Sound Systems back in the day/now?

[Art Awreet]

One for the sound enthusiasts - does anyone have any idea what sound systems were used for clubs/raves back in the day, and how do they compare to now? For example I'm pretty sure subwoofers didn't exist until later in the 90's (but maybe I'm wrong)

Also how did organisers go about choosing sound systems? Were sound engineers used to optimise the sound to the room/space outside or was it just a case of enthusiasts playing it by ear.

I remember Bowlers used to have huge what seemed like 12foot speakers, but have no idea if they were biased at the lower frequencies (it certainly sounded that way even from a mile away )
Pretty sure I remember a flyer for Life @ Bowlers quoting the power to be 60kW

Also how did the clubs from the late 70's/early 80's compare. I've read that the US Paradise Garage/Warehouse had booming systems yet they would have been years before even the acid house scene

 

[Bootleg]

Unfortunately I did not experience the clubbs back in the day because I was too young. I didn't start my clubbing days until the late 90's. I would guess that sound systems nowadays have a better sound quality through progress in technology over the years. I suppose it also depends on the club, a small backstreet club wouldn't be able to afford a state of the art sound system therefore it wouldn't be as good as experiencing the sound system at Gatecrasher for example. Cool thread!

 

[siman91]

Warehouse of 1970's ready and waiting for Larry Levan

Famous picture of Larry in front of lighting console.

The mixer is likely a Urei 1620 with seperate cross over units which would have direct control over the levels received by the amps and speakers. Also you will find that a speaker will produce its own filters eg if you plug a sub into an amp and run the full sprectrum of sound through it, it will only produce the frequency it is capable of ie subs are say 15hz to 100hz ish. To get the best out of a system you do need to split the frequencies however cross overs as mentioned above can do this.

By the way, I never got to Paradise Garage (wanted to go in Sept 87 when in New York, not as clubber but to just see the place as was 14 at the time). It traded on having the best sound system in the world for years, something to do with the genius of Larry Levan who helped create the first sub speakers in the Warehouse.

For UK market in late 80's Turbo Sound ruled the roost with some huge systems. I also ended up with part of a Tannoy installation from 1992 from a club and included some huge 18inch subs which absolutely rocked due to their inverted cab designs. The amp to run them was at 2ohms and 1.5k.

In late 80's and early 90's all events used to pride themselves on the K of the system. The largest I went to was 120K which was simply too much. All events brought in companies for their rigs and therefore sound engineers however some were useless like that used at World Dance Aug 1992 where a stack either side of the stage pointed straight at a stack to the rear of the arena. The connections were different lengths therefore creating a delay. Astoria in London used to have stacks almost as high as the arena, huge but lower volume. The best I came across was in a free party in Ashford 1993 where the rig was designed to blend the mix from front to back rather than through the master output so the incoming track started from behind you and worked its way forwards towards the stage....clever. Prodigy also in 1992 experimented with a 3d rig which was meant to be cool.

s

 

[Shooms]

Warehouse of 1970's ready and waiting for Larry Levan

The mixer is likely a Urei 1620 with seperate cross over units which would have direct control over the levels received by the amps and speakers. Also you will find that a speaker will produce its own filters eg if you plug a sub into an amp and run the full sprectrum of sound through it, it will only produce the frequency it is capable of ie subs are say 15hz to 100hz ish. To get the best out of a system you do need to split the frequencies however cross overs as mentioned above can do this.

By the way, I never got to Paradise Garage (wanted to go in Sept 87 when in New York, not as clubber but to just see the place as was 14 at the time). It traded on having the best sound system in the world for years, something to do with the genius of Larry Levan who helped create the first sub speakers in the Warehouse.

For UK market in late 80's Turbo Sound ruled the roost with some huge systems. I also ended up with part of a Tannoy installation from 1992 from a club and included some huge 18inch subs which absolutely rocked due to their inverted cab designs. The amp to run them was at 2ohms and 1.5k.

^^^ Ace

Yep I highly recommend watching Maestro (it's on youtube n all), some great great great interviews talking about how Levan was instrumental in the design & setup of the Garage... even down to assessing the lighting & dusting the mirror balls phones: phones: phones:

Guys were talking about the clarity of the system meaning that you could actually have a conversation on the dance floor... also all those cross-overs meant that Levan could really really manipulate the sound with kills & 'throw' the sound from speaker to speaker

I would've given anything to experience that system

 

[Brock Landers]

This is a great read: -

David Mancuso (1944 - )

and

David Mancuso of The Loft info & photos @ DiscoMusic.com

Supposedly the best sound system ever and in the guys house too..

I used to work within the hifi world so sound quality has always been important to me.

My favourite sound system from the 90s would have to be Cream.

 

[siman91]

The bottom speakers are Levan Horns, designed by Larry Levan and considered some of the top base speakers of their time.

s

 

[dodgymix]

always seemed to have worst systems the bigger the venue until cream upgraded the main room in 1996/1997 when it was totally awesome. The annex was always great

always loved the "Hard Times" system in the Bel Air but that got robbed

bowlers was shocking tunes could be going at 140BPM but you'd be hearing 280bpm if you stood in the middle

loved the basement in back to Basics and renaissance was normally spot on.

 

[Northern Star]

always seemed to have worst systems the bigger the venue until cream upgraded the main room in 1996/1997 when it was totally awesome. The annex was always great

.

The Annex was unbeleivable - really good sound clarity in there - the Orbit has a tremendous sound system to but unsure what they used?

 

[Ed]

Funktion1 seem great these days.

Whatever they have in Plastic People in London is fantastic. The room shape/materials must be important as well surely?

It always weirds me out how much the volume drops in a room when it fills up with people. Must be to do with bodies absorbing the sound. It's really interesting shit acoustics.

 

[ilovepiano]

The bottom speakers are Levan Horns, designed by Larry Levan and considered some of the top base speakers of their time.

s

Didn't the Ministry of Sound used have stacks like that? Or maybe it still does, it's been a few years since I was there.