Club soundsystems in Melbourne suck.

Acoustic Warfare · Post by **Acoustic Warfare** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 3:55 pm

Ok so i have been to a few gigs around the show since arriving in Melbourne. I have been less than impressed with the quality of the soundsystems. Especially for DnB. I saw Friction at Ms Libertines a while ago and the soundsystem was shithouse, had no dynamics whatsoever and no real sub bass. It was like the mix was rolled of at around 70Hz on the graphic then squashed to death with a compressor. Frictions tunes are always big beefy, smacking tracks and the soundsystem wouldnt have it.

Last night at State Of Mind at Laundry the system had no sub bass either, drum and bass should have a solid low end, and i felt none of it last night.

Maybe i am just used to the soundsystem at Fubar in Auckland.
Sorry, i dont mean to rant but i do love listening to and feeling my music.

Opinons?

nic · Post by **nic** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 4:31 pm

more drugs?

Acoustic Warfare · Post by **Acoustic Warfare** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 4:44 pm

nic wrote:more drugs?

Ha yeah your probably right

same o · Post by **same o** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 4:55 pm

nic wrote:more drugs?

spot on

ghetto kitty · Post by **ghetto kitty** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:52 pm

all i know is theres no point doing dnb at Lounge unless we bring in four extra sub bins.
and i dont bring them in for gigs of any other genre.

isnt new zealand, like, fanatical about dnb and hip hop though?
prolly explains why the systems are better set up for big bass on the whole...

ulyssian · Post by **ulyssian** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 6:02 pm

BBA Break & Fierce set up was nice... prob the best I heard... that wasn't just standard Gershwin Room sound was it?
Fractured nights at BA !! they was good stuff!
I need ear plugs when I go to Laundry most times. but I think i may be going deaf now!

Hardy · Post by **Hardy** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 6:26 pm

I agree that no club in Melbourne has an in-house sound system that is up-to-scratch for DnB. Most crews putting on shows however do bring in extra sound (although this is happening less and less over recent years unfortunately). The sound at Friction was horrid, but rest assured, most crews especially BBA are putting down for extra sound at their events (Break and Fierce anyone? PHWOAR!!!).

DEAN G · Post by **DEAN G** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 7:40 pm

The Break and Fierce gig only had additional monitors to that of the in house sound system of the Gershwin Room. Drum n Bass has a small following in Melbourne and clubs are not willing to spend big dollars on sound systems that accommodate for small profiting markets when most sound systems can be adequate enough for more popular genres such as house and electro. Having said that, maybe if Kiwis supported more non New Zealand based drum n bass nights some clubs just might see the potential in hosting drum n bass gigs. Though credits due to those NZ cats that support any decent drum n bass night on a regular basis.

PahMaLa · Post by **PahMaLa** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 8:13 pm

And always with the comparing AUS Vs. NZ. If you loved the scene and the club sound system, then why did you leave in the first place? (I'm from NZ too by the way) D'n'B ain't that big like it is back there. Yes it can be a pitty that the sound system in most places are shit. Plus it is down to the promoter (as mentioned already) who will be willing enough to add extra sound...and that too can be rare....
Also the sound system at Laundry is a hell of a lot better than it use to be, my ears would bleed coming from that place in the past.

mecka · Post by **mecka** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:25 pm

new zealand.

lol

mecka · Post by **mecka** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:31 pm

seriously though, shit sound very rarely contributes to whether or not I have a good night. There are more things that can ruin your night out aside from muddy bass.

Post by **Friday** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 11:30 pm

DEAN G wrote:The Break and Fierce gig only had additional monitors to that of the in house sound system of the Gershwin Room.

the monitors and mixer were brought in. the rest was espy's standard getup. sounded awesome as it usually does!

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 12:02 am

sound can make or break the night for me. i find drugs can make me more annoyed by shit sound, not helping any.

and the need for proper bottom end isnt limited to d+b but, dub parties ask for more too...

mates of mine who have played internationally a bit have often said australia has a real cultural issue where it comes to doing sound justice, and i agree. its a fault of our gaffer tape pub culture. totally the last thing to spend money on, and when they do they forget about soundproofing and cant even run it to potential.

