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Author Topic: Need HELP!!!  (Read 11729 times)

Joe Pennachio

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Need HELP!!!
« on: August 20, 2018, 01:42:30 AM »

Hey everyone, my name is Joe and Im the guitarist in a 90s Tribute Cover Band.  We recently started getting some bigger gigs and I felt its time to invest in a PA system.  Unfortunately, I am the only one contributing, so I cant spend a ton of money.  The band consists of 5 Vocals, 2 guitarists, bass, keyboard, and drums.  I recently purchased a Yamaha MG20XU unpowered mixer, figuring that I will get some powered loudspeakers.  I have the opportunity to get 2 Mackie Thump 15s 1000 watts for $450 for the pair. Ultimately, I want to mic everything, but it seems no-one says to do this without a sub.  I dont have the money for a sub right now.  So, are these good overall mains? If I do decide to get them, should I not mic the drums or bass until I get a sub, or can I keep them low in the mix. Should I not mic the guitars if Im not mixing the bass and drums? I am new to this, so please be gentle.  We have weddings and other big events coming up that I want to make sure we sound the best we can.
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Scott Gaines

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Re: Need HELP!!!
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2018, 02:13:59 AM »

If you have weddings and bigger gigs coming up, why not invest in better gear? Seriously, you don't have to go JBL SRX or better. That's probably too expensive.
 
But if the $ is in the pipeline, why not open a line of credit at Sweetwater and dedicate it to the gear? The first year is investment time. Do yourself a favor: don't do it piecemeal. Buy once, cry once, and pay it off as the checks come in.
 
QSC K12.2 tops are great. Now do the right thing and invest in a couple of subs and you're in business. I can personally recommend JBL PRX818XLFW subs. I have em, and they hit hard and deep.
The QSC Kw181 subs are ok, but I don't really like the way they sound. The Turbosound IQ18b looks good. I have the IQ10, and it works great as a monitor. I'll bet the subs sound great, and they aren't that expensive.
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: Need HELP!!!
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2018, 02:19:45 AM »

Hey everyone, my name is Joe and Im the guitarist in a 90s Tribute Cover Band. 


Hey Joe, go back to your profile and edit it so your "Displayed Name" is your real first and last names.  Real names are required to post on the Live Audio forums so if you don't take care of it a moderator will lock your thread until you do.
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Chris Grimshaw

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Re: Need HELP!!!
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2018, 03:25:23 AM »

The free advice is as follows:

Do not buy Mackie Thumps.

More will follow once you've sorted your name out, as required in the multitude of pages you went through to sign up for this forum.

Chris
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Sheffield-based sound engineering.
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Joe Pennachio

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Re: Need HELP!!!
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2018, 07:44:17 AM »

Unfortunately, as I previously said, I’m buying all of this on my own. I cannot afford subs at the moment. I don’t have good credit, so I cannot open a line of credit.
If you have weddings and bigger gigs coming up, why not invest in better gear? Seriously, you don't have to go JBL SRX or better. That's probably too expensive.
 
But if the $ is in the pipeline, why not open a line of credit at Sweetwater and dedicate it to the gear? The first year is investment time. Do yourself a favor: don't do it piecemeal. Buy once, cry once, and pay it off as the checks come in.
 
QSC K12.2 tops are great. Now do the right thing and invest in a couple of subs and you're in business. I can personally recommend JBL PRX818XLFW subs. I have em, and they hit hard and deep.
The QSC Kw181 subs are ok, but I don't really like the way they sound. The Turbosound IQ18b looks good. I have the IQ10, and it works great as a monitor. I'll bet the subs sound great, and they aren't that expensive.
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Joe Pennachio

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Re: Need HELP!!!
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2018, 07:47:29 AM »

Why not? Even if budget is tight and I can get a pair for $450? Is there something better that’s less money than that?
The free advice is as follows:

Do not buy Mackie Thumps.

More will follow once you've sorted your name out, as required in the multitude of pages you went through to sign up for this forum.

Chris
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scottstephens

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Re: Need HELP!!!
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2018, 07:58:13 AM »

Joe,

Try buying used; scour the musician sites for "used, open box, discontinued".  If you can't get a sub, fine,  try getting just a couple of single 15's with a horn. Raise your fee by a few bucks and get your money back. Forget about micing everything for the time being. Unless you or your group is getting paid enough to make it worth  all of the hassle. If you need everything mic'd up try calling sound providers and see what they charge. Make sure you explain to your clients that big "noise" requires big investments on their part.

