Laser Aiming Guide

[Fourthlaw]

Folks,

Honestly don't know if this has been done before--I did a quick search of the forum for "laser" and mostly came up with posts about show lighting. So, anyway, why not add a small laser unit to the front of each cabinet? Small switch and two AA batteries and suddenly positioning the cabs becomes effortless. Or maybe it's over-thinking things, not that I've ever been accused of that.



http://www.fasttech.com/search?laser

So, if using cabinets in a vertical array, the bottom one should hit maybe the third row...top one should hit the back row (or whatever)...but I have hard time feeling confident that my "eyeballing it" is really good enough, so I end up fiddling with it more than I really ought.

Anyway, just a thought.

[CoronaOperator]

I can't see why it couldn't be deployed as a tool. It's common in car audio to use a laser to set up your mids and highs for imaging on a new build. Before enclosures are constructed, speaker baffles and tweeter mounts are built with an attached laser and mounted to the car using bendable mounting straps. The laser isn't really used to "aim" anywhere specific, but rather to give you a point of reference so after listening and making notes on various angles, you can quickly A/B the best positions you found.

As far a lasers and light shows go, you'll be out of luck with this trick on a horn loaded cab, but feel free to try it on a direct radiator: Tape/glue/fasten a small (~1/2" round) mirror to the dust cap of your woofer and affix a laser pointer to shine on that mirror. Voila, instant laser light show to the beats of your tunes reflected onto the wall/ceiling/wherever you have it pointed at .

In this video, they attach the mirror to the port, but affixing it to the dust cap gives the same affect.

[CoronaOperator]

Folks,
So, anyway, why not add a small laser unit to the front of each cabinet? Small switch and two AA batteries and suddenly positioning the cabs becomes effortless.

If you were to go this route, why go through the trouble to attach a laser to each cabinet? Battery maintenance would be a hassle. A hole drilled in a block of wood on each cabinet that can snugly hold a laser pointer would work. Then just insert your pocket laser pointer into the hole, aim cabinet, remove laser, wash, rinse, and repeat. Just be aware that outside, the sound can be projected very differently than where the pointer is showing. Projecting across a black asphalt parking lot vs across a cool pool or misty forest can affect the vertical and wind can adjust the horizontal.

[Fourthlaw]

If you were to go this route, why go through the trouble to attach a laser to each cabinet? Battery maintenance would be a hassle. A hole drilled in a block of wood on each cabinet that can snugly hold a laser pointer would work. Then just insert your pocket laser pointer into the hole, aim cabinet, remove laser, wash, rinse, and repeat. Just be aware that outside, the sound can be projected very differently than where the pointer is showing. Projecting across a black asphalt parking lot vs across a cool pool or misty forest can affect the vertical and wind can adjust the horizontal.

Well, I guess the thought is that the little lasers are cheap at $7 bucks or so, and with a permanent mount it would be more "accurate". On second thought, though, I'd just use a small power connector on the back of the speaker and keep the batteries separate--I'd only need one or two and could plug in to which ever speaker I was aiming.

[jswingchun]

Or maybe it's over-thinking things, not that I've ever been accused of that.

I vote for this!



It's a cabinet, not a sniper rifle!

[Fourthlaw]

It's a cabinet, not a sniper rifle!

Why can't it be both? After all, New Shimmer is a floor wax AND a desert topping.

[Bruce Weldy]

It's a cabinet, not a sniper rifle!

Why can't it be both? After all, New Shimmer is a floor wax AND a desert topping.

You just showed your age, Grandpa...

[Fourthlaw]

It's a cabinet, not a sniper rifle!

Why can't it be both? After all, New Shimmer is a floor wax AND a desert topping.

You just showed your age, Grandpa...

Yeah, and get off my lawn!