Hi, I heard this system many, many times. It really was special and had a unique sound unlike anything else I have heard. It sounded more like a huge stereo than a PA. I have worked my whole life in the pro audio world and that one system still stands out among people who work with live sound. An interesting thing was how they were able to use microphones in front of all of those speakers. Usually, you would not do that as you would get lots of feedback. Eac "mic" was actually two mic's that were right next to each other, just slightly offset, and wired in opposite polarity to each other. By wiring them 180 degrees out of phase, they cancelled each other out. This affected all sound other than a sound that was substantially higher in level in one mic. This required the band members to practically put their mouths on the mic when they sang. They sang only into one of the two mics. It was a great idea that really worked well! Of course the requirment to be on the mic was impractical for most bands. When Phil Lesh hit those low notes, this system was something to be remembered. During the following decades, now and then you would come across pieces of that old "wall of sound"
Anyone hear the "wall of sound"?
It was before my time but the Grateful Dead experimented with a system 35 years ago comprised of nearly 650 loudspeakers powered by 89 300-watt Mcintosh MC2300 amplifiers and and three 350-watt McIntosh MC3500 tube amps. Unlike traditional left-right P.A. systems, this behemoth gave each instrument its own vertical array, and vocals emanated mostly from a center honeycomb cluster above the band.
Vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, and piano each had its own channel and speaker array. Phil Lesh's bass guitar was piped through a quadraphonic encoder that sent a separate signal from each of the four strings to its own channel and set of speakers. Another channel amplified the bass drum, and two more channels carried the snares, tom-toms, and cymbals. Because each speaker carried just one instrument or vocalist, the sound was reportedly exceptionally clear and free of intermodulation distortion.
It projected high quality playback at six hundred feet with acceptable sound & projected for a quarter of a mile without degradation or delay speakers. Speakers sat behind the band so it was the monitors. It filled 4 semi trailers.
I find modern computerized eq and pa systems, for the most part, blow away the mostly muddy sound I remember from the late 70's and 80's (except for really good halls). I am too young to have heard the wall. Any A-goners remember the sound?
Vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, and piano each had its own channel and speaker array. Phil Lesh's bass guitar was piped through a quadraphonic encoder that sent a separate signal from each of the four strings to its own channel and set of speakers. Another channel amplified the bass drum, and two more channels carried the snares, tom-toms, and cymbals. Because each speaker carried just one instrument or vocalist, the sound was reportedly exceptionally clear and free of intermodulation distortion.
It projected high quality playback at six hundred feet with acceptable sound & projected for a quarter of a mile without degradation or delay speakers. Speakers sat behind the band so it was the monitors. It filled 4 semi trailers.
I find modern computerized eq and pa systems, for the most part, blow away the mostly muddy sound I remember from the late 70's and 80's (except for really good halls). I am too young to have heard the wall. Any A-goners remember the sound?