Help with PA shopping

[Kahn]

My band is in the market for a new PA, the one we are using is not cutting it.

Looking for quality reputable brands, good speaker quality, doesn't break the bank, loud enough for a 5-piece (guitar, guitar, bass, pkeyboard, drums)

Suggestions for speakers, mixers, monitors, etc.... we need everything but mics.

Also, if one could explain the difference between powered mixers and non-powered and what kinds of speakers correspond to each.

Specific links would be very useful, looking at several different price ranges, but most definitely keeping it under 1000$ if possible Not really sure if that is overkill or not


THANKS

[TimmyJ4140]

With regards to the powered/non-powered mixers and speakers, it's really simple. If you have a non-powered mixer, you need active speakers, and vice versa (powered mixer - passive speakers). Active speakers are generally more expensive than passive, so I'd go with a powered mixer and a pair of passive speakers. That being said, you might not get everything you need for under a grand. Clarify for me, you need:

A mixer
A pair of speakers
Monitors? How many?
You've got mics, so I'm assuming you have enough cables.

I use a Yamaha EMX660 powered mixer, which has been discontinued, but I've had it for 8 years and it still cranks. Comparable model:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=630190

Or lesser wattage (2x200W as opposed to 2x300W as posted above):

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=630192

A little cheaper, but you're also getting less power.

Speakers, on the other hand, are very broad, you'll have to go to a store and listen to something being played through them. I use a pair of these:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=601208

They've got a 2" compression driver in them to give the highs a bit more clarity, as opposed to a 1" on the comparable JBLs which I originally looked at. You could also look at:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=601201

Smaller, less expensive, but again, they can't handle as much wattage, although with a mixer with dual 300W power amps in it, they should be fine. Anyways, it's all preference. I highly recommend the Yamaha mixers, but there are others out there that I'm sure work just as well, I'm just biased because the one I've had for years is still kickin' strong. Speakers are a lot trickier, and I'm sure someone else can help out a little more in that department. As for monitors, I use this old floor wedge running out of a drum-monitor subwoofer, it's a fairly ghetto rig, but it works, although it doesn't really help you that much. Anyways, good luck.

[Kahn]

I actually already have 2 monitors and they are decent, so I guess they dont need replacing, the main thing is new speakers and a mixer. Do those passive speakers need a sub as well?

[TimmyJ4140]

With the S115Vs I posted, I don't use one, I put a mic on the bass amp and the speakers handle it just fine. That being said, you could always crank the bass amp as well, so you're getting bass from both the speakers and the amp, taking a little stress off the speakers. With regards to the monitors, what I like about the Yamaha powered mixer is that it's incredibly intuitive, each channel has a main level and a monitor level, so you can assign one of the power amps to monitors, and the other one to mains, it makes things really simple in terms of mixing and monitoring.

[Kahn]

Is there anywhere online that sells used music equipment?

[TimmyJ4140]

Honestly? Don't know. You could check local music stores, that's the only place I've ever gotten used gear. Anyone else?

[GuitarGuy305]

I'm really happy with my Yamaha PA. Mine is HUGE for just myself (guitar/vox) but would always accomodate a bigger group or people sitting in with me which is why I spent the extra $$.

Musician's Friend has some great Yamaha PA packages that include a mixer, speakers and cables, and usually some cheapo mics too.

The package I bought a while back obviously isn't still available, but this one is the most similar and comes with the same cheap mics and speakers that I have:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=630193

I also bought a couple monitors too, which go for $350 a piece: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=601204

As far as used, I really don't know of anywhere other than Craigslist where you might get lucky (finding used musical gear I mean)

If you have a Music Go Round or other used music place around you I'd obviously check there. A friend of mine basically used one of the packages from MF as a guide and went out and bought everything separately either new or used and saved a little $$.

[Kahn]

How about these speakers?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=600347

Would they be loud enough for a 5-piece? Would I need a sub? What sort of mixer would be adequate to power those?


Also, any experience with Kustom? How does this look, a LOT cheaper than the JBL

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=630570

[GuitarGuy305]

To kind of answer both questions with one answer: JBLs sound very nice. My friend just bought a pair for his PA to replace 2 Kustom speakers that crapped out.

We also used to use smaller Kustom speakers at band practice that had this god awful buzzing that would come out of them. We re-soldered all of the connections but the buzzing continued. I also used to use 2 10-inch Kustoms at home in lieu of a practice amp for a while and they have little to no low-end to speak of.

So for Kustom, I'd say they are okay for the price and to be used for practice or for beginners, but plan to spend even more eventually to replace them.

[Kahn]

Someone is selling these for $650

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=600348




Here:

http://gainesville.craigslist.org/msg/735771925.html



Looks like a great deal....

[GuitarGuy305]

It does look like a great deal and sounds like they are practically new. If you could snag those for that price and there's nothing wrong with them that is pretty good.

My only warning with speakers that big are to make sure your vehicle is spacious enough to fit them and that you're willing to lug them to gigs and such. Looks like each of them weights about 90 pounds. But if you have a band then you can all pitch in. I know my Yamaha S115Vs and monitors are a pain in the ass to lug to and from gigs and they only weigh about 60 lbs each. I actually bought a collapsible cart to put them on that makes it much less of a headache.

[Kahn]

The bigger the better

[vinestreet98]

I have this:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=600734

it's a powered speaker (400 watts!!!!!)... you can get 2... and hook em up to this little behringer non-powered mixer:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=631263

for a really affordable PA.

[Kahn]

Im really looking to spend a little more money and have something thats high quality that I can keep for a long time

[vinestreet98]

does behringer stuff have long term reliability issues? i'm not aware of any...