Choosing a P.A. system

[acousticsolo]

New member. Ive been playing guitar for about 45 years. Recently chose to get more involved and start playing out again. Solo acoustic & vocal, NO MORE BANDS! I've been out of touch with whats available today. Can anyone recommend a good P.A.? Carvin seems to offer a nice complete package in the $850.00 - $1,000.00 range.

[Square]

For solo acoustic work that is light, cheap and small (and sounds good) I would suggest that you put the EV (Electrovoice) ZX1 speakers on your list of items to audition. They are under $300 each, sound good and weigh 18 pounds. They also work as a stage monitor.

[acousticsolo]

Thanks (so far).. I know Peavy but excuse my ignorance, what are the pr series cabinets?

[DaBender]

Want something very easy to transport? Check out the new Fender Passport 500. Seriously.

[guitarharv52]

The PR series are a line of Peavey speakers that cost less than the SP line.Mr.Owl gave you the three most commonly recommended systems in that price range.They are all good so just see if any of them fit your needs.Good Luck!

[mrspeed]

 

you're going to get 3 answers, so i'll jump on it yamaha clubs and a powered head. yorkville powered cabs and a small mixer peavey powered mixer and some pr series cabinets.

 

 

Which model Yorkville powered speakers ? 12" or 15 " ?

[Singin' Dave]

Solo acoustic and vocal in your price range = 12", IMO. The smaller cone will help you be a bit clearer in those frequencies in a lesser cost box.

[flanc]

A pair of these Samson DB500a's or Yorkville YX15p's:

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/337159.html

http://www.musiciansbuy.com/Yorkville-YX15P-300-Watts-Powered-Full-Range-Loudspeaker-YX15P.html

 

And a small mixer with effects like this:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMMG82CX

[jsuller]

I'd consider Yamaha stage pas 300 or 500 (depending on the power you need) + a rolling case. I'm considering these equipments as well.

 

http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/products/mixers/stagepas300/index.html

[madt0wn]

I second the Yamaha Stage Pas recommendation (for what little I know of your situation). For under $1k, they work really well. I personally prefer them over the Fender Passports quite a bit, a nice turn-key system ready to go. But you know what they say, "Opinions are like arse-holes..."

[fingerpicker]

Here is my .02Cents:

 

Peavey xr8600 powered mixer. (Im switching to one of these for my solo acts)

 

a pair of EV sx300 speakers. They are out of your price range new, but a used pair will run you about $600. I use the Ev's and the matching subs and it may be overkill for some solo gigs but I get people dancing with the extra thump, which is not an easy task if you are solo with no backing tracks.

 

That setup is a little above your range but only by about $200, And those EV's are so much better than the Peavey PR speakers.

[acousticsolo]

 

Here is my .02Cents: Peavey xr8600 powered mixer. (Im switching to one of these for my solo acts) a pair of EV sx300 speakers. They are out of your price range new, but a used pair will run you about $600. I use the Ev's and the matching subs and it may be overkill for some solo gigs but I get people dancing with the extra thump, which is not an easy task if you are solo with no backing tracks. That setup is a little above your range but only by about $200, And those EV's are so much better than the Peavey PR speakers.

 

 

Thanks "fingerpicker" I was actually considering the Peavey & the EV's. I'm still a little surprised that no one responded about my Carvin choice! The specs looked good.

[flanc]

 

Thanks "fingerpicker" I was actually considering the Peavey & the EV's. I'm still a little surprised that no one responded about my Carvin choice! The specs looked good.

 

 

I've never used any Carvin PA gear. I've heard a few guys here who are steadfast supporters of a few pieces (mixer, instruments, power amp) but the general consensus of this collective group (from my unscientific reading of this forum over a few years) is luke warm at best.

 

Those EV's with the Peavey amp will be fine for you; I have the Zx1's and they are amazing for an eight inch speaker! Powered amps don't scale very well but are a nice tool with good resale value and practice room application if you decide to grow you're act to a full band.

