I’ve done some thinking, and bounced a few ideas off of Raj and Dr B on the creation of a (comprehensive) “how to” thread/section for sound systems, and thought I would post the ideas here for people to add their two penneth worth (and maybe even volunteer to help write…:groucho:) I won’t be starting until after our last outdoor party in any case, and any input would be greatly appreciated.

My plan is to split the info into a linked set of posts (sort of like web pages, but using the BBcode the forum uses). I’ve got a standalone editor for BBcode (using the basic tags like the formatting ones, url, quote, img etc), so I can make them up and then send them to one of the moderators or other volunteers for editing etc before they get posted… It’s open source too, so anyone who wants to use it – it’s called bbEditor…

The sections I’ve come up with so far are:

Basic audio theory

Characteristics of an audio wave, and how it is perceived/interpreted by our hearing.

1. The physics of audio transmission in air.
2. The biology of the human ear.

How audio is manipulated or created for the purpose of amplification.

1. Audio sources – string, reed, percussive, brass, voice and synthetic.
2. Acoustic amplification – the soundboard, and various forms of resonant chambers, tubes and horns.
3. Audio Electronics 101 – Reproduction in analogue form.
4. Audio electronics 01100101 – Reproduction in digital form.
5. Audio electronics 0065 – Compressing by various means.

Audio amplifiers and other processing equipment

1. Audio amplifiers (a basic introduction)
2. Crossovers, what they do, and why.
3. Mixers – what they do, and why.
4. Equalisation in it’s various forms.
5. Compressors, expanders and exciters.

The speaker cabinet, and drivers.

1. Closed box designs.
2. Ported, or vented designs.
3. Thiele/Small ported radiators.
3. Horn and folded/scoop designs.
4. Other “exotic” designs (flat speakers, shell types – ie the “Ammonit” etc, and any others that don’t fit the standard categories).
5. Types of speaker driver.
6. Multi driver cabinets and “drone cones”.

Rig design

1. Planning for a particular purpose – what you should take account of, and what can be ignored.
2. Designing for modularity and robustness – why you should.
3. Efficient use of time – what to design and build yourself, and what to buy ready made.
4. Design flowchart, and how to estimate build cost and time.
5. Power – working out the requirements, and working within safe limits.
6. Matching amplifiers with speakers properly.
7. Speaker cabinets – designing the boxes, and matching the drivers.
8. Linking it all together.

Rig building and maintenance

Building and testing

Intro: Safety requirements, and some words of good advice to save you ending up deep baked and crispy….
1. Materials and equipment needed (and some good places to find them).
2. Building the speaker boxes and loading them.
3. Hardwiring into flightcases to save yourself endless plugging and un-plugging (and protect equipment obviously).
4. Ground up building of the electronics (places to find this info if you’re wanting to do it hardcore style).
5. Testing out for the first time.

General maintenance and safety on the road

1. Things you need to check before every use.
2. Things you need to look out for and remedy if they happen.
3. Yearly check ups.
4. Fault tracing should it all go pear shaped at a gig.
5. Essential “road” toolbox list.

Rig Power (a generator survival guide)

This is not really my field of expertise (although thanks to DJ Richie, I now know a lot more than I used to…) but I think it is a fairly essential part of any sound system how to…

That’s as far as I’ve got. Any input greatly appreciated (especially if you want to volunteer to do/help do any of the sections…:wink:)