Speakers

[stonemason]

What speaker systems are recommended these days for slideshow presentations in reasonable sized halls?

Happy New Year to all

Geoff

[davegee]

Geoff,

Take a look at BOSE?

Bose Companion 2 or Companion 20 whichever suits your budget.

http://www.bose.co.uk/GB/en/home-and-personal-audio/digital-music-solutions/computer-speakers/companion-2-speaker-system/

I bought Companion 2 before Xmas and I'm well pleased. John Lewis stock them for demo'ing.

Get them to check the power plug in the box - mine was European and I had to do a swap for the right UK one.

Alternatively CURRYS or a BOSE dealer.

DG

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Geoff

You can also get the Bose sets at Amazon. I chucked my expensive AegoM speaker set on the tip just before Christmas after they let me down for the third time giving a public show. I used my Logitech speakers from my PC for the second performance, the room measured around 20ft wide x 50 foot long with an 8ft ceiling. I've since bought a second set of the Logitech from Amazon about £15 including delivery so I don't have to disconnect the PC set. I also use a UCA 202 USB to minijack filter which also doubles as a volume control if the speakers are out of reach. The 202 is around £35 from Amazon. see attached PDF.

HNY to you.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

UCA202_ENG_Rev_B.pdf

[xahu34]

My choice: Samson Media ONE 5a (at home and at my AV-group). A bit large when being used with a computer, strong enough to fill a room with 40 to 50 persons.

Regards,

Xaver

[Barry Beckham]

I was recommened a set of speakers for this purpose by Maureen Albright years ago and for various reasons have used three sets since then.

One for home use, one for demos, perfect for even a larger hall and one set just purchased for the Camera Club. The point is over the past 8 years or so I wouldn't buy three sets unless they were good and they are

http://www.radianceav.com.au/prod50.htm

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Barry

These are the ones that I threw on the tip before Christmas. I know that was a bit extreme but where we live now, storage is at a premium. The reason for getting rid was an intermittant fault on one of the channels, which I traced to the L/H RCA socket on the boom box/amplifier, it's impossible for the user to get inside, the shipping costs would have been prohibitive for a return to factory repair. Another niggly problem was the connection cables from the speakers to the amplifier, flat cables with tinned ends that had to be clipped into the amplifier with over centre clips that became loose after prolonged use. I would agree, when they worked the sound was superb. I think they are designed for a permanent installation not for lugging around to different venues.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[coopernatural]

Geoff,

The audio side of AV is often let down,both at the recording and playback stage.

Using anaemic PC/ lifestyle,boom and tizz boxes won’t enhance your audience’s experience.

Budget is down to you of course,but don’t waste money on gear not fit for purpose.

You could try DV247.com who have a branch not far away from you in Cambridge.

It’s best to call in with them. If ringing,ask for either Graham or Duncan.

Both are knowledgeable and helpful guys.

Whatever you do, don’t mention ‘Bose’.

Happy new year to you.

Davy

[stonemason]

These are the one's I've been considering Here but given the price I want to be sure before I commit. Has anyone any experiance of this type of speaker?

Geoff

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Geoff

I think that is one speaker only, not a pair which wouldn't give good stereo.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

The link to Behringers site is http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/B208D.aspx

Amazon stock them cheaper free delivery,

Manual see below.

B208D_B210D_B212D_B215D_WebBrochure.pdf

[coopernatural]

Hi Geoff,

Compared to the Boom and tizz boxes,yes a lot better suited.

These active speakers are still entry level so they won’t provide volume and bass levels that will flap trouser legs and frighten horses.

The compression driver is an improvement over the piezo hf units,once the bane of PA rigs.

For different sized venues a bit of headroom is always welcome.Things might sound fine at a small venue,but a little lost at larger one.

If budget constrains you to 8” units then go with them.

Recommendations for speakers is pretty much impossible.

You need to audition and judge for yourself.

Davy

[stonemason]

Thanks for all the info.

Eric, thanks for the link, I was aware that it's a single speaker price, so buying two is a reasonable investment hence trying to get as much info as possible.

Davy do you know what cables would be suitable for these speakers?

Geoff

[coopernatural]

Hi Geoff,

Inputs are 1/4" jack plugs or xlr. Best sort of plugs are Neutrick xlr but they can be expensive.

Cable is only line level from I guess your laptop. there are some exotic and expensive types.Not entirely necessary,

but still I would go for something of decent quality.'Van Damme' or similar.

I would take a trip to your local music supply store who are well used to making up leads for local bands/musicans.

Pricing is usually easy on the pocket.

Davy

[stonemason]

Well finally bit the bullet and purchased a pair of Behringer B208D Eurolive Active PA Speakers, I'll let you know how I get on with them. Now starting to look at mixers.

Thanks for all the advice, I may be back for more :)

Geoff

[coopernatural]

Hi Geoff,

Nice one with the speakers.

Looking at the back of the speaker panel the XLR input has a built in preamp,

so it may be that you could setup things without resorting to using a mixer.

If you don't need a mixer, don't use one.

Using the XLR input from your Microphone for vocals and use the 1/4" socket to take the sound output

from your Laptop. If you want to hookup speakers as a stereo pair you would need to split the audio from the

3.5mm jack socket on your laptop with a custom lead.one end terminated in a 3.5mm plug and 2 (split)seperated leads with 1/4" jack plugs.

one as a left and one as a right speaker input. For stereo you would not use the XLR link up facility on either speaker.

