While there are a variety of different options for mounting your BASSBOSS Loudspeakers, the vast majority of mobile users place their subs on the ground while putting their tops on a tripod or sub pole. The benefit of this configuration is you get +3-6dB of gain from your subs due to half-space, and your tops can get high enough to avoid being blocked. Low frequencies can diffract around peoples' heads, while higher frequencies can reflect and bounce, so it is important to get your tops high enough so you can get even coverage across the audience. We often find many customers do not have their tops high enough; if they are firing right in the "face" of the front audience members, the sound can be blocked for people behind them, causing extreme volume for the front and not enough for the back. To get your tops up in the air to an appropriate level, you can use a sub pole (which uses the sub as a convenient base) or a tripod, which has its own legs.
We recommend using sub poles and tripods with the K&M ring lock system, as these have proven to be the most reliable and reduce the speaker wobbling or leaning when up in the air. The K&M ring lock system has a mechanism you can twist, causing the connector to expand and "lock" into the pole cup inside of your speaker. This reduces the chance the speaker will tilt or come out of the socket. When you wish to take the speaker off the pole, simply twist the mechanism in the opposite direction to unlock it.
Recommended Sub Poles
The two sub poles we commonly recommend are the K&M 21366 and K&M 21360.
The K&M 21366 is a taller pole that allows adjustable height from 39.5" to 58.5" (1,005-1,485mm), with a load capacity of 77lbs. This makes it a great option for pole mounting most of 2-way tops like the DV12, CCM12, DiaMon, and SV9 on top of a single driver sub like a BB15, SSP118, or DJ18S. This is the most popular pole people use due to the adjustable height.
The K&M 21360, on the other hand, is a shorter pole that provides a fixed 30" (750mm) of distance. Like the 21366, it has a 77lb load capacity. This is a great option for mounting a top on one of our double-driver subwoofers in a vertical orientation, as it provides a shorter distance than the K&M 21366.
Recommended Tripods:
The two tripods we commonly recommend are the K&M 21467 and the K&M 19500
The K&M 21467 is a heavy-duty three-legged tripod with a ring lock mechanism. It can hold up to 110lbs and is height adjustable from 54-85.4in (1370-2170mm).
The K&M 19500 is a four-legged tripod which can also hold up to 110lbs of weight. It has an adjustable height from 48.8-76.4in (1240-1940mm), so it is a bit shorter than the 21467, but it has lower-profile legs that can fit into tighter spaces. This does not have a ring-lock mechanism so you can always pair it with an adapter in the next section if you like (though this is not always necessary).
Using an Existing Tripod/Sub Pole
If you have an existing tripod or sub pole and wish to add the ring-lock mechanism to it, we recommend the K&M 21441 and K&M 19674.
The K&M 21441 attaches to a 35mm pole (a sub pole or tripod) and adds the ring-lock mechanism to reduce any lean or wobble when a speaker is placed on the pole.
The K&M 19674 also attaches to a 35mm pole and provides the ring-lock mechanism, but it also has an adjustable tilt that allows the speaker to fire from 0° to 15° down. While this adapter is not recommended for the DV12, as the DV12 already features a 4° downtilt built into the box, it works great for a DiaMon, CCM12, or SV9. Using the downtilt adapter can provide a more even coverage front-to-back and reduces reflections from a back wall.
Ground Stacking Tops
Our larger tops, such as the Krakatoa, AT312, and AT212, are not intended to be pole-mounted with a tripod or sub pole. Rather they are designed to be placed on a stack of subwoofers or flown via the included M10 threaded mounting points. When ground stacking the AT312 and AT212, you can use the 6mm "shorty" pole to ensure it does not "walk" across the top of your subs.
See Also:
- Shorty 6" Poles for mounting tops on subs
- What should I use to mount my SV9, DiaMon, or CCM?
- Rigging and Flying Instructions for BASSBOSS Loudspeakers