Pasakiškas!
Great to see the real thing, the plywood looks like it fits the groove perfectly.
Should make assembly much easier.
All_1 has not completed his yet, the photo was a screen shot from the 2017 DSL InfoComm YouTube video of a pair of DSL BC218 and top cabinets rigged beneath a rectangular grid flown from the high steel in an arena installation.
That configuration gives the most forward gain below 70Hz and most narrow vertical BC (Boundary Control).
That stack eliminates the "BC" (Boundary Control) feature.
You may prefer the smaller frontal area stack (for some reason..), but you wrote "The best version of the BC218 stack" which it is not in terms of output where most would want it, in front.
The vertical "center eye" stack has ~2dB more frontal output from 40 to 70Hz, and ~+1dB below 25Hz.
You may prefer the smaller frontal area stack (for some reason..), but you wrote "The best version of the BC218 stack" which it is not in terms of output where most would want it, in front.
The vertical "center eye" stack has ~2dB more frontal output from 40 to 70Hz, and ~+1dB below 25Hz.
Yes I believe "center eye" config is optimal in most uses. Hardly see any point of using standard FLH configuration except maybe for better coupling of more than 2 218 cabinets or in scenario where are limitations with placement. Maybe also better for live music in FLH config, but that would be based on preference.
@weltersys agreed, I see no point in using them in ''standard FLH mode'' opposed to ''eye config'' as 2db is quite a lot, almost half less power required and I really want to see what we can do In real life word with that directivity. For now when using 4 tapped horns together, directivity is quite noticable and even live bands were happy without cardioid or endfire configuration. We ocassionally do endfire configurations when doing all night Techno events near populated areas. Boxes with high directivity really change entire game and make clients and even neighbours happy 🙂 Did not realize how many options open up until I built my first Synergy horns.
@weltersys agreed, I see no point in using them in ''standard FLH mode'' opposed to ''eye config'' as 2db is quite a lot, almost half less power required and I really want to see what we can do In real life word with that directivity. For now when using 4 tapped horns together, directivity is quite noticable and even live bands were happy without cardioid or endfire configuration. We ocassionally do endfire configurations when doing all night Techno events near populated areas. Boxes with high directivity really change entire game and make clients and even neighbours happy 🙂 Did not realize how many options open up until I built my first Synergy horns.
This might be 1 of those cases of form over function.
Be real, you know the FLH view looks better than the center eye view with all that bracing.
Hilarious, for once y'all highlight the narrow BANDPASS bandwidth of the center eye versus the wider BANDPASS bandwidth of the FLH stack.
The 60" depth in the FLH configuration would be too deep to work on deck in theaters with fire curtains, 30" is near the maximum for most. 60" depth is too deep to put in front of most stages with fixed seating, even 45" depth is too deep for many venues. That depth is also problematic with the out phase 1/4 wave rear reflection when near a wall boundary.
I have no preference for the look of either, and would choose the "center eye" configuration for it's boundary control function providing more forward gain, and reducing level behind, which is particularly important for events with live instrumentation.
The BC has plenty of bandwidth for the usual under 100 Hz range a subwoofer of this size would generally be used for.
The additional gain the BC provides would reduce power compression for a given power input, an important consideration when using a small sealed chamber. The additional ~8dB reduction in output above 120Hz should reduce harmonic distortion compared to the FLH configuration.
At any rate, the BC configuration allows several advantages over a standard FLH, which is why DSL and All_1 decided to build them.
Art
U k!ll n me guy!
I totally agree with the BC advantages.
However, we do live in a world of compromises. Even though I'm a basshead, I don't need that last dB. I've never max out any of my HT or CA systems. Most of the systems, I don't even know what the maximum volumes are. At most, I prolly go 50%. Geez, I'm getting old at 55.
I totally agree with the BC advantages.
However, we do live in a world of compromises. Even though I'm a basshead, I don't need that last dB. I've never max out any of my HT or CA systems. Most of the systems, I don't even know what the maximum volumes are. At most, I prolly go 50%. Geez, I'm getting old at 55.
Regardless of your age...
Using 50% of capability is fine at home or in your car, but with a system for hire, most don't want to have to use double the warehouse space, double the trucks and stagehands, and occupy twice the space in a venue.
If you don't know what your "for hire" system's maximum output is before it's on the gig, finding out can be expensive, and embarrassing.
Using 50% of capability is fine at home or in your car, but with a system for hire, most don't want to have to use double the warehouse space, double the trucks and stagehands, and occupy twice the space in a venue.
If you don't know what your "for hire" system's maximum output is before it's on the gig, finding out can be expensive, and embarrassing.
