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PA system for around $1000 for my daughter


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Okay, I know how this type of conversation usually goes on a forum so let me say that my budget does not have much flexibility so please help me stay within the $1,000 I have allotted. :lol:

 

 

As mentioned in the subject, this system will be for my daughter, who is 14 years old. She typically performs solo with acoustic guitar and sometimes an accompaniment track. Most of what she does is local opry's, fairs, and venues where they provide the sound. However, she recently did a performance at a local VFW hall and they were not set up for anything other than a speakers mic so we had to use her amp for her guitar and vocals - luckily I'm paranoid and always bring it with us. Needless to say her 60 watt amp was underpowered for the occasion. It did a passable job, but a small to medium PA system would have been terrific for this crowd of about 200.

 

Friday night she's doing an outdoor show - 100 to 200 people I would guess. Knowing that her amp won't do the job, I've arranged a PA rental. However, since I'm planning on getting a PA system for her anyway, I thought I might as well go ahead and bite the bullet now instead of putting money toward the rental.

 

I'll be the one doing the set-up so I want to keep things light and simple, yet versatile enough that she can add in another singer or guitar player down the road if she decides to do so.

 

I've got a Guitar Center and a local competitor in the area with about the same gear and prices, so I'm going to stick with items that are carried at those two stores. If you want to suggest other equipment than what I'm listing below, then please make sure it's sold at Guitar Center. I don't want to buy online.

 

I'm thinking about pairing a pair of Peavey PR12's and a Soundcraft GigRac 1000st

 

Does this seem like a good pairing or would the GigRac 600 be a better match for those speakers?

 

I should also add that while I'm not going to buy a monitor with this initial purchase, that is something that will probably be added. On a related note, would her powered amp be able to be used as a monitor? It's a Genz Benz Shen 60 - it can be angled back for monitor use, but I'm not sure how (or if) that would work coming from a powered mixer.

 

Back to the budget, I've also got to get 2 speaker stands, cords and a boom mic stand, so I need to keep the speakers and powered mixer around $800-$850.

 

If anyone is interested, here's a video of a recent contest she entered. It was age 14 and up and started with over 130 - she was the youngest contestand and got first runner up!

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

Thanks.

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I might get flamed for suggesting this, but for 1k a pair of B215a's from behringer might get you by. those paired with one of the smaller yamaha MG mixers might work for a small crowd. If you have your heart set on a powered mixer setup, the yamaha club 12 inch speakers are decent as well as the peavey sp series (both are a step about the b215a's). Hopefully you find something that works for you, your daughters beautiful voice deserves it.

 

best of luck!

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Thanks. I'll check those out. I'm not sure about Behringer. I've not heard many good reviews for any of their speakers. While I don't doubt that they'd get the job done, I know I can't get high end speakers in my price range, I hope to get quality gear.

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Thanks. I'll check those out. I'm not sure about Behringer. I've not heard many good reviews for any of their speakers. While I don't doubt that they'd get the job done, I know I can't get high end speakers in my price range, I hope to get quality gear.

 

 

Ya, its your call on the behringers, but most agree that they are one of the only behringer products that sound half decent and are mostly problem free. I just thought I'd throw the option out there. Don't write off the yamaha speakers yet, because, in the price range, they perform very well. Others on this forum will have much more knowlege than me, so again, best of luck!

 

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-S112V-Club-Series-V-Speaker?sku=601201

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Very talented young lady! Congrats...


I apologize for suggesting something that isn't sold at GC, but
deal is too good to ignore, and they ship for free. FBT makes some of the best gear out there, and this price is just unbelievable.

 

 

Well, I just got an e-mail and it sounds like my rental is going to fall through anyway, so I'm pretty much locked into getting something tomorrow so buying online just won't work. Also, a pair of those would put me $200 over budget before even getting stands and cables - looks nice though!

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Maybe there is someone on this board who is in your area that could help you out.

 

 

I appreciate the thought, but like I said, I was in the market for a system anyway. This just gives me the nudge I needed to go ahead and pull the trigger.

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Well, I just got an e-mail and it sounds like my rental is going to fall through anyway, so I'm pretty much locked into getting something tomorrow so buying online just won't work. Also, a pair of those would put me $200 over budget before even getting stands and cables - looks nice though!

 

 

The FBT is a single system with a 6 channel mixer built-in a high end full range speaker. 600 bucks total...

 

For GC stuff I would buy a SINGLE QSC HPR122i and a small mixer with built-in reverb.

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You probably only need smaller sized 15" or 12" powered speakers for this kind of music. A lot will depend on what your local store has in stock. I'd lean towards models that will be easy for her to setup herself. The Mackie/Tapco Thump TH15A has good sound for a very light weight, and it works well as a floor monitor or PA on a stick, with a nice EQ built-in and good overload protection. The Behringer B212A is also a good option, but quite a bit heavier for the pair. The Peavey PR12P or PR12D could work too, but don't work quite as well for monitors, yet still good for a light weight PA. The B215A or PR15P/D are big and bulky 15" model vs. the 12" models, and the 12" are better suited for guitar and vocals. The Thump 15 is a bit unusual because it's more comparable in size and weight to the 12" models.


