Free party test

[escapemcp]

I had planned a free party for last Saturday, but still hadn't completed the DR250s. On the Saturday morning, the first DR was missing a crossover, but otherwise complete. The second DR was in a much more pitiful state:

The first speaker with back panel removed (insert crossover here) and with back panel installed:


The second:


So Saturday was a busy day getting the 2nd DR up to the state of the first. Managed to get it all square and the rear panel supports (my own design (I think!)) installed. I managed to solder the crossovers right the first time - I just connected it up to the wrong pins on the speakons as the sockets are reversed when compared to the plugs That was a desperate moment when I heard just a very feint tinny sound coming out the speakers when turned up all the way. This was at 9pm! Eventually sussed out the problem and got the speakers out of the garage by 10pm (with the Duratex still drying in the van ). A very stressful day! Normally the most stressful bit is going to, and taking the site. This time it was actually very relaxing - being my own boss and being able to work to my own timetable certainly helps - if we aren't there by midnight, tough... just wait some more!

Onto the party... managed to get the whole system set up in about 15 minutes, thanks to my massive simplification of wiring (9 wires into the rack which includes the monitor and the facade). All the little things that I have mulled over in my head over the last 2 years came to fruition, from the simplified wiring, to the LED strip lights on the decks to see by and onto the placement of handles on the sub to make carrying them long-distances much less of a PITA.

I didn't get a big a crowd as I would have liked, but still had a great time nonetheless. We ended up being an afterparty for a friends birthday in a local nightclub (this was always the plan), so they all turned up in force at about 8am when we were starting to wane a little. They bought new life and energy into the party and also obtained a new DJ by dragging him out of bed(!) to play a (very good) set - I even remembered to hit record on the MP3 recorder this time A few of the people who arrived in this group were part of some of the big soundsystems here in the west, and when packing away I was under interrogation about how I had managed to build these small light boxes, with no previous woodworking experience and get them to sound so loud and so good.

The actual SQ was great... no... sorry... it was FUCKING AWESOME (apologies for the swearing, but it really needed it). The sound was clear and the bass hit with a definite punch. It was as if you can feel the start and end of the pressure waves hitting you, rather than just the 'gradual' increase with a less well-defined bass. It was just want all the bassheads want and you just couldn't help dancing along to the tunes - there's something primal about it, and it's exactly the reason WHY we do free parties. Even my most hardened skeptics had to admit that it was pretty shit-hot, it was THAT conclusive


I now have quite a few major rigs wanting to do an event with me - my rig compared to theirs is tiny, but they know mine doesn't have to be as big and that I can easily build more My sights are set

This was the setup. Note the unpainted top of the left speaker - time prevented me doing this!




Didn't know if having my subs the 'wrong' way round matters or not - we had set them up before I noticed that they were round the wrong way. I assume that the horn mouth is the whole of the front of the speaker(?). It certainly looks mean that way round I did bring the V-plate, but the ground was just too uneven to even consider it. The stony ground has ripped a fair bit of duratex off the cabs. No major injuries to any equipment, although when I switched on at the start, I had no filters or limiters engaged on any of the system - and I was giving it the beans Got away with it though

Managed to go until 2pm (we started just before 1am) and we didn't see a single member of the old bill (a nice change) - just one security guard who popped his head over the wall, to whom we all gave the thumbs up - he left bemused. At around 2pm people started drifting off in large amounts and it was time to call it, so we could rope in the 'leftovers' to help lug the kit 250 yards back to the van...



All in all, a great night out and I'm going to be totally stoked from it for weeks to come. Far better than any drugs - far cheaper too.

[y2kindyz]

Escapempc, Nice job on making it come together.

Man that looks like a pretty secluded place you found. Did you have a power source on site or did you use a generator? That was a long walk back to civilization. I would hate to walk it at night.

[Titanium Hand]

MEAN!
Bro what a great journey, from building to blasting, awesome. Hope you have many more to come

I've got a few mates looking to help me kick a few things off like that this spring too!

Generator or Grid? +2

[escapemcp]

Escapempc, Nice job on making it come together.