I can see that. There is a big difference between livelihood and hobby. I like fixing people's cars as a side hustle, but I LOVE being able to say no because I don't depend on the money.
Agreed, at high volumes even 3db are quite noticable and sometimes space/power available is very limited. Did many events where other rental companies specified huge Diesel generators - they have conventional inefficient BR subs and tops, in the end customers appreciated directivity and efficiency of our system - we can keep desired budget by not requiring big generators and still really deliver full experience for entire venue. Thats why I stay away from bass-reflex boxes even tho power is cheap nowdays, electricity is often limited 3x230V 16A in our country in small standard venues. Now you have for example bass heavy genre and there is no way to do it properly with standard cabs on such limited total power. The directivity here is a huge benefit. Also that 3db makes all of difference, for us only slightly noticeable, but for driver it makes huge difference making it stable to run all night and still work many more shows in the future.
Some organisers want their stage to look clean with minimal visual speaker impact or have strict placement limitations. Thats why only 30" depth of sub is amaizing.
We often do nights where content in music is as low as 30-32hz, almost all night (rap and trap music). Conventional boxes often struggle to hit those low frequencies with authority. That was one of primary reasons for this project, to play to 30hz flat and be able to do it for long periods of time. It almost seems like trend in modern music are very low (too low?) basslines most of club systems have hard time producing accurately.
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For tops we use 2 of our custom made 2x12 4-way synergy horns per side, so 4 total. Powered by powersoft amplifiers with FIR, so perfect corrected response. In total we have 8 tapped horns (similar to th18 by Xoc1) but we rarely use them all, usually 4 for small venues, sometimes only 2. Also powered by powersoft. When doing techno nights we often bring 2x15 horn loaded kicks and run tapped horns only to 60hz. It gives really nice sound character for those genres.
Overall setup is usually designed specifically for room, coverage and SPL requirements, we almost always do something different.
Usually there is some system already installed - something from ADRaudio, Meyer, and cheaper Yamaha, JBL... We get invited by event organizers to provide better sound for specific event. Installed systems (especially subs) are a bit undersized or just older so it's easy to outpreform them. Maybe also since most operators are not really skilled or not technical enough or sometimes speakers are not really suitable for intended use. Still waiting to find a cabinet that outpreforms Synergy horns in same size. Often working in very difficult reverberant rooms and speakers with high directivity are untouchable by anything else
Overall setup is usually designed specifically for room, coverage and SPL requirements, we almost always do something different.
Usually there is some system already installed - something from ADRaudio, Meyer, and cheaper Yamaha, JBL... We get invited by event organizers to provide better sound for specific event. Installed systems (especially subs) are a bit undersized or just older so it's easy to outpreform them. Maybe also since most operators are not really skilled or not technical enough or sometimes speakers are not really suitable for intended use. Still waiting to find a cabinet that outpreforms Synergy horns in same size. Often working in very difficult reverberant rooms and speakers with high directivity are untouchable by anything else
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Thanks for the detailed response ☺️
Is there better boxes than synergy tops?
For the FIR setup, what software you used to calibrate and get the filter files
Smart?
Is there better boxes than synergy tops?
For the FIR setup, what software you used to calibrate and get the filter files
Smart?
So far I did not find anything that matches sound quality and spl of Synergy horns, they also work really well in acoustically difficult venues. It really seems to be ultimate box for many different use cases, compact, loud, good directivity, excellent dynamics (great for dance music), true point source, also excellent for speech... SPL is quite extreme for their size and in usual use we have 20-15db headroom. Weight is only 44kg per box. To me very important thing is their consistency and not fatiguing sound when pushed, boxes with standard 3-4" diaphragm crossed quite low to meet lf section often have this issue in my opinion to start sounding really sharp when pushed. We don't have such issues, but since they are very linear we always have to use SPL meters for safety, noticed it is hard to judge approx SPL due to effortless reproduction od sound.
The issue is many other engineers push speakers to crazy SPL levels because they are used to speakers that sound different when pushed a bit. Then when they look at SPL meters they are amazed by output that still remains clear and consistent.
My Synergy horns use 2x 12NDL88, 2x 5NSM38 and DCX354.
I use Smaart and Rephase. Also do real time live system tuning with Smaart and Armonia.
The issue is many other engineers push speakers to crazy SPL levels because they are used to speakers that sound different when pushed a bit. Then when they look at SPL meters they are amazed by output that still remains clear and consistent.
My Synergy horns use 2x 12NDL88, 2x 5NSM38 and DCX354.
I use Smaart and Rephase. Also do real time live system tuning with Smaart and Armonia.
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