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Double Bass Best PA System for Small Venues

Jason Sypher

Jason Sypher

Jan 3, 2001
3,836
5,202
Brooklyn, NY
jasonsypher.com
#1
Recently I had a thought to buy a small PA system for gigs in Japan. Six inputs or so. Mostly amplified acoustic music. I found the usual suspects: Yamaha, Mackie, EV, Fender, Bose. These set-ups hover around a grand. We’ve all used them before. But then I thought, do any of these brands stand out as better sounding systems? Interesting there doesn’t seem to be an obvious attempt at an “audiophile”-esque PA system on the market. I recently was reminded how great those AER mini amps sound. When you hear one you definitely take notice of their superior performance. It appears they do make powered PA speakers, sans mixing board. But what about small complete PAs?
 
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#5
There is a complete all in one PA system (speaker with pull out mixer) made by Yamaha called Stagepass. I don’t have any experience with it but maybe somebody here with experience can comment?
 
#6
El Trueno said:
There is a complete all in one PA system (speaker with pull out mixer) made by Yamaha called Stagepass. I don’t have any experience with it but maybe somebody here with experience can comment?
Click to expand...

One of my bands uses this when we do a gig without PA support. It works quite well and is very easy to operate. I'd rather have powered speakers and an unpowered mixer, however, so I'm not sure if I would buy one for myself.
 
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#7
Very happy with my Yamaha EMX312SC pushing a pair of Peavey 12s on sticks. Cheap and reliable. Sounds very nice
20231023_125253.jpg
 
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#8
The best choice varies with your requirements and expectations.

How many channels do you need? Which, if any, instruments will you run through the PA. How loud do you need to play?

For intimate settings, stick PAs tend to be less obtrusive. Many of them have built in mixers. There limitation is most of them don't play very loud. Also the way they disperse sound is a bit different than a traditional cab with a woofer and tweeter. There are advantages and disadvantages.

No idea what you can get in Japan or what gear will be compatible with their 100V AC. The EV Evolve 50 seems well respected and is rated for 100V to 220V AC. But it's fairly expensive and does not have much of a mixer. Max SPL is 127dB. I believe this is peak, so continuous will be 121dB. For comparison a QSC K8.2 is rated 128dB peak and 122dB continuous (also rated for 100V to 220V). The Evolve 50 will be fuller and play lower as it has a 12" sub. Most likely you would want to put the K8.2 on a tripod.

Note: If you consider buying one of these in the US and transporting it to Japan, make sure it's auto-switching to whatever the line voltage is.

Rather than an all-in-one, I would probably go with a separate powered cab (or 2) and a mini-mixer. The Behringer Flow 8 looks tempting IMHO, assuming you are interested in learning how to integrate it with a phone or tablet. The Flow 8 is digital, so it will have a lot more processing power than a small analog mixer. The down side is you have to learn to use.

Does it make more sense to rent?
 
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#9
I am also a fan of the Yamaha DBR speakers, rally good sound a an affordable price point, I Amin two bands that use the 12’s and 10’s as monitors, both with Soundcraft mixers, one uses a legacy analog board and one a Soundcraft digital, I prefer the simplicity of the analog, don’t be worried about mixing brands, just get quality that will work for you,
 
#10
Shure Vocal Master

Used my '71 for a gig a few weeks ago just for yuks, and DANG! if it didn't sound pretty darn sweet! Tubey goodness!
Was at a Senior Center. Barely had the volume up at all. In high school early '70s these things filled a gym.
Was just curious to see if it still worked and what it wound sound like.
 
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#11
The yamaha stagepas 400bt & 600bt systems are great. The generation before, 400i & 600i are good deals used. Two speakers, a good mixer, speaker cables all in the 400 - 600 bucks range. Compact and easy to haul.
 
#12
Fishman makes a really great stick PA, with a sub option. I've never played bass through one, but I had one for an old timey bluegrass type band years ago and we used to amplify everything else. I'd also run single mic setup on it. Mine was a model previous to the link below before they added sub option.

Volume might be limited though depending on the venue size.

Fishman | SA330x Performance Audio System
 
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#13
Wasnex said:
The best choice varies with your requirements and expectations.

How many channels do you need? Which, if any, instruments will you run through the PA. How loud do you need to play?

