Current Day Wedding Protocols

[Bestwifeever]

I don't know if it is true, but I have heard the average car speakers are louder than the amps the Beatles had for their first tours. Ah, progress.

We had a 9 piece band for DD's wedding (not as expensive as we expected considering 9 people got paid, and DH, a former sax player, is a softie for supporting any professional musician. Plus a couple of them played backup for him when he sang a toast to DD at the end of the FOB toast, which is really why he was pushing for live music, I realized ) and the noise level was perfect, but the room was also carpeted and had many windows with heavy drapes so the volume was manageable. They started with the wedding classics and segued through time. (DH and I, back in the day, had no music and no reception and were perfectly happy with that!)

 

[John Galt III]

My hearing is already bad. If I'm going to a concert I take (if I remember) tissue paper to stuff in my ears. Takes the decibels down quite a bit and saves what hearing I have left. I was at a great blues concert a few days ago, and I forgot the darn tissue paper. There was only one open seat (free concert, no assigned seats) and of course it was up front by a blasting speaker, and I took it. Plenty of other folks my age just soaking up the noise and audiological damage happily. Although I did see one lady with ear plugs in. I eventually left due to fear of hearing loss. My left ear was ringing afterwards. Note to self : no music is worth risking your hearing for.

 

[ERD50]

I don't know if it is true, but I have heard the average car speakers are louder than the amps the Beatles had for their first tours. Ah, progress. ...

I've heard something like this before, got curious, and my searching found...

Numerous sites had something along these lines (but they may just be repeating the same info)... The band normally used 30W Vox amps, they used 100W Vox amps for the Shea Stadium concert and the rest of the tour. But they were not loud enough, so the used the PA system in the stadium. I found one source that claimed...


The House PA was 600 Watts of Altec tube amp's and 6 very large Altec 2-way cabinet's.

Yes, some crazy people have more than 600 watts in their cars. But first, I'd guess that the rating on the house PA was very conservative, and car amps are exaggerated. And the PA speakers are probably very efficient (and LARGE!!!), while car speakers are very inefficient to fit the small space. That can make a huge difference, like 10:1 in how loud those watts will play.


But it still was not enough to fill an entire freakin' baseball stadium of screaming girls! That would take a LOT of equipment.

The Beatles could not really hear themselves play (they ended up using their amps as monitors on a couple mics). They didn't know if they were singing in key, they could only guess at rhythm by watching each other. Not my idea of a concert, but I guess 55,000 screaming girls were happy.

-ERD50

 

[audreyh1]

Good for you! I feel the same way, and in fact we no longer attend movies for several reasons, including the painfully high volume. We are tired of having to ask them to turn it down multiple times.

It's hard to believe how loud some people turn up the music or rap in their cars. Even with our windows closed and our own radio on, their music can be deafening. We call it the "look-at-me syndrome".

Shall I confess that DH and I once used gummy bears as emergency ear plugs when we went to see one of the last Star Wars movies? It was DH's idea, but it worked, thank God, otherwise we would have had to leave the theater.

We have never entered a movie theater since. Our setup at home is so good, we don't need to anyway. And we prefer the privacy.

We carry earplugs in the car, take them when we travel. They come in handy on planes, sometimes in hotels. We occasionally dash out and get them when mariachis with trumpets invade a restaurant. And we ALWAYS take them to concerts/performances.

DH is very careful about preserving what is left of his hearing (some is damaged from lack of protection from loud gunfire when he was young) because hearing well is a critical skill when tracking/identifying birds. It frustrates him to not hear some of the higher tones. But really, considering, he doesn't miss much in the field.

 

[W2R]

Shall I confess that DH and I once used gummy bears as emergency ear plugs when we went to see one of the last Star Wars movies? It was DH's idea, but it worked, thank God, otherwise we would have had to leave the theater.

Wow, pretty inventive!

Like you and your DH, I just don't go to movie theaters any more. Problem solved, for us. As a double bonus, we no longer pay the increasingly outrageous ticket prices demanded by theater owners.

