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[Martin Primus]

Hey everybody.  Looking for some "what would you do?" Answers on PA for rehearsal, and any feedback from bands the run your own PA for gigs.  My band has what I consider a vere nice PA consisting of EV QRX212's and Yorkville UCS1's (2 over 3 per side), Presonus 16:4, and all of the other goodies that we tote around to provide production for all but our biggest shows. 

Our rehearsal PA is...well...not really effective.  It's too cumbersome to unload the trailer every week (we're out playing most weekends) for reahearsal, so we have a mish-mash of old gear, that quite honestly sounds horrible.  We run vocals, bass guitar, and some kick drum through a single 18 bandbass EV sub, with top end provided by an unknown OLD PA cabinet with 4 12" drivers and no horns, all powered by a Peavey powered mixer from the 70's that's dying a slow death after 30-something years of service.  The biggest problem is the top cabinet sounds terrible, and the mixer doesn't really allow much control other than volume (2 band eq on the channels and 7 band masters). 

My original thought was just buy a new top cab, power amp, and 6-10 channel mixer.  But then I started doing the math, and buying something like a Yamaha 12/4 and QSC GX3, I'm looking at close to $600 plus a cabinet.  Finding small PA used is a bit of a chore, so in that budget I'm getting close to going used and finding a Mixwiz and used amp for a few more bucks, which combined with the outboard I already have, could serve as backup in a pinch if our Presonus ever died. 

The latter seems to make the most sense, what do you guys think?  If you're so inclined for you musician/sound guy types...what are you using for rehearsal PA?

Thanks!

[Thomas Lamb]

I don't know if you use in ears on stage at all. But if you do and would use them in your rehearsal space or would be willing to use them or headphones fir rehearsal. I would try this. http://www.samash.com/p/JamHub_BedRoom%20Silent%20Rehearsal%20Studio_-49947818  I saw it at Sam ash the other day and thought it would be pretty cool for a rehearsal space. And it's pretty affordable.

[Jeff Bankston]

i'm 53 years old , started playing drums at 13 , was i my first band at 13. i NEVER ran ANYTHING but VOCALS through a pa at rehersal !!! i have seen a few other bands do it and scratched watt wuz left of the hair on my head wondering.... WHY???!!! i play very LOUD wide open drums. the geetar and bass players stand or sit in front of me and POINT their amps at me. i hear them loud and clear and they hear me loud and clear. i use a pair of wedge monitors to run the vocals through and that works perfect. ben doing it that way since the 1970's. i just dont get why bands run everything through a pa in a rehersal room. wow ! i never played in a band with anyone that ever suggested it. in the mid 1980's i decided to put my own pa together. at present it consist of ah gl2400-32 , 7-qsc 3800 amps , 13-qsc 3500 amps , kt onethird eq , old spring reverb , ashley xr2001 , canarie snake and mike cables , no compressor limiter(i'm consistant on the bass drums). 6 2-piece home made flat front ported speaker stacks > 1-18" jbl soon to be replaced with Faital pro 18xl1600 , 2-ciare 12" , 1-2" dds 40x60 with beyma driver. x-over points 133 , 1000. never runs wide open. very loud for 1000 people. i use 2 small cabnets behind my drums with 1 ciare 12" in each for my onstage monitors. i only run the vocals and geetar through my onstage monitors. the geetar and bass provide their own monitor amps and speakers. i supply 2-sm57 for geetar mics. i require the bass player to have an outbox. fotos are my bass drum with an AKG-D12E & one of the new CIARE 12" mid drivers i recently bought.

[Robin Whyte]

i'm 53 years old , started playing drums at 13 , was i my first band at 13. i NEVER ran ANYTHING but VOCALS through a pa at rehersal !!! i have seen a few other bands do it and scratched watt wuz left of the hair on my head wondering.... WHY !!!

Yeah, I second that.  Been singing a long time (to long to say).  Been trying to build a band again.  Thought I had it about 6 weeks ago, but it just blew up when the drummer didn't like the bass player.  But everyone brought their amps, and I (via a friend at SamAsh) brought a speaker pole and one of those fine EV ELX112P - Class D, 500 watt 12+1 powered cabinet.  Plug right into it and go.

Don't know how loud you play.  But this sweet LIveX piece was plenty loud with great vocal definition and I wasn't anywhere near max power.

I'm looking to buy the 112P when I get some people set up.  It's really sweet.

[Douglas R. Allen]

You shouldn't get a PA to practice with. When you go out on a gig and its no longer there then what? You will be used to that big direct sound and it will be gone.
Get some good monitors and use them for vocals only. If you can't hear each other in a small ? practice area then you'll have a tough time when your out on a gig.
Later when you go out then on a gig any sound from FOH will only be a plus because your used to just monitors.

Before I do sound for a new band I ask to go to a practice. If they have their PA pointed at themselves with amps on 11. (One more than 10) I'll pass on the gig. I know they just don't "Get It". They will ask for more and more monitor looking for their Practice PA sound.

