Hey Everyone in the DIY world!
I had the idea to build a low roofed shed at a small outdoor wooded venue where I throw edm events. The dancefloor space is roughly 40x40 with a wooden platform at one end. I will upload a picture if I can find one that shows the space well. I have drawn a few diagrams to help the visual learners such as myself on here. Last event we threw in the fall resulted in a neighbor noticing their windows shaking about 2000' away from where I have my space (new windows may solve the issue). My set up last year was 2 Keystone Subs by Welter Systems with B&C18SW115-4 powered by XTi 6002 and 2 Yamaha DB12 PA tops. I figured my problem was the long throw capabilities of the keystone subs, and close property line. This is a rough diagram of the layout from last year.
My initial thought was to learn a lot more about sound processing and see if I could figure out a cardioid set up on the opposite side of the dance floor. The property line on the other side is much further from any structures with more trees and hills to disperse the sound. I have never been to a club or venue with rear arrays so Im assuming this is unusual and I should move the dj table leaving the platform as a viewing space. This idea is represented in this next drawing.
The area I feel most experienced in the DIY speaker building processes is in the woodworking side of things and less so in the engineering/numbers side of things. I have help from a friend with my speaker set up and DSP settings, but its not my area of comfort yet. With that in mind I was already thinking of building a low shed to put my speakers and amps in during events to keep them dry and less dusty. I was wondering if anyone cared to chime in on the idea of building a horn extension into my low shed using the roof, doors and ground. If I were to enclose my two existing subs into a low shed would that help direct the sound more than a cardioid set up with 3 subwoofers? Would the tolerances have to be super tight or would just putting them in a box make a difference? Below is a diagram of this concept.
Would putting a cardioid setup in a shed make it useless because there is a barrier blocking the sounds from emanating from the back of the shed. If I made rockwool insulated panels for the shed would it help block the sound from my neighbors in any appreciable way?
I know this is a lot of questions and I am pretty green in the technical side of things. I do have an excavator and can move dirt and build a lot within reason to make this a unique outdoor sound experience as my system grows. Please feel free to point me elsewhere or explore your imagination and help me make this happen.
Thanks everyone!! Y'all are the best
I had the idea to build a low roofed shed at a small outdoor wooded venue where I throw edm events. The dancefloor space is roughly 40x40 with a wooden platform at one end. I will upload a picture if I can find one that shows the space well. I have drawn a few diagrams to help the visual learners such as myself on here. Last event we threw in the fall resulted in a neighbor noticing their windows shaking about 2000' away from where I have my space (new windows may solve the issue). My set up last year was 2 Keystone Subs by Welter Systems with B&C18SW115-4 powered by XTi 6002 and 2 Yamaha DB12 PA tops. I figured my problem was the long throw capabilities of the keystone subs, and close property line. This is a rough diagram of the layout from last year.
My initial thought was to learn a lot more about sound processing and see if I could figure out a cardioid set up on the opposite side of the dance floor. The property line on the other side is much further from any structures with more trees and hills to disperse the sound. I have never been to a club or venue with rear arrays so Im assuming this is unusual and I should move the dj table leaving the platform as a viewing space. This idea is represented in this next drawing.
The area I feel most experienced in the DIY speaker building processes is in the woodworking side of things and less so in the engineering/numbers side of things. I have help from a friend with my speaker set up and DSP settings, but its not my area of comfort yet. With that in mind I was already thinking of building a low shed to put my speakers and amps in during events to keep them dry and less dusty. I was wondering if anyone cared to chime in on the idea of building a horn extension into my low shed using the roof, doors and ground. If I were to enclose my two existing subs into a low shed would that help direct the sound more than a cardioid set up with 3 subwoofers? Would the tolerances have to be super tight or would just putting them in a box make a difference? Below is a diagram of this concept.
Would putting a cardioid setup in a shed make it useless because there is a barrier blocking the sounds from emanating from the back of the shed. If I made rockwool insulated panels for the shed would it help block the sound from my neighbors in any appreciable way?
I know this is a lot of questions and I am pretty green in the technical side of things. I do have an excavator and can move dirt and build a lot within reason to make this a unique outdoor sound experience as my system grows. Please feel free to point me elsewhere or explore your imagination and help me make this happen.
Thanks everyone!! Y'all are the best
A narrow band parametric cut to the subwoofer at the window's resonant frequency could solve that problem.
Like any subwoofer, the Keystone response drops at 6dB per doubling of distance in a free space (outdoors).
The Keystone has more directivity in the upper response than a front loaded sub, but that's not likely the range of the window/room resonance.
Local environmental conditions (temperature inversions, stratification, etc.) and structures will affect the distribution of sound.
A cardioid set up could be tuned to provide the maximum rear attenuation in the desired frequency range, over 12dB reduction is possible.
Probably max out somewhere around -6dB rear loss.
The rear sub must be unobstructed to work for cancellation.
They would need to be huge, and several meters deep to do much at low frequencies.
A large amphitheater could direct the sound in any direction you would like.
Berms could help, but would need to be around 9 meters tall, that's a lot of dirt.
https://www.merlijnvanveen.nl/en/calculators/28-sad-subwoofer-array-designer-en
Would be a good start to help predict what can be done.
That said, a "surgical" PEQ cut at your neighbor's windows resonant frequency would be the cheapest solution.
Unfortunately, opening any of the house's windows can change the resonant frequency..
Low level bass rumble may often be ignored or go unnoticed, but uncontrolled rattling is just hellish as it pulses on and off with the beat and key changes in music.
Be good to your neighbors!
Art
Placing the woofers in a "roof" above the dance floor and make them dipoles.
That would theoretically cancel all sound outside the dance floor.
You can play MUCH louder, and still ..the neighbors windows would remain vibration free.
Speakers evenly distributed over the dance floor will also be closer to the ears. Requiring much less power for the same SPL.
That would theoretically cancel all sound outside the dance floor.
You can play MUCH louder, and still ..the neighbors windows would remain vibration free.
Speakers evenly distributed over the dance floor will also be closer to the ears. Requiring much less power for the same SPL.