Making Sound Work Outdoors
September 20, 2011 5:46 AM Subscribe
I want to casually amplify a speech outside and on the go—and without electricity present. Help me, fellow geeks, who are geekier than I!
Short version: an event will be occurring in a rather loud and somewhat confined but outdoor space. (It may even be raining, in which case there'll be umbrellas.) There'll be tons of nearby traffic noise, and likely wind, and also loud random passers-by. At this event, one person will be making a 5-minute speech before a crowd of about 20, and then two people will be speaking very briefly.
Now, we all could just shout and we'll live. But is there a better, more elegant solution? This doesn't have to be terribly loud--we'll all be clumped fairly close together. For instance, I was looking at pairing a bluetooth headset with a Jambox, but I'm not sure it works like that. (OR DOES IT? Like, can you make a three-way phone call of the participants, and then pair a bluetooth device and have Jambox simply broadcast it? Cuz that would be amazing. Though from what I understand, Jambox isn't exactly reliable.) But in that particular scheme, I could have all three speakers call each other and then broadcast the phone call. (Then what do I do with the Jambox--have someone wear it like a necklace? Heh. Or it could just go on the ground, I suppose.
Are there similar better options? Or are there boxes I should be thinking outside of? Thanks for your help!
Short version: an event will be occurring in a rather loud and somewhat confined but outdoor space. (It may even be raining, in which case there'll be umbrellas.) There'll be tons of nearby traffic noise, and likely wind, and also loud random passers-by. At this event, one person will be making a 5-minute speech before a crowd of about 20, and then two people will be speaking very briefly.
Now, we all could just shout and we'll live. But is there a better, more elegant solution? This doesn't have to be terribly loud--we'll all be clumped fairly close together. For instance, I was looking at pairing a bluetooth headset with a Jambox, but I'm not sure it works like that. (OR DOES IT? Like, can you make a three-way phone call of the participants, and then pair a bluetooth device and have Jambox simply broadcast it? Cuz that would be amazing. Though from what I understand, Jambox isn't exactly reliable.) But in that particular scheme, I could have all three speakers call each other and then broadcast the phone call. (Then what do I do with the Jambox--have someone wear it like a necklace? Heh. Or it could just go on the ground, I suppose.
Are there similar better options? Or are there boxes I should be thinking outside of? Thanks for your help!
how about a megaphone? they have volume controls, so it's not "deafening or nothing", you'll be able to pick a nice shout-level volume without blaring too loudly. or a battery operated practice amp (like this one) with a microphone plugged into it?
posted by radiosilents at 5:54 AM on September 20, 2011
posted by radiosilents at 5:54 AM on September 20, 2011
depending on where he is he might have to have special permits to use a megaphone (local laws have been past in many places that control the use of these)
posted by zombieApoc at 6:12 AM on September 20, 2011
posted by zombieApoc at 6:12 AM on September 20, 2011
Fair enough, have they banned the non-electric versions?
posted by Grither at 6:17 AM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Grither at 6:17 AM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: (Hee! I like the non-electric version!) I'm looking for something a little more elegant and subtle—I don't really want people to feel broadcast at, plus we're going to be SO near each other—BUT a battery amp with a small microphone could conceivably do it....
posted by RJ Reynolds at 6:20 AM on September 20, 2011
posted by RJ Reynolds at 6:20 AM on September 20, 2011
i do like the idea of a Bluetooth setup where you then have the receiving device plugged into some little speakers that run on batteries. easy to conceal and take down.
posted by zombieApoc at 6:42 AM on September 20, 2011
posted by zombieApoc at 6:42 AM on September 20, 2011
Not elegant and subtle, but I saw a bike-powered microphone once and that was pretty great.
posted by mlle valentine at 8:49 AM on September 20, 2011
posted by mlle valentine at 8:49 AM on September 20, 2011
I was going to suggest portable mic (or cellphone) to speakers...
You can get some real volume/resonance if you speak from your chest
posted by jander03 at 11:39 AM on September 20, 2011
You can get some real volume/resonance if you speak from your chest
posted by jander03 at 11:39 AM on September 20, 2011
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posted by Grither at 5:54 AM on September 20, 2011