During my masters research I came to the perspective that it is part of a broader cultural lack of appreciation/perceptive for sound in all its facets, as venue owners, DJs, residents, planners... its just not in the sope of peoples thinking

shambles

SoulWhiteMan · Post by **SoulWhiteMan** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:33 am

who can afford a funktion 1 nowadays?

Lauer · Post by **Lauer** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 12:41 pm

SoulWhiteMan wrote:who can afford a funktion 1 nowadays?

Laundry....

Acoustic Warfare · Post by **Acoustic Warfare** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:20 pm

FoundationStepper wrote:sound can make or break the night for me. i find drugs can make me more annoyed by shit sound, not helping any.

and the need for proper bottom end isn't limited to d+b but, dub parties ask for more too...

mates of mine who have played internationally a bit have often said Australia has a real cultural issue where it comes to doing sound justice, and i agree. its a fault of our gaffer tape pub culture. totally the last thing to spend money on, and when they do they forget about soundproofing and cant even run it to potential.

During my masters research I came to the perspective that it is part of a broader cultural lack of appreciation/perceptive for sound in all its facets, as venue owners, DJs, residents, planners... its just not in the sope of peoples thinking

shambles

Amen brother! Its funny most people over here don't seem to notice the soundsystems, someone will ask me why the system sounds rubbish and i will tell them. They either don't understand or don't care. I think you could be right about the culture thing.
I guess NZ has been doing the DnB thing since the beginning so they have had more time to work things out. The dude that set up Fubars soundsytem is a minimal techno dj/producer, and is fucking good at what he does. Maybe we should get him over here to build a system for Laundry. Mind you, i am sure there are plenty of knowledgeable people here that could do the same thing.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:42 pm

there is no lack of people here with knowhow, and i wouldnt get too excited about what NZ does that australia doesnt. i recall some pretty average sound over there too...

might be more to do with less clubs servicing fewer people in small town NZ (chch, wellington etc), with those few, more equipped venes catering for d+b as well.

mixtress · Post by **mixtress** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:42 pm

Were there some subs missing from the Laundry last night at SOM? I thought the sound wasn't as good as usual, but that could just be me. Usually the Laundry kicks my basslovin' ass.

I'm with FS on one call, the sound can make or break a night for me. What's the point in going out to see a DJ play his/her tunes if you can't hear them to their full potential. It's frustrating.

PS: Have we had this discussion before?

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:50 pm

I think so but i dont remember it being drawn on racial lines

coda · Post by **coda** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:35 pm

i'm embaressed as a kiwi by some of the statements made on here. only this weekend some of my aus friends were giving props to the laid back kiwis culture to not rant on about "melbourne sucks, back in..." that aside, sound is important, i want to hear the music the way it's intended, but most nights out now, you'll find me wearing earplugs.

PahMaLa · Post by **PahMaLa** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 4:01 pm

mixtress wrote:
PS: Have we had this discussion before?

Exactly and it turned into a shit fight. These sort of discussion can get out of hand....

Reason is this: NEW ZEALAND IS SMMMMALLLLLL so people are more aware of Drum n Bass plus it gets more air play and even music vidoes on telly.

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 4:52 pm

laundry has a Funktion 1....

Miss Lib's has a Nexo alpha....

need I say more?

that's not to say they couldn't be set up/tuned alot better, but these are two of the best club systems available. Talking about a small scene with peeps not willing to spend the money blah blah blah is a load of wank, sorry.

set-up of the system is a total different kettle of kipper, I wasn't at laundry this weekend so I can't comment on that occasion, but I've played two dubstep sets at the venue and the sound was on point.

Brown Blley brought in an extra funktion 1 rig to boulster the sound on there already huge martin FOH rig on saturday and it was MEGA. Even if you know what you are doing, like any DJ or Musician there are gunna "off" nights where you can't get the sound just how you'd like it.

I agree that sound is very important, and yes it does suck when it's not happening. But I think you have entirely the wrong view point as to the reasons and/or solutions.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:02 pm

I think the whole NZ/ aus comparison is silly

but i do believe that culturally sound/noise awareness is lacking. but thats coming from a partly academic perspective, as well as dealing with venues etc for work. broader than some drumandbass argument

Cubist · Post by **Cubist** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:06 pm

deviant wrote:laundry has a Funktion 1....

Miss Lib's has a Nexo alpha....

need I say more?

