More PA figuring!!!

[1Drop]

Ok, I'm learning a lot here folks, this is a great forum for folks like me who are clueless about setting up a PA.

Heres what my band has pieced together over the last couple months. I'm basically just wondering if our plan for this equipment is appropriate and looking for any suggestions on the BESt way to use what we have.

We have three amps. A crown 1400, an older looking crown K1 (which I assume is 1000 watts?) and a peavey 650 watt. We also have a peavey 6 channel powered mixer that I believe is 250 per side. We also have a two channel rack mounted crossover.

on the speaker front we have 2 EV 15's with horns, 2 peavey 18 subs, and some cheapy monitors that we need to upgrade...

Our uneducated plan is to run a line from one of 2 aux outs on the mixer to the crossover, then to the 1400crown, then to the subs. Use the other aux out to the other crossover channel, then to the crown 1000watt amp, and then to the EV,s. and use the power from the mixer for the monitors only. This leaves the peavey 650w amp unused. Would we need another crossover to tri amp, using the 650 for the horns. Could we use the 650 for monitors and use the powered mixer for the horns without a second crossover? Is attempting to tri amp overkill for a travelling system that will be set up by the band everynight at a new location?

Would it be better to lose the powered 6 channel and go with a unpowered 12 channel? We could use the extra channels and it seems using the unpowered mixer might be a simpler set up.???

Ideally we run kick, one overhead drum mic, keys, 2 guitars, and three vocal mics through the system. Our drummer does have a small mixer so we only need one channel for him. so 6 channels could be enough I spose.

How would the pros use this gear for optimum sound? Granted the pros would have way nicer components.

 

[BassieMike]

I run my rig mono tri-amped. One amp bridge mono for the subs, one split doing mids on one channel and horns with the other channel. I use 2 crossovers, but a mono 3 way would work too. Many crossovers will run stereo 2 way or mono 3 way. Then 1 or more 2 channel amps depending on how many monitor channels are needed. Usually 1 amp for 2 channels of monitors.
My advice would be to lose the powered box head, or leave it setup in the practice room. Get enough channels of mixer to be able to add the bass to the mix! Also think about adding a mic to the snare drum. In most cases kick, snare, and overhead will work just fine for drums. A couple of spare channels on the board are nice to use as effect returns, and a spare or 2 ain't bad either.

-mike

 

[Vinny D]

It would help greatly if you could provide the model numbers of the amps & speakers you currently have.

 

[WayneP]

Our uneducated plan is to run a line from one of 2 aux outs on the mixer to the crossover, then to the 1400crown, then to the subs. Use the other aux out to the other crossover channel, then to the crown 1000watt amp, and then to the EV,s

Huh? Why do you need two crossovers for a two-way system?

Also, using the AUX outputs is not the best idea, ESPECIALLY the way you have it arranged above. You’d have to have mix the mains and subs separately! Is there no main pre-amp output on the powered mixer?

Sounds like you have some decent gear, except for the front end. You can get used Mackie 12-or 16-channel mixers on Craigslist or eBay dirt cheap. Monitors, too.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt


Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Tobias Club
Big Cabs Club #23
Pedulla Club #45

 

[walterw]

+1

use the "main out" of the mixer head into one side of the crossover; the high out of the crossover goes into one side of your biggest amp, powering the tops. the low out goes into the other side of that amp and powers the subs. set the crossover point to around 100Hz, and adjust the high and low level on the crossover until the tops and the subs seem balanced volume-wise.

use the next-biggest amp to take the "mon out" signal from the head and power the wedges with it.

don't worry about tri-amping or any of that until you can ditch the mixer head and get a real board.

 

[1Drop]

I run my rig mono tri-amped. One amp bridge mono for the subs, one split doing mids on one channel and horns with the other channel. I use 2 crossovers, but a mono 3 way would work too. Many crossovers will run stereo 2 way or mono 3 way. Then 1 or more 2 channel amps depending on how many monitor channels are needed. Usually 1 amp for 2 channels of monitors.
My advice would be to lose the powered box head, or leave it setup in the practice room. Get enough channels of mixer to be able to add the bass to the mix! Also think about adding a mic to the snare drum. In most cases kick, snare, and overhead will work just fine for drums. A couple of spare channels on the board are nice to use as effect returns, and a spare or 2 ain't bad either.

-mike

Yea I forgot about myself there didn't I? We will ditch the peavey powered mixer and get 12 channel for sure. We did set up the one sub last night for rehearsal and I can tell its gonna be just what we need with a little more tweeks and experience. Thanks all for the advice, I'm grasping it a little better now..