PA system for band practice
 

So looking at getting a PA system for band practice. I'm looking at something small (maybe an old Peavey Standard or the newer Peavey Escort 2000)

How big a PA do I need to compete with 2 guitars and drums?

I'll be running bass and vocals through the PA

We play Hard rock/metal.

Looking to use it in a small jam room for practice purposes and want to be able to hear the vocals and bass

Will be looking at getting either 10's or 12' for Speakers

My preference is to use just the monitor system for rehearsals.

I doubt that Escort wil keep up. I use a Peavey XR600F for rehearsals, and as a small PA for small gigs as well as to power some of my monitor cabs for larger (cover band larger) shows.

I don't think the Escort will keep up. I use a Peavey XR600F for rehearsals and as a small PA for smaller shows and to power some of my monitor cabs for larger (cover band larger) shows.

+1, very similar to what I do. You don't need much, really, but the Escort isn't going to do it.

Also +1 on using your monitors for rehs.

Why do you need to put bass in the PA at rehearsal?

Is this system going to be used for practice only? What about gigs?

good point.

Unlike most musicians I practice between rehearsals. Meaning I'd like to keep the PA at the jamspace and the larger pieces of my rig at my house if I can. Save on space, weight and time.

As stated above only for rehearsal.

Actually, most musicians I know practice at home and rehearse at rehearsal. It would be absolutely stupid to keep a PA at home dude. I usually don't even play through an amp when I am practicing at home. As has been said already, there is no need to be putting your bass in the PA at rehearsal. There is also no need to mic drums or guitar cabinets. Any POS powered mixer should do it. Put vocals only in it and make sure everyone has a monitor.

I practice in my head. Lol

I actually hava a PA in my livingroom.:D It doubles as a home theater system.

Well, truthfully I am surprised you don't have 3 or 4 of them laying around. lol

Well I have 4-JBL PRX512ms at my house. I have 2 set up in the livingroom and the other 2 in speaker bags in a spare room along with a few racks of older outboard gear. I also have a pair of EAW subs in my livingroom that are being used as a table for one of my Studio live boards. The rest of my PA gear is in the band trailer.:D

I'm sure I would trade you all of my PA gear for the stuff you keep as spares. And I'd get a hell of a deal. ;)

Most powered speakers have an xlr input you can switch to mic and then you don't even need a mixer. Roget a qsc k10 or 12 and you can put two mics in and mix them.

Mackie makes great powered mixers.

a keyboard amp will handle lows and highs, usually have 3 or 4 inputs, and can be picked up on the cheap. some even have built in effects. it's just a box to throw in the rehearsal space, right? put it on a stand or a table, 90-100 watts should do if it's elevated.

just my experience. one of my get-together groups we use a behr...(i know, i know) 90 watter with a 12 and a horn, 3 inputs, eq and fx. it's up on a speaker stand, and we all hear vox fine. i don't put my bass through it, though, but i bet it would work. how it would sound is a different story, i'm sure.

We use a jam hub. Everyone uses headphones, has thier own mix, can play till all hours of the night in someones home. Only hitch is drummer to have a electronic practice kit. You get used to it, and have very productive rehearsals.

We used to use monitors in a cluster in the center of the practice space. That worked a whole lot better than putting PA speakers against a wall; in that configuration feedback was a problem and some could hear better than others. The monitor cluster had its drawbacks, though, not the least of which was all the floor space it took up.

But then our lead vocalist bought a Bose "stick", and that's been significantly better for us. It stands in a corner and fills the room pretty evenly.

It's a pretty safe bet that the 'musicians' you're referring to - aren't musicians. They're just people who happen to own a musical instrument.