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Author Topic: New guy here! Investing in first PA  (Read 2907 times)

Dillon Myers

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New guy here! Investing in first PA
« on: May 04, 2014, 09:47:20 PM »

Hey everyone. New to the world of live sound.
Naturally, I'd like to speak to professionals- so here I am.

For the past 2-3 years I've been playing acoustic shows.
Using a generic powered mixer, a Behringer 500w powered speaker, beta 58 mic...yada yada
Easy to maintain, understand, and use. You can see how my knowledge would be limited in the way of providing sound for a full band atmosphere.

Now I've got a group of guys together and I'm wanting to get a respectable PA system to tour with.
Looking more toward honkey tonk's and small venues >500 people but will (hopefully) gradually progress toward bigger and better things.

So we'll start with the gear I've been looking at buying.
1 - Behringer X32 (compact?) mixer
2 - QSC Kw153 Active speakers
2 - QSC Kw181 Powered woofers
1 - Sennheiser EW 300 IEM
3 - Yamaha SM15v Monitors
1 - Wireless Beta 58 mic
? - ?amplifiers?
     Xlrs, 1/4in's, drum mics, etc. i have covered
Majority of the equipment decision has come from listening to other bands, and advice from touring acts in my scene.

Here are some of my MANY questions/concerns:
1. Never worked with subs before, any information on setting them up and getting them into the mix will be greatly appreciated.
2. Never worked with more than one speaker (and no monitor for that matter) outside of opening gigs where everything was set up already. Since all speakers and subs are powered, will you explain the process (and things i'll need) in order to get all this stuff into the mixer?
3. Should i even go the powered route? or get passive gear and buy amplifiers?
4. Monitors: wildly uninformed here. I'm guessing i'll need and amp for these puppies, but how do i go about getting them into the mix (and EQing)?



Generally, i just need to understand the basics of setting up the PA. 'What plugs into what', 'you need this for that' kind of thing. Thank you all for taking the time to read and answer my admittedly novice questions.
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Mac Kerr

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« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2014, 09:59:59 PM »

Hey everyone. New to the world of live sound.

Please go to your profile and change the "Name" field to your real first and last name as required by the posting rules displayed in the header at the top of the section, and in the Site Rules and Suggestions in the Forum Announcements section, and on the registration page when you registered.

Mac
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Thomas Le

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Re: New guy here! Investing in first PA
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2014, 03:08:01 PM »

Going by your list, here's what I'd do:
- change to regular X32 or Si Expression 3
- change to JBL PRX735, the conical coverage might backfire on you.
- change to JBL PRX718XLF
- why IEM's when you have wedges also? doesn't make sense IMO
- change to JBL PRX712M
- change to Sennheiser EW135G3, the low end shure wireless are overpriced IMO.
- no amps needed.

Based on your questions:
- You could feed them the main mix and use the HI pass out to the PRX735, or aux feed them.
- You need long mic cables from the mixer outputs to the inputs of the powered cabs.
- Powered speakers are fine, nothing wrong with passive but the tech has improved over the years since the original EONs for example.
- You feed the wedges from the aux outputs from the mixer. You "ring" out the problem frequencies by using a vocal mic.
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Richard Turner

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Re: New guy here! Investing in first PA
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2014, 03:18:24 PM »

Hey everyone. New to the world of live sound.
Naturally, I'd like to speak to professionals- so here I am.

For the past 2-3 years I've been playing acoustic shows.
Using a generic powered mixer, a Behringer 500w powered speaker, beta 58 mic...yada yada
Easy to maintain, understand, and use. You can see how my knowledge would be limited in the way of providing sound for a full band atmosphere.

Now I've got a group of guys together and I'm wanting to get a respectable PA system to tour with.
Looking more toward honkey tonk's and small venues >500 people but will (hopefully) gradually progress toward bigger and better things.

