Subj : The live_audio echo To : All From : Richard Webb Date : Sat Dec 22 2012 15:47:34 Your host and moderator: Richard Webb, 1:116/901 listserv admin and Co-moderator: Marc Lewis, 1:396/45 Sound reinforcement is becoming more necessary in a wider range of activities than ever before. theatrical productions; worship services and gatherings; concerts; meetings and seminars. There are many reasons that this is so. What is sound reinforcement? That depends on the application. Many forms of pure vanilla public address, those announcements at the train station are one form of sound reinforcement. Basically, sound reinforcement is providing a little help to sounds that need to be heard which wouldn't be without it. the modern multi-purpose space isn't tailored to provide good listening to people at all points; climate control systems are noisy; outside sounds creep in, and worst of all, thanks to higher ambient noise we're on the average more prone to hearing loss. The corollary to this is that sound reinforcement is often misunderstood and solutions improperly applied. This happens often because those spending the money didn't know what questions to ask, or whom they should get answers from. This forum is here to facilitate discussion of sound reinforcement techniques and equipment by amateurs and professionals in the field. As well as some professionals in the field who participate in FIdonet others are linked to this forum via an email listserv to better provide the neophyte with good information. This includes folks who are consultants; system installers; designers; service providers; equipment developers and others from the field. The moderators have decades of experience in designing and maintaining installed systems; management of systems for shows on tour and other areas of the business. If members of the forum can't give you good answers we'll steer you to resources which can. After all, you might be spending somebody else's money Feel free to come to this forum with your questions regarding sound reinforcement. If your church or school is planning a new installation we're here to help. If your band is planning a system upgrade, or you just have questions, drop on by. live_audio is available via the usual North American backbone sources, and all FIdonet systems are welcome to carry the echo. We just ask that the usual norms of polite echomail behavior be followed. home and car audio are not germane to this echo. Please take such discussions to other echoes. Personal attacks will *not* be tolerated. Check your flame thrower at the door. Conduct yourself as a reasoning thinking adult human being at all times when posting to this forum. The only approved gateway to/from this FIdonet echo is a mailing list operated by Marc Lewis of 1:396/45. PEople known to the moderators in the sound reinforcement community who are known to be truly professional and might help explain concepts well to newcomers have been invited to participate. To keep them interested in participating the rules of this forum will be strictly enforced on the FIdonet side. Because of the nature of sound reinforcement there are times when a poster may suggest a technique or practice which could endanger others or himself. After all, we're dealing with construction techniques and electrical distribution quite often. When a poster recommends such practices debunk the recommendation but don't get personal. IF discussing building and/or electrical codes do attempt to cite actual regulations. Remember that these vary according to locale. The flip side, of course is that if somebody suggests you rethink something for safety reasons, don't be offended. Sound reinforcement systems are in places intended to serve the public, and many of us who make our living providing such services have seen the results of poor planning and unsafe conditions. Sometimes, as evidenced by the nightclub fire in NEw England, and the accident at the fairgrounds in Indiana, they can be quite deadly. We don't want advice given here to be the cause of the next headline listing the number of dead and injured. sysops, you may not find a high traffic forum here, but you will find an echo where your users can get good information from helpful folks with a wide knowledge base and years of professional experience. --- * Origin: (1:116/901) .