King Earthquake raises the bar - enter with caution
I popped along to the Jah Works Promotions dance at Tottenham last night. In session were King Earthquake alongside Sista Gad from Station FM 89.8 (Ghetto chat show Tuesday nights 8-10pm). The reports I had previously heard were true its possible that King Earthquake sound may well be producing the loudest low frequency sound waves in the UK at the moment. How much of these sound waves actually exist in the music played is questionable. However, there is a massive potential problem that needs airing in that people attending a dance with a sound system that can generate such SPL's (sound pressure levels) are risking damaging their hearing. I witnessed a number of people having to cover or close their ears and a couple of people walked out of the door with a screwface when the levels went up.So how is he doing it? Well there is nothing new or secret going on here other than his choice of loudspeaker design. He is using a full folded horn design in favour of the much loved ubiquitous reggae sound system front loaded "scoop" design. The benefit is gaining a significant increase in the length of the horn giving louder SPL at lower frequencies for the same power as that pushed into a "scoop" design. The downside is that the boxes are slightly larger than other low frequency designs and in this instance because of the venue's low-ish ceilings King Earthquake couldn't fit his usual stack configuration in. You can see some photographs of his speaker stacks by visiting The Falasha Recordings website gallery where they have a number of pics from the 'University of Dub' Brixton recreation centre sessions.
I only stayed for a short time after the controls were wound up to verging on 'painful' as this is not my idea of entertainment and I value my hearing far too much to risk it in this way. I would recommend anyone thinking of attending a King Earthquake session should visit a website such as Etymotic Research and invest first in a set of these;
Link
posted by Colin @ 4:08 pm
4 comments
4 Comments:
Respect!!
King Earthquake is a heavy sound...I luv dem.
I'm a supporter of Aba shanti sound
and it's good to hear other sounds spreading da roots vibe.
It wasn't long ago when I could only listen to Aba...due to the quality of sound system, selection, and serious vibes.
Other sounds systems were weak in comparison.
Now I will eagerly go to any dance featuring King Earthquake, Channel one,JahVoice ,Iration,JahTubbys,WSP and such like.
Respect to all these sound systems that are sreading Jah music and making accessible to the massses.
It's not common to hear a tin pan sound playing at a rootsnculture event these days because these sounds have all raised the standard and made rootsndub music events the way forward for hearing
real reggae music
THE SOUND PLAYS TOO LOUD
TO THE POINT YOU DON'T ENJOY THE MUSIC.
ALL HIS DUBPLATES SOUND THE SAME,DON'T CARE WHAT ARTIST, THEY ALL SOUND THE SAME,ERROL SHOULD LINK SOMEONE TO HELP HIM BUILD SOME RIDDIMS..TOO MUCH HEAD NODDING OR HEAD BANGING MUSIC. IT'S NOT REGGAE...IT'S NOT REGGAE...IT'S NOT REGGAE
king earthquake sound is very boring. When you log unto his website and read the rubbish that he has put out about being the only sound from the west midlands that was playing roots music and never been defeated it makes you have to wonder what he is really about.All is music sounds the same and he carrys on like he is shaka. what happened to those guys who were there with him from befor? when they wer around evey thing was different but know its just pure noise all night. What is the point of having all that equipment and sounding rubbish? He is a fake sound man. I prefer to listen to makaya sound any day coz at least they are for real.
King Earthquake have him own style which no other sound can produce, is only because makaya sound is not getting as much play as Earthquake why they are jelous, so they have mans link to the sound to put up comments like the last 2.
Post a Comment
<< Home