Sound System from scratch

[bigener]

I am in charge of designing an audio system for a fraternity basement, as the previous systems we've had have not worked out as well. Last year we purchased 2 Peavey PV 215 speakers and were running them off of a Behringer EP4000 Europower Power Amplifier. Originally, these speakers seemed to be just about loud enough, but over the course of the year were eventually no longer loud and the sound quality was terrible. The basement is very large, around 1500 square feet, we usually have around 150-200 people attending parties. I am looking to purchase and permanently install a system that will be almost impossible to blow out, and get extremely loud, to the point of discomfort. The overall sound quality is less important than the volume level and durability. I was hoping you could offer me some help and recommendations for a system. I believe part of the problem has been connecting and disconnecting iPods. To combat this, I plan to load playlists onto a computer in the audio cabinet and have this be the audio source. Any help you can offer would be appreciated. My budget is somewhat flexible, ideally below 2500.

[eRoland]

2 Electro-Voice ZXA1-90 and one JBL PRX618S 18"

Get a a cheap mixer. Yamaha mg

If you use a sub with the ev speakers set with the high pass on for use with sub you will get greater volume because the sub will carry the heavy low end freeing up your small speakers to produce vocals and high end sound.

The ev can be hung laying on side to get it up higher to ceiling, also tilt down toward back half of room so will not be as loud up close and louder in the back of room.

Louder bass will make sound seem louder so you may have that driving dance sound with out going deaf.

Clearer is lounder at lower levels than over driving speakers without sub.

just a thought

[michaelhoddy]

also tilt down toward back half of room so will not be as loud up close and louder in the back of room.

What? You've just broken the inverse square law.

[eRoland]

i am not sure how high the ceiling is or if there is a front or stage area. If the speakers are high enough to aim over the heads of those closest they will not get a dirrect shot from the speaker as in standing right in front of it.

If the room is nine foot high there is not going much way to have eqaul sound level one side to the other. If 12 foot or higher it get those closer to the speaker a little farther and out of the direct focal point should help some.

If the subs are carrying the lows the top cabs do not have to share their resources to produce lows and you can get more out of them with the alaiable power.

[michaelhoddy]

Things are a lot more complex than that when it comes to speakers and the interaction of the coverage patterns of their horns, the relatively non-directional characteristics of their woofers, frequency, and distance.

Unless we're talking about a perfectly-designed line array deployed correctly, things will most certainly be "louder" the closer you are to the speaker regardless of where you aim the thing.

Whether the speaker covers to the back of the room does have to do with positioning and aiming, but not sound pressure level, even in free space.