What I Run, Why I Run It, and What I Think of It

[boomerweps]

Bugzie,

While the RMX2450 are great workhorses, you really ought to look at replacing them with PLXs, new OR used. Your back will thank you. Especially if you can use the 13# 1804 or 1104 in the mix. I'm 53 and switched to all PLX a few years back and am really glad I did.

Rotomolded SKBs? I think they can handle abuse a little better and absorb impact shock a little better (for them and the gear) compared to the hard plastic standard SKB BUT lack of rear rails keeps me away from those. I need my I/O panels and put them on the backside. That and the little rear window thing, don't like that.

With your CURRENT system, other the the power pop, unless you are going to add in a laptop computer, it seems you really don't need the DR260, IMHO.

Renting out the snake is a sweet deal. Do you have a "you damage it, you pay for the fix" clause for the rentals?

Boomerweps

[Nxt Lvl]

My system started out before I was even in a band, doing some audio stuff at conferences and church picnics. I now play lead guitar and vocals in a Christian rock band, and am getting over the learning curve of live audio, but still have a way to go. Our band has acoustic and electric guitars, keys, flute, violin, bass, mandolin and 4 or 5 vocalists, as well as persussion (electric drums and bongos).

Mixers and FX:

Yamaha MG16FX - the Aux sends died, so it now is used to sub-mix vocals
Behringer 2442FXPro - I know Behringer has a bad rep, but it was cheap when we needed to replace the Yamaha, and so far it is working fine. We send the Yamaha sub-mixer into a stereo channel on the Behringer, and all the instruments are sent to the Behringer mixer channels.

Samson compressor/limiter/gate
BBE sonic maximizer. I have one for my guitar amp, and it did wonders to clarify my tone. I only use it on my own vocals, and it makes my voice stand out a little better and less "muddy".
QSC amp for monitors. I forgot the model, about 5 years old but it is a great amp.
Behringer rack mount power supply.

FOH - Peavey PR 15 active. Also cheap and not best sound quality, but workhorses and take a lot of abuse bouncing around in my van. This is our next upgrade when $$ comes in, and also where I will be seeking advice for FOH speaker choices. I want to stay with active cabs.

Monitors - Mackie C200's. They are compact and can alse be used as FOH speakers for small gigs where we don't need monitors. They are powered by the QSC amps with 30 and 50' speakon cables. We also have a Behringer headphone mixer that we sometimes send monitor signals to for in-ear monitoring or headphones.

Mics - SM 57's, SM58's and Sennheisers in the same price range.

50-foot Horizon snake.

Here is our instruments and amps:
Fender American Deluxe Strat
Schecter Diamond series with humbuckers
Fender Deville 4x10 tube amp (mic'd with SM-57)
Peavey 3-channel acoustic amp
Art & Lutherie acoustic/electric
Takamine acoustic/electric
Jose Ramirez classical/electric
Ibanez bass
Epiphone acoustic/electric mandolin
Yamaha silent electric violin
Yamaha S08 88-key synthesizer
Roland e-dums
Alesis e-drums

[partywithbill]

Originally Posted by DaBender

I'm a 50 year old computer programmer who has been gigging for most of the last 15 years or so. I have a blues band consisting of two guitarist/vocalists, harmonica, bass & drums. Typical gigs are playing to 100 people or less, though we occasionally play a festival with sound provided by a "real" sound company (or a reasonable fascimile thereof). The only thing we run through the PA is vocals and a mic on the harmonica amp, so I'm much lighter on equipment than all the posts so far. I have an EV 457 and a 457a for the vocals, and I used to mic the harp amp with a Shure SM57 but recently started using a Sennheiser E609 that I use on my Pro Jr. for another gig. I have a Soundtech Megamix powered mixer that supposedly puts out a bit over 400 watts at 4 ohms, and a Soundtech PL602M monitor amp with 9 band eq that puts out slightly more. The mains are Yamaha Club IV 112s and the monitors are PV TLM 112s.

PROS: Not much money invested, easy to setup and breakdown, and people tell us we sound "awesome".

CONS: - I can hear a bit of harshness when we have to push and would love to upgrade speakers sometime, but I would prefer not to have any items heavier than 45 lbs, which is the case with my current gear. I also am intrigued by the thought of a powered sub and micing the bass drum, but we seem to get plenty of dancers with the current setup.

I recently took a live sound engineering class at a local community college, and met a great sound guy(instructor) that has been doing live sound for over twenty years. I ended up buying a pair of Wharfedale Titans(British) that are 12 inch with a horn from him. They retail for about $250 each. These are awesome speakers in a plastic enclosure and they only weigh 26 lbs. I also have a pair of JBL MPRO 415's (45 lbs) That I would highly reccomend. I don't really like the sound of subs, so I use Peavy Black Widow 18 inch full range speakers in some aftermarket boxes (Subzero). They have a more natural sound and plenty of punch. The raw speakers are only about $150 each and they have replaceable baskets if you ever blow one (you won't). This sound guy won't use any other mic than Audix, wich is local to our area. He is also very fond of British Soundboards Allen & Heath or Soundcraft.

[agedhorse]

Hey Bill... note that the Wharfdale, A&H and most Soundcraft stuff isn't British. They are made in China.

