# Built in system design help



## Tom Grimes (Feb 5, 2011)

I'm working on a room for a fraternity. It's a fresh remodel and is going to be used mostly as a club style dance room. There is an adjoining storage room so the subwoofer is going to be an Infanite Baffle. 

I'm looking for opinions how to do the mains. I want it to be pretty plug and play for a DJ with a laptop. So all he really has to do is plug in and maybe have a main volume knob. The main rack will be in the storage room so it's set by somebody with jniwledge of the system in advance to safe levels for the components.

I know ill need a crossover and an amp. Im not too exerienced in things up the chain from that.

Speakers could be two larger ones on the wall with th IB, but I had the room wired with speaker wire going to all 4 corners plus two spots in the middle of the room similar to a HT layout. So 4 or 6 smaller speakers could work since the low range is handled elsewhere.

The room is about 15X25.
Budget is around 2k. Could go to 3 with justification.

Clarity is important as well. 
I'll post pics if that would help.

Thanks for reading.


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## Zeitgeist (Apr 4, 2009)

Based on some of the other pictures and what not.... 

Are you looking for a home-type AV receiver?

From your room and possibly your needs, I almost wonder if pro-audio gear might be more appropriate. Especially if you want something that can be banged and abused a little bit.


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## Tom Grimes (Feb 5, 2011)

Yeah. Pro Audio is what I was thinking. I don't think an AV unit would work the best for this.

But I'm really not a have fan of most PA type speakers. I have done a lot with pro amps and crossovers, but I'll need more than that.

Some sort of EQ will be need. Beyond that I need suggestions. I want to keep most of the equipment in a rack in the storage room, but the DJ is usually behind the bar. I could run the signal line from the bar to the rack fairly easily, but I don't want the main volume control to come from the music source. 

So does that sound like some sort of mixer at the input point that I could mount in/around the bar? Or is this an application for a simple stereo receiver that would essentially do a direct through to it's pre-outs? I know some laptop DJ's really like to go optical out so that could be an advantage of a stereo receiver. 

I know that there is also good usb sound cards that have a main volume knob. This is an option, but it would leave the system strictly laptop based. 

Main goal for the final result of the entire preamp system: Make it impossible to hurt the system components from the DJ position, leave for simple volume control. Whole thing should be as easy as plugging in and deciding how loud you want the music.



Speaker ideas have been along the lines of 6 bookshelf type speakers. Since the room isn't that big, these would only have to be capable handling moderate amounts of power. The existing wiring for these puts them near the ceiling. These would be powered from a single pro amp. 

Hope this helps to understand my mindset.


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## WooferHound (Dec 8, 2010)

Just having a Volume knob on your system will not prevent the DJ from turning up his DJ mixer louder and blowing your speakers. You would have a volume knob anyway on your crossover unit.

What you are looking for is called a Compressor/Limiter, This will be able to set a maximum volume level that can not be exceeded. It controls the volume to be below your set-point. You could also call it an Automatic Volume Control.

One of the better compressors that you can get is a DBX 166 for about $200.oo, but you can get others cheaper
http://www.amazon.com/DBX-166XL-Channel-Compressor-Limiter/dp/B0002H0QGY


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## Tom Grimes (Feb 5, 2011)

Thanks for that! I hadn't even thought about a compressor for this. All I've done with them is use them live on a bass and maybe a guitar. But that is exactly what I was looking for.

I'm still looking for something that would accept a few different types of inputs. I' saw a unit called an easy connect panel being used in a rack for a multimedia purpose. From the quick look I had at this one, it seems to accept RCA, optical, and maybe XLR along with a few different video types. Do these exist for just audio applications? Or should I find one like this and be OK with paying for unused features?


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## WooferHound (Dec 8, 2010)

I was hoping someone else would hop in here with a better suggestion than I have . . . but, I would use a couple of Direct Boxes with a bunch of adapter cables that convert your various formats to ¼ inch cables that plug into the boxes. Of course this does not accommodate your request for an optical input.


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## Tom Grimes (Feb 5, 2011)

That is indeed an option I've looked into. The most current scenario goes H/K stereo receiver > BBE Crossover >Dbx compressor/limiter > Crown amplifiers > IB/ 6 speakers.

I know the H/K is not really pro audio, but it gives me a few different inputs with a master volume and allows for a couple video inputs for the projector. Very simple for the majority of people we have DJing. I also could bypass it for a DJ with a serious setup.

I could also use the 12V trigger to control the rest of the rack in the other room. This keeps everyone besides the people who need to adjust things away from it. 

I'm still kinda torn on speakers. I've found some JBL speakers that are advertised as monitor quality and 150W. http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/JBL-Control-1-Pro-Compact-Speaker-Pair-?sku=600194 But I'm really not sure these would have the clarity overall or the range to go to where the IB crossover is. I could spend a bit more and get Klipsch RB-51 speakers. I'm just not certain how much better these would be for this application. I'm really trying to have this system sound excellent when paired with a good source. 

Thoughts appreciated


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## WooferHound (Dec 8, 2010)

Those JBL speakers in your link have a 5¼ woofer and the frequency response is 100hz to 18khz. You would defiantly need some subwoofers to go with them. I think they would be really Pushed at 150 watts too. Plus the sensitivity (1 watt at 1 meter) is only 87db, that is about as low as I've ever seen.


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## fractile (Mar 15, 2009)

The easy connect panel sounds like a good idea. My view is to "future-proof" the setup so that people can do about anything imaginable, so to speak.

It might be a good idea to use a balanced +4dB cable from the input location to the eqpt closet to maintain signal quality and avoid noise.


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