Jump to content

Cart Speaker


patrickveigel

Recommended Posts

+1 on the X-mini. I once had a gig where one of the agency people couldn't be there, so (no joke) after a take, we'd contact him via video chat, hold the laptop up to the production monitor, and do playback for him. They hadn't told me about that, but when I pulled the x-mini out and plugged it into the headphone jack of the camera, it worked perfectly. Paid for itself in that very moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use JBL On Stage Micro Velcroed to my cart.

Best sounding small speaker IMO. AAA rechargeable batteries, 1/8" input. Great for music and monitoring set. Also sounds nice as cue speaker on set.

I own a SpeakEasy also, but use that only for playback.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the speakeasy has the same issue. not sure about the rack version though.

I have a remote audio R1 on my cart with a zaxnet Tx sitting just below it, it gets RF interference from the 2.4G but not to bad. It also gets into the onset VOG speaker when the 1W amp is fired up but only very low level, not a real problem but on my next cart rebuild I'll try and eliminate it by repositioning the offending pieces.

C.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the Remote Audio Speakeasy R1 and have never noticed any RF issues. However, it doesn't get used very often.

I like the form factor, etc. but wish it sounded better. I think it distorts too easily as the gain is increased -- especially on a voice with full-range content. I've thought about adding a high-pass filter so the lows don't overload it so easily.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with John, and find this to be a problem with every speakeasy I've heard. I'm not sure whether it's in the amplifier stage, or the actual speakers used, but they definitely lack headroom. It's too bad... I really want to like the speakeasy based on convenience and form factor, but just don't. It bottoms out way too easily. I was hoping this would have been addressed with the most recent release... I'm using one on the job I'm on now, and it hasn't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with John, and find this to be a problem with every speakeasy I've heard. I'm not sure whether it's in the amplifier stage, or the actual speakers used, but they definitely lack headroom. It's too bad... I really want to like the speakeasy based on convenience and form factor, but just don't. It bottoms out way too easily. I was hoping this would have been addressed with the most recent release... I'm using one on the job I'm on now, and it hasn't.

Hi Wyatt,

Which Speak Easy model are you referring to? The models are:

SpeakEasy (original, small, single 9V battery last several typical days, usually load enough for cart work and small plant needs).

SpeakEasy v2 (a little larger, single 9V battery, same loadness as original)

SpeakEasy v3 (same size as v2, two 9V batteries, much loader than original)

SpeakEasy v3a (same as v3 but also includes an instrument input (such as for guitar)

SpeakEasy R1 (single space rack mount, stereo, very low current, loud enough for cart use, fidelity adequate for production playback)

All of the designs are different balances between size, shape, loudness, power consumption, and fidelity. For fidelity, the single rackspace of the R1 is the biggest challenge because the speakers cannot be any taller than 1.5". Fostex's single rack system approached this problem with dual cone speakers that produced more loudness and low freqs, but at the cost of high freq phasing that reduced the clarity of voices. The search for better suited speakers for the R1 continues, but nothing yet. I'm using the R1 while writing this, and prefer it over the Fostex for cart work.

If a Speak Easy other than the R1 was sometimes found to not be loud enough, I imagine it was either the original or v2. If more loudness is needed, I suggest trying the v3a. I've used this speaker inside a grand piano to simulate playing to a prerecorded track, and most of the crew assumed it was the actors actually playing the piano. It's pretty loud. If you try the v3a and it's not loud enough, you can return it in new condition for a refund.

Glen Trew

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I since started with the SpeakEasyv2 and moved onto the SpeakEasyv3. Lots of headroom even including classical recording contents for backstage performance access cues. Most the time on large sets and shows, I deploy roughly 4-6 SpeakEasyv3 at basecamp (camera truck, actors trailers, craft services, dressing rooms, green rooms) all paired with an R1a with the ability to patch the director through in case of calls, but usually walkies take charge of that. Sometimes you need the option to go mobile and remote and it could provide enough volume for those little oddity roles.

Another nifty speaker is the 6301D by Fostex, gets very loud even for cues on 1200-seat Off-Broadway shows. One downside is the need to hook up AC power. When there's shore power, I go Fostex, and for portability the SpeakEasy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Wyatt,

Which Speak Easy model are you referring to?...

Glen Trew

Hey Glen,

I'm currently using a V3a. My issue isn't so much one of volume as it is fidelity. Everything just seems to flatline after about 10 o'clock. Maybe I'm holding a speaker of this size to an unfair standard, but I feel like I prefer the sound of the Tivoli PAL's.

Where your product excels over the Tivoli, is in its battery operation, and a wide range of balanced inputs. I would maintain though that the fidelity leaves me wanting.

I don't mean this to be an outright criticism. There are many great attributes of the Speakeasy line, as is evident by a number of happy users.

