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Trusted brands for new power amps/powered mixers?

B

BlackMayonnaise

Aug 7, 2009
13
1
between ohio and the moon
www.myspace.com
#1
Hey folks,

I've been reading many reviews on powered mixers, and one thing I've been noticing are comments regarding formerly trusted brands coming out with brand new products that are much more poorly manufactured than previous lines.

I've been looking for a good powered mixer that will push at least 500W per channel (preferably 800W/channel) and I haven't run across anything that makes me feel 100% comfortable putting my money into going by reviews that I've read. As far as the powered mixer path goes, in order of preference I kind of had my eye on the Mackie PPM1008, the Peavey XR8600, and the Yamaha EMX512SC, but I've read things about all three of these that make me a bit apprehensive. I'm also not too thrilled about unecessary things such as mediocre onboard effects. All I really need as far as "effects" would be a simple three band e.q.

I'm beginning to feel that the better option may be to purchase a power amp instead of a powered mixer.

So I'm looking for some recommendations on something I can purchase for brand new that I can depend on that pushes
500W or higher to run a p.a. I like the simplicity of a powered mixer, so any comments on people's experience with sturdy, reliable ones would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
#3
I'm using an older Yamaha powered miser, the EMX500-12, and it's been working out really well for the last three years. No sooner than I bought it, the new version came out. Dang! Having a few effects is a good idea, you might find a little reverb useful outdoors, or some slapback on a particular song. 500 watts per channel is plenty, and when we need more, I have a Crest CA6 that I can use. That gives me the simplicity of a powered mixer, and the ability to add another 1000 watts. I will say this though... There's alot more balls to 1000 Crest watts than there is to 1000 Yahama watts.
 
#4
Thanks for the comments. I am also taking into consideration the common fact that most people either don't admit or aren't aware of how much they abuse their gear, so some reviews need to be taken with a grain of salt. I've known of people who consistently drop equipment or set their drinks on top but won't consider this a factor when they experience failures. But as I sit here with my fistful of dollars I'm still trying to do as much homework as I can.
 
#6
Yorkville ~ +1000!

I use their PowerMax 16 and the 10 channel head mixer, both 800w/side at 4 ohms, and for larger gigs, I use the board for mains with powered subs and patch in the power amps from the head for monitors. Never had any issues with either, great stuff!
 
#8
Thanks again for the comments. I've decided on the Yamaha EMX512SC mixer with S115V speakers. This will be getting a good test drive this Friday so I'll be able to see how it performs well within the limits of my satisfaction guarantee.

The Yorkville mixer looks great, I almost made the decision to go for it but getting the speakers with an 800W program rating take me just a little too far outside my financial comfort zone at the present time. Besides, 500W should be plenty enough for the venues I'll be playing.
 
#9
The Yamaha powered mixers are great. The Mackie 808S is also somewhat of a standard, if a bit less of a value than the Yamahas.

I'd get a used Yamaha EMX5000-12 or Mackie 808S. Either can be had for $500 or less used, they are extremely reliable, and push at least 500Wx2 at 4 ohms.
 
#10
BlackMayonnaise said:
Thanks again for the comments. I've decided on the Yamaha EMX512SC mixer with S115V speakers. This will be getting a good test drive this Friday so I'll be able to see how it performs well within the limits of my satisfaction guarantee.
.
Click to expand...

Oops, missed this one. Great choice! Again, I'd look for it used. The S115V's pop up on Craigslist often for $400/pr. Since they are too heavy to ship, Craigslist is a good spot to find lots of cheap speakers.
 
#11
Rocked it last Friday, I'd say it worked fairly well. Still deciding on whether or not I'd like to keep the mixer... not too thrilled about seeing all the surface mount components through the vents, I'd prefer something that I could service almost entirely myself (that's why I spent big bucks going to tech school). I'll probably keep it but will take care not to push it too hard, maybe run it into a power amp. Also not too thrilled about the "surge protection"... some sort of internal resettable cutoff switch, because of that I'm not sure if there is a fuse block inside or not (I hope there is, but I don't recall it being mentioned in the owner's manual), and if not that makes me nervous. It seems like it will last for a decent amount of time as long as it's treated as gently as possible (which isn't always easy to do)... I'll probably transport it in a padded box instead of just carrying it by the handle.

Next time I purchase a powered mixer I'll probably spend a decent chunk of time sniffing out something older.
 
#14
Can anyone tell me if this is loud enough to play bars of 150-300 people? Also what do you guys run through it? My last soundmam ran everything thhrough the mains and put reverb on all of it. Another soundman I tal talked to said he runs the guitars and vocals + bass drum through it but wants everything else on stage. What do you guys do?
 
#15
BlackMayonnaise said:
Thanks again for the comments. I've decided on the Yamaha EMX512SC mixer with S115V speakers. This will be getting a good test drive this Friday so I'll be able to see how it performs well within the limits of my satisfaction guarantee.

