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PA gear question


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i was wondering what i should get for quality PA gear

im going to be running pre recorded drums guitars, bass and i will be playing guitar and singing over it for mostly fun but will play out like this once in a while probably maximum 400 people.

 

what hsould i get for mixer power amp speakers and etc

im new to this area help me out!

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A "quality" PA doing anything musical for 400 is not a cheap proposition. It needs to be a LOT of fun for the $$$ involved. It would be far cheaper to rent when you need that much gear. Buy for the size crowd you expect to see on any given day, not the once a year town festival.

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Axis-Player makes an EXCELLENT point there, mylastflight. You're probably looking at an 8000w P/A system for 400 people. Not cheap by any means.

 

Don't forget, aside from speakers, you'll need snakes/cables/mics/mic-stands/speaker-stands/ power-distro/monitors/D.I.'s/possibly a mixer if you don't already have one. Easily $10.k if you buy new.

 

Bob

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Axis-Player makes an EXCELLENT point there, mylastflight. You're probably looking at an 8000w P/A system for 400 people. Not cheap by any means.


Don't forget, aside from speakers, you'll need snakes/cables/mics/mic-stands/speaker-stands/ power-distro/monitors/D.I.'s/possibly a mixer if you don't already have one. Easily $10.k if you buy new.


Bob

 

 

Keep in mind that for what he's doing for 400 people is likely not the same as you'd want for a big rock band for 400 people. A one man band playing at a company picnic while people play volleyball and eat hot dogs isn't going to have the same requirements as a big live music venue.

 

Power distro, monitors (plural) and a snake for a guy singing along to tracks??? Let's keep it realistic here. I'm thinking (guessing) he's probably more a 4 channel mixer and a couple of powered speakers on sticks kind of guy.

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OOps!!! Didn't see the "pre-recorded". Thought he said drums,guitar,bass. Mind you, pre-recorded or not, it takes some guts to put out bass and drums, and he'll need a monitor most likely.

 

 

He'll need a monitor. Intended usage and budget from the OP would help nail down the requirements.

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And he'll need to define exactly how many folks he intends to cover. If it is indeed background music at a "company picnic", that's one thing,,, but rocking a crowd of 400??? I still say AxisPlayer nailed it best.

 

If he's going to play as he says "for fun", probably at home, or small gatherings, I'd get a single powered-speaker (12"/1") and as you said, a small mixer. I'd choose something that can double as a monitor, so that when he does a bigger gig(400), he could use his monitor, and rent the rest of the gear he needs.

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Sorry guys, what I mentioned before was vague my bad.

Most I will play for is proably around 400 people

but I was thinking at that point I could run the pre recorded stuff through the venue's pa or have the speakers mic'd. but i will be doing hall shows and teen centers too where they will have terrible PA and I would not want to use that if core of my music will be play pre-recorded. My budget is up to $1000ish. Would that narrow it down? But im also interested to see what the top quality PA gear for 50 people to maximun of 350-400 people would cost so list a good gear pretending i dont have a budget too : )

Thanks guys for the responses! It really helps!

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The PA I use for 400 people costs about $12000.00. Four JBL PRX535s over 4- QSC HPR subs. Soundcraft LX7- 24 board.This is for a full band. You could get buy with a cheaper/smaller mixer and maybe half as many speakers since you are using recorded tracks but you would still need to spend about $5000.00.

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Sorry guys, what I mentioned before was vague my bad.

Most I will play for is proably around 400 people

but I was thinking at that point I could run the pre recorded stuff through the venue's pa or have the speakers mic'd. but i will be doing hall shows and teen centers too where they will have terrible PA and I would not want to use that if core of my music will be play pre-recorded. My budget is up to $1000ish. Would that narrow it down? But im also interested to see what the top quality PA gear for 50 people to maximun of 350-400 people would cost so list a good gear pretending i dont have a budget too : )

Thanks guys for the responses! It really helps!

 

 

Mylastflight,

 

This past summer, I went to a Canada celebration at an old historic fort in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. A guy I knew was playing there. Solo acoustic guitar/vocal. There were several hundred people there,,,, I'd say 300 or so, and this was outdoors, and people were generally scattered, walking the grounds, not specifically paying attention to the "show". The show was basically background/ambience music. That performer rented a pair of inexpensive Peavy powered speakers(PR-15's??) People seated directly in front of his "stage" could hear him, but the sound was very "thin" from 60-70 feet away. I'm talking "dead-center" in front of the stage. Off-axis, it was difficult to hear him at all.

 

I dunno,,,, for $1k., I'd say get yourself a decent powered speaker, like a Yorkville NX55p, and a small mixer, and as you said,,,, have fun. You can build-up your system over time if you want, by adding a second NX55p, then perhaps a sub or two.

 

For even less money, the Yorkville NX25p would also be a good choice for most of your needs, and can work well as a monitor. Roughly $470.

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