Back in 1965, the BeaÂtÂles played Shea StaÂdiÂum. And to comÂpete with the noise genÂerÂatÂed by 55,000 screamÂing youth, they pumped their music through a series of ElecÂtro-Voice LR4 colÂumn speakÂers. But to no avail. As Ringo put it, “From the count-in on the first numÂber, the volÂume of screams drowned everyÂthing else.”
It didÂn’t take long for rock bands to play catch up. By the 1970s, the GrateÂful Dead had inventÂed the “Wall of Sound,” then the largest conÂcert sound sysÂtem ever built. Designed by Owsley “Bear” StanÂley, the DeadÂ’s sound sysÂtem brought togethÂer 604 speakÂers, genÂerÂatÂing 26,400 watts of powÂer in total. ExpenÂsive and unwieldy, the Wall of Sound was short-lived, soon givÂing way to more logisÂtiÂcalÂly-feaÂsiÂble and cost-effecÂtive tourÂing rigs.
From there, the quest for the perÂfect sound system–especially ones suitÂable to susÂtain large, outÂdoor concerts–continued. BringÂing us to today. Above, sound engiÂneer Dave Rat breaks down exactÂly how modÂern sound sysÂtems work, “and why modÂern music fesÂtiÂvals sound so much betÂter than they used to.” Mr. Rat has proÂvidÂed audio for the CoachelÂla music fesÂtiÂval since 2001. Ergo he knows of what he speaks.
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RelatÂed ConÂtent
One Man’s Quest to Build the Best Stereo SysÂtem in the World
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