FunktionAl Sound Systems

Boom Spanka

This system consists of eight, horn loaded, cabinets containing a total of 20 Eminence drivers. The subs are centre clustered and the mains are line arrayed. The system is a three way/tri amped configuration and is driven by 3 Crown amplifiers with in built, software controlled, digital sound processing.

This setup is good for a dance floor of up to around 800 people outdoors and could most likely be used for ambient concert sound for around 1600 people. Also available in half size version (4 cabinets) for smaller gatherings.

Thanks very much to Mad Monkey Society and everyone else for your support in helping me to get this project up and running.

Labhorn Subwoofer Design ~ Tom Danley, (Danley Sound Labs, USA)
Labhorns Built by ~ Clive Milne & Jason Chambers

DR300 Mid/High Design ~ Bill Fitzmaurice (BF Loudspeaker Design, USA)
DR300s Built by ~ Bill Fitzmaurice & Harley Dear (NZ)

System Concept ~ Clive Milne

Q & A

What is the difference of a horn loaded system compared to a conventional front loaded system ?

Horn loaded speakers are a lot more efficient than direct radiating speakers as you are using a physical horn to amplify the sound in much the same way that a gramaphone or a tuba works for example. What this means is you need less amplifier/generator power to produce the same volume of sound as a front loaded system. So, more eco friendly as well as being less gear to cart around and set up. Bass-ically, just a lot more efficient.

Does it really make that much difference ?

Yes, it does. Especially because amplifier power and it's relationship to output volume works on a logarithmic scale not a linear scale. To create a doubling of output volume you need ten times as much power from your amp, not twice as much power as you may at first naturally think. So if you are using a physical horn to double your output volume (for example), you need ten times less amplifier power to create the same amount of sound !

I thought horn loaded boxes were a thing of the past, why are most sound systems front loaded and not horn loaded, are these old designs ?

In the early days of big PA's, the 50's & 60's, a lot of the boxes were horn loaded but into the 70's & 80's manufacturers realised that it was more cost effective to build simply constructed front loaded boxes than complex folded horns, this also means they would sell more amplifiers too ;)
Both the Labhorn and the DR300 are modern, state of the art, professional, build yourself designs that use precise folding topology to squeeze the most decibels possible from the high performance drivers loaded within.

Why don't big sound companies sell horn loaded boxes ?

They do, they are very expensive as they are much more labour intensive to build.

Surely you can get more sound from a 2000 watt dual front loaded 18" sub than an 800 watt dual 12" horn loaded sub ?

Actually no, you can't. At the top of EAW's range of pro sound touring subs is the KF940 aka 'super sub', an 800 watt 2x 12" bent horn that has a max spl average of 138db (similar to the Labhorn). Compare that to their very own SB850z high output 2000 watt 2x 18", it has a max spl average of 133db, that's about 3/4 as loud. Add to the equation of less power required, the fact that you get deeper extension stacking horns that you don't get when stacking reflex boxes, and your miles in front with the folded horn.

Tech Stuff

~Speakers~

The Labhorn is a folded horn subwoofer. In each cabinet resides two Eminence 'Lab 12' 6 ohm drivers, wired in parallel with a rated power handling of 400 watts each. Because of the extra impedance added by the pressure of the horn, the amp ends up seeing each box at around 4 ohms.

In each DR300 is a single Eminence 'Kappa Pro 12a' 8 ohm driver with a power handling of 500 watts and two Eminence 'PSD2002' 8 ohm compression drivers, wired in parallel with a handling of 80 watts each.

Using all eight boxes, the total rated thermal power handling of the system is 5840 watts.

~Amps~

Driving the Labhorns is a dual channel Crown iTech 6000 capable of delivering 2500 watts per channel into 2 ohms.

The DR300s are bi amped. Driving the mid bass Kappa Pro's is a dual channel Crown Xti4000 capable of delivering 1200 watts per channel into 4 ohms. Driving the PSD tweeters is a dual channel Crown Xti1000 capable of delivering 700 watts per channel into 2 ohms.

At the nominal resistance of the system, the amps are capable of delivering a total of 8800 watts.

~Processing~

Processing, eq, limiting etc. is done within the crown amps built in dsp, software controlled using Harman Pro's System Architect. Xover points are 35hz, 80hz and 1500hz all with 8th order 48db slopes. Delays are set according to venue. Further fine tuning of EQ and input limiting is done with a DEQ2496 processor.

~Mixing and Monitoring~

Altho this system was designed primarily for dance music, it is also available with a 30m snake with 16/4 multicore to do a mix and monitor of mics/instruments from a front of house desk for live acts. Monitors are currently a pair of RCF ART310a's.


Available for all types of events, system is stored in Jarrahdale, Western Australia.

Enquiries to Alan Star > 0427084398 or email pyrotekno@hotmail.com