How versatile are scoops?

Massiv wrote: Up to 500 people at first. I was thinking of starting with 4 scoops and then how many kickbins and tops I need to match that. I'm also interested in what kickbins and tops would match the scoops?

ES18s, MT121s, 1 - 1 ratio with Scoops.

You will not believe what 4x/8x of the above will do.

With correctly tuned LMS, that is.

It sounds like you are just breaking into the sound business, and there is a learning curve. For events, start smallish and get good before you sully your rep trying to go straight into big festival jobs. If you are not ready, and you go straight into 500 people shows without learning the ropes, you will be frustrated, and you may break something trying to be impressive. Don't aim for impressive. Aim for quality sound first. It is not so easy as just buying/building the products and then enter the spotlight as a major contender. 

Edited by b grade - 11 October 2015 at 5:10pm

b grade wrote: It sounds like you are just breaking into the sound business, and there is a learning curve. For events, start smallish and get good before you sully your rep trying to go straight into big festival jobs. If you are not ready, and you go straight into 500 people shows without learning the ropes, you will be frustrated, and you may break something trying to be impressive. Don't aim for impressive. Aim for quality sound first. It is not so easy as just buying/building the products and then enter the spotlight as a major contender.  This is not meant to sound negative. Just it concerns me that you want people to just tell you what to buy for every aspect of your rig and then already looking past that to being a go-to for professional sound. Learn the fundamentals. It is actually even more important than the gear that you own. The rig you are thinking of building is the real deal. Don't go broke making it and then break it right away.

Definitely, I totally agree.

I'm very humbly trying to get this started. The plan is to build something based on a labor of love that can sustain itself financially. Then, down the road, if it turns into more than that, we take it from there.

The plan is not to come in and takeover center stage on a festival, but have the festivals become interested in us setting up a stage with our sound as a minor stage/addition.

Me and the crew are already promoters/djs on our own events and one is a club owner/manager. This means we have a strong network of djs and promoters already in the "industry". We are now testing the waters on the interest from festivals. However, It's also tricky to sell them something they can't see and don't have the chance to experience. If we can get a few festivals on board, have a good showing, I think this can be something that can work.

We have all winter to test the sound and learn the ropes of running the sound.

If there is absolutely no interest, I'll probably just built something very small but nice to start with, just for my own events. But in a way, as I see the situation here, it's go big or go home. There is no lack of sound system rental companies. But if we can get this started we would also will also heavily promote the sound through our own events. This means, unlike a normal sound company we can built up drawing power based on who we are and what we do as promoters and DJs. I mean, that is what sound system culture is, that's what we want to do.

Massiv wrote: b grade wrote: It sounds like you are just breaking into the sound business, and there is a learning curve. For events, start smallish and get good before you sully your rep trying to go straight into big festival jobs. If you are not ready, and you go straight into 500 people shows without learning the ropes, you will be frustrated, and you may break something trying to be impressive. Don't aim for impressive. Aim for quality sound first. It is not so easy as just buying/building the products and then enter the spotlight as a major contender.  This is not meant to sound negative. Just it concerns me that you want people to just tell you what to buy for every aspect of your rig and then already looking past that to being a go-to for professional sound. Learn the fundamentals. It is actually even more important than the gear that you own. The rig you are thinking of building is the real deal. Don't go broke making it and then break it right away. Definitely, I totally agree. I'm very humbly trying to get this started. The plan is to build something based on a labor of love that can sustain itself financially. Then, down the road, if it turns into more than that, we take it from there. The plan is not to come in and takeover center stage on a festival, but have the festivals become interested in us setting up a stage with our sound as a minor stage/addition. Me and the crew are already promoters/djs on our own events and one is a club owner/manager. This means we have a strong network of djs and promoters already in the "industry". We are now testing the waters on the interest from festivals. However, It's also tricky to sell them something they can't see and don't have the chance to experience. If we can get a few festivals on board, have a good showing, I think this can be something that can work. We have all winter to test the sound and learn the ropes of running the sound. If there is absolutely no interest, I'll probably just built something very small but nice to start with, just for my own events. But in a way, as I see the situation here, it's go big or go home. There is no lack of sound system rental companies. But if we can get this started we would also will also heavily promote the sound through our own events. This means, unlike a normal sound company we can built up drawing power based on who we are and what we do as promoters and DJs. I mean, that is what sound system culture is, that's what we want to do.

I sense some wishful thinking, there are some who have broken out of the DIY market but usually after several years of financial black hole followed by 30k plus on real kit..

I have a feeling that i know your type of disposition, and that you will be doing this because you love sound. You will be happy with a 4 scoop rig. If you organize and have venue connections then you're well ahead compared to many others who do this, but even so its still a long hill to climb towards having the sound run it self financially. It may sound a bit like it, but people are not trying to put you off, they just want you to manage your expectations realistically.

Here are some of the things you will have to account for when calculating expenses:

drivers
wood,
glue,
skrues,
tools you dont have,
paint,
accessories like: handles, wheels,
amp racks & amps,
connectors,
cables,
a DSP,
power/sound distribution,
ratchet straps,
Not to forget storage & transport,

Price depending on how good you want it and so on. Then you also have to acquire the knowledge to use all of these things properly, which will take some time.
If your on a tight budget and don't mind not building your own cabs then give the second hand market a looksee, most of the list above can be found and will drastically cut down on the price. Building from scratch is more expensive - or can be if its proper - than sourcing everything second hand, but this will take some time. Whats your budget on all this by the way???

Massiv wrote: I'm trying to calculate the cost. Next week I'm talking with some festival people to see what they can offer in terms of renting etc. I'm sure if the sound impresses on the first few festivals it will open doors to more festivals.

Then this comes after all that..

You will build it and spend lots of time searching this site and many others for answers and knowledge and you will build a impressive sound which you and many others will enjoy to the fullest. Thats what will set you apart from the others and thats when festivals and promoters are going to start taking notice.
   

Why build a rig when you can just by some cheap stuff there in China?