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PA system for band practice

powmetalbassist

powmetalbassist

Supporting Member
Oct 16, 2010
1,206
327
44
Deep River, Ontario, Canada
#1
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
 
#4
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.
 
#9
powmetalbassist said:
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.
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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.
 
#11
Floyd Eye said:
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.
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I actually hava a PA in my livingroom.:D It doubles as a home theater system.
 
#13
Floyd Eye said:
Well, truthfully I am surprised you don't have 3 or 4 of them laying around. lol
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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
 
#14
modulusman said:
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
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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. ;)
 
#17
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.
 
#18
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.
 
#19
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.
 

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