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Due to the economy drying up jobs for my regular band, I have decided to diversify. I am in the process of making backing tracks for my guitar player, my singer and myself (the bass player) to play to. We will be playing small clubs, sports bars to wedding receptions in medium size venues. I am looking to minimize investment and making the setup as easy as possible. I have a mixer, effects and eq if a self contained powered mixer will not be enough horsepower. Any ideas on what wattage equipment is necessary? I read conflicting information and would like feedback from the forum as I am sure a lot of you play out in these scenarios.
Thanks
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Gary,
Welcome to the forum. I play all my gigs with a Yahama 600 Watt PA and they range from 35 - 50 people to a few at 300 hundred or so and the PA has enough power to get the job done.
Later,
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Thanks for the input! Is that 600 watt RMS and is that split between the two mains? Is the Yamaha a powered mixer and if so, which one.
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You consider buying a powered mixer, yet you allready have a mixer, eq and effects. Why not use the equipment you have and build from that? That is, if the gear is of good quality, otherwise you would indeed be better off in starting again. For these small venues you have several options: 1: Powered mixer with onboard effects combined with passive speakers. + small, easy to set up - hard to upgrade (fixed output wattage on mixer) 2: Passive mixer with onboard fx combined with active speakers + easy to upgrade by just adding more active speakers - active speakers are quite heavy to lift - active speakers require power supply (more cables) 3: Passive mixer with onboard fx combined with seperate amp and passive speakers + Passive speakers are less heavy to lift + possible to upgrade by adding amps and speakers or active speakers - More work to set-up unless mounted and prewired in a rack/flightcase Offcourse you can allways choose for outboard fx-gear. If you mount everything in a 19" rack setting up will be quick and easy. Remember to mount wheels under your fx-rack for more convenience  As for wattage of the system: don't undershoot. A powerfull system can be turned down to have a good sound in a small venue with a small amount of people. An underpowered system in a venue packed with people will have to shout out at it's loudest, giving a terrible sound and the impression that the soundlevel is way too loud. A powerfull system in the same venue with the same soundlevel will sound much better and will leave no impression of being too loud. I work with a passive mixer (Soundcraft M8), outboard fx (TC Electronic M-one XL, DBX compressor/limmiters, DBX eq), amp: Peavey PV2600. For a speakersystem I use EV Gladiators (2* 18" subs (400 Watt RMS each) + 2* 15" tops (400W RMS each)). I find that this system performs perfectly up to venues with 250-300 people. I can unload and setup the entire set on my own in 15 minutes. Plug and play. Here's my rack
Last edited by Mike sings; 05/28/09 03:07 AM.
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Wow! That's cool, Mike! But isn't that just a bit of overkill?
Welcome to the forum, Gary.
I run gigs alone for corporate events, private weddings and such. I use the Yamaha StagePAS 300 system. Totally integrated with a simple 8 track mixer that packs into the back of one of the speakers and you can pack the speakers away into a travel bag that is about the size of a large suitcase. Check it out!
Hope that helps
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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I have no experience with the StagePAS 300, but it seems to me it's designed for presentations and/or practice-sessions rather than gigging. Unless it's background music you're after and the only thing you want to amplify is the singer, I don't think it has enough power to deliver a full and rich sound. When you take a more powerfull system you can have the guitar and bass run through the mixer via fx processors and/or moddelers (like the Vox ToneLab series) or even DI's. This way you can leave those heavy guitar amps and cabinets at home. You'll also have a lot less to consider when setting the soundlevels and changing the total volume should the need arise during the gig. Choose a mixer with a minimum of 4 aux sends. This way all three of you can have a personalised monitormix and have one aux for the fx-processor. Take also into consideration that faders on a mixer will work much easier in a live situation than knobs. When you have to manage the mixer yourself during the gig, you can see which fader is in what position and adjust in a moment's notice. If you want you can post the gear you allready have and a budget you want to stay in. Perhaps we can find some options suitable for your situation. (It's allways nice to go windowshopping in PA-gear-land )
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Mike's absolutely right!
I used to have nice gear like that.
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Here's what I have. Mackie 1604 mixer with the add on module for 16 XLRs & has 4 sends. Alesis 31 band EQ, Alesis compressor, Ibanez delay and Roland DEP5. I was looking at Sonic T-15's for house and D-15's for side fills. They are only rated at 250 watts RMS but are very efficient and small. Specs are 55 - 17 khz, 102 db 1w/1m 28” x 20” x 16”, 58 pounds and has 15" woofer and horn. We use Sonic monitors in the band and they blew everything else I auditioned away volume wise. Plus they are about $260 each. Would this be enough speaker wise? More info at www.sonicspeaker.com .
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Quote:
Thanks for the input! Is that 600 watt RMS and is that split between the two mains? Is the Yamaha a powered mixer and if so, which one.
This one Yamaha PA but I did not go for the entire package. All I got was the head and speakers and I think I paid around 750.00 or so a few years ago.
Good Luck,
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Thanks Danny. Do you play solo or are there other instruments?
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Quote:
Thanks Danny. Do you play solo or are there other instruments?
Just me doing vocals and playing my old Gibby (most of the time as I use other guitars on occasion) and of course BIAB and the wealth of talent therein.
Later,
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I'm glad you're not a girl Mike, so "nice rack".
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