What a lovely venue. Could we have some more info? Height. Flat or vaulted ceiling? Ceiling material? Wall material- sheetrock wood?
Floor- concrete or wood, space underneath? Rugs, carpet? Is the sound confused without amplification? Is the overall ambience brash clattery and noisy without the music?
If the surfaces are not concrete/brick I cannot imagine how you would have a bass problem. Any of those panel constructions are effectively Bass Traps. Varnished or painted wood is highly reflective at mid and high frequency, as is glass. If you have areas like this, you need to make it's partner area facing it absorbent, or break the path. Creative use of hanging fabrics can work wonders overhead, taming bounces up there. Fabric covered 703 (tie-dyed?) can be hung or placed strategically on walls or ceilings. Would it be possible to put the musos on a little stage facing a length of the room, or in a corner?
Without a diagram I do agree the speaker position seems odd. What type of speakers are they? Many old 15 plus horns are fine, sweeter than the smaller ones IMHO. One speaker over the stage and one at the side or even at the back pointing forward can sometimes work. I would not be ruled by symmetry of any kind. I agree with those above, amplification quality is important, as is thick speaker cable. No names, just thick. Dynacord are doing some really hi fidelity mixer amps these days. I reckon the Shure 58 is vastly superior to the 545 or anything else in that general price range. If there is anything Behringer in the building call in pest control. In particular their DI's are from hell. Some of those little twenty dollar Radio Shack Lavalier electret condensers can be amazing on guitar mandolin, fiddle.
Regards, Dan FitzGerald AMIOA
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