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[Steve Cook]

Hiya, so like a year and a half ago I had a thread going about the best rig for the band I was playing in.   Before the rig came to light, I got canned!   

Now I have formed my own band, and was perfectly fine hiring sound and lights.  However, as we needed to find a way to decrease costs as the drummer needed to see some cash in his pocket, the only way to pull itnoffnwas investing in a rig.  Budget of maybe $10k.  We all have our own IEM's, Shure PSM 900 and Sennheiser EW 300. 

I can't express enough thanks to this forum as a research tool in making judgements on the rig.

Presonus 1602-----Crown Itech 12000hd-----jbl 4719---???

Not sure yet on the mid hi boxes, but probably jbl 722's, maybe 4732 if cash is tight. 

Singer has iPad, drummer and bass have notebooks, so they can all control their own IEM's at any given time.  I've got a MacBook Pro and can monitor the Itech and FOH. 

I chose the itech and 4719 because, compared to the cost vs output of powered boxes.  It was a tough choice, and my decision creates potential transportation issues,  but we'll see. 

Thoughts, opinions?  Comments, criticisms?  Oh, the places we are playing are small, 100 to 300.  We run guitar and bass direct, no amps on stage. 

[Randall Hyde]

Hiya, so like a year and a half ago I had a thread going about the best rig for the band I was playing in.   Before the rig came to light, I got canned!   

Now I have formed my own band, and was perfectly fine hiring sound and lights.  However, as we needed to find a way to decrease costs as the drummer needed to see some cash in his pocket, the only way to pull itnoffnwas investing in a rig.  Budget of maybe $10k.  We all have our own IEM's, Shure PSM 900 and Sennheiser EW 300. 

I can't express enough thanks to this forum as a research tool in making judgements on the rig.

Presonus 1602-----Crown Itech 12000hd-----jbl 4719---???

Not sure yet on the mid hi boxes, but probably jbl 722's, maybe 4732 if cash is tight. 

Singer has iPad, drummer and bass have notebooks, so they can all control their own IEM's at any given time.  I've got a MacBook Pro and can monitor the Itech and FOH. 

I chose the itech and 4719 because, compared to the cost vs output of powered boxes.  It was a tough choice, and my decision creates potential transportation issues,  but we'll see. 

Thoughts, opinions?  Comments, criticisms?  Oh, the places we are playing are small, 100 to 300.  We run guitar and bass direct, no amps on stage.

Do you already have the IT12000HD? If not, let me know your sources when you put together a rig including an IT12000HD run under $10K.  I'd buy some of those, too!

More on the topic: what kind of music do you make? What SPL do you think you need to feed those 300 people?  You might even consider SRX 712m cabs on poles or stands over a 722. With the right amp (say, at least 1,200 to 1,600 watts) they put out a lot of decent sound and they are *tiny*.

Might take a look at SAC if you're willing to go with the Presonus. SAC is a few bucks more, but infinitely more flexible (www.softwareaudioconsole.com). SAC is great if you're willing to invest the time learning how to use it (which generally isn't a problem for owner/operator soundcos or band rigs); it won't be as easy to learn as the Presonus, but you'll be happier with the sound and flexibility.
Cheers,
Randy Hyde

[Steve Cook]

Do you already have the IT12000HD? If not, let me know your sources when you put together a rig including an IT12000HD run under $10K.  I'd buy some of those, too!

More on the topic: what kind of music do you make? What SPL do you think you need to feed those 300 people?  You might even consider SRX 712m cabs on poles or stands over a 722. With the right amp (say, at least 1,200 to 1,600 watts) they put out a lot of decent sound and they are *tiny*.

Might take a look at SAC if you're willing to go with the Presonus. SAC is a few bucks more, but infinitely more flexible (www.softwareaudioconsole.com). SAC is great if you're willing to invest the time learning how to use it (which generally isn't a problem for owner/operator soundcos or band rigs); it won't be as easy to learn as the Presonus, but you'll be happier with the sound and flexibility.
Cheers,
Randy Hyde

Randy, thanks so much for the heads up on the SAC system, I had no clue it existed and now I'm kicking myself a bit for not seeking it out.  I don't think I'd have any problem operating the rig, I'm pretty good at bumbling around Sonar's X1. 

And due to strange twist of events, may be adding another singer to the band, therefore making use of the 1602 complicated, as it's only got 4 aux outs.  And, the ipad app isn't available yet for the 1602, as well as rack ears.  Slightly disappointed.

Ended up rolling with the JBL 722's, I just wanted the rig 'together' and done.  I figured I can add smaller mid/highs, the JBL 712 or 715, or maybe the PRX boxes, down the road. 