For intimate settings, stick PAs tend to be less obtrusive. Many of them have built in mixers. There limitation is most of them don't play very loud. Also the way they disperse sound is a bit different than a traditional cab with a woofer and tweeter. There are advantages and disadvantages.

No idea what you can get in Japan or what gear will be compatible with their 100V AC. The EV Evolve 50 seems well respected and is rated for 100V to 220V AC. But it's fairly expensive and does not have much of a mixer. Max SPL is 127dB. I believe this is peak, so continuous will be 121dB. For comparison a QSC K8.2 is rated 128dB peak and 122dB continuous (also rated for 100V to 220V). The Evolve 50 will be fuller and play lower as it has a 12" sub. Most likely you would want to put the K8.2 on a tripod.

Note: If you consider buying one of these in the US and transporting it to Japan, make sure it's auto-switching to whatever the line voltage is.

Rather than an all-in-one, I would probably go with a separate powered cab (or 2) and a mini-mixer. The Behringer Flow 8 looks tempting IMHO, assuming you are interested in learning how to integrate it with a phone or tablet. The Flow 8 is digital, so it will have a lot more processing power than a small analog mixer. The down side is you have to learn to use.

Does it make more sense to rent?
Click to expand...
I think ten inputs would cover any situation. I would buy it in Japan. We could rent but I was looking for a little more autonomy. We often now choose band personnel by who has a PA:). I just think having a small PA would be nice to have. Japan is often small gigs in cool little spaces or outdoors.
 
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#14
Jason Sypher said:
Recently I had a thought to buy a small PA system for gigs in Japan. Six inputs or so. Mostly amplified acoustic music. I found the usual suspects: Yamaha, Mackie, EV, Fender, Bose. These set-ups hover around a grand. We’ve all used them before. But then I thought, do any of these brands stand out as better sounding systems? Interesting there doesn’t seem to be an obvious attempt at an “audiophile”-esque PA system on the market. I recently was reminded how great those AER mini amps sound. When you hear one you definitely take notice of their superior performance. It appears they do make powered PA speakers, sans mixing board. But what about small complete PAs?
Click to expand...

My "small" PA setup is a Ui24r digital board and two Yamaha DZR10s, to which I will add a QSC KS212C if I need beef in the bass. The DZRs are small, and are absolutely excellent from 80Hz up -- one definitely takes notice of their superior performance -- and you'd have to pay substantially more to best them, IMO.

I don't think that there are any complete PAs that compete on the basis of quality; they tend to be entry-level units that simplify setup for those who lack the technical expertise to assemble a system.
 
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#16
31HZ said:
I don't think that there are any complete PAs that compete on the basis of quality; they tend to be entry-level units that simplify setup for those who lack the technical expertise to assemble a system.
Click to expand...

IMHO there is an enormous difference in a $1000 starter PA and what you could put together for under $2500-3000. One you will outgrow and not be happy with, the other will last many years and can grow with you. A few years back my guitarist in a new band was going to buy a PA with a budget of $1000, I disagreed and we each put in that much and are still happy with it.
 
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#17
31HZ said:
My "small" PA setup is a Ui24r digital board and two Yamaha DZR10s, to which I will add a QSC KS212C if I need beef in the bass.
Click to expand...

I have been contemplating the DZR10's myself for a PA system for my small jazz trio (Bass, guitar, vocals).
Have you run them alone without bass backline, and without the sub? How do they carry the bass in typical venues like bars, restaurants etc.?
 
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#18
Timm said:
I have been contemplating the DZR10's myself for a PA system for my small jazz trio (Bass, guitar, vocals).
Have you run them alone without bass backline, and without the sub? How do they carry the bass in typical venues like bars, restaurants etc.?
Click to expand...
I think that they do quite well for that kind of duty, provided that you're not looking for the bass to hit you in the chest. They also get VERY loud, and stay clear at high levels, so there's that as well. Mostly, I only use them without a sub for singer-songwriter types of gigs (at which they are excellent).

EDIT: to be clear, I don't ever expect any 2-way (or any 3-way) speakers to provide anywhere near the low-end heft and presence that a sub provides. If I'm mic'ing a kick drum or playing house music between sets, then I bring a sub, period.
 
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