New Power Speakers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jim Lad
  • Start date Start date
Jim Lad

Jim Lad

New member
Sorry Jim but I have never heard of this brand, usually that means it's a cheap brand......... but not always.

However some cheap brands do do the job required, if you don't push them too hard and look after them they may be fine.

The big question is, "What do they sound like and how much power can they really handle"? Remember that is what you pay for, quality of sound and power handling, oh and reliability.

Cheers

Alan.
 
also never heard of them so that makes them questionable to me but they may be nice.

A bigger question would be, "What kind of speakers are your passives?"

If they're really good then I'd go with an amp.

Personally, I prefer amp/passive PA speakers because if an amp ever quits, you can just toss another amp in there and keep going.
With powered speakers, if an amp goes you don't have a speaker 'till you can get it fixed.
 
I'm still mulling it over.
Don't really know what my passives are because they were modified the day I bought them. They're 100Watts each, I think.
They are a bit thin to me and the MP8 is getting old.
Those powered speakers would give me more Watts than I've ever had and I'll never come close to maxing them out.
My other option would be mixer ... amp.... passive speakers as opposed to a powered mixer.
I can still keep my old gear while I break in the new stuff.
 
well, some of the new powered mixers are super light.
The biggest Mackie .... ummm, I think 1008 ...anyway .... it's 1400 watts and only 24 lbs.
They make smaller ones with less power tha are even lighter.
And the Peavey PR15's ( I have a pair) weight 32lbs each. They're super light and they sound ............. ok ..... but I can eq them to where they sound fairly decent and they weigh nothing.

The new JBL Eon powered speakers are 450 watts and the entire thing only weighs 33 lbs. I lust for them but they're 800 apiece.

I'm a big believer in kicking out a little more money on PA and getting stuff that'll last and perform well but I play nightly and drag my stuff all over. If your usage is light ....... then something cheaper might do well.
 
Been looking at the powered mixers too.
Boy! The technology is just rolling right along.
Tough decision.
I was 6 or 7 nights a week until the kid was born.
She goes into grade one next autumn so I'll be getting back into things then.
30lbs at a time is about the most I want to carry. The MP8 is 35.
Speakers are 4 ohm, 100W, Punchead Manufacturing Inc.
They look like 3 ways but I'd have to pull the grills off to see if there are actually any tweeters in there.
 
I think you've swayed me.
Those speakers weigh 50lbs.
That could do a lot of damage if it comes down on a customer.
Now this mixer amp http://cgi.ebay.ca/PYLE-PMX808-8-ch...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45ef7ddbcc has all of the features I need.
I can keep my passive speakers for most gigs, buy a pair of 8 or 10" powered speakers for the really small venues and also put them to use in the studio.
Minds made up.
Thank You all and in particular "Lt. Bob" (if that's your real name) ;)
 
Jim Lad said:
I think you've swayed me.
Those speakers weigh 50lbs.
That could do a lot of damage if it comes down on a customer.
Now this mixer amp http://cgi.ebay.ca/PYLE-PMX808-8-ch...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45ef7ddbcc has all of the features I need.
I can keep my passive speakers for most gigs, buy a pair of 8 or 10" powered speakers for the really small venues and also put them to use in the studio.
Minds made up.
Thank You all and in particular "Lt. Bob" (if that's your real name) ;)
Click to expand...
real name is steve but I use Lt. Bob pretty reliably on the 'net.
I'm all about light weight except in my guitar amps. I set myself an upper limit of 65lbs on those.
But everything else ...... light is good.
Let us know how that mixer does.
 
you know I got a pair of mackie tops and 15" bass bins used on ebay 5 years ago for $1000.oo and kicks butt all over - you can't beat this system - a good 3 way system unbelievable sound, small not to heavy can fit in a small mini van along with all the rest of the gear. if you need more info contact me with private message or I'll try to stop back to this thread. don't settle for CA - CA there's already enough poop out there.
 
moresound said:
you know I got a pair of mackie tops and 15" bass bins used on ebay 5 years ago for $1000.oo and kicks butt all over - you can't beat this system - a good 3 way system unbelievable sound, small not to heavy can fit in a small mini van along with all the rest of the gear. if you need more info contact me with private message or I'll try to stop back to this thread. don't settle for CA - CA there's already enough poop out there.
Click to expand...
That is a nice system but he doesn't need anything near that PA-wise.
He's been using what I would consider a tiny low powered PA for a while and has been satisfied with the results.
And personally, I wouldn't load-in 4 cabs ( tops and bass bins) unless most of my gigs were with a full sized band playing at moderate to loud volumes.
In fact I have a couple of bass bins that sit in my truck and only come out of it maybe every year or two. But the other 324 gigs a year I do they're not needed.
Just more crap to carry with no appreciable benefit for small acoustic type gigs.
 
