Looking for the ideal small PA system

[EddieRay]

I'd like to buy a small PA for my daughter and I to use for acoustic guitar and vocals in small venues. I've searched the online stores and some of the PA packages come close but don't quite meet my ideal specs. Maybe there isn't one:

- 80 to 160 watts
- small footprint, easily toted
- 3 or 4 XLR mic inputs
- phantom power
- 3 band eq on channels or 5 band on master
- digital reverb/delay
- stand-mountable mains that could serve as monitors in a larger system

I'm willing to spend around $400 (US) for it. Any recs?

 

[notCardio]

I don't know if you can still find them but

the most natural sounding pa I ever heard was a Bose many years ago. It looked like the 902 home speakers with the angled fronts except that the drivers were front-firing instead of rear-firing like in the home systems. The main problem was that it was too small for anything except coffee house type stuff, but it would probably suit you perfectly unless you're playing noisy bars or fairly large rooms. It sounded beautiful, though.

Sorry, I guess this didn't help much. But it should get somebody talking.

 

[notCardio]

Just did an ebay check

and you can still get them, but i'm not sure which ones they were exactly. It's one of the 800 series models. Anyway, they're way more than you were looking to spend. Sorry.

 

[sdelsolray]

I'd like to buy a small PA for my daughter and I to use for acoustic guitar and vocals in small venues. I've searched the online stores and some of the PA packages come close but don't quite meet my ideal specs. Maybe there isn't one:

- 80 to 160 watts
- small footprint, easily toted
- 3 or 4 XLR mic inputs
- phantom power
- 3 band eq on channels or 5 band on master
- digital reverb/delay
- stand-mountable mains that could serve as monitors in a larger system

I'm willing to spend around $400 (US) for it. Any recs?

You're at the bottom of the price range for a PA system. Don't expect much.

 

[Obi-Wan zenabI]

I don't think you'll be happy with this:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Peavey-Messenger-Portable-Sound-System?sku=601060

You want a solution that you can add on to, rather than replace, having wasted your $400.

Try buying just one of the powered 10" JBL EONs or Mackie SRM 350 and a used cheapo mixer like a behringer or something. That's a bit more than $400, but only a little, and the difference will be somthing akin to getting a real car instead of a go-kart.


$550 powered speaker, available anywhere-
http://www.music123.com/Mackie-SRM350-Powered-Speaker-i120708.music

I have the Mackie SRM 450's and they seem to be the gold standard around here for small/ medium venue gigging musicians. The 350's should be great for vocals plus acoustic if you can swing one.


Or...here you go for $350: http://www.music123.com/Peavey-112PM-Floor-Monitor-i48747.music just add a used mixer ($50-100 if you know what to look for) but trust me, scrounge some change for the Mackie...

$60 Mixer: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-Xenyx-1002?sku=631264X (ok, they're out of them now, but you see the kind of thing you can get for peanuts.) Behringer sucks, but better to get a nice speaker and upgrade your mixer later.

$200 mixer (this is what my band uses. Sounds great. Built well. Can handle a 5 piece jazz band and vocals) http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Mackie-1202VLZ-PRO-Micro-Mixer?sku=634219

At any rate, the one powered speaker route is the way to go, since you can always use it later as a monitor in *any* system, or throw out your cheapie mixer and get a nice one with nice sounding mic preamps for your vocals and sound even better. Save the $$ from passing the hat and get another powered speaker and stands for better coverage and fuller bass...

Good luck!

Oh, and for reverb, find a used alesis nanoverb.I see them for $30-$40. If you can't find one, PM me and I'll sell ya mine!

Joe

 

[Obi-Wan zenabI]

oh, and

also, I know that my mackies can take a microphone straight, no mixer. You might be able to save on cables and stuff for now if you decide to stretch the wallet.