Dan, come on man. That doesn't mean jack. Fact of the matter is that club systems in Melb do not cater for DnB. I'm in the process of organising and installing The Heartical Sound System into a Melb club once a month. Hopefully, it'll begin in August...

Cubist · Post by **Cubist** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:15 pm

And Nexo sounds like a cat being squashed...Sounds shit imo.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:40 pm

three cheers for cubist

Scholtzy · Post by **Scholtzy** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:53 pm

FoundationStepper wrote:but i do believe that culturally sound/noise awareness is lacking. but thats coming from a partly academic perspective, as well as dealing with venues etc for work. broader than some drumandbass argument

Indeed lol

Acoustic Warfare · Post by **Acoustic Warfare** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:12 am

Cubist wrote:
deviant wrote:laundry has a Funktion 1....

Miss Lib's has a Nexo alpha....

need I say more?
Dan, come on man. That doesn't mean jack. Fact of the matter is that club systems in Melb do not cater for DnB. I'm in the process of organising and installing The Heartical Sound System into a Melb club once a month. Hopefully, it'll begin in August...

Fucke yeah bro! Cant wait to hear some DnB on that rig! Love to check out some dub on that badboy aswell, cant even imagine how sik some aba shanti or iration steppa style basses would feel on that one. Chur!

Post by **fooishbar** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:51 am

it'd be nice if we could avoid this turning into a sound system pissing match, guys.

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:48 am

I agree,

and cubist, it does mean something. I mean sure that system looks great, but you can't say that having Funktion 1 or a Nexo doesn't mean anything

it's all about placement and tuning really.

Lauer · Post by **Lauer** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:35 am

The best sound i've ever heard was from a Nexo system... And i've heard the funktion 1 sound very good on some occassions.

SoulWhiteMan · Post by **SoulWhiteMan** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:39 am

Funktion one sounded amazing at Hernan Cattaneo on Saturday night....

One other thing, even lame sound systems can sound decent with a live mixer.

I don't see the point of having any kind of stack, if there's no live sound engineer on hand to make sure everything flows properly.

The times people have whinged about Brown Alley's sound, in my experience, no sound engineer has been on hand. Whenever one is present, it sounds much clearer..

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:54 am

Cubist wrote:And Nexo sounds like a cat being squashed...Sounds shit imo.

What exactly does a cat being squashed sound like?

Might need to either:
a) lay of the acid at gigs mate

b) ease the compressor/s back and/or fix EQ
c) install more Nexo.

I LOVE NEXO.

I'd prefer it Funktion 1 or EAW any day of the week. But... as with any system - only if it's been tuned properly. Gia knows his shit IMO.

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:56 am

PS: Friction @ Miss L's on Nexo -- wasn't there sound restrictions that caused the bass to be dropped down significantly?

...that's what I heard anyway...

dust · Post by **dust** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 11:02 am

Acoustic Warfare wrote:I guess NZ has been doing the DnB thing since the beginning so they have had more time to work things out.

Don't even get me started on where this statement goes wrong.

What do you mean NZ has been doing d'n'b since the beginning? The beginning of what?

Do you think we just started running d'n'b parties here last week? Dnb has been alive and well (well almost well) in this city since the early 90s dude and before that there were numerous jungle parties.

Seriously. Think about what you are saying. I agree that there are issues with the sound here and as a DJ that can be really frustrating, but the majority of the people i talk to do care and most promoters do take that into consideration where ever they can afford to do so.

I have so say massive props to the new Espy in house sound. Sounded massive at Break and Fierce and i can't wait to hear Calyx and Teebee there too!

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:16 pm

ac23 wrote: This is nothing to do with a NZ vs AUS thing...

ac23 wrote: NZ probably have better sound anyway...

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:50 pm

Goodness me mate, ease up on the backfoot fighting... your words, not mine.

ac23 wrote:The point of the whole matter is, the sound hear isnt up to much is it.

Fair enough, not arguing the point.

What NZL has to do with this is beyond me though.

I mean, Papau New Guinea could have a club with a wicked system also - but that's neither here nor there IMO....

Just a bit over the whole... "everything is better in Kiwi land" argument.

Quoting you was just a bit of fun mate.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:42 pm

I can think of a good handful of occasions where a place gets in a better pa but cant run it to capacity becuase they havent designed the venue to contain noise.

