Someone stole the JBL powered monitors from one of our multi-tenant sites, so im looking for something I can rack mount. Im thinking i will just build something, like mounting two 6.5" car speakers into a 4u sized blank panel and getting a rackmount p.a. amp or the like. All the ready made solutions ive seen are very expensive for what you get. Im open to suggestions. Thanks.
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Decent rack mount speakers
- Thread starter Fieldtech1
- Start date
The only rack mount speakers I recall were the EV Sentry 100 series when you used their accessory rail kit. Of course one speaker would fit in the rack so you needed your two racks with enough vacant space to mount the pair at at decent height. Other than those I don't know of any off hand.
K
kenglish
Guest
The Fostex 6301BEAV is a pretty popular amplified speaker, used in many remote trucks and in edit suites. It can be rack mounted, with an optional adapter:
http://www.bswusa.com/proditem.asp?item=6301BEAV
There's even a digital-input version.
I miss those old Radio Shack speakers, though...they could be mounted on standoffs, in a bathtub chassis. But, they required a separate small amp.
http://www.bswusa.com/proditem.asp?item=6301BEAV
There's even a digital-input version.
I miss those old Radio Shack speakers, though...they could be mounted on standoffs, in a bathtub chassis. But, they required a separate small amp.
kenglish said:
Don't know if you've ever tried one of these, but they work well and have a nice sound too. It's a stereo Fostex designed as a 1RU package.
http://www.bswusa.com/proditem.asp?item=RM1FOSTEX
Wohler makes rack-mount speakers that don't sound half bad. I've seen them in-use in several TV stations.
http://www.wohler.com/Search.aspx?grpId=1&lineId=17
-D
http://www.wohler.com/Search.aspx?grpId=1&lineId=17
-D
All the options listed so far are nice and I bet the OP is fully aware of them, since they said:
A good economical option is to get a decent set of powered PC speakers with a separate subwoofer. The satellites are small enough to be easily rack mounted and put behind a mesh screen and this way you won't need a separate PA amp to drive them.
Fieldtech1 said:
A good economical option is to get a decent set of powered PC speakers with a separate subwoofer. The satellites are small enough to be easily rack mounted and put behind a mesh screen and this way you won't need a separate PA amp to drive them.
Yes--some more $$$ but perhaps more secure would be to buy a Middle Atlantic rack shelf and one of their perforated rack panels. Just put your powered speakers on a the rack shelf, then mount the perforated panel (it's 2RU, like the mounting for the rack shelf) in front. Audio comes out but the speakers don't walk unless someone brings along a screw driver.
K
kenglish
Guest
I'd be very leery of putting cheap computer speakers at an site where there are transmitters. The only ones I've heard of that even claim to be RF-proof are these:
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/speakers/5042.html
And, they, like other computer speakers, are only unbalanced inputs.
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/speakers/5042.html
And, they, like other computer speakers, are only unbalanced inputs.
Amazing coincidence: read this thread this morning, read my new copy of Radio magazine this afternoon and lo and behold on page 46, rack mounted speakers with amplifier!
http://www.dixonsystems.com/show/index.php?show=21
http://www.dixonsystems.com/show/index.php?show=21
R
RolfTaylor
Guest
Interesting to see this post as I prototyped some 1RU stereo speakers a few years ago. I figured I'd be able to sell them for less than $200, probably less than $150.
The sound was better than most computer speakers. They had an amp, but an external power supply.
The biggest obstacle is that I wanted to build these onto Silver perforated rack panels. I wanted silver so that steel fasteners could be used without looking like cr*p. There are no such things made!
I really wanted to keep the cost down, but if I cannot use stock rack mount panels the cost jumps by a lot.
I also planned a 2 RU version, but this never got prototyped.
Hmmm, particularly since I am unemployed, maybe I should re-visit this.
Rolf
The sound was better than most computer speakers. They had an amp, but an external power supply.
The biggest obstacle is that I wanted to build these onto Silver perforated rack panels. I wanted silver so that steel fasteners could be used without looking like cr*p. There are no such things made!
I really wanted to keep the cost down, but if I cannot use stock rack mount panels the cost jumps by a lot.
I also planned a 2 RU version, but this never got prototyped.
Hmmm, particularly since I am unemployed, maybe I should re-visit this.
Rolf
Thanks for the input. The stolen monitors were fairly large (im guessing 10" woofers) JBL 2 way that im guessing were pretty pricey in their day. They had plenty of power to cut through blower and HVAC noise. Most rack mount solutions seem awfully low powered (The most watts ive seen listed is 30 into some little 3" drivers) for such a noisy enviroment. Space isnt at a huge premium. I have plenty of 'vacant' rack space so I may just rack mount a spare PA amp and use some surface mount speakers bolted to the top of the two racks. Hopefully these wont walk off.
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