Vocal monitoring active speakers

[Bradwell]

Could do with some advice on buying an active stage monitor for my band.

At the moment we're writing songs and playing through them without the vocal parts because we don't have a PA system.

Looking at active, wedge type stage monitors that we can take to gigs and will keep up with our drums/amps if there's no front of house PA system provided for us.

Been considering the Wharfedale EVP-X15PM, PMT Manchester have them for sale at £319. That's about the limit of our budget and I figure 400 watts is more than enough power for stage monitoring at club gigs.

Will get our singer to try speakers out before we buy. Advice on other brands / models & shops around Manchester to go & test equipment would be appreciated.

[brensabre79]

Hi Bradwell

First of all, if there's no Front of house PA system, you'll also need a PA system - potentially more-so than a monitor.

I don't think you'll need 15"s for just vocals to be honest. So I would look for something smaller in size.

We switched from wedges a couple of years ago to these:
[url="http://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Behringer-Eurolive-B205D-Active-150W-PA-Monitor/CEZ?origin=product-ads&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=PLA+Shop+-+Behringer&utm_content=MK7eA0hY|dc_pcrid_54639826039_plid__kword__match__&gclid=CPWCv_DFscECFQgXwwodzEsAbw"]Behringer EuroLive[/url] (other retailers are available), and there are other companies making similar ones (including Wharfedale I believe). For £300 you can get two of the Behringers, the beauty of these is they are far more portable, and because they are elevated on a mic stand they are closer to your ears - so don't need to be so loud.

For a little more money you could get one of [url="http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/TC_Helicon_VoiceSolo_FX150_Personal_PA_Monitor-and-Vocal_Processor/TC-996551061"]these[/url] - which you can plug a mic straight into for practice. (Otherwise you will need a mixer - and possibly FX too)

These will be great for practice, but for a gig, you will need a PA (it's no good if you can all hear yourselves, but the audience can't hear any vocals). If you're playing at a venue with an in-house PA, they will usually have their own monitor rig too. Most engineers won't be interested in hooking up your monitors to their system if they have one already.

If it absolutely must be wedges, then you could get away with the 12" version of the Wharfedales - but like I said, you'll need to plug the mics into a mixer at the very least.

[EBS_freak]

RCF310 - even better if you can stretch to the RCF312. Audition them - you'll see that they simply blow the others out of the water. The can be used on their side as either a wedge or as front of house in the future - if you choose to buy a PA in the future.

[Bradwell]

Thanks guys,

Need something for practice more than anything at the moment. I know that a lot of places we're thinking of gigging in future should be able to provide a FOH system however, I don't want to rely on that.

Something that can be used as either a wedge or FOH would be ideal.

[Phil Starr]

I've got the 205D as a personal vocal monitor and it does the job really well, but if you want the drummer to hear your vocals he will struggle to be honest. The TC Helicon is the same but better, and with useful effects built in.

I'd agree about a 15 being too big as a regular monitor, as a start up band you tend to find cramped stages and there is also the problem transporting larger monitors, even a 10+horn would do the job.

We've just bought the Wharfedale Titan 12's as vocal monitors, Great sound, scarily loud and could double as vocal PA although bass stresses the lightweight plastic cabs so you wouldn't want bass or kick drum going through them if you used them as PA. They were on offer with Andertons at £139 when I bought mine. You should find the EVP's cheaper than the price you quoted.

The RCF's are fantastic and you can't do better at that price point, I recently auditioned them against EV/Yamaha/JBL at PMT in Bristol and they were a class apart.

[Phil Starr]

Oh, you might find this helpful, if long winded http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1591207

[Bradwell]

Cheers Phil. Excellent thread on UG, lots of info that I already knew from reading various books & articles but it's fantastic having it written for a band that's starting up. Lots of text books are aimed professional recording engineers: Getting through all the information and setting priorities isn't the easiest when you're practicing in a pub basement with two microphones, a laptop and several worn-out practice amps.

I will take a look at getting the titan 12 or something similar as a vocal monitor for now and put RCFs as top of the list when it comes to auditioning FOH equipment early next year.

[phil.c60]

Having just learnt that we are losing our guitarist/vocalist (he has been struggling to balance bands, family, retraining for a new career etc for some time) who owns/operates the PA (which we will consequently lose and have to replace, along with him) I found Phil's article really useful and just what I need at this point. As usual, it seems like the bass player (me) will be required to look at all the options, do most of the research and come up with a solution. For next to no money if at all possible, obviously.Thanks for taking the time and trouble to write It, Phil, and I'm sure I'll be asking you stupid questions before long!

Edited October 25, 2014 by phil.c60

[martthebass]

We've got a couple of tiny TC Helicon voice solo FX150 that fit on the mic stands......very versatile for both vocal and instrument input.

http://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/TC-Helicon-VoiceSolo-FX150-Vocal-Processor/WRL?origin=product-ads&gclid=CNOejOCAysECFabLtAodhx0AhA

Edited October 26, 2014 by martthebass

[King Tut]

I front a rock covers trio. The guitarist and I use these . . . http://www.wharfedalepro.com/Home/Products/POWEREDLOUDSPEAKERS/WPM1/tabid/407/Default.aspx
Have them mounted on a mic stand up close n personal. They won't take kick drum or bass, but if you just want them for monitoring vox then they're excellent, small and light. I must admit that we put them through an eq to get the best out of them, but even without the eq they're a great bit of kit. No good for FOH though.