Ya but don't you think your robing the audience of the full audio experience of the show? and isn't that what is really all about?

The difference of just a high pack and a high pack with a bass bin is nearly like night and day -even and maybe more so with an intimate setting of an acoustic act at low to moderate volumes, There is nothing quite like an acoustic guitar going into a di box then ringing through this system that I talk of. You may only need one bass bin!

It takes the stress off the high pack of trying to reproduce the low end (and every thing dips into the lower register), it can get kind of muddled with that 12" or 15" already reproducing the all important mid range of the instruments and vocals.

And I'm talking the active version a real no brainier for set up, no amps, cross over, etc.

Then trying to keep the vocals on top of a bass guitar and/or an acoustic or electric guitar that's not in the PA and going through an amp like a fender twin or even smaller, with the amp volume at 2 maybe 3 it can be mammoth.......

I'm only talking from experience and audience or owner of venue feed back with quotes such as "we've never heard acts sound so good in here before"! It just shows that you care.

If your show is lacking the full audio experience because you didn't want to make a few extra trips back and forth outside then your only in it for the money.

I guess if all else fails you could get a Bose L1 they sound pretty good but that's a whole other can of worms.
 
Well, I do know what you're talking about. I've done sound and played for a living for over 40 years and yeah, the bottom end is cool but if my playing is good enough then that's where their focus is. And no, the audio experience of the show isn't what it's all about to me.
How I play is what it's all about ........ having virtuosity on my ax and playing better than they've heard very often is what it's all about ...... and I have very good sound ..... it's not like I settle for crap ..... I just don't obsess over getting the last few tweaks ...... I prefer to obsess on my playing.
Basically every gig I do I get rave reviews and I play nightly. I don't mean I occasionally play nightly ...... I mean I did two gigs today on Christmas then I gig tomorrow and Sunday, then Mon ..... I have Tues off next week and then it's Wed, Thurs, Fri ..... a double next Sat ..... etc.

I have to haul a PA, saxes, my guitar rig, a keyboard and lights by myself every freakin' day forever and ever.
I play about as good as it gets and that's gonna be good enough to wow the people. I don't care about that last half octave.

Not saying you shouldn't ...... different strokes for different folks.
And that Mackie rig you have is definitely a great system.
 
Well I've only got 30 years but I'm starting to get a handle on this.
I'm an acoustic (Scottish & Irish) folk entertainer. Most (almost all) of what I do these days involves smaller rooms such as cafes and restaurants. I'm pretty well pubbed out but I still do the occasional bar and more recently, larger dinner functions from 30 to 200 people.
I have no need for anything other than a nice clean sound and this is important for restaurants, gear that is not intimidating to the diner.
I just had a look inside of the speakers I have today and they do in fact have a 3" tweeter in there. Problem being a soloist is that you rarely get to hear your own system just as you hardly ever get to hear your own instrument. i.e. you're usually at the wrong side of it and making too much noise yourself.
I got to hear mine a couple of weeks ago when some dancers played their music via MP3 for their routine. There was ample volume but it did sound a bit thin. (very little low end) That's really not an issue for me though. I sing and play Tenor Guitar, Bouzouki & Tenor Banjo. I'll be keeping these passive speakers and unloading the MP8 for something more current.
I'm actually starting to lean towards the BEHRINGER EUROPOWER PMP1000 POWERED MIXER . I trust the brand and am extremely impressed with the features.
The other mixers I was looking at are quite impressive and all around the same price ($325) but the sheer number of features and customer service with Behringer has peaked my interest.
As I said, I'll add a couple of small, powered speakers later which would finally place me in a position to pick and choose the gear based on the venue.
 
Really Good Sound

yup spoken like a true "ME" guitarist. I run into this all of the time.
" i play about as good as it gets and that's gonna be good enough to wow the people "...

