin lang yung 2 E12.. if mas oks yung 3 E12 without the sub then I'd go for it. pero Kung masyado manipis yung tunog kuha na rin ako ng sub.  My plan is to put the speakers on both corners of the room (both E12 facing the opposite corners) right at the back... so pag pasook ng guest eh mabulabog agad sila. hahaha.

Here's what im planned set-up...

Room corners  1,2  (back)   corners 3,4(front..eto yung bale corners na malapit sa door/entrance.... I would put the E12's at Corners 1 and 2,... E12 corner 1 at 45 degrees facing corner 4..... and E12 corner 2 at 45 degree facing corner 3.  So basically.. if you put a line from all corners it would mark an X.

What do you think?

@ Abyss -- HAHAHA! Mamumulubi yung parents ng mga bata. kawawa naman. hahaha.

[Tarkuz Toccata]

Yung ceiling height i'd say na about 9 ft ceiling at most.

Thanks, that will make it easier for me to figure the sound system requirements. I imagine the room acoustics to be highly reverberant which is very good for music but not okay for speech. Room reverberation will cause the sound level to increase. The total system power required is less than I thought.

A guy at the store told me na yung E12 eh may integrated sub..

I think he means the E12 is biampable. The term "integrated sub" sounds like marketing blah to me. To use that feature, you need the EP1215 processor and a separate power amp to drive the E12's tweeter.

so he tol dme basically optional na yung extra sub if i want more bass. What do you think?

The extra sub is too small -- 10" woofer and 200 watts only. Masasapawan lang yan ng E12 na 12" woofer and 600 watts mixer/amp. Ang bagay na powered sub sa E12 dapat ay at least 15" woofer and more than 600 watts power rating.

I'm thinking na kunin lang yung 2 E12.. if mas oks yung 3 E12 without the sub then I'd go for it. pero Kung masyado manipis yung tunog kuha na rin ako ng sub.

Total System Power ng apat na E12 + M1610 mixer/amp = 1600 watts
Maximum Sound Level at full power at 1 meter = 131 decibels
The PA system would achieve 110 dB for your dance/karaoke party inside the hall.

Kung kukuha ka ng sub, get a pair of LS800P powered sub instead of LS200P para Total System Power = 4600 watts. Makakatikim sila ng 120 dB na boom-boom sa loob ng hall na yan.

Here's what im planned set-up...

Room corners  1,2  (back)   corners 3,4(front..eto yung bale corners na malapit sa door/entrance.... I would put the E12's at Corners 1 and 2,... E12 corner 1 at 45 degrees facing corner 4..... and E12 corner 2 at 45 degree facing corner 3.  So basically.. if you put a line from all corners it would mark an X.

What do you think?

That is correct. I have another suggestion concerning stereo separation. Mas maganda para sa akin kung naka criss-cross para kahit saan humarap ang tao, stereo parin ang maririnig. Ganito yon... Your Front Left speaker (corner 3) and your Rear Right speaker (corner 2) are connected to the mixer/amp's Left Speaker Ouput. Your Front Right speaker (corner 4) and your Rear Left speaker (corner 1) are connected to the mixer/amp's Right Speaker Output.