[opelgt73]

ABOUT ME: I am a 28 years old, been playing in live bands for 14 years now. I am a gear junkie and started into Live sound reinforcement when I was in college. Over the years I have continually upgraded my system to what you see below. I had to move temporarially for my job and don't have a band at the moment. In the mean time I have been upgrading my system. When I have a complete system again I will most likely do sound for some other bands.

Board: Currently an A&H mix wiz. I would really like more channels but I can't decide on a board. I'm not inclined to go digital, but I don't know if I could give up having the board pre-wired like I do with the Mix Wiz.

AMPS: Two Racks. FOH is 1 x Crown K2 for subs, 1 x Crown K1 for mids and 1 x Crown K1 for highs, two Meyer M1A's and two Meyer B-2's . Monitor Rack is 4 x QSC PLX1602 and 4 x Meyer M1's. I just recently purchased the last of these amps and am currently wiring the two racks.

PROCESSING: Other than the Meyer processors I have a Klark Teknik DN7103 for FOH delay. I have a Klark Teknik SQ1G on FOH, and two SQ1G's for the monitors. A SQ1D for gates and comps. I also sometimes run an Alesis D4 for a triggered Kick. I am still in need of a good verb/chorus for the vox chanels.

SPEAKERS:

Mid/Hi cabs:
4 x Meyer UPA-1C's

Subs:
2 x Meyer 650-R2's for larger gigs.
2 x Meyer USW's for smaller gigs.

Monitors:
6 x Meyer UM1C's

MICS:

KSM9 - 1
SM87 - 2
SM57 - 3
SM58 - 2

Still need to get a good set of drum mic's

Transport:

7x14 tandem axle box trailer. GMC full size 1 ton Diesel van.

SUMMARY: I am currently wiring up the amp racks and acquiring additional gear. Next I will be turning to power distribution and lighting.

[KF650SB1000]

I am the owner of a

[dcastar]

ABOUT ME : 26 years old... IT Project Management & Support. And on the side, run my own General Business band in New England

ABOUT MY BAND: We're based out of Boston. Our crowds are usually under 500 people as they are usually Weddings, Corporate Parties & Bars. We just moved completely to a powered speaker setup and are reaping the benefits of a ton of less cabling hassle!

BOARD:
Allen & Heath 16ch MixWiz3

AMPS:
None - All Powered Speakers & Monitors!!!

CABLING:
Rapco 16 Channel Snake... All other cables longer than 6' are Monster Cables. 6' and shorter are from eBay - SeismicAudio (they work great and are cheap!)

PROCESSING:
(1) DBX Driverack PX
(2) DBX 166XL - 1 = Kick/Snare 2 = Vox1/Vox2
(1) Aphex 204 Aural Exciter and Optical Big Bottom - (pre-Driverack)

SPEAKERS:
TOPS:
For shows of over 100 people:
(2) QSC HPR153i's. -- these things are incredible!
For shows of under 100 people:
(2) QSC HPR122i's -- love 'em!

SUBS:
(2) QSC HPR181i's -- Amazing, just like the tops.
(2) Mackie SWA1501's -- Backups.

MONITORS:
(3) Mackie SRM350s
(2) Shure PSM200 in-ear units.


MICS:
(1) Shure SLX Series Wireless w/ Beta 87C
(1) Audio Technical 7000 Series Wireless -- not sure on the mic model
(1) Shure Beta 91 - mounted inside my kick drum
(1) Sennheiser e602 - yes, i double mic my kick!
(1) Audix I5
(4) Sennheiser e604
(2) Shure SM58
(2) Shure Beta 98

LIGHTING:
(2) Elation LED OPTI RGB's
(4) American DJ LED Punch Pro's

[deMille]

Age: 57
Been playing over 40 years, it's therapy for myself. Did a rock group, acoustic groups, duos, trios, solo. Now solo acoustic/vocals. Years ago it was full time but raising family, etc. needed something more steady. Now imaging/audio tech for law enforcement but doing a solo again on a regular basis after backing off for too long and the wrong reasons. I'm a hacker but venues pay me to play music.

I have used lots of different stuff through the years. Recently cut back my sound system from some old Peavey 112's (much too heavy at my age) with a Mackie 1202 VLZ mixer on a QSC 1450 amp and now use 2 - Mackie 450's with same mixer. I have 2 - 350 Mackies that I use in small places or as a monitor at larger venues. Also use a Bose L1 model 1, depending on the house. They all work well but I decide which works best in each environment.

Audix OM5 mic, EMG acoustic pickup on Simon and Patrick guitar (sometimes an SM58 for the guitar also), Yamaha Magicstomp pedal, Digitech Vocalist 2 for harmony and vocal processing.

I hope this thread was not intended only for bands!

[Just Mike]

I do sound for {censored}ty local bands in {censored}ty local bars. I run an A&H MixWiz 16:2DX into a pair of Mackie SRM-450's with the SWA-1501 Subs.
They sound perfect.

