PA Main Speaker Choices
in [Live Sound]
|
From: Mike Jones on 9 Nov 2007 20:06 I've recently joined a funk/gospel group and it's clear that I need to take my PA gear and upgrade my main speakers and start providing the PA. I own a selection of a couple of crown amps and three Behringer amps, so I've got plenty of amps, what I don't have are main PA speakers appropriate for this type of music. The band is huge, 1 lead vocalist, 4 backup vocalists, drums, bass, keyboard, guitar and 3 horns (trumpet, sax and trombone). Yep, that's 13 people... I own a DDX3216 with a couple of extra ADA8000's so I've got plenty of channels. I also own a few different cross overs, so I've got that one covered.. So, here's my dilemma, I'd like to be able to have a flexible system where I can add and subtract a similar set of main PA cabinets to handle venue sizes of 100 to up to 500 people. I'd like it to be modular and be able to add similar cabinets to accomodate different size auditoriums and venues. And, I'd like to keep costs for speakers under $4K. This is probably impossible, but great vocals need to come first with tons of bass pushed out at the bottom. Suggestions??? -Mike Jones Plano, TX
From: Tim Perry on 9 Nov 2007 22:15 "Mike Jones" <michaeljns2(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message news:bu7Zi.32$Vp3.6(a)trnddc05... > I've recently joined a funk/gospel group and it's clear that I need to take > my PA gear and upgrade my main speakers and start providing the PA. I own a > selection of a couple of crown amps and three Behringer amps, so I've got > plenty of amps, what I don't have are main PA speakers appropriate for this > type of music. The band is huge, 1 lead vocalist, 4 backup vocalists, drums, > bass, keyboard, guitar and 3 horns (trumpet, sax and trombone). Yep, that's > 13 people... > > I own a DDX3216 with a couple of extra ADA8000's so I've got plenty of > channels. I also own a few different cross overs, so I've got that one > covered.. So, here's my dilemma, I'd like to be able to have a flexible > system where I can add and subtract a similar set of main PA cabinets to > handle venue sizes of 100 to up to 500 people. I'd like it to be modular and > be able to add similar cabinets to accomodate different size auditoriums and > venues. And, I'd like to keep costs for speakers under $4K. > > This is probably impossible, but great vocals need to come first with tons > of bass pushed out at the bottom. Suggestions??? > > -Mike Jones > Plano, TX > Mike, there are of course many choices however your decision will be affected by price, availability, reparability, weight, performance, durability, & aesthetics. Earlier this year I added JBL MRX 525's to my collection based mostly on weight and availability. I was happy to discover that the performance was more then adequate for my needs. On the road up to 3 times a week this summer they have survived loud rock, country, Wedding DJ, and even heavy metal. I use these with a variety of subs. Sitting these on top of subs elevates the horns above the crowd without needing stands or extra boxes.
From: tbmoas58 on 9 Nov 2007 23:19 "Mike Jones" <michaeljns2(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message news:bu7Zi.32$Vp3.6(a)trnddc05... > I've recently joined a funk/gospel group and it's clear that I need to > take my PA gear and upgrade my main speakers and start providing the PA. I > own a selection of a couple of crown amps and three Behringer amps, so > I've got plenty of amps, what I don't have are main PA speakers > appropriate for this type of music. The band is huge, 1 lead vocalist, 4 > backup vocalists, drums, bass, keyboard, guitar and 3 horns (trumpet, sax > and trombone). Yep, that's 13 people... > > I own a DDX3216 with a couple of extra ADA8000's so I've got plenty of > channels. I also own a few different cross overs, so I've got that one > covered.. So, here's my dilemma, I'd like to be able to have a flexible > system where I can add and subtract a similar set of main PA cabinets to > handle venue sizes of 100 to up to 500 people. I'd like it to be modular > and be able to add similar cabinets to accomodate different size > auditoriums and venues. And, I'd like to keep costs for speakers under > $4K. > > This is probably impossible, but great vocals need to come first with tons > of bass pushed out at the bottom. Suggestions??? > > -Mike Jones > Plano, TX Meyer upa1's( OR EAW KF650'S) over eaw la400's george > >
