Urgent help for newbie PA buyer

[Clucker]

I am a 45 year old life long gigging musician who has managed to remain blissfully unaware of of anything to do with P.A.'s, but now it is time to but my own, and I could use some advice from those of you who are in the know.

First of all, I already have two self powered t.c.electronic VSM-300 monitors that mount on microphone stands So my only concern is the mains. I am considering either this http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=RX1200-PM15&CID=SYS1

or the comparable Peavey system http://www.peavey.com/products/browse.cfm/action/detail/item/116228/number/00422030/cat/88/begin/1/XR%AE+696F+2X600+watt+Mixer+with+Feedback+Ferret%AE.cfm

with these speakershttp://www.peavey.com/products/browse.cfm/action/detail/item/114376/number/00572150/cat/252/begin/1/PV%AE+115+Two-Way+Loudspeaker.cfm

I was hoping alnbody with experience with these two products could come forward. The Carvin looks like a good deal but I have heard they are less reliable than the PV stuff. They also offer cables,stands, two free mics etc.. to sweeten the deal. The PV on the other hand offers the Ferret feedback eliminator, and most importantly, It sounds like the PV has more power although that could be my cluelessness about PA gear getting the best of me. Any and all opinions would be much appreciated. Thank you, Clucker.

[flanc]

What are you looking to do with the system? Just reinforce vocals...maybe a little guitar too? Is this for classic rock in smallish (under 100 folks) clubs? More details will help us guide you in the right direction. Oh...and what's your budget?

[Clucker]

Cool band you got there. Budget would hopefully be $1.500 or less and like I said, we already have the monitor thing covered

Um as far as the PA application. Yeah 50-150 people. We were thinking of running Pods or GT-8s into the pa for guitars (2) and maybe bass guitar through a sansamp and miking the bass drum.. The other alternative would be to just run only the vocals through the PA and maybe a lil' kick drum when needed and have one guitar go through a PV Delta Blues, the other through PV Bandit 112 and the bass though a 200 watt or larger bass rig. How does that sound? We are looking to get a quality sound at I guess moderate levels at most.We dont want to get into having a really huge system. Not into the weight or the bulk,plus we are just trying to just get a system that is lean and mean that we can setup and tear down quickly. We have been playing too long and are too old to be hauling anything around we don't absolutely need. Of course we also want to sound as good as we can. Is this asking too much out of either of these systems. We play classic rock by the way. mid 60's up though early 80's era.

[flanc]

I like the powered speakers with a passive mixer better than a powered mixer with passive speakers. By doing this you:

1)keeps your amps & speakers perfectly matched

2) Doesn't require you to run long speaker cables from the powered mixer if you have someone running sound from the FOH.

3) Scales easily; you need more speakers you add more. Adding subs and extra speakers can get funky with a powered mixer.

 

With all that said. I'd say check out audioeast's packaged systems.

 

http://www.audioeast.com/systems.htm

 

With what you've said, I'd recommend "AEI PA Package 2". It's a little above your mentioned budget but I don't thing you'd regret the stretch.

[Clucker]

That is very cool. as that company is located within my zipcode. It does look a bit better than the other two I was considering, and the part about the speakers and poweramps matching up. I also think you are totally correct about being able to add on more powered speakers. That is something I had never figured into the equation.

So just of curiousity. Do you have an opinion about the Carvin verses Peavey thing. Do you like one over the other,also what does your band use for a rig

Thank you very much, Clucker.

[flanc]

I've never used Carvin personally and have used and experienced Peavey quite a bit. Both have a higher end product line that is quite nice and both have some clunkers.

 

Our band uses JBL subs and Yorville Elite 508 tops (about 5000 watts to the FOH). I really like the Yorkville stuff that I directed you towards and others here will also vouch for it's value (do a search on Yorkville). You also will hear good things about Dan @ Audioeast as well.

[Clucker]

One real dumb neophyte question. What is FOH stand for.

[flanc]

FOH = Front of house - What the audienc hears.

[RainsongDR1000]

I think Carvin makes some decent Powered mixers for the money and so does Peavey for that matter. I was not super impressed with the Carvin PM15's I had, though. THey weren't bad, but my EV Sx100's sound better and they are about 10lbs lighter. Almost as good of bass response but with a 12" speaker. Less wattage than the Carvin's though. My little Carvin PA620 that I use for monitors still works fine and sounds pretty decent for a small 200 watt powered mixer, so I will attest to the relibility factor anyway.

[Clucker]

So am I to understand that you like the 1540 enclosures better than the PM15 enclosures?

[RainsongDR1000]

 

Originally posted by Clucker So am I to understand that you like the 1540 enclosures better than the PM15 enclosures?

 

 

HAven't heard the 1540 enclosures. I'm just saying that my EV's sounded better than the PM15's, which shouldn't be too much of a surprise, I guess, since they cost twice as much. I think I read somewhere that the 1540's use the exact same components as the PM15's. In general, I think Carvin's mixers are a better deal than their speakers.