PA/Live Sound stuffis

Without knowing what you already have

let me say this:

P.A. gear is the easiest way to run up your investment money very quickly.

So what I've done a couple of times is this:

I buy fairly good quality setups to begin with and upgrade components as I went.

I couldn't live without monitors

so something like this one would be a decent place to start

For a little bit more something like this one will get the job done.

Point is: if you start out with decent components and add/upgrade it doesn't kill you to invest.

Another idea is that you buy some, another band member buys some etc.

That's how we've done it

but to be honest, we've sunk about $12000 into our P.A. and we're still talking about upgrading

I follow the same thought process as oldfclefer. I don't like having to 'repurchase' things. Below is an 'older' version of my PA. (The ADAT is just filling space) I've since added an in ear monitor system, and some EQ's.

But i bought most everything used, shopped smart... and have probably just about $3,000 wrapped up in it.

The mains are good down to 40Hz, and will handle 800w continuous, peaks of 1600. big enough to put the entire band through in a medium (400-500) sized club. Plus, its only 5 pieces and is designed to be run from the side of the stage.

If I need too someday, I can easily add subs. But for the stuff and placeswe play, these speakers don't need 'em.

It may seem like too much $$$ now, but in the long run... you'll be much better off.

Don't get Bose. I went to a local music shop and the staff were pimping some Bose PA to a dude, and it was dreadful.

Find an appropriate forum and have a good read up. My housemate is a sound engineer and bassist, so might see if I can get him to chip in, although I suspect he'll suggest mostly 'Get awesome subs'.

I'd add get a good high pass filter set appropriately so you don't blow them up.

If you don't mind a bit of heavy, there are awesome power amps going cheap as people are going lightweight. Great thing with PA power amps is you can score a preamp, and use them in your bass rig for awesome power.

Thanks for the help guys.

I say I need as in more of a Everyone else in my band isn't really too much into these things so I'm the one in charge of finding it all... haha...

The funds to pay for it will be coming from a band fund/whatever money we can muster out of our own pockets.

The sound system we are currently using is one from another band that our band leader is in... it's just so big, plus not really ours, so that's why we're getting around to getting our own stuff though.

Nice thing is we're not really in a rush to break the bank getting it all together, we can borrow bits from the other band as we supplement our own in... will be a little easier on the pocket book buying it piece meal than all at once.

Right now priority is getting the mixing console/power amp and such equipment together.

Any suggestions as for a mixer to run into a power-amp? That's really where I'm lost...

What other kind of equipment should I (now or eventually) think of adding into it all? Power Conditioner, Sonic Maximizers, etc?

Thanks for all the input/help guys, much appreciated.

Any suggestions as for a mixer to run into a power-amp? That's really where I'm lost...

What other kind of equipment should I (now or eventually) think of adding into it all? Power Conditioner, Sonic Maximizers, etc?

Not sure what the electrics are like where you are, but I think an RCD is the first thing, sonic maximisers are probably not the first thing to be getting, that's icing.

Heard good things about the Behringer mixers, in spite of the brands general unreliable rep, guessing for a bands own system, it doesn't get the abuse an in house one does. Not so much on their power amps. Crown and QSC were the power amp recommendations I got when looking, but I know old peavey stuff is bulletproof and super cheap. Just open it and hoover the dust out, and you are good to go.

Personally... even though you're only running a few mics and maybe a keyboard, I would look for one of the rack mountable 16 channel flavors. (as I did) Yamaha, Mackie, Phoenix, Definitely NOT Berhinger. ;) As the band or needs grow, until you start getting real fancy, 16 channels will typically see you through. used $300-$500. You can find used QSC power amps all day long for under $300. Mine are 1450, I think I paid about $200-$225 for each of them.

Just my suggestions. Live sound is not my forte.

I found this board at a local store and got it for about $800

I've been told that a board worth having is about $50 per channel and up, but this board can only handle 12 mic inputs -- a little trick they've decided to play on perspective buyers by counting a stereo channel as two inputs, but they're only one mic input -- so be careful of that.

As far as an amp, our guitarist bought one of these and it's done very well for us

i have a carvin SM162 12/16 ch mixer i'll sell you.. see the classifieds for pics....... ;)

Again, thanks for all the input guys.

I will message you later today after I get a hold of my bandmates

I just read the post above mine regarding Berhinger mixers. My comment wasn't directed at Mr. Foxen's post... but based on my previous experience.

I had picked up a small one for my desk to take care of a few basic things and route audio to and from one of my 'other' computers that I also recorded with. It lacked some routing usefulness from the mixer it was 'copying', the pots were scratchy from day one, never cleaning up, the faders were the worst things I ever felt, and the mic pre's were absolutely terrible.

I've learned with my 'live' rig... good pre's are really important. When in my practice space using my Mackie studio board, we could crank the vocals in the monitors. Same mics, same room, same amps, same monitors, etc... but running them through the Mackie VLZ Pro, something about the 'lesser' preamps even in THAT console (which many people rave about) that caused us tons of feed back problemsand forced us to noticeably reduce the vocal monitor levels. I couldn't imagine the horror I would have found trying the same thing with Berhinger pre amps...

Don't get me started on the EQ.

ONLY my opinion...

+3 on NO behringer.

I bought a Peavy mixer a couple years back and the thing is ROCK solid. I've also been very satisfied with the Peavey PV 12M monitor. It's a neo based cab, light and loud.

[URL=http://www.peavey.com/products/browse.cfm/action/detail/item/116922/PV(R)%206%20USB.cfm]Mixer PV6[/URL]
[URL=http://www.peavey.com/products/browse.cfm/action/detail/item/116340/PV(R)%2010%20USB.cfm]Mixer PV10[/URL]

Monitor

Peavey also has some of the new Class D power amps. 3000W, $299 under 8lbs.
[URL=http://www.peavey.com/products/browse.cfm/action/detail/item/116950/IPR™%203000.cfm]IPR Amp[/URL]

The problem I had with the PV series board I had was that the monitor signal was post eq on the board and I simply couldn't use the thing for our monitors because if the sound guy adjusted the eq on any channel it put the monitor eq out of whack and caused a number of feedback issues for us.

I traded up to the 16FX because it had a prefader dry signal going to the monitor send which is what you want for vocals and any other live mics.