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Starter PA Suggestions?

Jarrett

Jarrett

Jan 19, 2004
2,793
75
NBTX
#1
We're putting together a folk/blues band to do smaller pubs/bars at a medium volume and need a PA to get us going. Initially all that will run into the PA will be up to vocals and an acoustic guitar. The rest of the band will be using their own amps, bass amp, guitar amp, drum set.

There is a possibility we will expand this PA down the road to the point we can support running the rest of the band through it, so scalability is a good thing, but for now its just a vocal or two and an acoustic guitar or two.

We'd like to stay as inexpensive to start as possible, but realiable. Doesn't have to be top of the line stuff. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

PS - I was checking out the Carvin stuff:
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This any good?
 
#3
I own a pair of Mackie Thump powered PA speakers. They work in a small rehearsal space running vocals through it with guitar, drums, keys and bass in the room. I haven't taken it out of the house yet, but it sounds decent and seems fairly well made. I am running a very inexpensive Behringer Eurorack, some of which get good reviews, albeit an older model I believe.
 
#4
I use the Mackie Thumps with a Behringer Xenyx mixer. I get a pretty good sound and it will handle small to medium size venues well. I also run an Alesis 3630 compressor and a BBE sonic maximizer. You should be able to get all of that for about for a little over $1,100.
 
#5
Carvin has great starter gear. I won't tell you it's great, (and it certainly is not bad!) but the prices are good and everything I have has been road worthy. We have a full Carvin pa for my four peice rock cover band.

Get some high/mid boxes and amp and a board and go play! Add subs down the line.
 
#6
I didn't like the JBL Eos pole-mounted powered speakers I was forced to use for awhile, but they kept working much longer than the better-sounding Behringers. That was many years ago, so take my comment lightly.

When you buy a mixing board, go strong.
It's the one piece you won't be able to use after outgrowing it (and losing $$ on the re-sell) so get enough channels for the future.

I prefer Mackie.
 
#11
For my minimal PA use, I use a Behringer rig with powered speakers.

I'd get a mixer like this:

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Despite what the blurb says about "12 inputs", it's a 4 channel mixer in the real world (by this I mean 4 mic inputs). They make 'em with more and less channels depending on your needs. My rule of thumb is always get at least 50% more channels than you think you'll need.

Then I'd get 2 of these, and another 2 or 3 if you want foldback as well:

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Later on you can add one or two powered subs - the subs I've seen all have a built in crossover so you don't need any extra crap.
Just plug mixer > sub > tops. Voila; a full range system.

This is totally modular. Need another wedge, or FOH speaker? Just daisy-chain as many as you want. You can adjust each speaker's volume individually to cater from "just want a touch of monitor" to "turn it up til my ears bleed".
 

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