Sound System and Micing question

[crtdot]

Hey, all.

I am opening a yoga studio in Portland, Maine (http://www.portlandpoweryoga.com/) and I need to do two things:

1) I need a sound system. I'd like it to be duak use, so it could just handle playing CD's or an iPod, but also be able t handle live performance if necessary. The studio space is 1,161 sq. ft. Ceilings are 10 feet high. I don't need to overpower people with sound but I need it to fill the space up nicely. I already have a small Behringer mixer which will handle some of the duties, but I know I need more. Looking to keep the costs under about $2,000.

2) I want to mic the room so I can tape classes. I think I asked this before and it may have been Joel who said go with four mics, one in each corner and maybe a center mic. How would I mix all these together into a DAT deck or even an MD? Also what type of mics should I use?

Thanks in advance. Come and visit us. Mention Tapeop and you get a discount!

PEACE!!!

[TapeOpLarry]

Greetings from the other Portland!

Sorry no one's come up with a plan for you yet. Ideas? Something like the MAckie powered speakers would be good with the mixer you already have. Grab a few cheap mics to use for performances (I assume simple acoustic stuff?). Plug your CD player into the inputs on the Behringer board and use it to set the levels of playback during classes. I assume you're doing that, they did the two times I attempted yoga!

For recording the classes I assume you're really just going for the instructor's talking and class flow. If you are looking to record something like this for commercial release I'd seriously look into doing this at a small local studio instead. If it's just for reference then whatever works is fine. Microcassette recorder or whatever. I don't see where it'd be worth throwing a bunch of money at it in order to record classes. How often would you be doing that anyway?

Hope this helps.