Alembic speaker cabinet from the Grateful Dead's wall of sound

[lbpesq]

To me, the Wall of Sound was the giant wall with speakers stacked up to 32’ high (I’ve been told the 32’ stack was for Phil’s E string which put out a 32’ foot wave, crest to crest, and Phil wanted to put out the whole wave, not just a piece of it.  I don’t know if that’s true, but it sure is a great story).  The Wall served as both FOH and stage monitors with all speakers behind the band, and employed the double mics.  The band continually experimented with sound both pre and post Wall, but the systems included floor monitors or, later, IEMs, and no double mics.   But when the great majority of Deadheads refer to the “Wall of Sound”, they are specifically referring to the 1974 system.

Bill, tgo (who, as Peter reminded me, certainly “felt” the Wall as well as heard it).

[SkyPilot]

Developmentally, over a longer skene of time, I agree with StephenR's statement, "my take on the Wall of Sound is that the 1974 system was merely the culmination of the project" which aligns with their own statement about the wall. "The Grateful Deads sound system has evolved over the last eight years as a technical and group enterprise, a sort of logical accumulation of speakers and people. Changes have been made continuously in all directions which aid in improving the quality of the sound ... "

For clarification, the 1st sentence of my posting said this is: an original Alembic speaker cabinet from the Grateful Dead's wall of sound project and that is precisely what it is.  I DID NOT say it was from a 1974 Wall Of Sound system as such.

The great majority of Deadheads may refer to the “Wall of Sound” as the 1974 system as a matter of legend or folklore rather than fact since the great majority of Deadheads I know, and have met, weren't there and in many cases even born in 1974.

Although I'm not a Deadhead I attended the “Wall of Sound” show at the Cow Palace in South San Francisco in 1974. It was sight to behold! 

... that's my $.02 cents

[mica]

Just to add a little more, my dad maintains that the Wall of Sound was really never built.

[SkyPilot]

Just to add a little more, my dad maintains that the Wall of Sound was really never built.

Hi Mica, thanx for the information about this forum, alot'a great folks, information, and fond reminisces of back in the day.  Also Wolf called me and gave me alot'a great information too!  Thanx again, Rick

[rv_bass]

All great stuff, all great music, all great innovations...nothing lasts, further...   

[StephenR]

Here is a picture I found that was taken at Roosevelt Stadium on 8/1/73. It shows the Band playing through one of the 73 incarnations of the Wall of Sound when they opened for the Dead on Jerry's birthday. No vocal clusters or piano cluster yet but you can already see the direction the configuration of the equipment was headed. There was no auxiliary PA support, while this isn't the same configuration as the 74 Wall, it is hard to argue that this can't be called the Wall of Sound, it is just an earlier version that at the time had no "name" associated with it. Excellent show by the way...

[edwardofhuncote]

I've been reading along all day, enjoying. There must be pieces of that thing scattered around all over California.

[lbpesq]

I’m a piece of that crowd that is scattered in California!  This show, Jerry’s 31st birthday, was the last one where he played Alligator.  Twelve days after attending this show I moved out west.   I don’t see any 4x12s in the pics.   It just occurred to me that a difference in the Dead’s equipment is that the pre-Wall stuff had lots of tie-dye, but the Wall was open speakers, no tie-dye.

Bill, tgo

[SkyPilot]

I’m a piece of that crowd that is now in California!  This show, Jerry’s 31st birthday, was the last one where he played Alligator.  Twelve days after attending this show I moved out west.   I don’t see any 4x12s in the pics. Bill, tgo

Maybe they left all the 4x12s at the 6/10/73 Kennedy Stadium show, two photos show a stack of them to the right as you face the stage.

[pauldo]

Just to add a little more, my dad maintains that the Wall of Sound was really never built.

There is something about that statement that truly satisfies...

[rv_bass]

That’s a good looking wall, with a tectonic uplift occurring a few months later, followed by strategic erosion, stabilization, and periodic adjustments due to stochastic fluvial meanderings...gonna listen time the river sing sweet songs to rock my soul... 

[lbpesq]

If only the Dead had had Mexico pay for the Wall, they wouldn’t have had to retire it!

hehehehe

Bill, tgo

[edwardofhuncote]

Best 'for sale' thread ever... and we ain't even seen the actual article yet.

FWIW, I'm listening to the Seattle, '74 show while taking down Christmas decorations this afternoon.

I was just thinking... if we're in the Wickersham's virtual living room having this discussion, are they in the virtual kitchen across the hall wondering, just who the ham-sandwich are these people?! 

[SkyPilot]

Here is a picture I found that was taken at Roosevelt Stadium on 8/1/73. It shows the Band playing through one of the 73 incarnations of the Wall of Sound when they opened for the Dead on Jerry's birthday. No vocal clusters or piano cluster yet but you can already see the direction the configuration of the equipment was headed. There was no auxiliary PA support, while this isn't the same configuration as the 74 Wall, it is hard to argue that this can't be called the Wall of Sound, it is just an earlier version that at the time had no "name" associated with it. Excellent show by the way...

This photo from the 6/10/73 Kennedy Stadium shows a stack of Alembic 4x12 speaker cabinets on the far right as we face the stage. 

As you said: " it is hard to argue that this can't be called the Wall of Sound, it is just an earlier version that at the time had no "name" associated with it."

... and Bill said: a difference in the Dead’s equipment is that the pre-Wall stuff had lots of tie-dye, but the Wall was open speakers, no tie-dye.

... so I am renaming this cabinet as an Alembic speaker cabinet from Grateful Dead's "Tie Dye" Wall of Sound!

[gtrguy]

Interesting discussion. Do you have a photo you can post of your cabinet?