A live musical show ("how I play is what it's all about") has two main aspects to the human sensory perception visual and audio, the audience can "see how well" a musician can play, "Hearing how well" a musician can play("and no, the audio experience of the show isn't what it's all about to me") is and has always been the up most important part of music from before amplification to last nights electrifying gig, and how well the audience hears the musician today falls solely (unless 100% acoustic) onto the PA.
Two little speakers(2 way) sitting on the floor --not so good
Two bigger speakers(2way) up on stands---getting better
Two speakers on top of bass bins(3way)----Full spectrum (within the human hearing range 20Hz to 20KHz)
Then on to 4way systems,5 way systems, surround,...I don't think it will ever end... but to get clear full spectrum 20Hz to 20KHz you have to start with a 3way system.

Now when I talked about bass bins I wasn't fixated on thumping low end or having to worry or care about that "last half octave" I was more referring to having the bass bins to open the audio spectrum and relieving the mid range speaker that gets cramped without them, leaving you with a muddled low/mid mix from the mid range speaker.

ya we have the same amount of years in the biz and again not as a weekend warrior! Its all I've ever done,still doing and will always do with the same work load as you.

And ya I'm the different folk --that cares because its not for "me" it for the audience .
 
Jim, those 12" powered speakers will be fine for what you want. Most of those Chinese plastic jobbies now are. I run our four piece acoustic delta blues market band that plays outside off a little Chinese Yamaha PAS300 portable pa Yamaha PAS 300 and it does just dandy with three vocal mikes, my acoustic bass and a pod through. It's only got 8" speakers on it. :)
 
moresound said:
yup spoken like a true "ME" guitarist. I run into this all of the time.
" i play about as good as it gets and that's gonna be good enough to wow the people "...
Click to expand...
dude ..... you don't know jack shit about me.
First, I'm not just a guitarist ..... I'm a vocalist/sax player/guitarist.
Secondly, I DO play good enough to wow the audience ...... I do it every night and if you heard me I'd wow you too.
Doesn't matter if you believe me or not, I couldn't care less ...... I know what I do.
There's no one better than me on sax and I play git not quite as well but pretty good.
The very best players there are come up and shove their noses in my butt and ask me if I have some open dates if they can raise the money to get me to play some gigs with their band.

I didn't criticize you and several times said that you have a very nice rig. But you chose, for some reason, to make it personal as if I'm stupid and just don't understand things as well as you.
I've done something like 14,000 paying gigs, not counting jams and such and I absolutely know at least as much about sound as you do, probably more, and am almost surely a much better player than you unless you're in say, the top 1% or so of players.

Don't make it personal and don't presume that your way is the only way. For what the OP does and what his needs are (I've followed some of his other threads) he has no need for what you have, wouldn't use it and wouldn't even consider getting all that ...... he's been satisfied with a VERY modest system. I think he should get a little bit better rig but he knows what he needs and what his budget is.
You have a nice rig and it surely sounds better than mine. I could still make the people forget about you in a second.
 
he's been satisfied with a VERY modest system. I think he should get a little bit better rig but he knows what he needs and what his budget is.
Click to expand...
Actually, budget has little to do with it but I do love a bargain.
It usually comes back to "The right tool for the job".
I do acoustic gigs.
I'm an entertainer, not a musician so presentation is everything.
Right down to what I wear, what the set up looks like and even the case that carries all of the accessories.
Jedblue: Thank You. I'll go for the mixer this time around and a couple of small, powered speakers at a later date. The thought of having a toddler come over and sit under a 50lb speaker has put me off but a smaller cabinet would be much safer up on a pole stand.
 
Steve Steve relax your the one who made it personal when you in response to my comments about thin sound and full sound in respect to the audience hearing the reproduction of an artist through a PA... not seeing the ability of the artist.
Then go on to "me" this and "me" that and "my" butt is full of everyone's noses and not even address the facts about audio that I was taking about.
Not with the systems that I use, that was just an example, I was talking systems in general - no conversation just "don't presume that your way is the only way" or "I absolutely know at least as much about sound as you do, probably more".
Even Jim chimed in on the two aspects of a live show to the human sensory perception with... he thought his sound was a bit thin and (looks) presentation is everything.

This isn't even personal your ego spilled out of this chat room before the real person did -thinking this was going to be an other nose in your butt.

Now here's a little something you should try ....go a week no a day with out saying "I" or any reference to yourself in any sentence.. you couldn't do it. And if you did it would teach you a lot and make you a better person/performer.

And now its "ME" saxophone.. I'm going to end here cause the jack sh*t I do know about you is that jack left town leaving you full of whats left.

Do you hear that! that me forgetting about you in less than a second.

X O
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top