live sound question: keep powered mixer or get power amp?

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pixeltarian
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live sound question: keep powered mixer or get power amp?

Post by pixeltarian » Sun Apr 15, 2012 3:58 am

I have a yamaha emx860st
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/live_...st/?mode=model

my plan is to get some really good powered speakers. Either the JBL PRX612M or QSC K12. I'm also planning on getting a passive mixer (probably soundcraft EFX 8).

now then, at some point I'm going to want monitors and I even have some really horrible 10" rogue speakers I could use if I was desperate. I will need to power these monitors so the question is:

do I keep the yamaha mixer and just use it as a power source for the monitors, or should I sell it and get a dedicated power amp for the monitors.

reasons to keep it:
-I'd have another mixer (more options/connectivity etc).
-I could loan it out to people that need a PA if I'm feeling like a nice man
-I could be insane and run 8 channels to it and keep it on stage so I could control my own monitor mix levels/eq/etc.
-I could maybe get $300 for it. So it would JUST cover to cost of an ok power amp. is that worth it? options in the 300$ range:

QSC GX3
Crown XLS 1000
Behringer iNUKE NU3000
Behringer iNUKE NU1000DSP

reasons to sell it:
less weight to carry around.
more watts for the monitors (though the 860st can do 400w bridged)
a minimalistic "just what you need, nothing you don't" concept sound appealing
The sound quality on a dedicated power amp would sound better (right?)
"Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to cut all sources of retreat."
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Snarl 12/8
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Post by Snarl 12/8 » Sun Apr 15, 2012 1:46 pm

How often are you really going to want to do any of those "reasons to keep it?" Only you can answer this question.
Carl Keil

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Gregg Juke
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Post by Gregg Juke » Sun Apr 15, 2012 6:14 pm

I'd keep it, for all of those reasons you mentioned, but I'm a gearpackrat.

GJ

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