[congaron]

If you are playing small coffee house-like gigs, a powered speaker and small mixer, or even a good keyboard amp with a four channel mixer onboard will do surprizing duty at home and at the gig to get you started if budget prohibits anything larger. With a pedal it becomes an electric guitar amp, since it's a little pa system. It can also make a repectable bass amp..again for coffee house sized venues. Another use we've found for mine is as a drum monitor on larger stages. We are planning an upcoming acoustic set with two guitars, mandolin, and conga using a previously proven setup like this. This and the powered speaker option come in well under your budget. Incidentally, I have experienced a good amount of carvin gear. It will do what you're looking to do as well. I have a good friend who plays in a very busy bluegrass band in Western New york. They are very impressed with carvin for acoustic music. I have also been extremely impressed with a band around here who endorses Carvin, although their setup is well beyond what you've asked about...some acoustic, some electric on that system...all crystal clear and very loud up front.

 

God bless!

 

-Ron

[Craig Vecchione]

For acoustic solo work, I can't think of any system better suited than the BOSE PAS. It'll bust your budget at $1,600, but it does double duty as FOH and monitors. It seems to be purpose-built for small-venue acts.

 

Check them out at Guitar Center.

[acousticsolo]

All good info! Thanks. The local acts in my area (solo or duet) seem to go with a powered mixer and 12" speakers. Brands are assorted. I hope to be playing again by mid to late summer, still building up a song library.

[fingerpicker]

Yeah I had the BOSE PAS and used it on 4 gigs.Back to guitar center it went.

Also its $1600 without the sub.

My current setup sounds so much better than the BOSE and for solo acts you can postion your speakers in such a way (towards you)that you dont need montiors.

[MDLMUSIC]

My PA, which I use for everything from small solo gigs to 5-piece rock and roll gigs at outdoor festivals, consists of a Yamaha 6-channel 2X300 watts powered mixer and 2 Peavey PR12's on stands. If I need more speakerage (is that even a word?), I add 2 more 12" speaker cabs.

 

This setup has served me pretty well for the last 5 years. I have contemplated adding a sub, but whenever I think of having to squeeze one more piece of gear into my Kia, I quickly talk myself out of it.

[Erik-RMCAudio]

I'd recommend a small Yamaha MG Mixer and 2 or 3 Kempton by FBT GT12A's. The GT12A is a new powered speaker in the low price range that actually sounds pretty good.

[Cortfan]

Our band has used the Bose PAS with 2 subs per stick for 4 years with much success. They are about $2500 for 1 stick and 2 subs. Not cheap. Overall, with transportation, ease and speed of setup/takedown, sound quality, etc. we will stick with them for smaller venues rather than haul 1 of our conventional P.A.'s out of the trailer. YMMV. And we paid full price for them, they are not furnished to our band.

[Rick6]

I had the Stagepas 300 for a while. To my possibly non-critical ears, it sounded very good. It also breaks down into 2 pieces, each of which weighs, if memory serves, under 20 lbs. It didn't come with hardware for pole mounting, but they offer it as an extra.

 

The deal breaker, though, was the limitations of the mixer. It's 2 band EQ and no pan control. In my rather strange application, which I won't go into, I needed the pan control to operate on mic inputs, not just line inputs. So it didn't work.

 

It would double, I think, as a home stereo. CDs played through it sounded great.

[aw_dee_o]

While i think that most Bose products are WAY over-priced, under-built pieces of junk, their older 802's should work wonderfully for what you want to do. I used to work with a large vocal band ( 3 male & 3 female vocalists, trumpet, sax, flute, clarinet, guitar, bass, keyboard, drums ) that used an array of the 802's and several Bose subwoofers. Vocal clarity and overall "dynamic punch" was great. Having said that, this type of set-up wouldn't work for a metal / hard rock band, as it simply can't sustain the spl's required.

