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Very specific need: PA speakers (or stage monitors) that don't sound like speakers

St_G

I need two monitors/speakers that can be used to playback recordings of human voices in such a way that an audience thinks they are hearing the actors' speaking LIVE, from a particular offstage location.
I can't spend more than about $1K total.
Any advice?
September 11, 2008 @09:21pm
cmchamp

Honestly, just about any speaker can be used for this. It's all in how the recording of these voices is made, processing used, and how the playback chain is processed and the speaker voiced.
The most neutral monitor/speaker I've ever sung on was from SLS. Sweet!
September 11, 2008 @10:00pm
aitikin

Easy, just buy some decent speakers (don't even need to be monitors) and make sure the audience doesn't see them. That's the big thing. The audience can't see the speaker or they'll know it's coming from there. Otherwise, you're fine.
September 12, 2008 @08:42pm
karlw

I need two monitors/speakers that can be used to playback recordings of human voices in such a way that an audience thinks they are hearing the actors' speaking LIVE, from a particular offstage location.
I can't spend more than about $1K total.
Any advice?

Any good speaker should work, and 1K is plenty for such a speaker. A studio monitor speaker might work best, although the SPL is limited. You want to make sure that the level coming out of that speaker is similar to what you would get from an actual person talking in the same style. I would also agree with the above post about making sure it is recorded carefully, without too much EQ, not too close to the mic, with no effects.
With those things, you should be golden.
October 9, 2008 @10:31pm
sean2222

I need two monitors/speakers that can be used to playback recordings of human voices in such a way that an audience thinks they are hearing the actors' speaking LIVE, from a particular offstage location.
I can't spend more than about $1K total.
Any advice?

Hi,
I was curious as to whether pa speakers could be used as strictly home audio speakers period. Not for mixing, or any studio work. Just as a set of amplified home speakers to run into my boombox. I do it with computer speakers. I do it with near sound monitors. So if I run pa speakers into my boombox will it sound as good as either of th eother types? I see many have very high amp. ratings so I wonder if this might blow out a small music system? I also wonder about how people are saying these pa amplified speakers tend to accentuate bass. Is this the case on all? I am specifically looking for a natural sound (similar to monitors) but with less bass and an accentuation of highs. I usually do that with eq's on my speakers, etc. But i do not want anything that is going to be bass heavy even after I turn bass down to nothing with an eq. I want a pretty flat sound with very high frequencies high in the mix. Call it tinny. Call it trebly. Call it harsh. Call it bright. That is what I like, I am an audiophile. I don't want anything else. So will pa amplified speakers give me the sound I desire? Which brand/model will do so and also have the eq on it. And will they put out a better sound (to my needs) than an amplified 'studio monitor' that I am already used to having. I have behringer, numark, and alesis monitors at home btw. And my price range will not exceed $300 for a pair of speakers. I want 2 obviously, not this single speaker crap I see.
thanks
s
August 26, 2012 @03:51pm
yeahforbes

Every single person who might answer you has seen that you triple posted this question, not to mention digging up an unrelated and ancient thread.
September 10, 2012 @01:22am
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