[Shaster]

I've been at this for several decades now, mostly club gigs, and mostly as the guitar player with the PA. I have done and still do, a few sound only gigs, but if I'm running my PA it's usually from stage. Although many of the places I play have in house systems and techs (Casinos, some clubs...) I still get to use my band rig 30+ days a year - that doesn't include solo to trio gigs.FOHYorkville U15 x 3 (a rarely used center fill for the dance floor)Yorkville Elite E210 x 2, for smaller or speech oriented gigsYorkville M160 x 2 for house parties, backyard gigs.MONITORSYorkville NX350 x 4, work fine as monitors and even mains on small gigsYorkville E160P x 2YX10P x 1Yorkville NX 84 x 2 for monitors or mains on really small gigsYorkville LS608 x 1 (kept one just in case, but might still sell it)Yorkville 720P x 2MIXERSAllen & Heath Mix Wiz3 16:2Yorkville PM16 - 16 channels, four power ampsYorkville S8 - old eight ch. powered workhorse
Yorkville M8 - solo gigsPOWER AMP - only one left, an old Yorkville AP1200. I rent if I need more.PROCESSING/EQ'SYorkville U15 processor, used as a crossover when aux feeding subsDriverack PX Alto dual 15DBX 166 compressorSPX 90IIAkai reverb - old as the hillsMICSI have about 25 live mics including the usual SM58's, SM57's and e840/835's. A couple of AT4041's and a couple of C1000s condensers and so on. Nothing really off the beaten path.In various configurations, these components work well for my needsSmall edit April 2014

Edited March 20, 2014 by Shaster

[maztervaliente]

in short...

8 SRX728S
8 SRX725
4 I-T9000 for subs
4 XTi-4000 for tops
2 Driverack PA one per side
1 Mackie TT24 mixer
6 MRX monitors
3 XTi-2000 amps for monitors
10 Shure SM58
10 Shure SM57
AT-7 drum kit
4-Mech 6 575 wash
6-Imove 575 Spots
1 - Daslight DMX controller
2- LED 64 wash panels
1- Pearl Vision drum set
6- SKB racks
and a {censored} load of cables!

[DLAudio]

I own and Operate Pearl Pro Audio and were a regional sound co doing Fairs, Fests and Corporate work, Im 51 years old and I have been in the Biz as either a Lampy or Humhead for most of my life, Ive had the great joy to have a decent career and travel and meet many great folks.

I use the Peavey Versarray 112 Systems, I have a 10 Hang system with 10 VR 112s on each side using the Vermette Lifts or Genie Lifts when we do a roof,
I have 8 VR 218 Sub cabs
I use a pair of VSX 26 DSP Processors and run the system in Stereo, using the Peavey CS 4080 For subs, CS 4000 For 12" Mids, and the CS 3000 For Ribbon Highs.

Its a nice clean system and is capabale of many different uses, I can break it down to a ground stacked 3 cabs per side on One Sub, Or any combination of the tops Minimum of 3 per side, Its light, has decent rigging although the Pins are a bit damage prone, its compact and travels well.

I use a Crest Audio HPW 44 thats been converted from the CHURCH console it started out to be, removed the Automix channels and installed 8 MONO channel strips and so its 40 Channels plus 4 Stereo channels, I use the External power suppy, Again its a decent console and has 10 Auxes, It also has several auxilary outputs which are great for the Board recording, it has Mic Inputs that can be fed to the In Ear monitors for Audience Mics, Built in Limiters on these channels, 128 Mute groups, you can do FOH/MON from the same console and that works good for Corporate stuff. I build cases and its housed in a ATA style case made of ABS and Birch with 6 wheels, Doghouse and removeable caster plate.

For effects I use:
Furmann PM-PRO2 series Power Conditioner
4 DBX 166 Comp/Limiters
2 DBX 266 Comp/Gates
2 DBX 1074 Quad gates
2 Dual QF 131 Peavey EQs
TC Electronic M-One X 2
TC Electronic D-2
Yamaha REV 500
VSX 26 DSP X 2
Custom Built rack ATA with Lift Off lids

Snakes are Custom Built 48 Channel with 150' Main and 50' Mon split, its an active snake with Jensen 3 way Splits and ground lifts on every channel, 16 channel drive snake attached also 20 Amp AC 12-3 Power, Custom Built rolling case with Lift off lids, Slanted rack panel.

Monitor System is Peavey 2410M with Peavey QW Series monitors both Left and Right versions, I use Peavey QF 131EQs on all Monitor sends, mixes are passive and powered with CS 3000 power amps on all 8 channels. I also have 4 channels of the MIPRO 808 Series In Ear monitor systems and One set of Galaxy AS 1000 In Ear monitors with 4 Single channel packs. This also has the Furmann Pro 2 series power conditioners.

Microphones,
Peavey 520 I
Peavey PVM 22
Audix D2, D4, OM 5
Heil PR 22
Heil PR 35
Heil PR 30
Heil PR 40
Superlux HO8/HO10
Shure Beta 91
Shure Beta 52
Shure SM -81
Shure BG -81
Shure SM-57
MIPRO 707 Series ACT 100 Channel Wireless Condenser
Peavey Pro Comm U 1002 Condenser

I have a custom Built 400 Amp Power distro thats Single Phase and can aslo power an additional sub distro of 100 Amps via 6/4 across stage, Distro has Amp/Volt and Indicator lamps on all Hot legs, uses 4/0 feeder via Camlocs. This is installed in our custom rack and has Pullout Lids, we built the distro from Square D and Leviton Parts and it includes Ground Fault protection for all stage gear. All Power is via 12-3 Custom canles we build and sell.
This distro does PA and Lighting and often Video with no problem.