Yep... when the 1st speaker that HAD worked before didn't after I rebuilt the crossover and wired it all up, I was thinking I was never going to make it happen. Now I had to fix the first and still had loads to do on the second one. I could have cried when I realised that it was just me plugging in the -ve into 2- due to me viewing the connector from the 'other side'. When that speaker started to work, it was the sweetest noise it has ever - or will ever - make

Man that looks like a pretty secluded place you found. Did you have a power source on site or did you use a generator? That was a long walk back to civilization. I would hate to walk it at night.

It's actually the closest site to civilization that we ever use! It's close to the heart of Bristol about 15 mins walk from the train station and in the centre of a large trading estate. Usually we are quite a way out of towns to a) avoid disturbing people & b) avoid disturbing the peace (i.e. avoiding Police )

The path's entrance is at the end of a dead end road on a trading estate and runs beside a trading estate (on the left) and the train bridge/British Rail's land (right). The actual bridge that we do the gig under is now disused, and trains run over the stone bridge, who's arch you can see on the right of the first picture. The rumbling noises that you hear as I am walking down the path are actually a couple of trains passing just above me which happened to go past when I was recording. During the day people often get up onto the old disused bridge - I try to discourage this but it's a free party so people do what they want as long as they aren't hurting anyone else. Everyone understands if they fall, it'll hurt. Someone once did fall, and he did hurt, but on that day he learnt a valuable life lesson that he was shit at climbing and should probably avoid heights in general As an organizer that bridge does worry me with drugged up party-goers climbing up onto it.

At previous parties, I have had conversations with police where they pretty well much stated that it was OK to do parties down there. As such, when I needed a location where I was sure that I wouldn't get closed down after 30 mins, and also ensure that it was easily accessible, (so that I could get as many people as possible there), it was a no-brainer. It's the 'default' site in Bristol... we used to try doing other sites, but they would always get closed down or we'd have some sort of problem and end up back under the bridge for the night! I hooked up with my last girlfriend there and I met a stunning girl down there on Saturday This site has so many good memories attached to it - despite having to drag the equipment down the path!

Sorry, getting all dewey eyed there. We use a genny for power. I got a cheapo £170 one from Aldi (bargain supermarket) which came with wheels and a comfortable way to use them - there are far too many gennies with wheels which whack the back of your shins when you move them The usual problem is that the handles are too short. Did they never test the feature with a REAL human being, because the problem shows up within 2 paces!!? It's 2.6kVa (2.8kVA peak) and seems to run all that without sweating. I've just installed a voltmeter and frequency meter at the top of the rack. The voltage was around 225V and the frequency seemed to hover just above 51Hz. When I run JUST the iNuke amps on the genny, the non-PFC'd 'spikes' that the iNukes draw from the power resulted in some odd readings on the frequency-o-meter (I can remember seeing 71Hz). Those iNukes are DIIRTY With more of a load on the genny, their interference becomes less of a percentage of the overall power drawn, so I guess the freq meter has an easier time. Finally, I've just realized that AGAIN, I forgot to use a ground spike - I've got to stick a sticker on the frame to remind me!! Even worse is the fact that it is on wheels and rubber feet mean that it is totally isolated from ground Let's call that another lucky escape, but one of these days it'll get me unless I eliminate the risk.

[escapemcp]

Fancy a look around the rig?



But where are the people!

[escapemcp]

And if you want to hear what it sounds like through a crappy phone mic:

[88h88]

Totally not my kinda vibe but respect for pulling it off dude.

[byacey]

Finally, I've just realized that AGAIN, I forgot to use a ground spike - I've got to stick a sticker on the frame to remind me!! Even worse is the fact that it is on wheels and rubber feet mean that it is totally isolated from ground Let's call that another lucky escape, but one of these days it'll get me unless I eliminate the risk.

Technically, you have less chance of getting a shock if the generator isn't ground referenced to earth in any way, should you happen to come in contact with the hot leg of the AC power.

However, the opposite is true for AC utility mains, as the power distribution system is all ground referenced.

escapemcp, are you a troll? I thought only trolls spend time under bridges!

[jimbo7]

The hobos were not impressed.

Too bad you couldn't show off that facade

[Rickisan]

Very very cool. All of it... well... except the dangerous bridge part. Especially liked the part about the girls.... : )

Just one question. Why only Midnight to 8am? ha ha JK