Need Help With PA Speakers

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drummerdoug86

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I was searching Musciansfriend for PA Speakers and they had two different kinds and I didn't know the difference. They had Passive Cab Speakers and Active Cab Speakers. Can someone tell me what the difference between the two is? Thanks.
 
Passive speakers need an external power amp. Active speakers have a built-in power amp, or more likely two channel amp and an electronic crossover which sends low frequencies to the woofer and high frequencies to the horn/tweeter.

Some mixers have built in power amps also - they are called "powered" mixers. These are best used for smaller places and smaller bands, only because if you put the mixer at the FOH (Front Of House) position, then you have to run long speaker leads from the amp to the speakers.

For a small to medium gig, either a powered mixer and passive PA speakers or a normal mixer with active PA speakers is the simplest system overall.

For a larger gig, either just adding more active speakers or using passive, bi or tri-ampable speakers with active external crossovers feeding separate power amps as close to the speakers as possible, would be the normal way to go.

For colliseum-sized gigs, all that would be handled by the contract sound company, and is a (large) book unto itself... Steve
 
ha

reminds me of the day when i bought 4 of the kustom k10 speakers from musicians friend, i still don't have a power amp for them, im to broke.

If you want a cheap way to get gig speakers, gather up a bunch of hifi stereo speakers and get a couple cheap home stereo amps to run them, thats what i do.
 
Another thing to think about:

Cartage

I've purposely set up all my gigging equipment so that there isn't anything I can't load by myself if I have to. Although I wouldn't want to load my mixer/amp rack alone on every gig, I can get it in & out of the truck.

Most of the active PA speakers I've dealt with weigh a f'n ton. That really sucks if you want to put 'em on stands.
 
Axis said:
If you want a cheap way to get gig speakers, gather up a bunch of hifi stereo speakers and get a couple cheap home stereo amps to run them, thats what i do.
Click to expand...
This is a recipe for achieving the worst possible sound.

Speakers need to be specifically designed to integrate into an array, otherwise your audience will be up to its ears (:)) in a big acoustic comb filter.

barefoot
 
Yeah, but look at all the money the guitar guise will save, not having to buy a flanger or phaser... :=)
 
Ha! I actually tried that once to see what it would sound like. I put a couple speakers on a lazy susan and had my friend turn them as I played. It's not enough of an effect to be interesting as an "effect". But, it's more than enough to sound horrible if it happens unintentionally!

barefoot
 
hey its been working for me, but i only play small gigs. :)

how do u make the thumbs up and thumbs down? and all that other stuff
 
I don't know what to say Axis:eek: To each his own. Me I at least need a tri-amp set up:D

F.S.
 
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