Speakers how loud

G

Goose

New elf
Joined
Dec 15, 2011
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23
Location
Thornlie, Perth
Good morning all,


As i am attempting to put light to music this year for the first time wanted to see how everyone out there went with playing their music for their displays. Do you play it loud enough to hear next door or just in front of your own home? or do most people just broadcast it? im leaning to just broadcasting it...though then the people on foot would not be able to appreciate the music...any thoughts?
 
Broadcast only, but we often have a small radio outside for us to listen in and for people without radio's. We have both foot traffic and a lot of Brethren here (They dont have radio's in their cars)
 
I do both. I have set my computer adjust the volume down after 8:30 to a minimum. thats usually when the families are all gone. then most of the trafiic is in cars where they tune in themselves.
 
I do both as well, last year i mounted weatherproof speaker to the front of the house under the eaves and angled them down towards the ground, thus stopping some of the sound projection across the road, volume was reduced most nights after 10pm to a lower level.
This year i'm going to look at positioning them so the project sound back towards the house rather than across the yeard.

Cheers
Phil
 
up until this year I have used speakers, just loud enough not to be annoying to the neighbours, I programmed my show so that after 9pm there was just animation and no music, this year I will do the same except add in an fm transmitter for those who drive by and those who turn up after 9pm :)


Have had no complaints from the neighbours whatsoever in the 4 years I have done it
 
I do both also, FM radio and speakers at several locations. Last year I turned the speakers up louder than ever before.

I have a pair of weatherproof speakers mounted on my fence at the corner and a second pair mounted under the roof at the gatehouse. Last year I also used a portable radio on the foothpath opposite on the corner. I set the volume levels so the music is clearly audible all around my corner foothpaths, across the road and on the neighbours foothpaths. By distributing the speakers closer to the visitors, the absolute sound levels do not have to be extreme, and so do not carry too far. Even so, when passing car traffic is busy, it still becomes difficult at times to hear the music.

Most of my visitors arrive on foot as there are very limited positions for watching from in-car. Cars were often parked one to two blocks in every direction. I regularly check with my neighbours (both before the display season starts, as well as during the season), to confirm that the sound (and traffic) are not being too intrusive. To date I have never had a complaint. Last year I turned the speakers off at 10PM but still ran the portable radio from the FM station. This tended to move to visitor locations as the numbers dropped by this time of the evening.
 
I use both as well, but i use a radio for my speakers so if something happens to the transmission then i will know as then there will be no music coming out of the radio.
 
Since this is my first year of blinky flashy bliss, I am going speakers only, seriously doubt I will have the time in the midst of all the other projects I have planned to actually find time to build, test and get a fm-sender up this year :)

That will be one of the projects for 2013!
 
I doubt my budget will stretch this year for a transmitter, so I'll go down the speaker route. I have a couple of outdoor ones under my pergola which I could take down and place in the front yard I'm sure.
Might take Robbo's advice and do flash only after 9pm.
 
I also use both. Prior years I ran a line out to some old computer speakers (no power) that I found. These were not covered in any way and honestly still work great. Last year I used 2 radios - cheap ones - without any covers. These also are still working. Like Eddy said, it's a nice way to see if your transmitter is working!

I will ask the neighbors if it's bothering them, but I have some distance between the homes here.

For those looking for an inexpensive transmitter, look into a Valsec FM2.
 
i use both. i have waterproof speakers moutned to the fence out the front and have them at a set volume then i always check with the neighbours that they are happy with the volume and last year they told me to turn them up. i have the speakers off from 10pm and then it is only through fm that you can listen to the music.
 
As with most people here I use both. Have checked regularly with the neighbours and most often they come out the front and join in the festivities (very social culdesac). Have also had complaints that they can't here the music. Transmit only from 8.30
Doug
 
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