[grapefruit]

Hi headfiers,
 
My school is planning on sponsoring a "rave" event, and needs fitting speakers for the job. While I would consider myself well-aquainted with personal audio, concert-sized speakers are a whole different animal. 
 
Does anyone know where I can start with renting/buying a set of these bad boys?  That includes amps and cables.  It will be for an event for 700+ people, conservatively, and we are looking for something beyond the two speakers-on-stands affair (in terms of SQ and volume).
 
If it helps, we are situated in the bay area. Any, and I mean any help will be appreciated.

 

[Redrider469]

If you want some help from people in person and if you want to actually see and maybe audition some of the components, go to guitar center. They'll give you plenty of help but I don't think they rent speaker systems so you'll probably have to end up buying it.
 
If you don't want speakers on stands, look into the floor speakers the have 2 or 3 woofers in them. There are some 2.1 systems out there too that would help fill in that low end but since the volume is going to be cranked anyways, I don't see you needing a subwoofer. My school uses these for big events and they are awesome! They're also built like tanks! My friends and I are in charge of all the sound and tech related needs for the school so we've had some experience with this. The biggest issue is going to be the room acoustics so where is this event gonna take place? Also, what is your budget?

 

[MorbidToaster]

If you're hosting a 'rave' you absolutely need multiple subwoofers (for 700+ people you'll probably at the very least 2).
 
While a passive system will overall give you more playability they're kind of a pain to set up and tear down compared to a good active rig. Especially if you guys plan on tearing down afterwards. 
 
My recommendation is QSC's active stuff. Maybe 4 to 6 K12s and 2 to 4 KW181 subs. I've owned loudspeakers from Mackie, JBL, WSC (and I've heard CV stuff). The QSC stuff is far and away the easiest to listen to at higher volumes (horns on the rest make for pain when close to the speakers). For an event like this unless you plan on hosting many more you should rent. Give a Guitar Center a call and see if they have any info on renting. Something like this honestly should have a planner along with the renters because setting all this up will be much more taxing than most people think.
 
Seriously though...700 people is a big event. If you host a 'rave' (bass heavy music) your subs are going to be absolutely the most important part. 
 
EDIT: How big is this space? 

 

[Lenni]

I think you might want to look at the kind of speakers used in concert and such events. awhile ago I was walking half-way a high street and at one end I started hearing loud music. I went to see what was happening, and there's a group of youths promoting some stuff, and obviously were using loud music to attract people. I can't remember exactly how many speakers or the model, but there weren't more that two, maybe three. the speakers looked nothing like the ones used at home. they looked like the one used with guitars, or found at concerts, ect.. (I don't really know much about these speakers). the sound was really powerful - at some point Hendrix's All Along The Watch Tower was playing, and the bass was ripping in the air - I quite enjoyed that.
 
I would not recommend home speakers, or the ones used in a home setting by audiophiles, unless all 700 people sit down quietly to listen the speakers playing music. just a thought...

 

[mtkversion]

Just look in the Yellowpages for Mobile DJ Services and rent out the equipment from them.