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Post by eggman on Oct 10, 2015 20:08:57 GMT -7
Howdy,
It's been nearly 30 years since my last gig as part of a group. What is your pick for best PA system for medium sized gigs?
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Post by jesslm02 on Oct 10, 2015 20:35:41 GMT -7
Depends on your budget, but we've been using a Bose system and it's been one of the best investments in our sound that we've made.
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Oct 10, 2015 20:42:49 GMT -7
I've heard good things about the Bose systems. We're using QSC K10 with a soundcraft mfx board. Very pleased with that setup.
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Post by aufamily on Oct 10, 2015 21:10:20 GMT -7
I have been very happy with the QSC k series. We have K-12s for tops over KW subs. K10s for monitors. The KW subs are much more beefy than the K series...but I'm not sure for small/med gigs it's needed, esp if the bass player has an amp.
i have been gassing for a Mackie DL32r mixer....get radical and go all in with the iPad! So many aux sends, we could each have an IEM mix. Sell off the K12s and put the K10s over the subs.
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Post by aufamily on Oct 10, 2015 21:14:49 GMT -7
Depends on your budget, but we've been using a Bose system and it's been one of the best investments in our sound that we've made. Which Bose are you using?
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Post by jesslm02 on Oct 10, 2015 21:23:37 GMT -7
We use two L1 Model II systems with B2 subs. We use a standard mixer or the Behringer X32 rack. Works great. The bose system fills a room like nothing else and are much easier to transport than tradition PA gear. We played a huge room in the Arlington convention center in Arlington, TX using the bose setup. We was a little worried going in but they held up great. Everywhere we play no one can believe the sound coming from those two small columns on each side.
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Post by aufamily on Oct 10, 2015 21:42:34 GMT -7
I believe it! I have an L1 model 2 with a single B1....can't beat the ease of pack and carry. I've never had the chance to run a band through a pair of them. I'm sure it sounds fine!
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Post by jesslm02 on Oct 10, 2015 22:04:22 GMT -7
I believe it! I have an L1 model 2 with a single B1....can't beat the ease of pack and carry. I've never had the chance to run a band through a pair of them. I'm sure it sounds fine! It does!
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Post by bobd on Oct 11, 2015 3:53:38 GMT -7
I have a pair of QSC K10 and Yamaha MG12XU mixer. They work good for vocals and acoustic guitar which is all I've used them for.
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Post by John on Oct 11, 2015 6:01:29 GMT -7
It depends on a few things: 1) What do you consider a 'medium' sized club? 2) What are the band's requirements? I have an older version of this: carvinaudio.com/collections/rxseriesThis is a great 12 channel mixer. (They make lesser channel versions, but you also get less features) It has TWO monitor mixes..each with separate power amp. Stereo front of house, each with separate power amp. (So that makes 4 power amps in a self contained unit. Each monitor mix has it's own graphic eq. (VERY cool) Dual onboard effects, sub woofer out. (non powered though) It really does so much for just a self contained pa head. For smaller gigs, I leave the subs at home, for bigger gigs, I bring the subs and a separate power amp to drive them.
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Post by Maddog on Oct 11, 2015 6:23:32 GMT -7
We've used the same two Mackie mixers and powered speakers (SRM 450's and 350's) since 2000. Tho I'd really like to have a new Bose system, the old Mackie stuff keeps on going....
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Post by iluvpunz on Oct 11, 2015 6:59:53 GMT -7
I use Yamaha DXR series tops with Cerwin Vega CVA subs. Everything is powered, eliminates the need for power amp racks. We've done well over 150 gigs with these and never a problem, always great sound. Yamaha MCP24X board which has done a good job for us. Monitors are a mix of Yamaha and Alto because we all provide our own monitors.
I also own a Bose L1 with two B1 subs and they are very nice for small gigs, acoustic acts, etc. We use mine when we do duo or acoustic sets. Don't expect to get any kind of a decent kick drum tone or bass low end thump out of the Bose, it's just not geared for that. If you are going to mic your drums and instruments you will need a more conventional system than the L1, just my experience.
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Post by doctorice on Oct 12, 2015 6:00:42 GMT -7
We use a couple Mackie SRM 450s for mains, an big powered EV as the only floor monitor and either a small Mackie mixer or a slightly larger Soundcraft. No mics on anything. Our drummer is pretty loud, and that "defines" how loud we are. PA is completely up to the task.
Fwiw, another band I was in had a much bigger system with subs, multiple monitors, big mixer, auxiliary eq, compression, etc. It worked fine but it was a real chore to set up and tear down. The present system is up and running in 15 minutes.
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Post by jesslm02 on Oct 12, 2015 6:32:03 GMT -7
I use Yamaha DXR series tops with Cerwin Vega CVA subs. Everything is powered, eliminates the need for power amp racks. We've done well over 150 gigs with these and never a problem, always great sound. Yamaha MCP24X board which has done a good job for us. Monitors are a mix of Yamaha and Alto because we all provide our own monitors. I also own a Bose L1 with two B1 subs and they are very nice for small gigs, acoustic acts, etc. We use mine when we do duo or acoustic sets. Don't expect to get any kind of a decent kick drum tone or bass low end thump out of the Bose, it's just not geared for that. If you are going to mic your drums and instruments you will need a more conventional system than the L1, just my experience. Two systems together is where it's at. And the B2 is a fairly substantial improvement over the B1. We have played a pretty large arena with the Bose system and just added two subs for more thump. It worked very well for what we needed it for. For the small to medium rooms just the two Bose systems are more than enough. And we mic every instrument including drums. We've been using the Bose systems in this format going on two years now and it never ceases to amaze us. And we used a very nice traditional JBL/Crown system before this. All that being said, I don't think you could go wrong with any of the powered systems mentioned here. To get the most out of any of them I think you need to have a setup with dedicated subs to help support your mains. Everything will be clearer through your mains if they aren't trying to reproduce the low end content as well.