As a disclaimer your band may have great controled stage volume and are great bunch to work with. Just my point of view on a way to large practice pa that is hard to reproduce when you get to a gig and don't have it.

Douglas R. Allen

[Douglas R. Allen]

i'm 53 years old , started playing drums at 13 , was i my first band at 13. i NEVER ran ANYTHING but VOCALS through a pa at rehersal !!! i have seen a few other bands do it and scratched watt wuz left of the hair on my head wondering.... WHY???!!! i play very LOUD wide open drums. the geetar and bass players stand or sit in front of me and POINT their amps at me. i hear them loud and clear and they hear me loud and clear. i use a pair of wedge monitors to run the vocals through and that works perfect. ben doing it that way since the 1970's. i just dont get why bands run everything through a pa in a rehersal room. wow ! i never played in a band with anyone that ever suggested it. in the mid 1980's i decided to put my own pa together. at present it consist of ah gl2400-32 , 7-qsc 3800 amps , 13-qsc 3500 amps , kt onethird eq , old spring reverb , ashley xr2001 , canarie snake and mike cables , no compressor limiter(i'm consistant on the bass drums). 6 2-piece home made flat front ported speaker stacks > 1-18" jbl soon to be replaced with Faital pro 18xl1600 , 2-ciare 12" , 1-2" dds 40x60 with beyma driver. x-over points 133 , 1000. never runs wide open. very loud for 1000 people. i use 2 small cabnets behind my drums with 1 ciare 12" in each for my onstage monitors. i only run the vocals and geetar through my onstage monitors. the geetar and bass provide their own monitor amps and speakers. i supply 2-sm57 for geetar mics. i require the bass player to have an outbox. fotos are my bass drum with an AKG-D12E & one of the new CIARE 12" mid drivers i recently bought.

Nice AKG-D12E.
 I haven't seen one in some time. Always reminds me of a fat E609. Any problems with it that far from the drum head? With no hole how is the beater click sound? Or is that what your going for?

Douglas R. Allen

[Jeff Bankston]

If they have their PA pointed at themselves with amps on 11. (One more than 10)

Douglas R. Allen

    ha ha ha !!! i'm the drummer and my amps go from 10 to 12 no 11 on the dial !!!

[Jeff Bankston]

Nice AKG-D12E.
 I haven't seen one in some time. Always reminds me of a fat E609. Any problems with it that far from the drum head? With no hole how is the beater click sound? Or is that what your going for?

Douglas R. Allen

Thanks. i have 3. 1 for each bass drum and 1 for a spare. never had any problems with the D12E. when i first started playing i took the front bass head off. around 1985 i decided to leave the Front bass heads on. its all in how they are tuned, played and miked. my drums are 1986 Tama all birch superstars. i use wood beaters and let the beeter come off the head rather then rest on it. i use a remo black dot head in the back and a remo emperor head on the front. i dont use any muffling. i tune low and the sound is awesome. bass drums used to be played with both heads and no hole. sometime during the 80's drummers started cutting holes in the front head. i have had drummers ask why my heads dont have a hole and i ask them why do and there have a hole and they answer "because everybody else cuts a hole and thats what your suppose to do". i tell them if i cut a hole my bass drums they would not produce the sound i want. in the foto is an AKG C460B/CK-61. i use those on all the toms, hh, & overheads. i use an sm57 on the ludwig cob snare.

[Douglas R. Allen]

 i have 3. 1 for each bass drum and 1 for a spare. never had any problems with the D12E. around 1985 i decided to leave the bass heads on. its all in how they are tuned, played and miked. my drums are 1986 Tama all birch superstars. i use wood beaters and let the beeter come off the head rather then rest on it. i use a remo black dot head in the back and the remo emperor on the front. i tune low and the sound awesome. bass drums used to be played with both heads and no hole. sometime during the 80's(?) people started cutting holes in the front head. i have had drummer ask why my heads dont have a hole and i ask them why theirs do and there answer is cause everybody else cuts a hole so thats what your suppose to do. i tell them if i cut a hole my bass drums would not produce the sound i want. in the foto is an AKG C460B/CK-61. i use those on all the tom,hh,overheads. i use an sm57 on the ludwig cob snare.
[/quote]

Nice setup.
I worked in a band around 92 with a female drummer who had the same Tama drums. Nice tone.

If your tired of lugging that spare around you can mail it to me! :-) I'd be happy to pay the return shipping! I could help you out so you don't have to carry all that weight !
I'll be sure to put you in to the guys who " Get It" file.

Kindest Regards;
Douglas R. Allen

[Jeff Bankston]

Nice setup.
I worked in a band around 92 with a female drummer who had the same Tama drums. Nice tone.

If your tired of lugging that spare around you can mail it to me! :-) I'd be happy to pay the return shipping! I could help you out so you don't have to carry all that weight !
I'll be sure to put you in to the guys who " Get It" file.

Kindest Regards;
Douglas R. Allen
[/quote]                                                                                    Thanks. oh that xtra d12e dont weigh much !!! heres a mic foto minus a 460.

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