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Small Operator System Details and Rationale
Mike Monte:
Does anyone want to share:
- what sound gear (speakers/mixer/mics/etc.) they are currently using
- why they went with that particular gear
- the application (type of live music only, please instruments, etc.)
- how you transport it
- and, most of all, what you think of it....
I'm not particularly looking for a list at an installed-gig such as the House of Blues in Boston, but more so portable (I know that "portable" is a relative term) systems that local sound providers/bands are currently using regularly....
Weogo Reed:
Dear Doug,
I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony...
Can you indulge us having a bit of fun?
Hi Mike,
I'm temporarily living quite a ways from home.
The tiny system I brought can do a lower-volume wedding reception or conference, and
is a pair of Tannoy VX8-P self-powered speakers on US TS90 stands with K&M tilters.
Wedges are my Equator D5 recording monitors.
Mixer is a Mackie DL16S. I'm fast with the app and it sounds good.
I ordered a tiny Behr Flow 8 as a backup, which can have a couple extra
phantom-powered mic channels through a Centrance MixerFace,
which is a very nice two-track recorder or USB interface.
USB 16-track recording is on my laptop or an Ipad with the HarmonicDog MultiTrack DAW app.
Mics are a mix, KSM8, SM58, hard-wired Beta-53 and E935 for vox,
Rode NT5s with M. Joly capsules, several Bartlett clip-on omnis, an ancient,
tough, good-sounding AKG C3000 if somebody really wants large diaphragm.
One other - a custom stereo mic I built. Radial mini active DIs and two-track interface.
K&M short and tall tripod stands. APC UPS, ASUS AC68 router.
A few extensions, a powerstrip. XLRs, 1/4" cables, Ethernet, a few adapters and spare bits.
My trusty old Sennheiser HD25 headphones, Shure and Etymotic IEMs.
Why this equipment? Size/weight, I know it and can make it sound good.
All of this easily fits in my little Mitsubishi IMiEV electric car back in NC, or
the Honda Fit here in NY.
I'll likely have a few more bits shipped up here. And I've made some local contacts for
renting more substantial equipment when needed.
Am looking forward to mixing summer events in a tent on a d&b rig -
four-piece chamber music to wedding bands.
What would l change? Maybe move the Tannoys to wedge duty and
get a pair of RCF TT 10-A(or similar) for mains.
Or get my Danley SM60Fs which are pretty amazing.
Thanks and good health, Weogo
Dave Guilford:
If things go well- people who aren’t interested in this type of thread won’t bother checking it. I’ll play along.
WHAT?
Speakers.
6x Srx725
6x SRX728s
Srx715 and srx718 rig
Amps are a mix of Powersoft T series, a pair of itech5000hd, a boatload of Behringer nu/nx.
Mics are all over the place. I learned years ago “always buy mics in pairs”. So even numbers of most lol. Sm58, e865, sm81, typical drum mics too. Radial DIs, md421 and 441. Cheap DIs.
I get the swap-at-gc live wire brand cables ALWAYS. Good stands are well worth it.
Mixers - m32, x32 compact, Ui24, Soundcraft expression3. Small cheap mackie analog.
Lights. A bunch of LED cans and moving lights. Good hazer, cheap hazers. A couple sticks of truss, crank stands. DMX from ShowXpress software.
About a year ago I bought a mobile stage. 24x16, engineering certified, folds down to a trailer.
WHY?
Sort of just what happened. Started small doing bar gigs in college. Upgraded things here and there for the last 15 years. I heard then-current srx725/728 stack and fell in love. Eventually started buying them up. Look at business as “will this make more money for me?” and buy that stuff. I haven’t purchased any type of line array (yet) because I don’t see it generating the money I’d invest. My current stacks perform very well and they’re paid for. They sound great and - more often than not - they’re actually not all together and I can have myself with one set and other crew doing another gig with another set of stacks. Again, follow the money.
APPLICATION
wherever the money is. I ended up filling a lot of “party in the park” type events in the summer season. I generate 85% of my income from May til September. I have a couple racks of wireless mics , not the cheapest ones but not the most expensive. I do corporate gigs once in a while. Lights are nice when it gets dark out early so I have some of those.
TRANSPORT
Cargo van. Chevy express and a small trailer. This year I’ll be renting a larger trailer from a friend who does winter work, it’s a 7x14 which is way nicer than my small one. A handful of times each summer I have to rent a 14ft uhaul box truck. That mobile stage requires a tow vehicle, which means I have to find crew who can and will tow. I just got a Yukon xl to work as personal vehicle for fam, but will also tow the stage. More importantly - the best thing I’ve done for transport is to put wheels on the gear! A trip to Lowe’s for some thick 3x2ft boards and a box of casters.
WHAT I THINK
I sort of interjected thoughts above. All in all I have a successful operation so I’m happy.
Rick Powell:
Updated 12/20/23
what sound gear (speakers/mixer/mics/etc.) you are currently using
Danley SM 80 and TH 118, one each per side (with 2 additional TH118's for big jobs) with a few different K&M threaded pole options, BT-12 balanced tilters, and Duratruss 3900 speaker stands for a variety of mounting options. Danley DNA20k4 for mains power.
4 "Smithers wedges" loaded with B&C coaxials, and a few Crown XLi 2500's for monitor power.
Midas M32R mixer and DL32 stage box, 20' of Global triangle truss and stands, 2 Ultimate front lighting stands, a bunch of Prost, Cameo and Chauvet lighting with a Show Designer controller. Bunch of mics, mostly Shure, Audix, and Sennheiser. Also have a pair of Yamaha DZR12s on stands, they can also double as monitors or mains. Usually use them for smaller SOS type events. Made all my own mic cables with Neutrik gold plated pin XLRs and Canare star quad.
- why you went with that particular gear
I started with JTR triple 8's and needed some subs to go with them, found a great deal on a used pair of Danley TH115's. Then the SM80 came out and I wanted more SPL for the rig, so I got one of the first pairs. Converted the TH115s to TH118s. Had 4 Bag End TA15 monitors, they were great but 80 lbs each, so I built some Smithers 12" coaxial wedges (plans at Soundforums) since at the time there were less choices in coaxial monitors than today. Most of the stuff I have gotten has had good reviews from multiple people I trust on PSW, since I don't have a lot of opportunity to audition stuff, and I haven't made a purchase I regret in quite some time.
- the application (type of live music only, please instruments, etc.)
Mostly live bands including my own. We have done everything from acoustic solo acts to hard rock to the Buddy Rich Orchestra.
- how you transport it
6x12 trailer. Both my son and I have tow capable vehicles.
- and, most of all, what you think of it....
I like all our stuff, sounds good, works good, I really had no desire to go bigger but then my son upgraded with the Danley amp and 2 more TH118's. It's pretty much his system anymore.
Jay Marr:
Mine is very simple:
2 Mix Racks:
Rack 1 - Behringer X32 Core, S16 and Crown iTech 6k (in a 6 space rack)
Rack 2 - Behringer X32 Rack, XLR panel, Crown iTech 4k, Crown iTech 8k (in a 10 space rack).
Tops: Yamaha DSR112 -or- JTR Neosis 3tx
Subs: 2 JBL SRX728s, 2 JBL SRX718s
Based on the room, I take the appropriate components from the above list.
I love all of my components. Love the JBL SRX700 series line of subs and both of my sets of tops are loud and clear.
Compact and can be set up in minutes.
Subs transported in my guitar players Ford Explorer
Everything else in my Caddy Escalade
(monitors, mics and cables are nothing special....the usual suspects)
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