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What would you recommend?

Speakers, amplifiers, headphones, multi-channel audio, reverb units, mixers, wiring, ...
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conn652t

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What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 4:43 pm

Being new to all this stuff. I am at the point I am looking into the speaker part of my project. I have a mac pro to run the Masterworks 3/31 wurlitzer samples. I have a Echo Audiofire 12 for an interface. What would you members say is better. Powered speakers or non powered speakers? What brand speakers would you recommend? If non powered speakers what Amp would you recommend? I can use all the help I can get. Thanks, Joel
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oliver_mayes

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 5:03 pm

joel,
I go for powered speakers (studio monitors). I use two stereo sets of M-Audio BX8a and two M-Audio BX10S subwoofers. I think they give a lot of bang for the buck. I used only one set for 9 months and they sounded great. I recently added the other set to reduce inharmonic modulation. It helped wuite a bit to have 4 speakers and 2 subs.
Ollie Mayes
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OPUS1883

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 5:08 pm

Hi Joel... You will get many mixed opinions regarding speakers and amps, and it all really comes down to your budget. I am using cloud amplifiers (Cloud CX-A6) and JBL control 8 speakers. The good thing about passive speakers is that you don't have to run power to each speaker, so they are easy to place and run just speaker cable to. I would saythat it is pretty essential to have a sub woofer as it will add a lot of presence to the sound. I am also using the Echo Audiofire 12, which is the best sounding sound card i have ever used ! Good Choice ! I am also using the MW 3/31 and i'm very happy with the overall result.

Chris
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conn652t

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 5:49 pm

Thanks Ollie & Chris. As far as my budget goes Not that I am rich but I am only doing this once. Its been a life long dream and its finally all coming together. I love the theatre organ. I am hoping to use all 12 channels on the audiofire12. You bring up some good points about the power cords. The room the organ is in is not big, its only 14.5ft x 12ft but speaker wires can go anywhere. LOL and they just may. I am hoping to get the sound and feeling of sitting in the theatre, (without blowing my windows out) Thats why I am asking for suggestions. Thanks so much for responding.
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engrssc

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 5:57 pm

If you have the time (and the patience), write the word "speakers" in the search box, upper right just under Contact and click Submit. You'll find a massive amount (some 183 pages) of topic subjects to mull over. It pretty well covers almost everything known to man about the subject :idea: . I started a while ago to print out just the ones I felt applied to my situation until I ran out of paper and my printer ran out of ink. :roll:

Rgds,
Ed
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OPUS1883

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 6:02 pm

The way i have mine wired is as follows... i am using 4 pairs of JBL control 8 speakers... one pair for the flutes / tibias, one pair for the string ranks, one pair for the reed ranks and one pair for the percussion and piano. I have a small pair of JBL control 1 speakers for rear reverb. I have 5 seporate reverb modules, which are Lexicon MPX-100 (one for each pair of speakers). This uses up 10 outputs from my echo audiofire 12. The last two outputs ae running to my sub woofer. I think that personally, if you are going for a 2 speaker and sub set up, then amplified monitors are the way to go... for a multi channel system, passive are much easier to manage.

Chris
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engrssc

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 6:06 pm

conn652t wrote:I love the theatre organ.


You should also look into the Paramount 320 (maybe someday soon, the Paramount 330). http://paramountorganworks.com/

Along with Brett's MW3/31, great fun. :D

Rgds,
Ed
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toplayer2

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 6:31 pm

Joel,

I'll offer you my two cents. IMO, the best speaker that I have used for VTPO is the Mackie HR824 (original, not the newer Mk II made in China). I have managed to purchase 16 of these on ebay for an average price of $325 US each. My system is comprised of a MOTU 24 io PCIe which drives the 16 HRs, plus 8 Mackie MR5 for the less important stuff, a Velodyne 12" sub, and a DefTec Supercube Trinity sub (the crown jewel). A separate PC is used for convolution reverb and leverages my home theatre surround system (B&W, Magneplanar) for eight additional channels dedicated to reverb. If I had to pare the whole thing down to just two speakers, I would choose a single pair of HR824 without batting an eye. In fact, this is exactly what I use to voice the Paramount series.