Cable and plugs should be screened and of decent quality. Keep cable runs short within reason,(though don't string it out like washing line either)

as longer cables mean Losses, increased capacitance and greater susceptibillity to interference.

Hope this makes sense.

I don't have the manual on your speakers,so you would have to refer to that first just to be sure.

Have fun,but consider the neighbours.

Davy

[stonemason]

Thanks once again for your input Davy, Eric has posted a link to a pdf document on these speakers in one of his post's in this thread which is usefull. What would you consider to be the maximum cable run to these speakers? I usually sit to the side of my audiance so I can face them rather than talk to the back of their heads, so a cable run of around 8mtrs is as much as I need. Is that OK assuming good cable? If I understand you correctly I need a lead with a 3.5mm stereo jack from the laptop, to some form of left and right channel splitting with 1/4 inch jacks. Is that correct? The only reason for using a mixer is to be able to control or alter the volume during playback of the slideshows, without resorting to altering the laptop volume, unless you know of a readily available simple inline volume control.

I appreciate all the advice you have given in this thread.

Many thanks

Geoff

[coopernatural]

Geoff,

It is a boots and braces approach and no doubt a mixer would be recommended by others.

Mixers do have their place,but they also degrade quality.

It is possible to get an inline 'Pot'Volume control that will reduce the output ( it will be a stereo type)from your

laptop so you could configure it as a 3.5 mm stereo jack plug to the volume control and from there 2 seperate leads fitted with 1/4" jack plugs

to go to each speaker input.

As I say check with the manual first.

I don't have a link to the volume control,but have a look on ebay/amazon.If no joy

I can look for you.

Davy

[coopernatural]

Geoff,

I missed the bit about cable length.

No hard and fast rules as it depends on different things.

Theory isn't very good in practice.If there is a healthy enough signal

coming from your laptop and there often is,then it should be OK for those distances.

Can't guarantee it though.Its a suck it and see thing.

Avoid running signal cables parallel to mains cables to avoid interference.

Davy

[coopernatural]

Geoff,

From a quick look at off the shelf 'pots' I didn't see anything that I could recommend.

It's not like you are just setting a constant level and forgetting about it.

Reliability with long term use and smooth adjustment of volume would not be easily made with inline units.

I did see this usb unit.No experience of it,but if it worked it could be an answer.

It allows you to adjust the PC volume externally. See here....

http://tinyurl.com/6r5lewf

I have never tried to adjust PC volume during the playback of a PTE AV.

Maybe someone here could comment on the usb volume control.

Davy

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I use the UCA 202 mentioned in my first post on this thread, it's also a filter. It comes from the LT USB so no noise problems then outs in either RCA or mini jack. I have connected it to a 5 metre mini jack extension with no problems.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[coopernatural]

Eric,

I hadn't spotted your UCA 202 interface.

The volume control looks similar to the in line types though.

If it works,it works and not too expensive.

Davy

[Guest Yachtsman1]

It works well. But Peter got one from one of the AV group members, maybe he could enlighten us? I know it was cheap.

regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[Barry Beckham]

If your going to give external demos then having an external volume control is essential. I have done hundreds of demos and I play a slide show or two at most of them. All halls are different and the accoustics can play havoc with your sound. No matter how hard I try to get the sound volumes right when making a show, I always find I need to keep my hand on the volume control to either gradually turn it up or down when playing them at a different venues.

As I said previously I have used two sets or Ergo speakers, one set I brought to Australia from the UK so its been in use for years with no trouble at all. It has a convenient volume control that you can reach beside you when givng a show and they are easily transportable and the sound is excellent..

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Can't agree with you there barry re the Aego M speaker set up, the volume control is on the amplifier/boom/base box, which if within arms reach would be thumping into your ear, that's the reason I bought the UCA202 which has about 2 metres of cable so I can place it alongside the LT & away from speaker blast. With an extension lead I can be up to 5 metres from the speakers.

yachtsman1.

[stonemason]

I have used the UCA 202 usb device for about 18 months now, and they are very good. However the volume control is a bit fiddly to operate and also only works if you use the headphone output rather than the RCA outputs. I don't have enough knowlege to say whether the RCA outputs are better than the Headphone outputs or not. Hopefully someone with more knowlege could offer some insight into this. Now off to search for cables, on which topic, Davy can you tell me if these speakers would be OK with an 8mtr cable run (depending on cable quality of course)? I like to sit at the side of my audience, so I can talk to them rather than the backs of their heads so 8mtrs is more than adequate.

Geoff

[coopernatural]

Geoff,

As I mentioned earlier,there is no definitive yes /no answer to cable length.It's a suck it and see thing.

At the end of the day if you have to opt for a mixer,you still have to do the cable runs.

I think the signal from your laptop will be fine though.

IF you have the UCA 202 then you have answered what I was wondering and that was if the output from the rca sockets

was constant or variable.As I said to Eric I the volume control looked similar to those cheapo inline controls.

A bit fiddly a not the most accurate.

Pity the volume could not be altered remotely at the speaker inputs as that would minimise problems with losses and you

wouldnt need the UCA 202 device..

If I had to use the output from the UCA 202 then I would step up from the 3.5mm headphone socket with a stereo 3.5mm plug to 1/4"

socket adapter.This would allow you to use a stereo 1/4" plug connected to low loss cables I mentioned earlier (a split pair )

terminated with left/right 1/4" plugs for each speaker.

Like the USB volume control knob I did see on ebay remote PC controllers with volume controllers.Whether suitable or not,I couldn't say.

Never used them before.

Davy