 

[MooreBonds]

We have never entered a movie theater since. Our setup at home is so good, we don't need to anyway. And we prefer the privacy.

+1
I splurged on my home theater set-up. Nothing too fancy, compared to the average person that lives above their means (Onkyo setup, 7+1 speakers/subwoofer). Probably cost me total of about $900 from Tiger Direct, so about $1,200 retail. But would rather enjoy the privacy, intimacy (of the setup) and full control over the movie ANYTIME at home over the theater. Even if the theater were free!

I have a 3-person sofa directly facing the tv, with both ends reclining. Can't get any better than that! (well....maybe can think of one way to improve up on it...)

 

[robnplunder]

[FONT=&quot]Schutzie is compelled to share his lessons learned from his daughter's wedding.
[/FONT]

Thank God for having DS and not DD.

 

[Dixie19]

DD is getting married in about 8 weeks, and while we gave them a significant sum, they are both in their late 20's with six figure incomes (for which we are very grateful). Best advice I received was to give them our contribution in a lump sum, up front, when they announced their engagement. Then they could plan accordingly and we aren't hit with surprise expenses.

They too, will have a DJ, with mostly their own popular music, but as the nieces and nephews have married off, I know what to expect.

 

[prudent_one]

We went to three wedding receptions this summer and left two of them because of the deafening music. I like rock music. I'm in a band. But if I'm not at a concert I don't think I should need to yell to be heard from three feet away. A wedding is a social event, not a dance club.

 

[MikeD]

I would however, disagree with the OP about kids having more money. I am actually seeing a change in the recent weddings I have gone to with them being more "frugal" - being held in venues that aren't full time reception halls, buffet style meals instead of table service, preference for cash gifts over things, etc.

Oh, I meant to imply that it was just my nephew's situation that he had lots of spending power, not that all young people spent more. Sorry if that didn't come across right. Really, I meant that, compared to us (his Aunt and Uncle) he was loaded when he got married and we were not.

Mike D.

 

[MikeD]

Yes, some crazy people have more than 600 watts in their cars.
-ERD50

I have 650 watt, 14 speaker stereo in my car. I have old age related hearing loss plus tinnitus from guns/fireworks/music of the '70s. My car is a Lincoln MKX and that's the fancy stereo that they put in there! For oldsters like me who like Lincolns! (I think they are trying to change their market niche.) I hardly ever turn it up past 1. But I think all the speakers and the extra power makes it sound better for my hearing situation even at low volumes. It had an error once and turned itself all the way up (it's a digital touch screen controlled stereo) and my ears really hurt like hell instantly. I couldn't turn it off fast enough. I could not concentrate on driving or thinking or anything except getting it turned down. I am glad that it didn't happen in traffic!

Mike D.

 

[ERD50]

Originally Posted by ERD50 View Post
Yes, some crazy people have more than 600 watts in their cars.
-ERD50

I have 650 watt, 14 speaker stereo in my car. I have old age related hearing loss plus tinnitus from guns/fireworks/music of the '70s. My car is a Lincoln MKX and that's the fancy stereo that they put in there! For oldsters like me who like Lincolns! (I think they are trying to change their market niche.) I hardly ever turn it up past 1. But I think all the speakers and the extra power makes it sound better for my hearing situation even at low volumes. It had an error once and turned itself all the way up (it's a digital touch screen controlled stereo) and my ears really hurt like hell instantly. I couldn't turn it off fast enough. I could not concentrate on driving or thinking or anything except getting it turned down. I am glad that it didn't happen in traffic!

Mike D.

There's nothing wrong with being crazy! Some of my best friends are crazy!

But like you say, that is probably much more power than is needed. But yes, having some extra power ('headroom' is the technical and audiophile term) can make the lower level volume sound better, by having enough to reproduce the peaks w/o distorting.

And as a side note - I hate those menu driven or 'tap the button 15 times to lower the sound' type controls. I was happy to find a DAC for my stereo that has a physical knob - just grab it and turn it to bring the sound down FAST! And I bought a little amp for the TV - volume knob was a must, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

-ERD50