P. A system recommendations

What's Hot
2

Comments

  • p90fool said:
    Also why would you avoid the wharfedale ones? 
    I bought an almost new pair of these very cheaply as a rehearsal rig when a singer friend emigrated, she picked up another pair in New Zealand.
    Another mate bought a pair for occasional parties. 

    Out of the six Wharfedale 1x12 powered cabs of my personal acquaintance five are now dead, all within three years, all with terminal power module failures. 

    Avoid them, even if free of charge! 
    I'll take that advice and keep looking found a few pairs of peavey and mackies on ebay
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Look out for some mackie thumps 2nd hand . We’ve got the same type of line up as you, and the 15a’s cost £500 new for a pair. I use a tiny behringer mixer(super cheap) for all the vox and some reverb/aux sends for monitors. They’re so loud I can’t turn them up fully before they feedback in pubs.
    0reaction image LOL 1reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I've found a pair of mackie SRM450's at bargain price of £150 on ebay. Only problem is there in lay land, which is a slight distance from Suffolk 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31369
    Look out for some mackie thumps 2nd hand . We’ve got the same type of line up as you, and the 15a’s cost £500 new for a pair. I use a tiny behringer mixer(super cheap) for all the vox and some reverb/aux sends for monitors. They’re so loud I can’t turn them up fully before they feedback in pubs.
    If they're working for you that's great, my own experience is that they're just another unrepairable Chinese power module burnout waiting to happen. 

    A friend of mine has been running them on an occasional basis for years though. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • https://reverb.com/item/31782306-peavey-pro-15-pair
    Right guys, I found these, good price and relatively close. Thoughts?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • MusicwolfMusicwolf Frets: 3632
    What were you planning to power them with? (they're passive).

    If this is vocals only you would be better off with powered 12" or 10" (I don't like 15" for vocals)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I can find a power amp or powered mixer. It’s slim pickings for speaks that meet all the criteria of quality, price and distance
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I've found a pair of mackie SRM450's at bargain price of £150 on ebay. Only problem is there in lay land, which is a slight distance from Suffolk 
    Currently £160, and likely to go up as there's still 2 days to go on the auction.

    https://reverb.com/item/31782306-peavey-pro-15-pair
    Right guys, I found these, good price and relatively close. Thoughts?
    Passive, over-priced.

    I can find a power amp or powered mixer. It’s slim pickings for speaks that meet all the criteria of quality, price and distance
    Much better off with powered speakers.

    With hard rock, you're likely to need a decent quality PA for the vocals so they can be heard. In my experience, you get what you pay for, so maybe need to up your budget?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • With hard rock, you're likely to need a decent quality PA for the vocals so they can be heard. In my experience, you get what you pay for, so maybe need to up your budget?
    Nothing wrong with passive considering it's just vocals and a pub rock band. 
    Up my budget! Why didn't I think of that
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • With hard rock, you're likely to need a decent quality PA for the vocals so they can be heard. In my experience, you get what you pay for, so maybe need to up your budget?
    Nothing wrong with passive considering it's just vocals and a pub rock band. 
    Up my budget! Why didn't I think of that
    True, there is nothing wrong per se with passive speakers and power amps, but I find it much easier to not have to faff with separate amps and  speaker cables. With actives, you only need to carry signal cables (ie. mic leads).

    Of course, if you're not really all that bothered what is sounds like (because it's "just vocals and a pub rock band") you can buy any old shit. Your choice, at the end of the day.

    R.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    Actually passive speakers and a decent class AB power amp is actually a far better bet than a set of class D active speakers. It will be more reliable, more powerful and easier to fix. Plus you only need to run one speaker cable, not mains and signal like you do with active. 

    Have a look for a Peavey PV2600 amp and a set of used HK, Peavey, Yamaha passive speakers .... you could probably get the amp and speakers for £400 ish on Ebay. 

    Mackie have deleted parts for the Thumps now so if the DSP board goes (which they do ) your be designing your own crossover :) The actual amps are fixable though and the schematics were still on Mackie's site last time I looked which was nice


    www.2020studios.co.uk 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Danny1969 said:
    Actually passive speakers and a decent class AB power amp is actually a far better bet than a set of class D active speakers. It will be more reliable, more powerful and easier to fix. Plus you only need to run one speaker cable, not mains and signal like you do with active. 
    Having lugged power amp racks around in the 80s, I much prefer the active HK system I currently use.

    Also, depending on the logistics, I would typically put the amps directly behind the speakers, meaning I would need power there anyway.

    I think if I was going any bigger than the current rig, I'd switch to passives/power amps for the reasons you state.

    R.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    Danny1969 said:
    Actually passive speakers and a decent class AB power amp is actually a far better bet than a set of class D active speakers. It will be more reliable, more powerful and easier to fix. Plus you only need to run one speaker cable, not mains and signal like you do with active. 
    Having lugged power amp racks around in the 80s, I much prefer the active HK system I currently use.

    Also, depending on the logistics, I would typically put the amps directly behind the speakers, meaning I would need power there anyway.