Its all working gear and has been in use a couple years and does the job, its not the fanciest but does the work and satisfys customers, we earn a living from it each year.

[Spacehog26]

I'm 31, trainee music teacher (or will be come September - currently working in IT support). Play in 3 different bands, each with their own set of equipment and its own set of problems But it's my rig (that I use with the band Voyager Project, as well as for various church / worship events etc) that I'm detailing here.

Mixer is a Mackie Onyx 1640, which I also use for recording (it's got the Firewire interface built in). Outboard is lacking at the moment - will be invested in once I pay off a couple of things in my guitar rig.

I use Peavey Messenger Pro 15 tops and Pro Sub subs, driving the tops with a Samson SX1200 power amp (puts out 450wpc @ 4ohms) and the subs with an old C-Audio GB602 (600wpc @ 4ohms). Crossover is a Samson unit, the S-3 way. Considering replacing the GB602 as it's a bit too heavy for my tastes!

Mics are mostly Shure, Beta 57A and SM58 for vocals, SM57 for snare and toms, Beta 52A for kick. SE Electronics SE1As for overheads (or sometimes Rode NT1As depending on the gig), Sennheiser E606s on guitar cabs. Bass is DI'd via a Hartke Bass Attack, and keyboards via a Palmer stereo passive DI. All mic cables are Van Damme cable with Neutrik connectors.

I've also got a small LED PAR36 and PAR56 based lighting rig (that will be expanding with more funds) that's my current learning-curve project (never really done anything with lights before).

[Markwirez]

Seems to be the Trend that IT folks end up here. I am SystemsNetwork Engineer by College Training/degree, Broadcast engineer by Tech School.

I run a Mid-sized Sound/Event Production Company out of Seattle, Washington and mainly handle larger "small" Shows (500-1000 People) but our "A" system is designed to handle 5000+ People outdoors.

I run 3 main systems. All of them are 4 way systems and 2 of them Use BSS Omni-Drives for system controllers.


System C is our newest project and its our First dive in to the active setup. It used as a rental for smaller functions such as DJ events and small gigs.

4 HPR153i's and 4 HPR18i's.
This system is usually run in a 4x4 setup but if its a small enough Venue they can run 2x2 or sometimes even just 2 HPR153i's if its a speech setup. When I was first testing these guys out i was comparing them to the powered MPX535 and its single 18 brother. I liked the these Actives better because of how they Mesh together better than the MPX's. Less "cut" and a more even sound to them in my ears. This is teamed with either a small dedicated DJ board or mackie 32x8 with meter bridge. I have seen these boards fall out of Semi's and still work afterwards, plus I like the flat console feel. Runs off of a 24x8 100' Snake with 2 IEM and 2 Wedge Mixes.



System #B is a Carvin 4x TRxN153 with 4x TRxN218's.

This is system driven by Carvin Amps and and a recent addition of 2 Omni Drives for Stereo (really Zoned Dual Mono) 4 way operation.

Power is handled by Carvins DCM Amp series. Newest edition is new L series Amp. Lightweight and LOTS of power.
Looking to try and get an XD-88 System controller to see if its any good.
7 Amps total.

This system shares either the Mackie 32x8 or a Crest V12 Console if not in use with the "A" Setup.


Our Largest system (System A) is a based of of TCS Audio and can run as much as 46k per side (90,000w totatl) with a full stack of 8 TCS2800 2x18 Subs and 16 TCS2500 3 way Cabinets (2x15/2x8/2inch horn).
System also applies the TCS1500 for short throw/side fill configurations. (tri-amped)

Max SPL on 2500/2800 is around 136 per Cabinet although I have never had to push them that Hard.

Amps run over 4 12u boxes per side. Luckily the system design allows the stacks to broken down in to either 2, 4 or 8 mains Per side. Subs can be run either 1,2, or 4 per side depending on requirement.


Monitors are driven by the 32x8 if a dedicated monitor board is needed. Setup for this system usually takes about 4-6 hours with 4 people.

[The Real MC]

I'm a systems engineer by day and rock-n-roll rebel by night, although my gigging hobby is on hold due to career/life issues.

I'm a keyboard player & bass guitarist who got tired of working with bands using mediocre PA and no incentive to invest in better equipment, so I started making my own investments. I had been recording at home for years and had done FOH work as favors so I already knew my way around pro audio gear.

All I'm lacking is a monitor system. I'm sitting on the fence trying to decide between IEMs or old fashioned monitors. I'm also lacking a means to cart this around, due to having sold my truck during the divorce. I'm thinking about focusing on FOH work over playing keys/bass in a band as I really enjoy the challenge and can get great results. My FOH system is almost complete and it can accomodate anything from bars to dance halls (it's louder than I need it so I got headroom). I would like to experiment using it outdoors in my back yard.

