• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

PA system/mixer bored/speakers

#41
Personally, I appreciate when people correct my spelling and grammar because I don't want to be an idiot. And if I make the mistake, then I obviously need the lesson.

But anyway... the $1000 estimate for cables and such might be high if you only need 1 or 2 mics, stands and a half dozen cables but it is not an insignificant expense and that was the point.

Perhaps you should stop choosing to being offended and pay attention to what people are trying to tell you. You are being given good information even if it is not what you want to hear or specifically asked for.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Grumry and s0c9
#42
modulusman said:
Yeah on an average gig for my band we use 32 xlr cables from 3ft to 30ft in length.
Click to expand...
32 is quite a few...I think our count is about half that just a simple mic on the kick and snare. 3 piece and vox. Powered sub 2 mains 2 monitors. But I don't buy cheap cables so probably have at least 1k (canadian) of cabling for my current set up, one thing I like about this set up is all I carry now are xlrs and extra power cords basically the only other cord(s) I have is to connect an ipod. I try to have at least one extra cord of each type and 3-4 extra xlrs
 
#43
I think the best recommendation i've seen so far in your budget (or a bit more if you buy new) is an unpowered Behringer desk and a couple of powered Behringer speakers.

The 1202FX will give you 4 mic inputs and four jack inputs (for acoustic guitar, keys etc). As for speakers, you'll need to get the cheapest 15" ones and 12" wedges you can get to be near your budget.

A mate has been running a Behringer powered desk and 15" unpowered speakers for nearly 10 years and they have done well.
Are they as loud as you'd expect for their size???
Are they great quality sound??

Ahhhhh, NO and NO. But it is decent and most punters wouldn't know the difference.
 
#45
I totally thought that the op had a live sound engineer who was bored and thus not paying attention, drifting away, texting or making avoidable mistakes
in the mixing chair.
I took it at face value.
Oh and the only wright originals I know of are Orville and Wilbur.
Yes the sarcasm meter is in the red-peak-limit-overload!
 
Last edited:
#47
I just picked up an early set of Mackie SR450s to use as vocal monitors at a venue I work at/run a jam. They will stay there, and thats great - because they are pretty heavy. that said - there were four, and a friend wanted to split the deal - so I got two for $150. Deals are out there - but here is the thing. Listen to some of these guys and don't be a skin rocket about it. They have the experience you are seeking, and typcaIlly the advice is to buy the best you can. Sometimes, cheap is good for what you are doing, but in all honesty - if you truly intend to continue forward - better is.....well...... better.

just an FYI - I think I spent an easy $1,000 in cables for what I have, over time. I think I have another $2,000 in mics, and another $500 in stands. I don't have a festival system, but do run a few touring acts through the venue and need durable equipment.

For a band - small room - vocals mostly type PA - you won't need that much - but I would suggest really spending some time in thought regarding what you want to buy, and how much you can spend at a time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gregbackstrom
#48
gregbackstrom said:
Here's my recommendation for a small PA: Behringer XR-18 into QSC K10's and QSC KW-181. Lots of bang for the buck here. Of course, you'll need mics, mic stands, cables, monitors, speaker-stands, drum mixer and a hundred other things that make a PA work. Good luck!
Click to expand...
yes - really nice setup - saw the xr18 a couple of weeks ago at proaudio star or land for like $464. WOW!! I Have two of these now - one as a back up. K10s, 12s and 181s are awesome - have them also. Got JBL PRX712s also recently ended up giving $425 each - not too bad. Yamaha DXRs are nice too - so much new stuff is great! I don't see any really cheap cheap deals myself very often - but they are out there -
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Bullitt5135 and gregbackstrom
#49
A little over your budget but we switched to a new Soundcraft digital board and a pair of the lower end Yamaha powered 12" mains. The Soundcraft is controlled by a tablet and is so helpful because after you get it set up you save all you settings so next gig you plug it in and turn it on and you are like 95% ready.

That being said, because of the new stuff coming out you should be able to find a deal on used.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Frankjohnson
#50
jthisdell said:
A little over your budget but we switched to a new Soundcraft digital board and a pair of the lower end Yamaha powered 12" mains. The Soundcraft is controlled by a tablet and is so helpful because after you get it set up you save all you settings so next gig you plug it in and turn it on and you are like 95% ready.