So we'll start with the gear I've been looking at buying.
1 - Behringer X32 (compact?) mixer
2 - QSC Kw153 Active speakers
2 - QSC Kw181 Powered woofers
1 - Sennheiser EW 300 IEM
3 - Yamaha SM15v Monitors
1 - Wireless Beta 58 mic
? - ?amplifiers?
     Xlrs, 1/4in's, drum mics, etc. i have covered
Majority of the equipment decision has come from listening to other bands, and advice from touring acts in my scene.

Here are some of my MANY questions/concerns:
1. Never worked with subs before, any information on setting them up and getting them into the mix will be greatly appreciated.
2. Never worked with more than one speaker (and no monitor for that matter) outside of opening gigs where everything was set up already. Since all speakers and subs are powered, will you explain the process (and things i'll need) in order to get all this stuff into the mixer?
3. Should i even go the powered route? or get passive gear and buy amplifiers?
4. Monitors: wildly uninformed here. I'm guessing i'll need and amp for these puppies, but how do i go about getting them into the mix (and EQing)?



Generally, i just need to understand the basics of setting up the PA. 'What plugs into what', 'you need this for that' kind of thing. Thank you all for taking the time to read and answer my admittedly novice questions.

I wouldnt bother with the sm115 and an amp unless they were given to you I had used them for years and the stuff you can get now is so much better than a box that hasn't changed much since 1995. Have a look at the QSC K10 or k12 if you were going to go with a KW series mains system

Have a look at other brands too, this is not much different than chev/dodge/ford/toyota every price point of the market is pretty competitive but especially the stuff just above speaker on a stick level of gear. I'm sure if you look around on here you'll see that people aren't afraid to point out value for dollar opinions as well as what is current and popular.


I'm researching a planned purchase on something a bit bigger at the moment but don't rush into anything, especially if a local music store or install guy is using buy it now sales tactics, They likely have their own sales numbers more in mind than your mid to long term goals.
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Looking at retiring. Local PA market has shrank to 2 guys with guitars and bose l1 compacts or expecting full line array and 16 movers on stage for $300... no middle left going back to event DJ stuff, half the work for twice the pay.

Steve Garris

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Re: New guy here! Investing in first PA
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2014, 06:50:08 PM »

Your list is reasonable, but I agree with those saying to just get powered wedges for your live monitors.
I have a JBL PRX system, and I've mixed on the KW system which is excellent. I have no real preference here, but at this price point I think these 2 are the best. Spend good money on your sub's, don't go cheap!

I use a Mackie DL1608 digital board (run by an iPad), and I love it. I know of 6 or 7 other bands in the area, and some clubs, that have moved to this board. It has a very small footprint, and has worked flawlessly for me the past 1-1/2 years. Behringer has a similar, 18 channel version coming out later this year.

 I don't like Beta 58's, but they can be EQ'd to work (prefer SM58's).

Powered boxes are incredibly easy to wire up, you'll just need a boatload of mic cables. Buy a bunch of xlr to 1/4" adaptors - you never know when you'll need them. I have XLR to 1/4 in both male & female, plus get both male & female xlr gender changers - these will get used!

And yes - go to In Ear Monitors and dump the live monitors. My Hair Metal band did this and it improves the sound dramatically. All of the guys were hesitant at first, but now love them. The Mackie board has 6 monitor sends, so each musician gets his/her own mix. It also has reverb, delay, and on each channel there is a gate, compressor, and 4 band parametric EQ. All of the outputs (to mains and monitors) have 31 band graphic EQ's, plus 4 band parametric EQ's, plus compressors.

Your system will be suitable in rooms up to about 300 people.

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Craig Hamilton

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Re: New guy here! Investing in first PA
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2014, 07:41:10 PM »

If you can deal with 16 inputs and might consider the Mackie DL1608 then also give the X32 Rack a serious consideration. I mix on one via Ipad almost weekly and for small Venues with no room for a real FOH it works very well. Most small Venues only need the Kick and toms mic'd and depending on guitar and bass amps, those maybe enough on their own as well. KW is my usual for powered as well.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: New guy here! Investing in first PA
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2014, 07:41:10 PM »


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