Hi,
I have 2x300w RMS, 15 inch speakers powered by 2x300w amp (lets say 2x250w real power). I use them for private events, birthdays (friends) up to 70 people, 90% time indoors. Only MP3 music and mic is used.
I was wondering if I can get approximaltely same sound level with only one 15 inch 500w RMS active speakter (e.g. Mackie thump). I can live without stereo sound.
Main reason: much less to carry.
So 1x500w equal "enough" vs 2x300w? Or?
I have 2x300w RMS, 15 inch speakers powered by 2x300w amp (lets say 2x250w real power). I use them for private events, birthdays (friends) up to 70 people, 90% time indoors. Only MP3 music and mic is used.
I was wondering if I can get approximaltely same sound level with only one 15 inch 500w RMS active speakter (e.g. Mackie thump). I can live without stereo sound.
Main reason: much less to carry.
So 1x500w equal "enough" vs 2x300w? Or?
So little difference it makes almost no odds, especially for the sort of events you describe.
The difference between 300 and 600w is only 3dB, plus when you driver your speakers with close to their RMS rating, they start to run into issues with power compression losses.
So in the real world, even the difference between 300w and 600w is quite often less than 2dB. The difference between 500 and 600 is just a fraction of 1dB. Around half a dB I guess.
The difference between 300 and 600w is only 3dB, plus when you driver your speakers with close to their RMS rating, they start to run into issues with power compression losses.
So in the real world, even the difference between 300w and 600w is quite often less than 2dB. The difference between 500 and 600 is just a fraction of 1dB. Around half a dB I guess.
Oh.
If you only have ONE speaker than you lose an extra 3dB on top of that. Still only about 3.5-4dB loss I reckon. 10dB is double or half volume, for reference.
My recollection of Mackie Thumps is that they aren't particularly sensitive (SPL per watt input) compared to Mackie's other offerings, but that may have changed in more recent editions.
The thing to watch for isn't 'watts' but 'SPL at 1 metre'. Mackie Thump will have that rating, but if your current speakers don't you can work it out by taking the sensitivity rating of the woofers/box and adding 300w of input power to that. 200w is sensitivity +23dB, 300w will be somewhere around +24.5.
If you only have ONE speaker than you lose an extra 3dB on top of that. Still only about 3.5-4dB loss I reckon. 10dB is double or half volume, for reference.
My recollection of Mackie Thumps is that they aren't particularly sensitive (SPL per watt input) compared to Mackie's other offerings, but that may have changed in more recent editions.
The thing to watch for isn't 'watts' but 'SPL at 1 metre'. Mackie Thump will have that rating, but if your current speakers don't you can work it out by taking the sensitivity rating of the woofers/box and adding 300w of input power to that. 200w is sensitivity +23dB, 300w will be somewhere around +24.5.
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In theory a single 500w speaker would produce close to the same output as a pair of 300w speakers.. all things being equal, but things aren't equal with those Mackie thumps.. it's a stretch to rate them as 250w speakers.
I have owned Mackie Thumps and currently own DRX15s. These two boxes aren't even in the same universe, the Yamaha is so much better it's not even funny.
I have owned Mackie Thumps and currently own DRX15s. These two boxes aren't even in the same universe, the Yamaha is so much better it's not even funny.
2 x 15" speakers will move twice as much air as a single 15" one, so if at all possible, that is the preferred solution.
Doubt a single 15" can match or come even close to them, no matter the 500W rating, it simply won´t push as much air, but check it for yourself with stuff you already have: setup your current system with 2 x 15" speakers, play it loud, then disconnect 1 speaker to see what you lose, and which you will NOT fully recover even if rising driving power.
Is volume still enough to work?
Cool, just carry one.
Is it almost usable?
Ok, Mackie Thump or equivalent might do, thanks to somewhat extra power (IF rating is true).
You lost a lot of power and punch? (which sadly is what I guess)
Then the 500W powered single speaker will not be a solution, sorry.
Woofers are pistons and can only move so much air (diameter x excursion) as Nigel correctly states, even if driven hard.
Now to double excursion, you must double voice coil length (besides stacking magnets or bumping back plate), and you will lose **a lot** of sensitivity, so just doubling power is not enough to compensate for that; my (absolutely empirical) rule of thoumb is you´ll need to *quadruple* power to recover former SPL.
As a side note, I am also in other, more Tech oriented Forums, and blown Mackie Thumps are a regular Servicing feature.
Usually speakers blown to shreds, which are often replaced by Eminence heavy duty 16 ohm speakers, which are WAY better than original "12 ohm" Mackie ones.
Sometimes blown power amps , which are weird inverting polarity single supply type, a weird trick to achieve very high peak power ("Thump") out of a relatively inexpensive amplifier.
Very clever design, but a tour de force, always on the edge of self destruction.
Doubt a single 15" can match or come even close to them, no matter the 500W rating, it simply won´t push as much air, but check it for yourself with stuff you already have: setup your current system with 2 x 15" speakers, play it loud, then disconnect 1 speaker to see what you lose, and which you will NOT fully recover even if rising driving power.
Is volume still enough to work?
Cool, just carry one.
Is it almost usable?
Ok, Mackie Thump or equivalent might do, thanks to somewhat extra power (IF rating is true).
You lost a lot of power and punch? (which sadly is what I guess)
Then the 500W powered single speaker will not be a solution, sorry.
Woofers are pistons and can only move so much air (diameter x excursion) as Nigel correctly states, even if driven hard.
Now to double excursion, you must double voice coil length (besides stacking magnets or bumping back plate), and you will lose **a lot** of sensitivity, so just doubling power is not enough to compensate for that; my (absolutely empirical) rule of thoumb is you´ll need to *quadruple* power to recover former SPL.
As a side note, I am also in other, more Tech oriented Forums, and blown Mackie Thumps are a regular Servicing feature.
Usually speakers blown to shreds, which are often replaced by Eminence heavy duty 16 ohm speakers, which are WAY better than original "12 ohm" Mackie ones.
Sometimes blown power amps , which are weird inverting polarity single supply type, a weird trick to achieve very high peak power ("Thump") out of a relatively inexpensive amplifier.
Very clever design, but a tour de force, always on the edge of self destruction.
While very true, I'd still expect a DXR15 to eat a pair of Mackie Thump 15s. I helped a rock band get theirs up and running. In a smallish venue with around 100 people, the tops were tickling the limiters, and they had subs!
Chris
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