Scott
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Joe Pennachio

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Re: Need HELP!!!
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2018, 08:20:35 AM »

Yes, I buy used all the time. So, the thumps I’m getting are 15s, so just have vocals going thru it until I get a sub?
Joe,

Try buying used; scour the musician sites for "used, open box, discontinued".  If you can't get a sub, fine,  try getting just a couple of single 15's with a horn. Raise your fee by a few bucks and get your money back. Forget about micing everything for the time being. Unless you or your group is getting paid enough to make it worth  all of the hassle. If you need everything mic'd up try calling sound providers and see what they charge. Make sure you explain to your clients that big "noise" requires big investments on their part.

Scott
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Matthias McCready

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Re: Need HELP!!!
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2018, 09:52:19 AM »

Yes, I buy used all the time. So, the thumps I’m getting are 15s, so just have vocals going thru it until I get a sub?

Since you are so interested in the Thumps.... They sound quite bad, while they will make vocals louder they do not do it well. The top end of these boxes sounds very thin and undetailed. The only positive they have going for them is that they do have a good amount of low end for the size, yes if you are careful (know what the speaker is capable of) you could run some bass and kick through them, just don't expect high volumes. Don't expect the low end to sound great either. The Thump really is quite close to the bottom of the barrel.

$450 seems like a pretty high price for the pair (locally I have seen them go used for $100-150 each).

If you have $450 why not try and see if you can get one good used speaker from a higher price bracket (one that would actually sound good).

Here are a few models to look at (again these are nothing "high end" either, but they are MUCH better than thumps). Again just get one speaker if that is all you can afford, having two speakers means better coverage, not more volume.

1. Yamaha DXR
2. EV ELX
3. Mackie SRM 450 (these can be quite cheap well used)
4. JBL PRX


Joe as a musician I have two analogies for you :-)

1.  When forming your band what was your criteria? Did you bring in the first drummer you could find? (Irrespective of playing ability, whether they would show up on time, or even could play in the requested genre)


I assume you carefully selected your current drummer, passing over those who did not have the ability. In the same manner, take some time to select your speaker. Learn the difference between a poor speaker and an excellent one, before bringing one into your fold.

2. When you bought your guitar, did you decide that a First Act guitar was the guitar to get because it was cheap?

 As for your guitar, it must also be assumed you do not play with a First Act guitar? Why not? It is a guitar, it has pickups, a bridge. and tuners? You don't because you have a minimum standard of excellence. Stating that you must get the Thump (because the price is right) is like someone arguing that the First Act is what they should get because it is cheap (which makes it the guitar for them). Focusing on driver size (15 inch) and wattage is comparatively stating the el cheapo guitar has "tuners" and "pickups." Just like a nice Fender Strat sure the First Act also has these parts, but there is a giant quality difference. Driver size does not indicate quality and wattage does not indicate how loud (or how good) a speaker will be.

---
As you have professed to be "new" to sound let the experienced individuals here help you (I am lowly among their ranks). When they don't recommend something it is the same as you trying to help a young aspiring guitarist get a decent ax and amp.

On another note, if you are getting better gigs, your clients deserve for it to sound good. At minimum get good equipment and learn to properly set it up. However, I would recommend taking time to really dive in and learn, or if this is not your cup of tea, acquire someone to run sound who has taken the time.
« Last Edit: August 20, 2018, 09:56:23 AM by Matthias McCready »
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Paul G. OBrien

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Re: Need HELP!!!
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2018, 10:31:35 AM »

Joe.. don't buy Mackie Thumps. If these are used they have already been blown and that is why they are for sale. I think you will find that the collective opinion here is that you can't support a full band on a pair of cheap speakers, what you need costs $3-5k new retail so the best advice is to rent until you collect enough funds to buy a proper PA system, and then scour the used market for pieces that are suitable. Right now the boxes you are looking at are so far out of the realm of capability that you need it is impossible to overstate how much of a mistake you would make in buying them.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Need HELP!!!
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2018, 10:31:35 AM »


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