 

If you mated those with something along the lines of a Peavey XR-8600, you would have a very portable package with great midrange clarity. Since most acoustic work is all midrange, and so are vocals, i know that the 802's will sound FAR more natural than any 15" or 12" and a horn combo. This is not to mention that the 802's are probably much smaller physically, making them more easy to transport. They are so small that you could easily place them on top of a nearby table with no fear of the table wobbling or falling over i.e. they have a low center of gravity.

 

For microphones, check these out. You won't find a better deal on the market.

 

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=248-626

 

Don't forget, you're also going to need at least one mic stand and a couple of mic cords. The EWI products that are commonly recommended here seem to be a good buy and are well constructed. Mic stands can be new or used, depending on your needs and budget.

 

If you don't mind hitting Ebay, Craigslist, your local used instrument store, etc... you might be able to do this for WAY under your budget. It always amazes me at how much money people spend on their rigs and how little they actually get. Sean

 

[fingerpicker]

Bose strongly recommends you buy the controller for the use with the 802's. I have heard them (with the controller thing) and they do sound good.. But we are talking quite a bit of money. Also they are not much smaller than the EVs. Shoot the EVs are only like 35pounds! Plus you will want subs for sure with the 802's

I am able to move all my gear in one load with a cart if I use one sub,less the guitar, so tranport should not be an issue if you invest in a good cart to haul your stuff.

[aw_dee_o]

That's a good point about using the "controller" with the 802's, which is nothing more than an active equalizer. It comes with a specific curve designed for use with these speakers, which has been ( supposedly ) optimized by Bose. Having said that, one can achieve pretty good results without the controller IF they know how to use an active EQ, which most decent powered mixers have.

 

Since the person that started this thread is strictly vocals and acoustics, the lack of output below 100 Hz from the little Bose probably wouldn't be a problem. If properly placed, the natural acoustics of the room should help maintain a reasonably balanced tonality.

 

In my experience, most smaller PA's without a dedicated sound man typically sound "cleaner" without a sub. They are a helluva lot easier to get "right" without the added clutter and confusion of trying to properly place, adjust and operate a sub. I'm not saying that subs don't have their place, but for a one man band playing acoustic based instruments, there really isn't as much of a need.

 

Other than that, i was talking about picking up a used pair of the 802's, hence my recommendation of Ebay, Craigslist, etc... As previously mentioned, i do realize that Bose products are WAY overpriced, hence my recommendation to buy used. I would NEVER recommend ANY Bose product at or anywhere near retail levels, as most of them are phenomenally cheaply built using very low grade parts. Their older designs i.e. a used set of 802's would at least have "some" form of design & build integrity behind them.

 

I'm not familiar with the EV's, so i can't say how i think that they would compare. If i get some time, i'll have to look into them. I'm sure that your experience with them is quite valid.

 

Your recommendation to pick up a good cart to haul all of the gear was also a good point. When just starting out with limited funds, one typically has to rely on back and muscle power until funds from gigging start to support the habit. Until one could afford a cart, this is just another reason to avoid using a sub. The less you've got to carry and set up, the more energy you'll have to do a good set. Sean

 

[Gary in NJ]

What ever you do, buy equipment that will grow with you. If you look at the room you will be playing and determine that 100 watts will be adequate, then buy a system with 300 watts.

 

Don't discount the importance of a monitor. Relying on the bounce-back from the back wall will mess with your timing. If you place your speakers behind you hoping to use them as a FOH/Monitor system, you'll be inviting feedback.

 

With the above in mind, I would suggest a Peavey XR8300 powered mixer and a pair of Peavey PR12 speakers (one for FOH and one for a monitor). If (hopefully when) you play in bigger rooms or crowds bigger than the friends you brought with you, you can add additional speaker(s). I'd also buy a stand for each FOH speaker, an extra mic and some spare cables. WIth all of this you will still be below your $1,000 budget, and you'll have a system that will grow with you.