From: Eeyore on 9 Nov 2007 22:36 Mike Jones wrote: > I've recently joined a funk/gospel group and it's clear that I need to take > my PA gear and upgrade my main speakers and start providing the PA. I own a > selection of a couple of crown amps and three Behringer amps, so I've got > plenty of amps, what I don't have are main PA speakers appropriate for this > type of music. The band is huge, 1 lead vocalist, 4 backup vocalists, drums, > bass, keyboard, guitar and 3 horns (trumpet, sax and trombone). Yep, that's > 13 people... > > I own a DDX3216 with a couple of extra ADA8000's so I've got plenty of > channels. I also own a few different cross overs, so I've got that one > covered.. So, here's my dilemma, I'd like to be able to have a flexible > system where I can add and subtract a similar set of main PA cabinets to > handle venue sizes of 100 to up to 500 people. I'd like it to be modular and > be able to add similar cabinets to accomodate different size auditoriums and > venues. And, I'd like to keep costs for speakers under $4K. > > This is probably impossible, but great vocals need to come first with tons > of bass pushed out at the bottom. Suggestions??? Vocals don't need low frequency bass. Nor do trumpets, horns, lead guitar or (for the most part in practice) keyboards. The only instruments that will benefit from having big subs in your rig will be the drums and bass guitar. Since bass guitar is already normally more than adequately amplified by the guitarist's own bacl#k line amplification, that leaves only the drummer who might benefit slightly for having subs. Do you want your mix to be dominated by drums ? I have noted that some sound mixers love to do this these days regardless of the act and their musical style of course. Since a decent set of subs are likely to increase the cost of a suitable rig by as much as 2:1 and you don't have money to throw away, I'd concentrate of getting the main full-range speakers right ! Now, you first creterion, given your requirements, is HIGH EFFICIENCY speakers. That means you get more dBs for the same number of watts and it's the best way ever of saving money plus at the same time it tends to result in you buying better quality kit from 'name' manufacturers that have some street cred. A firther plus is that the smaller number of cabinets you'll require will need less space in the truck and less 'roadying' i.e dislocated vertebra and the like to get them into and back out of the venue. Example efficiencies ( dB/W @ 1 metre - AES standard measuring method). 95dB - Low for serious SR - typical of the likes of behringer speakers 98 dB - Not too bad. Typical of the first tier of reasonably respectable kit but nothing to shout about. 101 dB - Now we're talking. This is serious stuff. 103dB and more - This is the really hot high end stuff. I reckon you need to be looking at 101dB efficiency class kit. Compared to 95dB it needs only a quarter the power of 95dB speakers to get the same SPL. You could do worse than take a look at EV's QRX 212. A pair will cost you ~ $3000 http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.asp?ItemID=38918 Bi-amp them and make sure you use a good system controller (not just a crossover) so you can drive them hard (the LF will match to a 2400W amp if properly configured) without danger of destroying them. They're also quite compact. Efficiency is 101-102dB which is good. What are you planning to use for monitoring btw ? Graham
From: Eeyore on 9 Nov 2007 22:40
tbmoas58(a)peoplepc.com wrote: > "Mike Jones" <michaeljns2(a)hotmail.com> wrote > > > I've recently joined a funk/gospel group and it's clear that I need to > > take my PA gear and upgrade my main speakers and start providing the PA. I > > own a selection of a couple of crown amps and three Behringer amps, so > > I've got plenty of amps, what I don't have are main PA speakers > > appropriate for this type of music. The band is huge, 1 lead vocalist, 4 > > backup vocalists, drums, bass, keyboard, guitar and 3 horns (trumpet, sax > > and trombone). Yep, that's 13 people... > > > > I own a DDX3216 with a couple of extra ADA8000's so I've got plenty of > > channels. I also own a few different cross overs, so I've got that one > > covered.. So, here's my dilemma, I'd like to be able to have a flexible > > system where I can add and subtract a similar set of main PA cabinets to > > handle venue sizes of 100 to up to 500 people. I'd like it to be modular > > and be able to add similar cabinets to accomodate different size > > auditoriums and venues. And, I'd like to keep costs for speakers under > > $4K. > > > > This is probably impossible, but great vocals need to come first with tons > > of bass pushed out at the bottom. Suggestions??? > > > Meyer upa1's( OR EAW KF650'S) over eaw la400's How much is a set of those going to cost ? Rather more than $4k methinks. Graham |