We're doing a party either Thursday or Saturday to kick the tires and see how a dry run of this rig works out.  We had an excellent gig last Saturday night and nabbed a bunch of new fans, and I'm gambling on being successful.

[Randall Hyde]

Randy, thanks so much for the heads up on the SAC system, I had no clue it existed and now I'm kicking myself a bit for not seeking it out.  I don't think I'd have any problem operating the rig, I'm pretty good at bumbling around Sonar's X1. 

And due to strange twist of events, may be adding another singer to the band, therefore making use of the 1602 complicated, as it's only got 4 aux outs.  And, the ipad app isn't available yet for the 1602, as well as rack ears.  Slightly disappointed.

Ended up rolling with the JBL 722's, I just wanted the rig 'together' and done.  I figured I can add smaller mid/highs, the JBL 712 or 715, or maybe the PRX boxes, down the road. 

We're doing a party either Thursday or Saturday to kick the tires and see how a dry run of this rig works out.  We had an excellent gig last Saturday night and nabbed a bunch of new fans, and I'm gambling on being successful.

Here is a really good place to ask SAC questions and seek technical help:

http://www.sawstudiouser.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=7

Cheers,
Randy Hyde

[David Parker]

Presonus 1602-----Crown Itech 12000hd-----jbl 4719---???

Don't know about where you are, but clubs that size in Houston don't have anywhere to tie in a distro, and I don't see you running that amp off a wall outlet. I also don't see you needing that much power on your subs for clubs that size.

[Steve Cook]

Presonus 1602-----Crown Itech 12000hd-----jbl 4719---???

Don't know about where you are, but clubs that size in Houston don't have anywhere to tie in a distro, and I don't see you running that amp off a wall outlet. I also don't see you needing that much power on your subs for clubs that size.

I'm in Iowa.  There's only 2 or 3 places we play where there's a 220 plug on the wall by the stage.  I guess the beauty of that is that I can make a cord for the itech and run it off the 220 feed, no problems, and run the rest of the system off a wall outlet, using a Furman 1215 (?) regulator.  We've got no amps on stage, and monitors are IEM's, plus LED lighting. 

Even with running the IT12k off a wall outlet, I can adjust the settings to keep it to a low roar, ha ha.

To me, it made sense as the price was not that much more than a IT9k or IT5k, and I love the simplicity of having one amp to run the entire rig.  Compared to the power draw/wattage comparisons I did with the other amps on the market, it seemed like a good choice.

Plus, our goal is the festival circuit next summer.  Upgrading the rig would merely mean doubling everything and I think it would be enough of a system to cover the outdoor stuff.

I had no clue the SAC system existed.  I'm already eyeballing an upgrade into that realm, as I'm pretty unhappy with the 1602.  The ipad app doesn't work, I've had to reset the console a few times....hmm, but as I type this, I think of how easy it is to use, and how easy it was to have everyone learn how to fix their own monitor mix.  Good with the bad, I guess.

Oh the other slight bummer, that the Itech software only runs on Windows.  Whoops, going to have to toss an XP partition on the MacBook.

Taking the rig for a test run tomorrow night, errr, I mean tonight.  Pretty excited!

[Steve Cook]

Okay, first off, mixing from the stage sucks.  I want the IPAD app to start working with the 1602 immediately.  It's still a few weeks away.

The 1602 went into reboot twice.  Odd.  Hats off to Colin at Presonus for assistance in troubleshooting and RMA'ing me a replacement console which should be here Wednesday. 

The Itech 12k is incredible, and the 722's delivered the exact vocal clarity I had hope to achieve, we have a VERY powerful soprano lead singer. 

The 4719's, I got a lesson.  One box had been wired differently, +1 and -2 were the inputs and pass through.  The other box was stock.  My friends all said 'well, next time you'll try something out before you leave positive feedback on ebay!'  But once operational, the subs were rattling the metal pole barn we were playing in. Drummer and bass player were all smiles as they could feel the intensity on the stage.

Best of all, we were running around 105-109db at about 25 feet, and there was still plenty in the tank.   

In spite of my dislike of some of the downsides of the 1602--no rack ears, ipad app doesn't work---for what it does in such a small space, and the decent sound quality, it can't be beat. 

This entire rig, with my 6 space guitar rack, 4 space IEM rack, and 4 guitars, all fits into my Expedition. 

We're making the drummer walk to gigs and carry his own drums now.  I'm hoping to get one more test run next week, and then we are playing a Friday and Saturday show next weekend for the true test.

[Tim Padrick]

Buy a good mic package, put an IEM rig together (including a splitter), and hire out the rest.

[ProSoundWeb Community]