Best,

Wyatt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glen,

I'm not meaning to knock the Speakeasy either, but wish to be honest about my feelings. I own both a Speakeasy (V.2, I think), and have an R1 on the cart. Neither sounds as good as I would like. If you come up with any improvements for the cart version (improved drivers, or whatever), please let me know. I like the design and form factor for cart use, and have found it handy, but don't think it reflects the quality of my dialog tracks as well as I'd like. The lack of clean headroom is quite apparent. I would like my playback to sound noticeably better than video village. <g>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Glen,

I'm currently using a V3a. My issue isn't so much one of volume as it is fidelity. Everything just seems to flatline after about 10 o'clock. Maybe I'm holding a speaker of this size to an unfair standard, but I feel like I prefer the sound of the Tivoli PAL's.

Where your product excels over the Tivoli, is in its battery operation, and a wide range of balanced inputs. I would maintain though that the fidelity leaves me wanting.

I don't mean this to be an outright criticism. There are many great attributes of the Speakeasy line, as is evident by a number of happy users.

Best,

Wyatt

It's good to have your feedback. The clarification about which SpeakEasy model you are using is helpful.

Because the SpeakEasy was designed with a line input that will accept levels with a 0VU reference of -10dBu (consumer) to +4dBm (some professional gear still uses this spec) while delivering full loudness without clipping, an input of +4dBm will deliver full rated volume with the knob at about 12 o'clock with levels that are typical of original dialog recordings. Likewise, full volume from an input of -10dBu will require the knob to be at or near full up. If a powered speaker delivers full volume from a +4dB signal with the knob at 3 o'clock, it will not deliver full volume from a -10dBu level signal, even with the knob all the way up. Another factor when designing the gain structure of all models of the SpeakEasy is that it will often (usually?) be playing levels set for original recordings, which, because of the common -20dBfs=0VU spec, will almost always be lower than commercial music recordings or broadcast material. This means that the full-volume knob position would need to be even lower for +4dBm mastered tracks (about 10 o'clock) so that it can produce full volume with input levels of -10dBu from original tracks with the knob fully up.

Low frequencies are what use most of an amplier's power, but speakers the size of the SpeakEasy will not reproduce low frequencies on par with larger speakers, even though the amplifier will try to reproduce them. Because a primary design requirement of the SpeakEasy is 9V battery operation for a full production day without a change, the input is filtered to reduce low frequencies that would not be reproduced anyway, which allows 9V batteries to produce impressive loudness of the material we are most likely to put through them (dialog).

gt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glen, I'm not meaning to knock the Speakeasy either, but wish to be honest about my feelings. I own both a Speakeasy (V.2, I think), and have an R1 on the cart. Neither sounds as good as I would like. If you come up with any improvements for the cart version (improved drivers, or whatever), please let me know. I like the design and form factor for cart use, and have found it handy, but don't think it reflects the quality of my dialog tracks as well as I'd like. The lack of clean headroom is quite apparent. I would like my playback to sound noticeably better than video village.

Hi John,

No problem at all. But if video village is using a SpeakEasy v3a (as more and more are) you're going to have stiff competition!

The R1 was designed for cart use to allow the mixer to take their phones off and still listen to the set and their boom op, and also be able to listen to playback to check content with clarity and reasonable fidelity and volume to people in close proximity, and do this with very little current draw to save battery power, in a compact lightweight enclosure, all of which it does well.

"Lack of clean headroom" suggests that the peaks distort before it gets loud enough for you, which indicates it's being used for something more than what is described above.

gt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi John,

No problem at all. But if video village is using a SpeakEasy v3a (as more and more are) you're going to have stiff competition!

The R1 was designed for cart use to allow the mixer to take their phones off and still listen to the set and their boom op, and also be able to listen to playback to check content with clarity and reasonable fidelity and volume to people in close proximity, and do this with very little current draw to save battery power, in a compact lightweight enclosure, all of which it does well.

"Lack of clean headroom" suggests that the peaks distort before it gets loud enough for you, which indicates it's being used for something more than what is described above.

gt

I understand, Glen, but I hoped you might appreciate some customer feedback. The times I've needed to do set playback, people haven't always crowded in close to the cart. I would like the R1 MUCH better if it didn't distort so easily, and would appreciate hearing about any improvements in that aspect.

I don't think there's any danger of the main video assist company in this area using a Speakeasy v3a. The owner was too disappointed by the previous version. (Sorry, just being honest.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always been very pleased with the Speakeasy's, enough that I bought two of them (original version and the V2 with the mike input). I don't expect a lot from a speaker this small, and just for being able to say, "yes, there's a useful signal there," it's fine for me. I don't expect it to do the work of a full-size speaker weighing 10 times as much or costing three or four times more.

There's been a few times in panic situations where the Speakeasy's have paid for themselves, just in tracing back and solving a signal flow problem. I absolutely would not do a shoot without them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...