Sound output limit

[spikytom]

I was interested to learn recently that the total sound output over all the festival's stages is capped at (i think) 650kw at any one time. Obviously this is a colossal amount of output, although its spread over a huge and seemingly ever increasing number of stages. I was just curious about why it is capped at this level? Would allowing the smaller stages to be a little bit louder when the main stages are booming it out anyway really affect the noise footprint of the festival that much?

We were down at the arcadia while Bruce was on the pyramid last year and it was kind of ruined by the fact that it was barely audible! I could maybe understand limiting outdoor stages like this but the dance tents often seemed frustratingly quiet too, and surely having these at a slightly higher level would make little or no difference to noise measurements off site... or am i wrong? Its obviously just a licensing condition but maybe some flexibility would be sensible.

Also does anyone know they measure this? and does it apply to food stalls etc or just the stages? I find the whole idea of a site wide limit a bit confusing!

[psychology]

I'd imagine the only way they could do this is by adding up the total theoretical output of all the PA systems ensuring it doesn't exceed this figure. I don't see how it could be done dynamically.

[r0cky]

It's pretty much standard practice to do this dynamically, in that, they have sound monitoring points around the edge of the festival and agreed dB limits etc.

[MrHew]

I was just curious about why it is capped at this level?

[psychology]

It's pretty much standard practice to do this dynamically, in that, they have sound monitoring points around the edge of the festival and agreed dB limits etc.

[spikytom]

Although this is related to the power output other factors may effect the propagation of sound such as wind speed and air temp, so although the sound levels may be monitored across the site how can this be directly related to power output?

[The Nal]

Sometimes the sound on the Pyramid can be shite, just too low, especially right up close. The Other Stage is the loudest usually. Its the only major issue I have with the festival, but its not their fault I know. f**king laws etc.

"There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious—makes you so sick at heart—that you can't take part. You can't even passively take part. And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all."

[Breeze]

IMHO this is what will kill Glasto slowly but surely - especially as there are so many stages across which the amplification needs to be split.

I can't remember feeling the bass moving through me at a stage since about 2000 (except when I stand within 5 feet of a Bass bin). In 1998 you could feel the Bass from Reprazent 3/4 of the way to the back of the Jazzworld field - you could even feel the ground moving under your feet. Ahh the memories.

TBH these days it's louder at home with my rather idiotically overpowered sub.

Maybe they should give away hearing aids on the way in sponsored by Yeo Valley for a bit of local amplification?

Edited May 14, 2010 by Breeze

[whisty]

I can't remember feeling the bass moving through me at a stage since about 2000 (except when I stand within 5 feet of a Bass bin). In 1998 you could feel the Bass from Reprazent 3/4 of the way to the back of the Jazzworld field - you could even feel the ground moving under your feet. Ahh the memories.

Edited May 14, 2010 by whisty

[Rufus Gwertigan]

I was interested to learn recently that the total sound output over all the festival's stages is capped at (i think) 650kw at any one time. Obviously this is a colossal amount of output, although its spread over a huge and seemingly ever increasing number of stages. I was just curious about why it is capped at this level? Would allowing the smaller stages to be a little bit louder when the main stages are booming it out anyway really affect the noise footprint of the festival that much?

We were down at the arcadia while Bruce was on the pyramid last year and it was kind of ruined by the fact that it was barely audible! I could maybe understand limiting outdoor stages like this but the dance tents often seemed frustratingly quiet too, and surely having these at a slightly higher level would make little or no difference to noise measurements off site... or am i wrong? Its obviously just a licensing condition but maybe some flexibility would be sensible.

Also does anyone know they measure this? and does it apply to food stalls etc or just the stages? I find the whole idea of a site wide limit a bit confusing!

Edited May 14, 2010 by Rufus Gwertigan