How much audio do I really need?

[Casavant Fan]

As you are aware,I am looking for a home organ and await the a
pearance of the new Rodgers Inspire.

accordingto aflyer sent me by my dealer, the audio config for both Inspire models is:

2.1 channel audio
2 x 50 full range
1 x 160 subwoofer
5 internal speakers

there is an optional internal amp available for $600. External speakers are extra.

the room size is about 30’ x 15’, 8’ ceiling, wood panel on 3 sides, two patio doors and brick fireplace on fourth long wall. Currently tile floor, but will become wood.

do you think the basic audio is sufficient? Or, should I consider adding the second am
?

[Melos Antropon]

Hi CV:

The wattage of the internal amps as-is is adequate for a room that size, yes, especially with a tile/wood floor. "Adequate", if not precisely "plenty". If you want to play anything like normal room volume, you should be fine. If you want the reserve horsepower to really shake the walls, then yeah - you might want to spring for the additional amp. I assume that what Rodgers lists as the amp power is RMS power, of course.

Tony

[Casavant Fan]

Thanks. Yes, the specs are a bit sketchy

BTW, do you have the Johannus 370? Howdoyou like it?

[Melos Antropon]

My 370 is supposed to arrive this week - Tuesday to be exact. Believe me, once it is installed and voiced, I will tell the group all there is to tell!

Tony

[rjsilva]

It’s not necessarily a power/volume issue. I don’t know specially how the stops are split up on that Rodgers Inspire organ throughout the audio channels, but if that optional internal amp provides the option for separating the stops further into more channels and you have the money it may be something you could make use of down the road as you see good deals on appropriate speakers. You should probably find out what it does.

It is generally accepted that more audio channels can result in better sound since there is less digital/analog mixing of the stops. For my organ, there is quite an improvement in quality even going from 4 to 8 channels.

[jbird604]

What rj says... While the 2.1 audio built into the console may be sufficiently loud and even sound quite smooth, you might be surprised at how much you'd enjoy having the divisions split into separate audio systems. I haven't seen any specs or diagrams on the new Inspire organs, but I'd assume they'll have the same capability as nearly all modern Rodgers organs, so the swell division can be quite easily separated from the others and given its own stereo pair of speakers. That might be well worth the cost.

My Allen R-230 came with only two channels of audio driving a simple set of speakers in the console. Before I even set it up in my organ nook (which is far smaller than your organ room), I unmixed the audio and added two more channels for the swell. The great and pedal stops use the built in speakers plus the "pipe speakers" on top of the console. The swell channels are projected through a set of speakers on the opposite wall, behind me as I sit on the bench. Quite pleasing, to my ears, and well worth the time and expense of setting it up this way.

You'll have to discuss with the Rodgers dealer the practicality of knocking the swell out of the mix. I know that some earlier models made this quite easy to do, but you can never be sure that new models will be as easily configurable as old ones.