Possible 5 piece band in the making. Need help buying mixer.

[StratGuy22]

Get that monitor back from the bass player.

[wesg]

That monitor cost $25. I suspect the bass player did him a favour by stealing it.

[DanteSound_Don]

$1000 for a whole PA system is a really tough budget. You are definately not getting any digital mixer in that range. There are, however a few good choices in the 16ch analog world. I didn't hear anyone mention the Mackie 1642VLZ mixer. Yeah, it's an investment at $699, but GC regularly runs 20% off sales so one could be had for $560 or so. I'd think about SRM350v3's for your practice sessions. They're lightweight and play surprisingly loud. They're $400 regurlarly, but on a GC 20% off sale you could get two for $540. Add in a set of decent tripod speaker stands and you're at $1150 for a solid mixer that will grow with your band as it grows and speakers that will eventually do duty as monitors once you buy mains and start playing out.

 

You can go to a GC and hear music thru the Mackie mixer into the SRM350's. You'll love their sound. Mackie has been making great value priced mixers since the early 90's. I still own a 32ch "8buss" mixer I bought nearly 20 years ago. That mixer still sounds great to today. That's what you get when you buy Mackie products. They were one of the early pioneers of powered speakers. The SRM350 and 1642 mixer will be around for many years after you ditch anything Behringer makes (except their X32 mixer, which is pretty amazing).

 

There's a saying in the pro sound industry - "Buy once cry once". Spend your money wisely and you'll never regret your purchase.

[TimmyP]

If all you can spend is a grand or two on the whole thing, I'd rent or better yet hire out.