grn
Well-known member
I'm looking for an inexpensive PA... 300 to 500 dollar range that is portable and can be used live. Not at any HUGE venues, just say at coffee shops or bars or maybe in a small theater or something like that. Any advice?
S
Sal4001
New member
Fender makes some cool little portable PA packages. The Passport P150 is a 150 watt PA package with 2 2-way speakers, a 3 channel mixer, digital reverb, and it all snaps together and can be carried with one hand. That one's $499.
For $399, they make the same thing in an 80 watt version. My buddy has the 150 watt version, and he uses it for one-man acoustic gigs. It sets up in about 3 minutes, and fits in the front seat of his pick-up.
For $399, they make the same thing in an 80 watt version. My buddy has the 150 watt version, and he uses it for one-man acoustic gigs. It sets up in about 3 minutes, and fits in the front seat of his pick-up.
grn
Well-known member
we have a full band... one guitarist/vocalist, bassist/vocalist, and drummer/vocalist
do you think this would suffice? thanks for the response.
do you think this would suffice? thanks for the response.
grn
Well-known member
oh also, we use the PA for two keyboards and a CD player
Treeline
New member
You have too many signals for a really small PA and you would be asking too much for it. The best bet would be to get either a package through an outlet like Musicians Friend or ZZounds, or else look for used gear.
The Passports are great for solo acts or small groups - two, maybe three people in a small area. But they top out at about 250 watts. What you're talking about is more on the order of a thousand watt system at a minimum. If you want any low end you can double the power requirements in a hurry. New systems like that are not going to be had in your price range.
Maybe think about this for an interim setup - Let's assume the keyboard and bass player already have stage amps. Now look at a system like a large Passport - about $ 850 new - to use for vocals and acoustic instruments. Throw a LDC or a boundary mic in front of the drum kit to pick up some ambient percussion. Use a small mixer (ebay) if you need to get a submix going and use the Passport as an amp.
It will work OK for vocals and so forth, as long as the room is small. In a really small room (store or coffee shop) you can place each speaker to fire directly - point blank - into a wall on the right and left. The signal will bounce and the bleed will act as a bit of monitor signal for you. You can crank it without hurting anyone sitting nearby and get your overall sound level up a bit.
When you are ready for more power, you can still use the Passport as a supplemental system or as a pretty useful stage monitor setup. You won't outgrow it; you'll just use it for different stuff.
But $300 - 500 isn't going to do it.
The Passports are great for solo acts or small groups - two, maybe three people in a small area. But they top out at about 250 watts. What you're talking about is more on the order of a thousand watt system at a minimum. If you want any low end you can double the power requirements in a hurry. New systems like that are not going to be had in your price range.
Maybe think about this for an interim setup - Let's assume the keyboard and bass player already have stage amps. Now look at a system like a large Passport - about $ 850 new - to use for vocals and acoustic instruments. Throw a LDC or a boundary mic in front of the drum kit to pick up some ambient percussion. Use a small mixer (ebay) if you need to get a submix going and use the Passport as an amp.
It will work OK for vocals and so forth, as long as the room is small. In a really small room (store or coffee shop) you can place each speaker to fire directly - point blank - into a wall on the right and left. The signal will bounce and the bleed will act as a bit of monitor signal for you. You can crank it without hurting anyone sitting nearby and get your overall sound level up a bit.
When you are ready for more power, you can still use the Passport as a supplemental system or as a pretty useful stage monitor setup. You won't outgrow it; you'll just use it for different stuff.
But $300 - 500 isn't going to do it.
grn
Well-known member
we've been working off of 80W of power just fine now (we don't play in huge venues, and if we do, there is a PA that is provided usually)... this is our set up.
we have three vocal mics (as there are three people in the band). we have one guitarist, one bassist, and one drummer. the drummer and guitarist also use keyboards that go to the PA (on only 3 or 4 songs). there is also on one or two songs that require a CD being played (in which case the CD player goes to the PA and the drummer wears headphones).
we have been playing live like this for awhile and have balanced the levels and gotten everything perfect (AND STILL PEOPLE TELL US TO TURN IT DOWN). anyway our PA died and we figured we should go to the next step. so the fender p150 is looking good right now, I just wish it had more inputs.
we have three vocal mics (as there are three people in the band). we have one guitarist, one bassist, and one drummer. the drummer and guitarist also use keyboards that go to the PA (on only 3 or 4 songs). there is also on one or two songs that require a CD being played (in which case the CD player goes to the PA and the drummer wears headphones).
we have been playing live like this for awhile and have balanced the levels and gotten everything perfect (AND STILL PEOPLE TELL US TO TURN IT DOWN). anyway our PA died and we figured we should go to the next step. so the fender p150 is looking good right now, I just wish it had more inputs.
Treeline
New member
grn said:
Match it with a used mixer from ebay - or a little Alesis or Behringer - and you'll be in business. Use the mixer to add a couple of channels to the Passport. Here's one example.
grn
Well-known member
did you just recommend a behringer?