Console: A&H GL2200-32 Very flexible board for the money, and built like a tank. 32+ channels is more than enough for most bands I work with, but anybody who has worked at festivals knows that those extra channels help a lot with multiple bands and minimum time between acts. I carry it in an Anvil flight case, only I neglected to order a doghouse not realizing the value of them at the time. It doubles as my recording board, good sounding mic preamps and very clean signal.

Console: A&H GL2200-12 Compact version of my 32 channel board for those small format gigs. Got it on ebay with a flight case with wheels. Doubles as monitor board for large contract jobs. I would've bought a Mixwiz but that would have meant a change in system wiring, and this came up on the 'bay at the perfect time.

Tops: JBL SF25 x2 (known today as JRX125). Very good cabinet for the money, very hot SPL levels and even dispersion. Some harsh upper mids that can be tamed with EQ.

Subs: EV S-181 x4 Full and punchy, great for bars and dance halls. Probably will need something beefier for outdoor jobs, I don't think they are adequate for long throw. I added a second pair as one set was not enough for outdoor gigs.

Amps: Carvin FET1000 Very good match for the JBLs and EVs, only the subs occasionally clip. That's why I doubt a single pair of EV subs would work for outdoor jobs.

Limiter: Drawmer DL441 After blowing my subs one too many times, I bought a limiter protection device. Not many choices for limiters out there. The Drawmer is ideal in that it is very transparent when limiting is not active, I cannot hear any difference in sound. When it is in limiting mode, it reacts fast to prevent damage. LEDs let you clearly see it doing its job, and you don't really hear it working unless you are driving it hard. It has a security cover on it to prevent unauthorized tweaking.

Processors:
Ashly GQX3102 graphic EQ - I shopped around and decided on these for FOH EQ. Mostly I use these for attenuating harsh peaks. I tried PVs, DBX, and others but these fit my needs the best.

JBL 5547A graphic EQ x4 - monitor EQs. 31 band with variable hicut and locut filters. Really good correction tool on honky monitors.

Loft 400 quad gate/limiter - for monitors. In the event I have IEMs in my monitor system this will be indispensible. They are also a good protection device to keep floor monitors from blowing. These were pro audio back in the 80s but hard to find these days. I got lucky and landed this one from a store for $40 with a "bad channel" but when I got it home there was nothing wrong with it!

Eventide 2016 digital reverb x2 - not cheap but I wanted a dedicated reverb box with knobs so I can tweak it live. One of the best FOH reverb boxes out there. Can dial up 99 programs. Bought a second one to use for drums.

Korg SDD-1200 stereo digital delay - used for stereo chorus & doubling. A relatively unknown box which can be found cheap and has excellent fidelity - and knobs for live tweaking. No program storage, but it is seldom tweaked anyway so not necessary.

Korg SDD-2000 digital delay - my dedicated echo box, another unknown gem. No knobs but has 64 programs so I can dial up any echo quickly. Also has tap delay so I can dial a delay time in sync with the beat.

Most people would ask why not use a multi-FX box. The answer is that a dedicated FX sounds much better than a multi-FX. I put the 2016 and 1200 on the stereo returns and the 2000 on a mono channel, whose EQ comes in handy for shaping the echo when I don't want full bandwidth echo.

JBL/UREI 7110 compressor x2 - very underrated compressor, sounds fantastic on just about anything. I love the variable control between peak and RMS detectors, this is a control not found on anything else except the UREI LA-xx line. One is dedicated to my bass preamp rack, the other is in my processing rack.

Urei LA-12 dual channel compressor x2 - used on vocals. Literally a dual channel version of the 7110 (the single channel LA-10 was original model 7110a, dual channel was 7112). The circuit between the 7110 and LA-xx are nearly identical. Took me a year to find two of them, they don't pop up for sale very often. For some reason vocals just come alive through these things and they sound so natural.

Urei LA-22 dual channel compressor x2 - used on drums or special processing. It is an LA-12 with the option of expansion and bandwidth control of processing - you can select the spectra you want to process. Expansion on selected spectra can be very effective, a different effect than EQ. These don't pop up for sale very often either, took me two years to find these.

Drawmer DL-231 dual channel dynamic processor - used on drums or special processing. It's a combination gate attenuator/RMS compressor/limiter and is designed to minimize interference from neighboring noise sources - effective on toms.

Drawmer DS-201 dual channel noise gate - the most effective gate ever built. Selection of frequency bandwidth lets you zero in on the trigger signal. Used on drums.

Tascam CR-RW901SL CD player - CD/mp3 player that does not skip from vibrations (important when running FOH). Also can record shows. The fact it plays mp3s is very convenient for break music.

EV crossover - used as a high fidelity highpass filter on vocal subgroup and on drum overhead mic.

Urei 525 crossover - best crossover for the $$$, configurable to stereo 2/3 way and mono 4/5 way. Recessed crossover points so curious hands can't change them. Push the crossover controls inward and you activate a spring-loaded switch which engages a test tone that is the same frequency of the crossover point - very handy for finding optimum points in your cabinets. Level controls pull out to mute that band for troubleshooting.

Moog Parametric EQ - still have yet to find a better problem solver than this box. Very good correction tool, and a colorful EQ if you want it for boost.