Some people (including me once upon a time) pour their money into a fancy console with hundreds of SAMs. Now I content myself with dual touchscreens and put the resources into the "pipework", the speakers. It's all about the sound for me.

While having good speakers is the most important path to good sound, a well controlled listening room also plays a pivotal role.

Joe Hardy
Paramount Organ Works
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toplayer2

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 6:40 pm

OPUS1883 wrote:The way i have mine wired is as follows... i am using 4 pairs of JBL control 8 speakers... one pair for the flutes / tibias, one pair for the string ranks, one pair for the reed ranks and one pair for the percussion and piano. I have a small pair of JBL control 1 speakers for rear reverb. I have 5 seporate reverb modules, which are Lexicon MPX-100 (one for each pair of speakers). This uses up 10 outputs from my echo audiofire 12. The last two outputs ae running to my sub woofer. I think that personally, if you are going for a 2 speaker and sub set up, then amplified monitors are the way to go... for a multi channel system, passive are much easier to manage.

Chris,

IMO you have chosen good speakers and a good sound card, but I would urge that you try a very different routing strategy. Instead of mixing like sounding ranks in each pair, try mixing the most unlike ranks. In other words, spread the strings among all the speakers, do the same for the flues, reeds, percussion. This will mitigate signal mixing effects that are most egregious when two or more signal's with very similar spectral content are mixed electrically leading to nasty phasing and harshness in the sound. See: http://www.pykett.org.uk/EndOfPipeOrgan.htm#Mixing

For what it's worth :)

Joe
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toplayer2

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 6:54 pm

engrssc wrote:
conn652t wrote:I love the theatre organ.


You should also look into the Paramount 320 (maybe someday soon, the Paramount 330).

Along with Brett's MW3/31, great fun. :D


Thanks for the plug, Ed. Agree that the MW3/31 is great fun as well. The samples for the 330 are done and Alan is working on the ODF. I'm now working on the samples for the 440, now up to 46 glorious ranks!

By the way, here is a very nice recording made by Steve Schlesing on the 320, just newly added to our library:

http://www.paramountorganworks.com/downloads/mp3s/320/Cantabile%2030c.mp3

Joe
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engrssc

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostFri Sep 17, 2010 7:24 pm

toplayer2 wrote:The samples for the 330 are done and Alan is working on the ODF. I'm now working on the samples for the 440, now up to 46 glorious ranks!

Joe


In a word, Joe, drool. :)

BTW, it was called to my attention that this is my 1,500th post. I'll just bet I've read 5 or more times that many. As my wife reminds me at times, but I'm not that old. :roll: :wink:

Rgds,
Ed
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OPUS1883

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostSat Sep 18, 2010 5:19 am

toplayer2 wrote:
OPUS1883 wrote:IMO you have chosen good speakers and a good sound card, but I would urge that you try a very different routing strategy. Instead of mixing like sounding ranks in each pair, try mixing the most unlike ranks. In other words, spread the strings among all the speakers, do the same for the flues, reeds, percussion. This will mitigate signal mixing effects that are most egregious when two or more signal's with very similar spectral content are mixed electrically leading to nasty phasing and harshness in the sound. See: http://www.pykett.org.uk/EndOfPipeOrgan.htm#Mixing

For what it's worth :)

Joe


Thanks for the advice Joe. I will have a try with different routing later today. So you recommend puting the most simular sounding sounds through different speakers, so for example, a tibia mixed with a trumpet will sound better than a tibia main and a tibia solo routed together.

Chris
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toplayer2

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Re: What would you recommend?

PostSat Sep 18, 2010 7:41 am

OPUS1883 wrote:Thanks for the advice Joe. I will have a try with different routing later today. So you recommend putting the most similar sounding sounds through different speakers, so for example, a tibia mixed with a trumpet will sound better than a tibia main and a tibia solo routed together.

Chris,

Yes, you've got it absolutely right. I hope you enjoy the new arrangement.

Joe

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