Mackie DLM8 Owner's Manual - Page 16

DLM8/12 Powered Loudspeakers Placement Room Acoustics WARNING: Installation should only be done by an experienced technician. Improper installation may result in damage to the equipment, injury or death. Make sure that the loudspeaker is installed in a stable and secure way in order to avoid any conditions that may be dangerous for persons or structures. A DLM loudspeaker is designed to sit on the floor or stage as part of the main PA or as a monitor. It may also be pole-mounted via the built-in socket on the bottom of the cabinet. Be sure the pole is capable of supporting the weight of the loudspeaker. The Mackie SPM300 is a great option when using a DLM12S subwoofer, as it allows for greater extension than most other poles available north of the South Pole. A DLM loudspeaker may also be flown via its three integrated fly points as detailed on the next page. Be sure to read the PA-A3 Eyebolt Installation Instructions, as well. Or maybe you prefer to mount DLM loudspeakers on the wall. This is possible with the SWM300 Swivel Wall Mount Kit. Be sure to read the SWM300 Swivel Wall Mount Installation Instructions. Check to make sure that the support surface (e.g. floor, etc.) has the necessary mechanical characteristics to support the weight of the loudspeaker(s). When pole-mounting loudspeakers, be sure that they are stabilized and secured from falling over or being accidentally pushed over. Failure to follow these precautions may result in damage to the equipment, personal injury, or death. As with any powered components, protect them from moisture. Avoid installing the loudspeaker in places exposed to harsh weather conditions. If you are setting them up outdoors, make sure they are under cover if you expect rain. Room acoustics play a crucial role in the overall performance of a sound system. Here are some additional placement tips to help overcome some typical room problems that might arise: • Placing loudspeakers in the corners of a room increases the low frequency output and can cause the sound to be muddy and indistinct. • Placing loudspeakers against a wall increases the low frequency output, though not as much as corner placement. However, this is a good way to reinforce the low frequencies, if so desired. • Avoid placing the speakers directly on a hollow stage floor. A hollow stage can resonate at certain frequencies, causing peaks and dips in the frequency response of the room. It is better to place them on a sturdy stand designed to handle the weight of the DLM loudspeaker. • Highly reverberant rooms, like many gymnasiums and auditoriums, are a nightmare for sound system intelligibility. Multiple reflections off the hard walls, ceiling, and floor play havoc with the sound. Depending on the situation, you may be able to take some steps to minimize the reflections, such as putting carpeting on the floors, closing draperies to cover large glass windows, or hanging tapestries or other materials on the walls to absorb some of the sound. However, in most cases, these remedies are not possible or practical. So what do you do? Making the sound system louder generally doesn't work because the reflections become louder, too. The best approach is to provide as much direct sound coverage to the audience as possible. The farther away you are from the speaker, the more prominent will be the reflected sound. Use more speakers strategically placed so they are closer to the back of the audience. If the distance between the front and back speakers is more than about 100 feet, you should use the DL2 delay to time-align the sound. (Since sound travels about 1 foot per millisecond, it takes about 1/10 of a second to travel 100 feet.) Keep in mind that the DL2 channel and system processor is a great way to compensate for some of these issues. See pages 12-13 for more information [11, 13]. 16 DLM8/12 Powered Loudspeakers