Moog 10-band Graphic EQ - 10 band may not sound like much but it's a good EQ and I use it on inserts for instruments that need more EQ than the four bands on the A&H console.

VestaFire RV-2 - surprisingly good sounding dual channel spring reverb, but needs converters for its -10dB I/O.

Mic stands - K&M formerly known as AKG stands.

Mics - Shure SM58 x2, SM57, AKG D321, Sennheiser e835 x3, Sennheiser 441, EV 408 x2, Audio Technica AT2020 and AT2021. Still building the mic collection, not done yet.

Anvil ATA racks with 350lb capacity wheels, Proco Stagemaster 28 channel 45m snake, custom made I/O patchbays and cabling, homemade XLR/patch cables (never found OTS cables that could hold up as good as the ones I make on the bench). And a cable spool for the XLR cables (a must for any FOH gig).

[skhoover]

OK - I work with a weekend wedding/party band. I play keys and keybass - it's mostly oldies/party music. Guitar, drummer, 2-4 horns, male and female singers - pretty typical stuff. Our system isn't all that typical, though.

Board - Yamaha EMX5000-20 - we only use the internal power amps when we need an additional monitor for extra horn players.

mains - Mackie SRM450 v1 and SRM1500 subs - 2 of each.

Monitors - We use an Aviom system. Singers are are on Shure wireless in-ears - everybody else is stationary, so we just plug into the Aviom box. This system has really changed everything for us. I no longer use any stage amps for keys or bass. The guitar player uses a little VOX amp and he's no louder than an acoustic horn player.

Mics - Shure Beta87 wireless for the vocalists - a mix of Shure and EV for everybody else - all pretty standard stuff.

System is owned by the band leader.

I also have my own system and will use it to supplement the stuff described above for big gigs or for my own occasional gigs.

Board - Yamaha EMX5000-12

Manis - QSC K12 tops (2) and KSubs (2)

Monitors - EV Force 12" (2) and CerwinVega 12" (2) these are powered by the internal amps in the Yamaha board.

Mics - Shure - AKG - ATM - Blue KickBall - pretty standard stuff.

any constructive comments are welcome.

[Mike M]

Originally Posted by Mike M

about me: 48, professional woodwind player / music teacher in my local school district. I still perform most weekends and have added live sound production to break the monotony. the rig that i use most often:
FOH:
4 yorkville e152B's (bi-amped)
2 yorkville tx9s subs
the above run as a 3 way system with a yorkville e152 processor
Monitors:
4 pairs of bose 402's with bose eq
Amps:
2 crown itech 6000's
2 crown xs4300's (four channel amps)
Mixer:
A&H Mixwiz 16 w/ effects
Gear:
2 DBX 2231 EQ's
sm58's, etc
audix D6
100' 16x4 snake
stands, wires, etc
I use this system for our town's local "concert on the beach series" during the summer months. I also use the system for a few indoor events and use 2 bose 502BP's instead of the tx9 subs. For most gigs I can fit everything in my ford expedition (with a platform attached to the trailor hitch) but for the outdoor gigs I need to make two trips to the venue or I rent a van and add the rental price to my fee. My rig works well for a one-man operation and does an adequate job at the beach too! The yorkville e152p crossover makes routing things a snap and the crown amps have been rock solid while not drawing much from the wall.
I have done a couple of large (7,000+ spectators) outdoor events. In those instances, I subcontract a local provider to supplement my gear.
Best, Mike M

First of all, add 2 years to my age...

I have updated my FOH cabs/rack:
- four Yorkville TX4 cabs
- four tx9s cabs (same as before)
- tx4p processor
- amps: 2x Crown Itech6000 (subs), 2x Crown XTI4000 (mids), 1 Crown xs4300 highs
- mixer/mons/amp/mon eq is the same..

At this point, I have the rig that I need for 90% of my sound gigs.. The processor has built-in speaker protection. The rig has excellent clarity and projection. I have run the foh from one 20amp circuit at moderate outdoor levels and did not trip a breaker....

Mike M

[Jerry007]

Now that my live rig is complete (for now), I figured it was time to post:

WHO:
I'm 37, and like almost everybody else here, I'm an IT guy by day. I've been a lead singer in serious and not-so-serious bands since I was 16 - everything from pop, grunge, classic rock, progressive rock. I started out playing keyboards, but switched to guitar about 10 years ago. I've been interested in song-writing/recording since I was a teen. My first "real" pieces of gear were a Shure 58 and a Tascam 4-track.

I finally built a decent personal recording studio around a Roland VS DAW some years ago, but soon after became more interested in performing live.

Currently, I'm in a 4-piece "rock" band (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards), and we do everything from the Beatles to Blink182 at local bars/clubs. We write/record/perform some of our own stuff, and it's good fun (the $$ we get doesn't totally suck, but I won't be quitting my day job).

I'm thrilled to have had the good fortune of finding and joining this forum when I decided it was time to buy my own PA.


