PA recommendations- give em to me

[ott0bot]

Personally I'd prefer to have lightweight speakers, a small rack on wheels, and a light mixer (you could definately go lighter than the mackie 32). I found that powered speakers can be a problem for three reasons.

-They are heavy.

-They are less durable, the powered components are more likely to get damaged or be worn out and need replacement if purchasing a used unit.

-Finding outlets can be a pain, or you have to run long extension cords in addition to the speaker cables. Not a big issue, but sometimes if you want to avoid using a generator at an outdoor/warehouse location this can be an issue.

But i'm guessing all in all it'd probably be less headache to get active speakers and a non-powered mixers. they sound decent enough for what you are describing, and not worring about ohms or watts is nice.

EDIT: I meant powered speakers, not mixers!

[Eggmann]

Mackies are pretty dependable but they sound just like what they are...plactic boxes with speakers in them. Admit it, they don't sound very real.

The best sounding powered speaker out there is the JBL PRX515. It is in an entirely different league than the rest. I do pro sound as a living and am able to use all sorts of gear. Other than stacks and racks you won't find a better powered box than the PRX series.

[CedarSound]

I agree with Craigslist.... buy used. Especially at your budget.

I have a Soundcraft E series mixer, little passive job... 12 channels, I think I paid around $200 for it a few years ago. I have seen little yamaha mixers for just over $100 that would probably do the job for just a few channels...

If you are mainly looking for a practice PA, the quality might not be as important as in a recording situation.. that being said, my Soundcraft is pretty damn quiet...

I picked up a pair of beat up (cosmetically....sound great) JBL Eons (original series) 15" at a pawn shop for $425 bucks... threw them up on some stands. Anytime people come over to jam it works out very well. I was really happy, considering I was previously looking at Behringers for $300 a piece! Like you, I was on a limited budget.. Buy used.

[Gentleman Jim]

So here is the question. there are many different roads to go; Powered Mixer, unpowered mixer. Powered speakers, unpowered speakers. Or to use a Power Amplifier.

Looking at the price, they all seem to be around the same once you get all the pieces. Is there a difference between the three setups in sound quality? or power useage or loudness???

There isn't a hard and fast rule that answers your question. Sound quality is determined by the combination of the components, the operator, and the space. Where the amplifier sits, (in the mixer, in the speakers, in a rack), doesn't matter as much as whether there is enough true power in that amp to work for your application.

I know it's probably not what you want to hear, but $500 for a PA might not be enough to get you over drums and still sound decent.

Definitely watch Craigslist and eBay like a hawk to find PA gear as soon as it becomes available. Instead of asking here and waiting to get the typical replies that recommend a piece of gear that costs 4x what you're looking to spend, research the pieces independently online. Harmony Central, manufacturers' websites, even the customer reviews on Musicians Friend and Sweetwater, all of these can be valuable.

[dsw]

Small room? Budget? Save money by only buying one speaker. One good speaker is way better than two lousy ones. Get the second one later when you can afford one.
I've done many many gigs with only one PA speaker.

Rack of stuff and passive speakers vs mixer and powered speakers? I've done both and I highly prefer mixer and powered speakers. So much easier to pack around and yes you have to run ac to em, but that's not hard.

Try the one speaker trick, really you don't HAVE to have 2 speakers!!

[casey campbell]

Mackies are pretty dependable but they sound just like what they are...plactic boxes with speakers in them. Admit it, they don't sound very real.

The best sounding powered speaker out there is the JBL PRX515. It is in an entirely different league than the rest. I do pro sound as a living and am able to use all sorts of gear. Other than stacks and racks you won't find a better powered box than the PRX series.

the new hd1531's are baltic birch boxes loaded with eaw designed speakers....

just sayin....


now, as far as a budget system, those mackie/tapco "plastic-y" thumps are decent. i know of a church that put a couple of those in their youth room a year ago. they sound decent and have endured the tortuous ordeal of a youth band! ha ha

i think they would be great for your practice room situation.

combine that with one of those little cheapy yammy mixers, and you'll have a quick, inexpensive solution.

[casey campbell]

Small room? Budget? Save money by only buying one speaker. One good speaker is way better than two lousy ones. Get the second one later when you can afford one.
I've done many many gigs with only one PA speaker.

Rack of stuff and passive speakers vs mixer and powered speakers? I've done both and I highly prefer mixer and powered speakers. So much easier to pack around and yes you have to run ac to em, but that's not hard.

Try the one speaker trick, really you don't HAVE to have 2 speakers!!

this is good advice indeed for a practice space! one is all you need.

[Andy Peters]

I am just wondering the difference between

A. Powered mixer-unpowered speaker

The mixer has one or more power-amplifier channels built in. The speaker cabinets do not have built-in amps. You connect the power-amp output of the mixer to the speaker cabinets using appropriate speaker cables. You do NOT need a mains source at the speaker cabinet.

B. unpowered amp-powered speaker

All amps are "powered." I assume you mean "mixer without built-in power amplifier." Since the speaker has a built-in power amplifier, you simply connect the mixer line-level output to the speaker's line-level input using a standard cable (likely XLR-to-XLR). You must provide AC mains power to both the mixer and the speaker cabinet.

C. unpowered mixer-powered amp-Unpowered speakers

This is generally the most flexible option. The mixer line-level output connects to the amp line-level input, and the amp's speaker-level output connects to the speaker's input. You must provide mains to both the mixer and the amp but not the speaker.

IMNSHO, powered speakers and standard (without built-in power amps) are your best bet. "Better" speakers are almost always bi- or tri-amped, so if using a powered speaker, all of the crossover/amp/cabling details are inside the cabinet and you don't have to worry. To go to a biamped system with passive speaker cabinets you need multiple amp channels and a crossover. Your system just got more complex and expensive.

-a

[Scodiddly]

Hi,

My band needs a van to get to gigs in. We need something that seats six, has plenty of cargo space, and gets good gas mileage. **Must be totally reliable**

Budget: $600.



Ahem.


Expect to pay around $1000 for anything truly useful in a small PA. It'll probably be cheaper (but no less difficult) to get your drummer play lightly (but without losing intensity - it *is* possible, BTW) so you can get by with less brute power.

[apropos of nothing]

OP should get JBL Eon 15 powered speakers and a Samson mixer and be very happy. Price = $600. Things are indestructible, sound freaking great and loud as shit. I rock with a guy who plays like Bonham mixed with Moon, and a single Eon G2 easily competes with whatever hearing damage he's inflicting.

[doctari]

In that price range your best buy will be to find a deal on a used powered mixer,yamaha,peavey,Mackie,etc., a used pr of small speakers,1x12 with horn, .You can probably find someone with a system like that including speaker stands for 800 or less. Just check them carefully. Crank em up with a 58 and an acoustic gtr. maybe even bring an ipod or discman and play something your familiar with. you mainly want to make sure they work well in the vocal range and don't have any buzzes or crackles. Powered speakers are cool in that power and crossover are integrated (ideally) with the drivers, but they cost more.are heavier, and you need more cables to make them work. Make the PA setup light and easy.You come to play, not to be a sound company.

[Andy Peters]

Our price range is a few hundred either side of $500.

Oh, yeah, do you realize that mics and stands and cables will cost more than $500?

-a