That being said, because of the new stuff coming out you should be able to find a deal on used.
Click to expand...
A friend just got one of these- I worked with him with it....... I didn't get that far - but I undersatnd you can record directly to a jump drive on this too! Bonus - Oh - and it is CHEAP - as in INEXPENSIVE
 
#51
Frankjohnson said:
A friend just got one of these- I worked with him with it....... I didn't get that far - but I undersatnd you can record directly to a jump drive on this too! Bonus - Oh - and it is CHEAP - as in INEXPENSIVE
Click to expand...
The Soundcraft site has like a couple dozen tutorial videos. It does that much. We did not get through all of them.
Ours Soundcraft u16 was on sale for something like $400. It replaces a rack of like $10,000 of gear. Still, a digital board, 2 new powered 12" mains, mics, etc will run you $2,000 new.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gregbackstrom
#52
descendent22 said:
...My budget isn't crazy as I'm looking to shop around and I don't mind if it's used as long as it isn't abused. I would think of a budget in the $500-700 range. As far as mic stands, cables, and mics we already have that stuff and it wasn't that expensive if you know how to shop.
Click to expand...

You might consider having you & the drummer each contribute parts of a new PA. This can help stretch your budget a little farther. For example, it never hurts to own a pair of powered 2-way speakers. There are all kinds of things you can use them for beyond just this one band & you'll have lots of flexibility. There's no telling what other groups you might want to get involved with, now or in the future, & your value as a potential member goes up of you have "common" gear to use.

I have a general rule of thumb: "Everything costs $500". It's easy to drop $500 on a decent mixer. A pair of speakers? $500. Power amp(s) to drive the speakers? $500 (if you get powered speakers, consider that as both power amp & speakers, for around $1000. Effects? $500. Mics.? $500, stands & cables? $500. I also like to toss in another item that I call "Misc.", for all the misc. stuff that doesn't quite fit in the other categories such as racks, cases, speaker poles, cart, overruns in other areas, or whatever for another $500.

So, for a system with 2 mains, 2 monitors, mixer, effects, mics, stands, cables, etc. my rough math totals up $4500, which is probably not far off the mark for a club-sized PA for a rock & roll band. I know several people who have spent a bit more than that for something similar, mostly buying new.

Like you say, shop around & you can often find better deals, especially if you look for a used analog mixer, analog effects, unpowered speakers, & separate power amps - the kind of things that a lot of people are replacing with digital/powered units these days. What you're likely to get for $500-700 may not be what you want. However, if you go in expecting to shell out $4500, & you can get it done for $3000, you'll probably feel a lot better about the purchase.

It can help to build in stages. Try to identify some details about what you want to end up with, giving strong consideration to flexibility & expansion capability in the future. Start with a basic, bare minimum to get by for now, & add more stuff as you can.
 
  • Like
Reactions: s0c9 and modulusman
#58
image.png
Deals like this are out there. We push 2500 watts into a set of these. They are awesome. Get a used 600 watt powered mixer for $300. One powered speaker as a monitor till you can afford another. You're in under budget. Add subs when/if you can afford . Play lots of gigs and upgrade as you go. We still use these exact passive speakers. We Bi-amp and use subs. These rock as good as anything. But you gotta start with what you can afford, we all did.
 
#59
descendent22 said:
People just don't understand the part when I say I don't know too much about this stuff. You get a lot of jerks on this website who are know it all's and make it known.
Click to expand...

Some of the Guitar Centers used to have seminars on music topics, like PA use, and were trying to sell equipment. Call Southington GC and ask if they still do that. That would be a free way to get some education on these things. If you are near Sam Ash in New Haven, ask for Big Jim, the bass guy. Ask if he could help you out a little.
If you are in other parts of Connecticut, I am not sure what resources are available.
 
#60
Radio said:
Some of the Guitar Centers used to have seminars on music topics, like PA use, and were trying to sell equipment. Call Southington GC and ask if they still do that. That would be a free way to get some education on these things. If you are near Sam Ash in New Haven, ask for Big Jim, the bass guy. Ask if he could help you out a little.
If you are in other parts of Connecticut, I am not sure what resources are available.
Click to expand...
Southington GC is my local GC. I go there atleast 3x a week. Thank you for the info. When I go their I'll get some info
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back