WHAT:
FOH Speakers:
(2) JBL 512M powered speakers
(2) JBL 518S powered subwoofers

FOH Mixer/Rack:
Allen & Heath MixWiz 16:3
Misc. EQs, compressors, outboard gear - nothing fancy
16/4 100' Snake
10 space mixer rack

MONITORS:
(2) Cheap 12" wedges from Loudspeakersplus
(1) generic 15" drum monitor
(1) Crown CE2000

MICS:
Shure 58s
Shure Beta 58s
Shure 57s
And a bunch of other misc. mics, condensers, etc

OTHER:
Mics stands, drum mic clips, extension cords, power strips, cables, power cables, more cables, spare cables, old cables, recording gear, software, plug-ins, computers, laptops, studio monitors, headphones, crates, boxes, (full of cables, mostly), (5) guitars, (3) amps, (3) cats, (3) dogs, (1) horse (2) kids, (1) wife - I saved the best for last (in case she ever reads this )...


WHY (what I think of it):
The system sounds great, though not thunderously loud. The ease-of-use with the JBL speakers using the on-board crossovers is pretty fantastic as well. For what we do (clubs of up to 150 mostly), this just might be the perfect system. The MixWiz is perfectly fine, no frills, and no problems. The monitor system is not great, but enough to get the job done.

I'll continue to tweak the system and acquire more gear, since it seems to be the nature of these things...

What I still need:
1) Stage lighting
2) A nice trunk for storing cables
3) Decent kick drum mic
4) Bigger gigs so I have an excuse to buy more stuff
5) A FT sound engineer to help setup and run the system, (so I can relax and drink beers )

[dogpound444]

I am 58 years old and have been playing on and off for the better part of my life. Like all of you, I have been looking for the perfect system forever. If the system sounds great, it takes way too long to put together and break down. If it is cheap, it sounds that way no matter what you do or how much eq you have. I have been thru the Perkins cabinet era, the folded horn era, the Claire S4 era and now the line array era. I have had every amp known to man with amp racks that almost took gorilla strength to move. After using our B system (Mackie 450s on top, and 1501s on the bottom) it seemed to me that powered cabinets were the ticket. I have invested in JBL VRX 932 LAPs (4 per side) that can either be flown on a stick or on a truss and they sound great. Subs have been somewhat of an issue. We have used the above 1501s with some success, but recently have been using EV TL 550s ( the ones that your local cinema uses with dual 15s) and powered them with QSC 5050s. FOH mixers can add or subtract ALOT more than you might think, especially if your amp/speakers are high fidelity. Good value for the money is Midas, specifically the Venice series... You will hear the difference even without A/Bing them. Before the Midas, we were using an Allen and Heath 2200 series. When we went to in ears, we needed more outputs and have recently invested in a Yamaha M7CL.... AWESOME!!!!! It has the same fidelity as the Midas, but has 300 memories, EQ, compression, outrageous effects all built in... good bye effects rack. Next on the list to invest in is a digital snake.... can you believe 32 channels all carried by Cat5e????. Alot of the back line equipment on stage can be prewired into the digital stage boxes making setup a snap.... Maybe after all these years I am close to having the perfect system.... we will see...

[gonzobassman]

I am a 50 year old bass player who decided that any project I was going to play in deserved to have a decent sound system.With this mindframe I began gleening info,and re-educating myself on live sound equipment,and practices through this foum.My system is a MixWiz3 16 2 board.I run a DBX 131 for FOH eq,and a DBX 2-way stereo,3-way mono crossover.I run a QSC GX-5 for mains driving 4 Yamaha S115V boxes.I run 2 dual 18 subs with Peavey Lo-Rider 18s powered by a GRF amp that produces 1680 watts RMS at 4ohms per side.I also picked up a couple of single 18s,and for smaller venues I simply use them with 2 of my tops all powered by the GX-5.Both give exactly what I need,and the sound is excellent.For monitors I run 4 Yamaha SM115Vs powered by 2 QSC GX-3s.I run 2 DBX 231 stereo eqs on them as well.No complaits on my monitors,or the mixes I can offer.The board,amps,and eqs are all housed in an EWI 16 space rack with the mixer in the top.It is really heavy,but will do for now.For mics I run 58s on all vocals,57s on guitars,and some toms.My kick mic of choice is a Beta 52.Just using the onboard effects,and have not added any compression,and may never.My only upgrades will be to put the amps in a seperate rack,and get a snake(16/8 EWI).This is all the P.A. I would ever want to try to run from stage,so aside from upgrades (JBL SRX boxes),I am for the most part done.

[KPAudio]

A little rundown of my gear:

First I should mention, that I work at TC Electronic so I get that stuff at great prices. We also distribute Lab Gruppen amps here in Denmark, so I get those at a good deal as well.

Speakers:
Dynacord PM5 system (4 F8 subs and 2 F150 tops). Just bought 2 Dynacord Variline 212 speakers as well. JBL SRX712M for monitors (8 pcs)

Amps:
PM2600 amp to power the PM5 system, 2 x LAB fP10000Q for monitors and other tasks.

Boards:
Soundcraft GB-4 24 ch + mixwiz 16:3 + Dynacord powermate 1000-2

Outboard:
Main EQ is TC EQ Station (i have 2). M5000 (dual), MX200, D-Two delay, 2 x RNC, 1 x RNLA comp, 2 x Triple-C comps, 3 x Behringer Intelligate.