    I think if I was going any bigger than the current rig, I'd switch to passives/power amps for the reasons you state.

    R.
    All our hire stock is HK passive  and my own main band runs an HK Actor DX. I really like HK stuff but the class D amps fail and at around £469 each they aren't cheap to replace. It's not an HK thing, all class D amps fail due to the stressy design. 

    What HK system are you running ?
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Danny1969 said:

    All our hire stock is HK passive  and my own main band runs an HK Actor DX. I really like HK stuff but the class D amps fail and at around £469 each they aren't cheap to replace. It's not an HK thing, all class D amps fail due to the stressy design. 

    What HK system are you running ?
    I have a Linear 5 Power Pack for FoH, and a couple of extra L5 112 XA for on-stage monitors (same as the tops in the Power Pack).

    They've been solid for me, but I typically use them for smallish gigs where they're operating well within their capabilities, and with a Yamaha TF-Rack mixer with a compressor/limiter on the stereo outs so they're fairly well-protected.

    Another band from York has the same system and has had problems with several tops blowing, but they work the system a lot harder and more often.

    That said, I'm really tempted to get another Power Pack so I can have two subs per side, and use the tops as monitors, giving me 4 in total. Maybe if I did more hires...

    R.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Danny1969 said:
    Actually passive speakers and a decent class AB power amp is actually a far better bet than a set of class D active speakers. It will be more reliable, more powerful and easier to fix. Plus you only need to run one speaker cable, not mains and signal like you do with active. 

    Have a look for a Peavey PV2600 amp and a set of used HK, Peavey, Yamaha passive speakers .... you could probably get the amp and speakers for £400 ish on Ebay. 

    Mackie have deleted parts for the Thumps now so if the DSP board goes (which they do ) your be designing your own crossover :) The actual amps are fixable though and the schematics were still on Mackie's site last time I looked which was nice


    I'm looking for something which can be reliable more than anything so I'll bear in mind anything that is discontinued will be a pain to fix. 
    As long as the vocals can be heard and it doesn't sound like it's a was in a tin can then I'd be happy. 
    My last band had a set of qtx 12inch 250 watt and they easily were loud enough with 3 vocals.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31369
    I wouldn't shy away from passives either in your position, especially at the low budget end. 

    One side project of mine has gone through three pairs of active 12" cabs in seven years, all in a vocal-only application in a quiet band with percussion rather than drums. 

    I am so over class D shite, I will definitely go back to passives and a proper amp next time. 
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    edited February 2020
    Active speakers have matched power amps, and DSP speaker management systems so if you get decent ones you are a lot less likely to damage speakers than running passives/power amp without crossovers or speaker management system.  At the level you are looking at I'd go active every time.


    Be patient, and look for RFF, Yamaha, QSC, DB Technologies or Mackie.  Much better than rushing out and buying something because it's cheap and local
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Danny1969 said:

    All our hire stock is HK passive  and my own main band runs an HK Actor DX. I really like HK stuff but the class D amps fail and at around £469 each they aren't cheap to replace. It's not an HK thing, all class D amps fail due to the stressy design. 

    What HK system are you running ?
    I have a Linear 5 Power Pack for FoH, and a couple of extra L5 112 XA for on-stage monitors (same as the tops in the Power Pack).

    They've been solid for me, but I typically use them for smallish gigs where they're operating well within their capabilities, and with a Yamaha TF-Rack mixer with a compressor/limiter on the stereo outs so they're fairly well-protected.

    Another band from York has the same system and has had problems with several tops blowing, but they work the system a lot harder and more often.

    That said, I'm really tempted to get another Power Pack so I can have two subs per side, and use the tops as monitors, giving me 4 in total. Maybe if I did more hires...

    R.
    Just bought linear 7 sounds great so far ! Use Contour on the big stuff very reliable
    www.maltingsaudio.co.uk
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Rich210Rich210 Frets: 577
    Could you get away with some EV SB122 and tops? They're small but with a cheap but amp like a JBL mpx1200 they really punch it out. All of this is second hand btw. The subs daisy chain well with tops as they've got some sort of crossover inside so you could get away without a speaker management system. Have a look on eBay, I think I got a pair for around 200 quid. The amp will be between 250 and 300 then you'll need some tops and a desk plus cables. As for monitors you're probably gonna need 100 quid for some cheap second stuff and another amp. 

    Or you could just use one side of the amp for a couple of monitors and the other for a sub and two tops for vocals...I think those mpx's are rated two 2ohm @ 1600 watts. It might just work for a small venue and over time you can add a cheap thomann speaker management box for 70 quid and get a secondhand cheap amp like c audio r3000 to run the tops and monitors with.  

    With that bare spec you might just be able to do it but probably for more like 600 quid if you're lucky
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I have some monitors and have some speakers lined up on ebay and reverb (mackie and peavey) but now getting pulled in two directions between passive and active.
    Especially since getting told different brands of speakers and amp could damage the speakers although I see them mixed a lot
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.