I think this is a big part of the picture here

universal sea · Post by **universal sea** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:53 pm

Slightly off topic, but last week on the tram after a good night, I sat across from two kiwis who had just moved to Melbourne. One was totally blasting Melbourne food, he'd only been here a couple of weeks. He'd eaten bad indian, japanese, etc and lumped it into Melbourne being shit for food city-wide. Melbourne food is of decent international standard for sure. Sounded more to me like somebody who was homesick or having a negative attitude in his new chance at a fresh start in life.

The point being, it's not much time to form an opinion. Granted there haven't been many superb gigs lately, but in time, you will come across gigs where the sound is bang on for the space, who is playing, and the actual number of people in attendance.

And eat at enough restaurants you will find the quality food in the city.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:00 pm

kiwis living in melbourne slagging off melbourne or australia are a pet peeve of mine.

especially ones who have been here since before 2001 moaning about politics but never went through the steps to become a citizen and vote

RK · Post by RK » Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:11 pm

i heart Melbourne

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:15 pm

Melbourne doesn't have good food..... hahahahaha!!!!

dust · Post by **dust** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:37 pm

ac23 wrote:
dust wrote:
Acoustic Warfare wrote:I guess NZ has been doing the DnB thing since the beginning so they have had more time to work things out.
Don't even get me started on where this statement goes wrong.

What do you mean NZ has been doing d'n'b since the beginning? The beginning of what?

Do you think we just started running d'n'b parties here last week? Dnb has been alive and well (well almost well) in this city since the early 90s dude and before that there were numerous jungle parties.

Seriously. Think about what you are saying. I agree that there are issues with the sound here and as a DJ that can be really frustrating, but the majority of the people i talk to do care and most promoters do take that into consideration where ever they can afford to do so.

I have so say massive props to the new Espy in house sound. Sounded massive at Break and Fierce and i can't wait to hear Calyx and Teebee there too!
Doesn't take away from the fact that Melbourne doesn't have any good soundsystems in clubs that cater for DnB or dubstep

This is nothing to do with a NZ vs AUS thing, the sound in Melbourne is really lacking sub bass.

Relax G

Yeah i guess i did get kinda fired up didn't i?! i guess i'm a little defensive about the scene that i've been a part of for over 10 years!

And funnily enough i do actually agree with the rest of this thread, sound is a massive issue on the Melb d'n'b scene atm.

Scholtzy · Post by **Scholtzy** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:00 pm

RK wrote:i heart Melbourne

He's lying

Get him!

unsoundbwoy · Post by **unsoundbwoy** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:02 pm

did anyone go to evol intent or paul blackout at geddes lane?
now that is a fucking system, better than anything i remember from dnb and techno gigs in europe

nic · Post by **nic** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:08 pm

I think more kiwis in general should wash more.

universal sea · Post by **universal sea** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:09 pm

I was at evol intent and it was ridiculously loud where everybody had to wear earplugs - I didn't, and was deaf for a week. Not sure incessant volume constitutes good sound.

unsoundbwoy · Post by **unsoundbwoy** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:11 pm

what in australian water?

eeewww

unsoundbwoy · Post by **unsoundbwoy** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:14 pm

universal sea wrote:I was at evol intent and it was ridiculously loud where everybody had to wear earplugs - I didn't, and was deaf for a week. Not sure incessant volume constitutes good sound.

i almost always wear ear protection
it wasnt just loud, it was incredibly clear, punchy and balanced, perfectly compressed and sooo detailed.
when paul blackout played the cemeteray gates remix, the instument came alive and then a big gnarley tack reece undercut it and swept in creating a massive wall of clear clen sounds .. and then the drums didnt even make the system wince

Cubist · Post by **Cubist** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:16 pm

Direktor and Deviant - Personally, I don't like nexo. Their processing just doesn't sound right for me. And the theory of processing already highly processed music doesnt sit with me either. Aren't nexo designed for stadiums etc where they can throw the sound a long distance?

Same with Funktion 1. The long throw bass just doesn't sound right for DnB. I think funktion 1 are also designed for stadiums etc?

Front loaded 18'' subs sound heaps better imo. The bass just seems to come out and hit you more. Like really in ur face.

This is really important imo. As a promotor and a punter it's frustrating in Melb as clubs and managers don't understand the necessity for extra subs with DnB. The melody is the sub bass!