PA Power requirements

[Passinwind]

Please don't skimp on PA. You'll find that the average band with a PV xr200 and 2 SP2's really don't cut it. Get out and listen to some bands in your genre.

If you want a vocals only PA with some simplicity here ya go (take notes): 2 mackie 1530's, Allen & Heath 16:2 Mixwiz, 2 SRM450's. Add subs if need be.

That's a lot of system for one vocalist, and nothing else through the PA, no? He can probably do without the subs for the house parties, eh?

EQ is vital though, IMO. A couple of hundred watts with good EQ is more useful than 1000 with none in many cases.

 

[superflybass]

here is what my band runs
I used to be in a rap rock band but now I am in a blues funk band ...

board mackie 16vlz

yorkville l804 speakers
2x15, 2x6, 1 2" horn in each biamped

yorkville powered 18" subs I think there rms is around 1400 watts ( they thump)

I have the yorkville elite processer, art 31 band eqs, gates and effects

2 yamaha cp2000 power amps

and for monitors we use shure in ears

 

[rabid_granny]

I don't follow your math, r_g, but concert sound companies typically go with from about 5 to 15 watts per audience member, depending on how much loudness and headroom their client wants and can afford. Your needs might not be that high.

2 watts per audience member is a number I've seen quoted a couple of times. The most memorable website is the Yorkville website.

Looks like PA system requirements is much more than I anticipated. I wasn't planning on spending more money on a PA system than my own bass gear.

 

[nashvillebill]

.....Looks like PA system requirements is much more than I anticipated. I wasn't planning on spending more money on a PA system than my own bass gear.

I've got at least $4000 in my PA and it's nowhere close to being as good as I'd like. I could easily drop another $2000 or more. Well, actually I could easily drop another 20K.

At some point you have to decide what your immediate needs are, and how much money is available. A 32x8 mixer is darn nice, but most bands don't need that much, for example.

 

[rabid_granny]

Really, all I was thinking of was something to project a band. Voice -> Mike -> XLR cable -> ??? If a guitar needs an amp, a bass needs an amp, shouldn't the singer have some gear too?

 

[Munjibunga]

OK, a rudimentary PA:

(2) Mackie SR 1530s - $2,000 for mains
(2) Mackie SWA 1501s - $2,000 for subs
(4) Mackie SRM 450s - $2,800 for monitors
(1) Mackie 1604 VLZ Pro - $1,000
(1) dbx 2231 EQ - $500
(1) dbx 1046 Comp - $500
(1) Lexicon MX-550 Effects - $500 (or TC M-One XL, $400)
(4) Shure SM-58s - $400
(1) Furman Power Dist. - $150
Cases for mixer and outboard - $300
Misc. Cables and patches - $300

Add in a couple things I forgot, and you're well over $10K, and you don't have a top-of-the-line system, just a good one. This is what we use, except for the monitors. We use Cerwin Vega monitors driven by a QSC PLX 3402. I also have a Midas Venice 240, which was about $3,300, and worth it. If I wanted to upgrade, I'd start with some EAW speakers and some QSC PLX or PL amps.

 

[Gogmagog]

OK, a rudimentary PA:

(2) Mackie SR 1530s - $2,000 for mains
(2) Mackie SWA 1501s - $2,000 for subs
(4) Mackie SRM 450s - $2,800 for monitors
(1) Mackie 1604 VLZ Pro - $1,000
(1) dbx 2231 EQ - $500
(1) dbx 1046 Comp - $500
(1) Lexicon MX-550 Effects - $500 (or TC M-One XL, $400)
(4) Shure SM-58s - $400
(1) Furman Power Dist. - $150
Cases for mixer and outboard - $300
Misc. Cables and patches - $300

That seems a bit far from rudimentary to me. He's just interested in PA for vocals, so why not:

(2) Peavey SP2X mains - $800
(2) Speaker stands - $80
(1) Carvin DCM2000 power amp - $519
(1) Mackie DFX12 mixer - $240
(1) Peavey TLM2X monitor - $240
(1) Sure SM58 - $100
Misc cables, etc. - $50

Sure, it's not the best, but it's far from bad, and leaves room for expansion as needed. Total price? Just over $2000. And that's for new equipment. Used would be much cheaper...

 

[Munjibunga]

That seems a bit far from rudimentary to me.

I suppose I've been hanging out over at ProSoundWeb a little too much lately. It'd be a cheese-weenie over there.

 

[g4string]

I would reccomend staying away from Beringer, Nady, and Kustom. In the $300-$400 price range your looking at JBL Sound Factor, Yamaha, EV Force, and Peavey SP's. In the $300-400 per box price range your looking at some harsh souding speakers. The will sound OK for a bar gig. But you would be better of spending a couple extral bills per speaker for smoother sounding better equiped speaker. A good speaker would be the Yorkville Elite series speaker. Their 12" 2 way box is about $450. This is a great box that sounds good but is upgradable. For instance when your ready to add subs, you have some decent mains that can be used for higher volume setups. Also, this box can be pole mounted or used a floor monitor.

I would buy a QSC PLX1602 for an amp (about $500 used $600 new) and a Mackie 1604 VLZPRO ($600 used).

Altogether your looking at spending about 2k for a decnt sounding, above avereage vocal rig with expansion potential. Keep in mind that cheap powered mixer will cost you about $500 and a cheap pair of speakers will cost about $500. So your looking at about 1K for a low power bare bones rig. You should spend the extra cash and do it right the first time.