ZZounds.com is running a special for the Thump TH15A with free speaker stand for $259.95, which you can use as a price match with Guitar Center if they have it in stock. That could save quite a bit of money.

 

 

 

I agree, I should have suggested the b212a's. A pair of those and the mixer in the link below would be a killer little system within your price range and for your application. BTW, I do have a set of the B212a's and they really do sound quite good.

 

:facepalm: I never thought I'd be advocating for behringer

 

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha-MG102C-10-Channel-Stereo-Mixer-104227327-i1172628.gc

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Yeah, but wouldn't you want a speaker at each end of the stage?

 

 

One thing that I've learned through the years was "if you can't get a pair of high-quality speakers it's better to get one instead of a pair of OK speakers." You can get a second HPR down the road and have an amazing yet portable system.

 

I've played acoustic guitar with a friend singing several times using ONE EON15 G2 and we sound great every time.

 

The system you described in the OP will work too...

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Yeah, but wouldn't you want a speaker at each end of the stage? I'm sure there is some trade off going from a mid range to a higher end speaker, but is it worth the loss of sound stage?

 

 

Quite frankly no. A great quality speaker will sound better to the entire audience than two ok speakers on either side. In addition, if she is in the center of the stage without a proper vocal wedge then you probably want that main speaker reasonably close to her (maybe in line with her above her head) so that she can hear herself.

 

There are some that advocate never using more than a single point source for a performance, I'm not one of them but I can see where they are coming from as it has less chance of cancellations and nodes (this is the opinion of my future father-in-law who is ex television sound - but from the pre-stereo days).

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Sorry in advance if that sounds like spam:

 

You may want to look at the Bose L1 compact. http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/speakers/portable_amplification_systems/l1_compact/index.jsp

 

It is optimized for this type of application and your daughter will easily be able to carry, setup and operate it on her own. Maybe you can rent it for a gig and check how it works.

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Sorry in advance if that sounds like spam:


You may want to look at the Bose L1 compact.


It is optimized for this type of application and your daughter will easily be able to carry, setup and operate it on her own. Maybe you can rent it for a gig and check how it works.

 

 

That's what I was going to suggest.

 

-Dan.

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Consider the Yamaha MSR400 12" powered speaker.

 

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha-MSR400-Powered-Speaker-Cabinet-103055497-i1152963.gc

 

Not as good as the QSC, but still very good. It's also less expensive ($579.99) Couple this with a small mixer, use her current amp as a monitor, and you have a nice little PA for VFW Halls, etc. You can always add a second Yamaha MSR400 later to complete the system.

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Sorry in advance if that sounds like spam:


You may want to look at the Bose L1 compact.


It is optimized for this type of application and your daughter will easily be able to carry, setup and operate it on her own. Maybe you can rent it for a gig and check how it works.

 

 

The L1 sounds good, but it seems like it's pretty limited on inputs. From what I can tell, if you want to add more vocalists/musicians, you pretty much have to spring for another L1. I don't think that's the direction we want to go.

 

If they have one in the store, I'll take a very close look though.

 

A couple of you have been advocating the powered speakers in conjunction with a mixer. Is there any particular advantage to doing it that way, other than power matching?

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Consider the Yamaha MSR400 12" powered speaker.




Not as good as the QSC, but still very good. It's also less expensive ($579.99) Couple this with a small mixer, use her current amp as a monitor, and you have a nice little PA for VFW Halls, etc. You can always add a second Yamaha MSR400 later to complete the system.

 

 

Or a pair of the Wharfedale Titan 12" powered speakers with a small mixer board. ($398 if you add it to cart).

 

http://www.frontendaudio.com/Wharfedale_Titan_12_Speaker_System_p/9999-01717.htm

 

http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMMG124CX

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Or a pair of the Wharfedale Titan 12" powered speakers with a small mixer board. ($398 if you add it to cart).




 

 

They do carry Wharfedale at the other shop I'll be visiting today. I'll see if they have those in stock. How would Wharfedale compare in general to Peavey or Yamaha?

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A couple of you have been advocating the powered speakers in conjunction with a mixer. Is there any particular advantage to doing it that way, other than power matching?

 

 

 

the advantage to the powered speakers in your case is that the speakers will have all processing built in. limiters, high pass filters etc. this will make them much more reliable.

 

a lot of them also have basic mixers built in. i know of a few that will allow two simultaneous inputs which would allow her to just grab one and go for smaller situations where she just needs say her guitar and vocal in a small place.

 

also in the event that you need to add more speakers you don't have to worry about figuring out how to add another power amp and such.

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I just found the following on Craigslist. I'm waiting on a reply, and hopefully some pictures, but this sounds like a good deal that would get the job done.

 

2 Tapco Thump self-powered speakers, 2 speaker poles with case, Behringer 1832FX mixer - $600.

 

The add says they've only been used 10 times, so I'm hoping that means they are in great condition.

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