Here's A Brain Teaser

I'm in the same boat with Steve. Looks like a small event so I don't think coverage is really an issue, regardless of where you place speakers.

Depends on the actual size of the room and how many guests. I would put on in each diagonal corner of the dance floor, but a 3rd speaker would be added if needed for coverage. This would take a lot of XLR cord for powered speakers and/or a wireless speaker for the 3rd. So again, it would depend on the actual size of the room.

Is the dance floor a permanent "already installed in the floor" type or the "on top of the carpet large tiles that can be moved" type?

If it's able to be moved, obviously put it in front of the B&G's riser table and put the tables back where the dance floor was.

If it can't be moved, then the suggestions already mentioned are your only option.

Subject to dimensions, I would probably place:

One TOP in the bottom right hand corner of the room, facing the tables.
One TOP in the upper left hand side of the room (on the dance floor), facing the tables.
One SUB in the upper left hand corner of the room (on the dance floor).

I would use a pair of monitor wedges on the dance floor (no stands) and then put one or more satellite speaker(s) where the bride's riser meets the wall. The speaches will sound odd if all the sound is coming from behind the listeners. There needs to be some fill out front during that time, and you can lower it or turn it off during dancing.

steve149 said:

Since the tables are round, only half will be hearing it from behind.

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Is it customary in your area for half the room to turn their back on people making a toast from the head table?

This is why it's called a "brain teaser" ... because you have to think and anticipate.

I think I would do a hard angle to the wall on the left, so it covers the dance floor, and spreads across the room from one speaker. The other I would angle either up or to the right -- depending on how much drapery might be involved.

What I would look for is the dispersion of the waves, as opposed to SPL level.

SoftJock Rick said:

I think I would do a hard angle to the wall on the left, so it covers the dance floor, and spreads across the room from one speaker. The other I would angle either up or to the right -- depending on how much drapery might be involved.

What I would look for is the dispersion of the waves, as opposed to SPL level.

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Yeah, ...and it kind of depends on what they are planning to do as well. If there were a lot of presentations to be made I would actually insist on setting up along the wall between the dance floor and riser - or on the other side of the riser (section of wall opposite where the DJ is now).

The diagram does not show where the entry/exit doors are.



I could still have speakers on the dance floor but, I would be much better integrated into the room than the way it is now. It is dance music that needs to be on the dance floor - not necessarily the DJ.

There is no reason the DJ needs to be in front of the bar. Shifting some tables in that direction would better join the dance floor with the riser and the rest of the room. As it stands now the entire room is broken up into discreet sections - the bar is isolated from the guests, the dance floor is also isolated from the guests, and the DJ is set like the projectionist in a movie theater - out of sight and out of mind!

Proformance said:

I would use a pair of monitor wedges on the dance floor (no stands)

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Hmm, so you're going to put floor wedges, on the dance floor, right where drunk dancers are going to trip (and fall) over them? That's just brilliant. not.

I am glad to see that you have the opportunity to change around things. Did they really give you the Green Light to re arrange? Unless what you want is agreed to before anyone else makes changes then all bets are off when you arrive that day. Needless to say all the time taken to give you suggestions would be wasted. You may find that the Cake or other table may be right where to want to place one of your speakers.


My contribution of Gear and Speaker placement is now limited to the given facts. You did not give the dimensions of the Floor Plan, Size of Room, Size of Dance Floor, the width of the front of the Riser on which the Head Table would reside and the location of the Doors/Entries. Where is the Cake table going to be? That would have given me the information to know what size type of system to use. If you are limited to one system then I understand you would have to work with what you have.

With that being said, based on only what you have provided I would put my speakers where your arrows are and one Satellite speaker either in the Bottom Right Corner angled towards the Dance Floor, or about 1/5 the distance from that Corner to the Bar Corner as high up as possible . That speaker would have to have a summed stereo or Mono feed (Not a Left Side or Right Side only). If you have a Live Mixer with a Mono send, that is the signal I would use. Your DJ Table can be either where it shows it in this Diagram or Next to the Speaker between said speaker and bar. This will depend on your available length of Speaker/Signal Cabling. Watch how you angle your speakers, you don't want them firing across each other or firing from behind one another.

Caution, tripods alone on a small dance floor is a recipe for being bumped and toppled. To protect the legs, I would put a sub in front of each one or pole mount the tops on top of the Subs.

It would be nice that whatever option you choose, that you take pictures of the different angles of the room, not just want you want us to see, before the Guests arrive and share those pics with us after the event. Good Luck with it.

PS. I like Bob's idea about the wedges but I would use them on each end on top of the riser. Again we don't know the length because you did not provide it.

Proformance said:

There is no reason the DJ needs to be in front of the bar.

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I sit right at the bar while DJing if possible. Keep those drinks coming!

Jas said:

I sit right at the bar while DJing if possible. Keep those drinks coming!

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Hey, me too. I also find that, if I'm good and drunk, the guests don't get injured as much when we get into fights.

rickryan.com said:

Hey, me too. I also find that, if I'm good and drunk, the guests don't get injured as much when we get into fights.

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and it make the night go by faster!

steve149 said:

No .. but given that the toasts occupy less than 10% of the event, if Mike wasn't planning to put out more than 2 speakers, then sound coming from the back for that small amount of time, isn't going to ruin the event. Many here set up ceremony systems at the rear to get the speakers out of picture view, and I doubt too many care there.

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The toasts may well be 90% more important than anything you are going to do in the remaining time. Try not giving them a microphone and see if it only has a 10% impact on the review you get. "...it isn't going to ruin the event" is hardly the standard of care and due diligence a customer wants to hear from their DJ. This is not an unforeseen circumstance.

If you only intend to bring two speakers - then what are you... a rental agent? We know in advance this room has issues - so you resolve that issue by bringing another fill monitor. If you're so cheap that you can't bring a powered Eon or equivalent (which you should already have as backup anyway) then what is your reasoning to nickel and dime what should be simple professional foresight?

The important thing is: what needs to be accomplished? - and can this be done well with a given setup. There are only 8 tables shown which means the guest count lies somewhere between 48 and 80 people, with up to 2-8 more at the head table. No doubt there is more than enough sound to blow everyone away no matter where you put the speakers. Sound is not really the issue in this room - the real issue is the work-flow. If the DJ is hired for his emcee skills and works alone - then his setup needs to be near the front and not on the opposite side of the room where he walks back and forth all night like a bell-hop. If he is an "entertainer" and not just a DJ then he needs to be part of the visual - not hidden away.