Basic Placement Recomendation

Dale I

I just need to see if I am thinking correctly. I am no audiophile, but I do love good, clean, crisp sound. I am planning on installing a stereo in my shop to get rid of the ghetto blaster on the shelf. We build performance parts for trucks and I just can't spend another week with that box playing what we would like to call music, but sounds more like a 1950's Desoto single speaker dash mount turned up too loud. I picked up a basic Onkyo reciever (TX-8511) pretty cheap ($100) that pushes 100w x 4 stereo, basic A or B speaker option.

The speakers: I listend to a few and picked a set of Monitor 30 for the office (12' x 14' room) and a couple Monitor 40 for the main shop (30' x 50').

In the office, I was going to mount the 30's from the wall opposite my desk, one in the left corner and one to the right, slighlty angled towards the center of the room - basic setup. If that sounds like it will work, great.

The shop is where I am a little lost. I have 14' high walls, which make the roof in the 16 to 17' high range in the middle. It is a metal building, so I have a clear span cieling, which means that there are no trusses going across the center. I have two support rafters (beams), one that is 15' from the front and one that is 15' from the back, seperated by a 20' span between them. They maybe stick down 18 inches from the ceiling and follow the pitch of the roof. The front of the shop has two 12' by 12' roll up doors. The first 20' is where trucks we are working on will be parked and the rear 30' is where the office and fabrication equipment is located.

I was going to mount the 40's on the front wall, one in the upper right corner and one in the left. However, if the roll ups are open (summertime for sure) it would block the sound. Next plan was to lower them so the doors wouldn't block the sound. But, that would stick them in a position to be hit during inventory and equipment handling. So, I thought I would mount them from the first support rafter angled down at about 45 degrees. Then, a neighbor stopped by and said if I mount them on opposite sides, they can cancel frequecies in the middle where the sound crosses. He suggested I mount both of them at the peak of the cieling, pointing down at the 45 degree, but pointing away from each other slightly.

Any opinions? Would I need more than just the two 40's in the main shop? Would the center mount idea still lend itself to the stereo sound? I've seen speakers mounted this way at churches and amphitheaters - just don't know if it will work for me.

While we are at it. Would the speaker wire I pick up at Home Depot (I think it is 14 or 12 gauge) be sufficient? Or, should I spend the big bucks to get the "audio" cable from the local Circuit City or Best Buy?

Right now the main problem I have is that I rigged up the speakers and receiver in my house, just to make sure everything works before installing them at the shop, and I need to talk my wife out of keeping them at home.... those things rock for such small size.

steveinaz

Ideally, you'd want about 12' of seperation between the speakers to avoid having a center "suck-out." I think mounting them on the ceiling and angling down would be fine; lets face it, your options are limited.

Go to radio shack and get some 14 or 12 awg copper wire. Home Depot sometimes has "lots" of wire that turns green (not good). You might even try 2 runs of RS's 18awg solid core copper hook-up wire. It's cheap and good.

Tour2ma

Agree with Steve... just play with them giving them a clear shot at you primary work areas and go for it.

Realistically you are not going to fill your shop's volume with tunes as good as you are hearing in your test drive at la casa. You're just going to get some background music.

I wouldn't even be too concerned about stereo. Setting the little Onk to Mono in the shop zone is worth considering. Probably 90% of all ambient music system are mono. Less distracting and more even sound.

Dale I

Thanks for the suggestions. I will pick up the wire from Radio Shack and think running the two 18awg sounds like a plan. I never really thought about multi wire installation.

Thanks for the running mono idea too. You are right, filling the area with more even sound would be better than trying to create the ulitmate sound if you have to "stand right here" to enjoy it.

However, I might disagree with the term "background music". I'll gaurantee you we will try to drown out the drill press and grinder with the tunes and only turn them down if we need to talk.

Thanks again, I appreciate it. Dale

Tour2ma

Well... you don;t want to take too much attention away from the work at hand, least a hand get in the work.. grinders can bite... :eek:

Please let us know how it goes...

F1nut

It's still going to sound like a boom box.

Tour2ma

Originally posted by Dale I
I've seen speakers mounted this way at churches and amphitheaters - just don't know if it will work for me.

Speaking of churches... it is very possible you've seen these. I know I have.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47094&item=5731697178&rd=1

May cost more to ship them than they are worth, but I saw them and thought of your shop situation. I contacted the Seller and these came out of a church.

Worlds greatest speaker, hell no. But made for voice and music in large areas. Doubt there's much top end in them, but they will handle the average church organ.

Dale I

I have seen speakers similar to those, but thought they may be overkill for my shop. Just looking to get some decent sound and not spend a fortune for the shop. Don't worry, I'll be back to set up the home theater in the basement. I've looked at some of your (forum memebers) setups and am quite impressed.

F1Nut: Do you think I should be using something different? I know it won't be "optimal". But it is somewhat like what I tell guys when we build their custom trucks. "How fast do you want to go and how much can you afford to spend?". I have an 8,000lb crew cab long bed truck that does a quarter mile in the mid 14's and still pulls a 10,000lb trailer. But the object is to get a decent shop sound, not a super system.

If I am missing something, let me know. Like I said, I'm not up on the current audio equipment and will be more than willing to look at options. I just ran into a great deal on these items (I've spent less than $500 and that is including the wire!) and thought they would work.

Tour2ma

Dale,
I think it is just the volume (as in cu ft) in your shop. The ebay Shure speakers were just something I ran across that are suited to large volumes, if not high-fidelity.

As you can see they did not sell, and as of this post, have not been relisted. If you want the Seller's e-mail addy, shoot me a PM and I'll send it your way.

Dale I

Tour2ma-- I appreciate it, but think I will pass. I'll see what I end up with with what I have and then move on from there. I think shipping those honkers may cost a bit.

I appreciate all the feedback.

F1nut

Dale,

Yes, Tour got it. The volume of your shop and the acoustics involved is what I was getting at. I'm thinking some very efficient horns may be the way to go.

Tour2ma

We're turning into goddamn Frick and Frack... explaining each other's thoughts, etc... kinda scary...

Oh, and Bless you, Jesse. (you did just sneeze, right?)

F1nut

LOL......that wasn't a sneeze, it was more of a groan.