That's what is in my main effects rack (only the one EQ Station though). I have some 4U racks with some extra units in them: 1 with 3 behringer gates, 1 with 4 DBX 160A and 1 with 3 TC Triple-C. These racks are made so they can be hooked up to just about any mixers out there.

Mics:
58A, 58, 57, 52, AKG 535, Senn 604 for toms, Beta 91A for BD, AT 3000E, AKG CK3, Senn MD421.

Misc:
2 x FBT Maxx4A + 2 x SX300.

Why:
I love the PM5 system from Dynacord. I just sounds great straight out of the box. Very little EQ is necessary. Which is also very important when renting out to strangers. The amp is also perfectly matched for the speakers and it has builtin limiting etc. And you can lift the boxes yourself.

I feel like I cant do sound without my EQ Station and my Triple-Cs. 3 band compression is the way to go! Since I mooved my forst EQ Station to the main rig permanently, I "had" to get another for the gigs I do on other peoples PA's.

I really like the 712M for monitors. I hate lifting those heavy 15" boxes around. And most of the bands I do get by with a 12" just fine. Thinking about a sub for drummers though. Switched from SX300 as monitors a year back. Never really got any complaints about the SX300. But people really took notice when the JBL got here. Not a big fan of JBL boxes in general though.

The LabGruppen amps: What can I say... 1300w into 8 ohms pr channel. 4 channels in a 2 U amp weighing just 12 kilos. Im a happy camper!

I really like the RNLA comp. I use it on a drum subgroup. And then add it to the uncompressed signal. Sounds awesome.

[dcastar]

Thread update:

Mains:
(2) Turbosound TQ445DP | 3-ways... 12"/6.5"/1" ... Self powered, 1000w , 131/137dB cont/peak. Loud, Clear and Tight.

Subs:
(1) QSC Wideline GP218 | 2x18. 1700w/3-4000w 134.5/140.5dB cont/peak. Drives down to ~28Hz. Thump in your chest... check!
(1) QSC PLX3602 | Bridged to power the sub.

Monitors:
(2) QSC K10's - Nice monitors for our vocalists
(2) Mackie SRM450's - For keyboardist and guitarist
(2) Mackie SRM350's - Backup

Mics:
Beta91 - Inside Kick
(2) Beta98 - Snares
D6 - Kick Porthole
(3) e604 - Toms
(2) Beta87 Wireless - Vocals
e838 - BG Vocal
SM59 - yes, 59... ol'skool. Guitar Cab
Audix I5 - backup guitar cab.

Board:
Allen Heath MixWiz3 16/2 -- Just a great all-around board.... does everything we need it to!

Rack:
Monster Pro 3500 Power Conditioner
Presonus ACP88 - 8ch Compressor
DBX Driverack 260 - System Compressor / EQ / Crossover / Feedback Suppressor
Aphex 204 - usually turned off.

Lighting:
American DJ Galaxian Laser
(2) American DJ Accu Roller
(2) Elation OPTI RGB
(2) Chauvet LED Par56/24
(4) Chauvet Colorstrips - uplighting

[the yettie]

27 year old home theatre and antenna installer. Play in three piece originals band. Currently using

Desk.
Yamaha mg20c-USB.

Mics.
Rode s1 x 2 for vox
Heil. Fin x 1 drum vox
sennhieser e902 x 1 kick
earthworks sr25 x 2 overheads x 1 snare
Rode m1 x 2 for guitars or spares

Speakers.
Bose l1 x 2 with 4 subs

Monitors.
Ashton iem with sennheiser earbuds.

Not the ideal system buts it's all we've had available.
We plan on getting a presonus studio live digital desk
2 qsc k12 and 2 ksubs for a bit more umpf and the Ashton
iem are very noisey so they'll get the flick for some shure
600s at some point.

[blesscurse]

I love the Urei 7110. (I just sold one, but am keeping my other two.)

The Moog Parametric EQ is also a jem.

Originally Posted by The Real MC

JBL/UREI 7110 compressor x2 - very underrated compressor, sounds fantastic on just about anything. I love the variable control between peak and RMS detectors, this is a control not found on anything else except the UREI LA-xx line. One is dedicated to my bass preamp rack, the other is in my processing rack.

Moog Parametric EQ - still have yet to find a better problem solver than this box. Very good correction tool, and a colorful EQ if you want it for boost.

[dedmeet]

No longer ashamed of my rig, time to post it here:

Mixers:
(1) Peavey 16FX in OSP case
(1) Peavey RQ-200

Main speakers:
(2) QSC HPr 122i

Subwoofer:
(1) Yorkville Pulse PW

Monitor/small gig speakers:
(2) Peavey PR12D

Processing and EQ (in rack with 16fx):
(1) Digitech 256XL
(1) DOD 31-band EQ

Mics:
(1) SM58
(3) Sennheiser e845s
(3) Peavey PVM 22
(1) Peavey PVM 48
(1) Shure ULX Lavalier wireless mic system
(1) Radio Shack POS for gigs where I do not want my good mics to get messed up
(1) Audio Technica POS for gigs where I do not want my good mics to get messed up

Now, I need to get more mics, mic cables, stands, and a better snake with more inputs!