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Post by iluvpunz on Oct 12, 2015 16:28:55 GMT -7
I use Yamaha DXR series tops with Cerwin Vega CVA subs. Everything is powered, eliminates the need for power amp racks. We've done well over 150 gigs with these and never a problem, always great sound. Yamaha MCP24X board which has done a good job for us. Monitors are a mix of Yamaha and Alto because we all provide our own monitors. I also own a Bose L1 with two B1 subs and they are very nice for small gigs, acoustic acts, etc. We use mine when we do duo or acoustic sets. Don't expect to get any kind of a decent kick drum tone or bass low end thump out of the Bose, it's just not geared for that. If you are going to mic your drums and instruments you will need a more conventional system than the L1, just my experience. Two systems together is where it's at. And the B2 is a fairly substantial improvement over the B1. We have played a pretty large arena with the Bose system and just added two subs for more thump. It worked very well for what we needed it for. For the small to medium rooms just the two Bose systems are more than enough. And we mic every instrument including drums. We've been using the Bose systems in this format going on two years now and it never ceases to amaze us. And we used a very nice traditional JBL/Crown system before this. All that being said, I don't think you could go wrong with any of the powered systems mentioned here. To get the most out of any of them I think you need to have a setup with dedicated subs to help support your mains. Everything will be clearer through your mains if they aren't trying to reproduce the low end content as well. Yes, I think you are exactly right. Love my Bose, and its easy to transport but the B1's don't cut it for bottom end. I haven't looked into the B2's just because we use my other system for 90% of the venues we play. The DXR's and the CVA's are so modular and rugged that we've beat the crap out of them indoors, outdoors, in trailers over the road, rain, and even hail and never had a problem.
I've used the Bose a couple of times with a powered sub and it was OK. Two L1's I think would be awesome. Vocals are always so clear and present through the Bose system.
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Post by zpilot on Oct 13, 2015 0:05:09 GMT -7
Lots of good choices out there. I've had good luck with a couple of different systems I've run for other bands. One was Yamaha DXR powered tops with QSC K-Subs. The other was Electro-Voice powered tops and subs. I don't remember the model numbers. I was using a Allen & Heath Mix Wizard 16:2 board. One of my favorites.
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Post by jesslm02 on Oct 13, 2015 6:58:16 GMT -7
Two systems together is where it's at. And the B2 is a fairly substantial improvement over the B1. We have played a pretty large arena with the Bose system and just added two subs for more thump. It worked very well for what we needed it for. For the small to medium rooms just the two Bose systems are more than enough. And we mic every instrument including drums. We've been using the Bose systems in this format going on two years now and it never ceases to amaze us. And we used a very nice traditional JBL/Crown system before this. All that being said, I don't think you could go wrong with any of the powered systems mentioned here. To get the most out of any of them I think you need to have a setup with dedicated subs to help support your mains. Everything will be clearer through your mains if they aren't trying to reproduce the low end content as well. Yes, I think you are exactly right. Love my Bose, and its easy to transport but the B1's don't cut it for bottom end. I haven't looked into the B2's just because we use my other system for 90% of the venues we play. The DXR's and the CVA's are so modular and rugged that we've beat the crap out of them indoors, outdoors, in trailers over the road, rain, and even hail and never had a problem.
I've used the Bose a couple of times with a powered sub and it was OK. Two L1's I think would be awesome. Vocals are always so clear and present through the Bose system.
The Bose have provided the clearest vocals we've ever had.
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Post by Buzz Fretwear (Ignatius) on Oct 13, 2015 7:36:44 GMT -7
We run the Yamaha DXRs too, and we love them. A little less expensive than the QSCs but comparable, and even preferred by some. Tons of power and headroom. We're only doing an acoustic trio thing these days so we're not using them with a sub, but when the full band was going we paired them with a Yorkville 720p 1x15 sub. Fantastic little system for small/medium clubs. Reliable too - I'd guess we've done over 100 gigs so far with the Yamahas and not one problem.
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Post by iluvpunz on Oct 13, 2015 20:58:33 GMT -7
We run the Yamaha DXRs too, and we love them. A little less expensive than the QSCs but comparable, and even preferred by some. Tons of power and headroom. We're only doing an acoustic trio thing these days so we're not using them with a sub, but when the full band was going we paired them with a Yorkville 720p 1x15 sub. Fantastic little system for small/medium clubs. Reliable too - I'd guess we've done over 100 gigs so far with the Yamahas and not one problem. I prefer the Yamaha's over the QSC. They seem to be less ear fatiguing (is that a word) than the QSC's. Very present, clear and powerful but less piercing. As you said, extremely reliable.
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Post by Brian on Oct 15, 2015 10:07:28 GMT -7
I am a huge fan of the Bose L1 Model 2 with the B2 subs. I have been using Bose as my main PA for almost 8 years now. I started with the L1 Model 1's with dual B1 subs on each side. Last year I upgraded to the L1 Model 2 with the B2 subs. Huge improvement on the low end with the B2 subs...but if we play anything larger than a sports bar (150 people), I run out of the mixer to a crossover and run the low end to a pair of JBL 18's and send the rest to the Bose. Not that the Bose can't handle it...I just think it is smarter to run low end thru larger speakers...just to protect my investment. Crystal clear sound, fills the room with sound at much lower volume. Light weight and easy to set up. I run them out front like a traditional PA and use monitors on stage. But they have never failed or disappointed.
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