Which powered wedge monitor?

Flanging_Fred

Not sure quite which sub-forum to use for this one so I'll stick it here.

Our singer splashed out on a PA for our band and for what we do and the size of gigs, so far it is doing a fine job. However he only got one wedge monitor (for himself of course)  and I was having a little trouble hearing what was going on at our last gig (especially as I try and do a little bit of backing vocals as well).

So I'm thinking that I should get myself a smallish powered wedge that I can add to the PA so I can hear myself.  I don't want to spent loads but need something reliable and sounds acceptable.

So any recommendations?

RocknRollDave

In ears all day long.

But if not, the band I do a lot of dep work for use small powered monitors which are plenty loud enough.....Will try and remember what make they are but, yeah, they don't need to be huge things.

fretmeister

Yamaha DXR10

Flanging_Fred

We're only a small pub type band and floor space can be a real issue, so smaller is definately better.

@RocknRollDave - are IEMs effective when the rest of the band doesn't use them?  I was under the (maybe mistaken) impression that for them to really work, the whole band would need them. 

@fretmeister ; I looked at the Yamaha and I'm sure it's good but it might be overkill on the quality (and price) stakes for my humble requirements.

Does anyone use a Laney CXP-10 or Studiomaster Pax10+?  Any good?

RocknRollDave

Flanging_Fred said:

We're only a small pub type band and floor space can be a real issue, so smaller is definately better.

@RocknRollDave - are IEMs effective when the rest of the band doesn't use them?  I was under the (maybe mistaken) impression that for them to really work, the whole band would need them. 

I use them at every gig and for the vast majority of those gigs I am the only musician using them. Can't see why it would be a problem to have some on IEM and some using a wedge.

You would preferably have a dedicated feed from the desk that allows your own monitor mix - this is true be it IEM or a wedge - otherwise you'll end up with whatever mix your singer has set up for himself and that will inevitably be mostly his own voice. Amplifying the parts you DON'T need any more of will only make your issues worse!


Some people find in-ears make them feel detatched from what is going on onstage, but I think you get used to that. Also, they block out a lot of the peripheral sound so you only hear what is coming through your 'phones - Usually a good thing (e.g. it makes the drums a lot less damaging to your ears, like wearing earplugs) but can be a bit of a faff if a band mate comes over to tell you he is about to launch into an unscheduled song and you can't hear what he's saying to you off-mic!

Flanging_Fred

@RocknRollDave ;  thanks for the advice, I may need to think a little deeper about what I want to acheive and how the band functions as a unit.  My initial feeling is that a wedge would suit the band as a whole better.

crunchman

EV ZLX12P is good and cheaper than the Yamaha but you probably want a 10" for space reasons.

I've not tried them personally, but Alto seem to get good reviews at the budget end of the market:
https://www.andertons.co.uk/p/TX10/active-pa-speakers/alto-tx10-active-10-pa-speaker-140w-rma-280w-peak-each

Flanging_Fred

Yup, the PA is an Alto package (and surprisingly nice sounding), so that would make sense.  I'll take a look at the EV too. Cheers.

simonk

We use the little Alto TX8's as monitors. Cheap, compact and plenty loud enough for your average pub gig. Slight question mark over long term reliability though.

smigeon

Flanging_Fred said:

We're only a small pub type band and floor space can be a real issue, so smaller is definately better.

@RocknRollDave - are IEMs effective when the rest of the band doesn't use them?  I was under the (maybe mistaken) impression that for them to really work, the whole band would need them. 

@fretmeister ;; I looked at the Yamaha and I'm sure it's good but it might be overkill on the quality (and price) stakes for my humble requirements.

Does anyone use a Laney CXP-10 or Studiomaster Pax10+?  Any good?

I'm in a similar position to you - looking for a 'me' monitor solution. In my case it's for my vocal - the other singers in the band aren't so fussy, but I seem to need to have a really great monitor sound to be able to sing well(ish) and, even more importantly, to enjoy singing.

My experience so far is that the cheaper options are, well, cheap. I've had a Laney active monitor and more recently an EV passive top. Neither work(ed) anything like as well as I'd like. The Laney was useless in that, not only did it sound flat and muffled, it fed back well nelow the level at which I could properly hear it. The EV sounds better but still feeds back much more than surely should be achievable.

So my feeling is that buying cheap might be false economy (as is usually the case, of course). At the moment, I'm considering a Yamaha DXR12 from my local shop, or an HK Audio Linear 5 active speaker (based on @Danny1969 recommending HK DARTs - which, however, are now out of production and replaced by the Linear 5's). Would be happy to hear of any experience with these products, or indeed any further recommendations or thoughts.

I'm also toying with the though of in-ears, but worry about feeling isolated from the feel of the band. I guess a way of dipping your toe in the water, before spending loads of cash on moulds, wireless kit, etc, would be simply to plug some normal phone buds into the mixer at a band practice and see how that goes...

simonk

I should add that we had a couple of the Studio Master PAX10+'s previously... they weren't very good.

Danny1969

smigeon said :

I'm also toying with the though of in-ears, but worry about feeling isolated from the feel of the band. I guess a way of dipping your toe in the water, before spending loads of cash on moulds, wireless kit, etc, would be simply to plug some normal phone buds into the mixer at a band practice and see how that goes...

Generally with IEM's you feed a bit of ambience through to your ears .... easiest way to do this is to plug 2 boundary mics into the desk, keep their fader down but turn up the aux sends so you hear the ambience they pick up .... not too much, just a little. I use Pulse boundary mic's as they work fine for ambience on the floor (less trashy cymbals ) and don't look like mic's so you won't get a pissed punter shouting into them)

 

RocknRollDave

Totally get the worry about feeling "isolated" from the band, but really the huge improvement in your singing and playing, plus how much more confident and comfortable it will make you feel onstage, knowing you can hear what you are playing...well these things far outweigh any such concerns, for me.

John_P

I think the size of gig and band volumes you're talking about the laney or studio master will work ok if you see them cheap.      Or look for one of the old peavey  actives  wedges they keep going and do a job.  

I'm looking for some bigger wedges (HK Dart, db flex etc) at the moment and a loud band wanting a super clear sound might prefer something bigger but to just add a little bit on top of the spillover you're hearing from the main pa you can probably manage with the little ones.    Cheap and simple to get fixed if they break.   

andyoz

These are good for the price. Coaxial design which makes them nice and compact. Good weight and side entry cables.

https://m.thomann.de/gb/db_technologies_flexsys_fm10.htm?o=0&search=1498732295

Dominic

simonk said:

We use the little Alto TX8's as monitors. Cheap, compact and plenty loud enough for your average pub gig. Slight question mark over long term reliability though.

Agree -they are ideal ...........never had reliabilty issues

midlifecrisis

ive used the bigger alto powered speakers as main pa almost every week for the past four years, not had any problems,