The Yorkville mixer looks great, I almost made the decision to go for it but getting the speakers with an 800W program rating take me just a little too far outside my financial comfort zone at the present time. Besides, 500W should be plenty enough for the venues I'll be playing.
Click to expand...





You might want to download the spec sheets on the EMX512SC and the S115V's first. That amp actually only puts out 350 watts into 8 ohms (the 500 watt rating is into 4 ohms), and the S115V's have a nominal power rating of 500 watts at 8 ohms. as a general rule, it's not very good to under-power speakers.

I have the EMX312SC (190 watts into 8 ohms) and the S115V's myself. After consulting with some pro sound people, I was advised to get a separate amp for the mains. I got a QSCPLX1804, which delivers 600 watts into 8 ohms. The S115V's really came to life, and they are getting plenty of power without clipping. I use the EMX amp to run monitors, and it does quite well.



I also added a DbX 31 band graphic EQ, as the onboard EQ on the EMX is useless for ringing out a room.





Regards,


Bob
 
#16
this rather old thread cause I just got a very good condition, used EMX512SC for our 5 pc blues band. We run 2 Peavey 15"s for mains on stands. The lighter, grey, plastic case ones, I forget what model #'s they are and a EV115 & some offbrand wedged, 115 as floor monitors. All these cabs are 8 ohms each. We run 4 vox's, kickdrum & keys thru mains & monitors, but no kick in monitors.

Bob, you sure about that underpowering issue with speakers. Ive read some very long, informative and sometimes heated exchanges in a few threads here on TB, usually in the amps forum as to the issue of "underpowering" speakers and how its mostly a fallacy. Of course from your post here your setup is more complicated than ours, so I just was making a observation here.

And seems most 15" PA mains/monitors I've come across are mostly 8 ohms each, thereby using the 500 watts per side @ 4ohms of the Yamaha powered mixer moreso than the 350 watts typically. This is in my short experience researching powered mixers/cabs as I shopped ebay for them before winning this one at auction.

Now, I only won this on ebay a couple weeks ago, only used it at one gig (outdoors) first time last week, worked very well for us. This is my first time messing with the PA in a band. But since I bought it, got refunded by the band for it at gig last week, well mostly, female lead vox is paying me installments, whatever, figured I'd try get to know it.

I downloaded/printed and have been reading the manual for the EMX512 series and even got on Youtube and have found much info for setting/using PA gear. Im just starting to learn so if anyone else uses this Yammie head or similar Berhringer, Mackie, Peavey, etc. I'd like to see if you can offer some more detailed info on how to best utilize this mixer in a small band, med room live situation.

I also looked at those other 3 or more models that I mentioned above to weigh the +/-'s of em. Tho most these brands in these models have quite similar features. I'd been in a band where we used the EMX512 for practice and just felt more familiar with it; tone and quality wise, not really by use of features since I was not involved in that.

The reviews on the Behringers seemed like one side went out pretty quickly on quite a few of em. I read here where the new Mackies aren't all that anymore. I liked the PeaveyXR8600 specs but found them new, then I found this used Yamaha on a ebay auction and won it for a few hundred less than the others new, so it was down to $$ at that point to discern from these similar models.

Keysplayer noted right away at gig last week, there is no pan knob as he used in our other smaller/older/less powered mixer, I did not even consider that. So I'm learning as I go, I'll of course "RTFM" and re-read it alot more cause alot of the statements in there go right over my head.

Lead guitardist owned the older mixer we were using so I felt he new how to setup PA well. He was getting much feedback just as we soundchecked the mics before show. I walked over there and he's like "I got it, I got it". Yeah right! He then stated "this head has alot more power than his".

Well, I noticed him setting the master volume at 9 o'clock ( or @ 3 of 10 ) and each mic channel at noon or higher. Seems to me you'd want the master up higher and each individual channel as needed for each vox/instrument, kinda got that from the little bit I read in the manual so far. But he found a nice mix and the gig went well using this head for the first time and again, outdoors. All band members said they could hear everything better, that's good. Just from what I mostly only hear the floor monitors sounded about the same to me but Im sure we have more headroom than before, always a plus.

So its a work in progress, guitard used to toss his mixer in back of his pickup, uncovered to and from gigs. I found a large gym bag at home to fit this Yamaha mixer into right away. I slide in a square piece of hard foam to protect the front knobs from being snapped off and I take it to/from gigs on the seat of my SUV. I may not take female vox' last few payments just so I can keep majority ownership of this head and be sure it lasts. Then I can transport it and they won't get their mits on it more than needed.

And I want to learn more about live sound procedures as its peaking my interest. I'll be lurking around here more often now to learn more. Sorry for the long*** first post here. But thanks for any info offered on this head or live sound tips in general. Peace, ernie.
 

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