What PA gear are you guys using for pub gigs

[ben604]

We've been borrowing my school's PA for gigs, a Peavey system with 15" Subs, 12" Tops and a CS800s power amp, which is lovely. Just for 3 vocals, Kick and an overhead.

We really need to buy a PA for ourselves though, so I've been tasked with spec'ing and sourcing the gear. We've probably got about a grand to spend, I would think.

I'm just wondering what you guys use...I like the idea of Active 2x15, with horn, full frequency cabs as it'll save time and space over a modular sub + top setup, but are the single cab solutions any good? I've seen people say that they're not tall enough and the top end will get lost in the bodies of the front row?

What cabs/amps do you use? What would you use if you had the choice?

[Ian Savage]

[quote name='ben604' post='1152468' date='Mar 7 2011, 01:41 PM']What cabs/amps do you use?[/quote]

At the minute, a QSC USA900 amp (2x450W into 4 ohms) into a pair of Peavey Pro 15 speakers (600W program handling, four ohms) - they work very nicely together (a few vocals and maybe a smidge of guitar or kick drum) and probably cost less than £400 (I forget now). Add a sub and a second amp and the system'd be able to cope with 2-300 capacity venues, I reckon.

[quote name='ben604' post='1152468' date='Mar 7 2011, 01:41 PM']What would you use if you had the choice?[/quote]

Now THAT'S a question The idea of an active 2x15+horn pair is very appealing, BUT unless you're always playing on stages a couple of feet high you're right, they'll be too low on their own and a lot of your sound will be lost into the front row/dancefloor/whatever. Rather than put them on 'normal' speaker stands I guess a couple of good, sturdy wooden boxes or something would be more stable and not put them [i]too[/i] high, but carrying something like that around sort of defeats the object of a one-box solution.

I guess you'd not always need the full rig either, especially for smaller places where you ony need vocals through the PA or whatever, so the option of just taking two speakers (and an amp, if you're not active) might be attractive. And there's good evidence that using two subs as opposed to one can do more harm to your sound than good, because of phase cancellation at the low end and all that kind of stuff; shame that using just one sub buggers the symmetry of your stage setup but it's one less thing to carry, I guess.

[Mr Fudge]

Dynacord powered desks are fantastic bits of kit.

EV speakers and some Wharfdale powered subs.

Will handle bigger than pub gigs with ease.

[keeponehandloose]

5 watts/head indoors,15watts/head outdoors is a guideline as
Far as power goes,so I ve been advised,as a minimum.

[LiamPodmore]

[quote name='Ian Savage' post='1152497' date='Mar 7 2011, 02:06 PM']Now THAT'S a question The idea of an active 2x15+horn pair is very appealing, BUT unless you're always playing on stages a couple of feet high you're right, they'll be too low on their own and a lot of your sound will be lost into the front row/dancefloor/whatever.[/quote]

My mates band just grab 2 tables from wherever they are and put ther 2x15's on them, works rather well.

My band use a Behringer Europower PMX2000 (250w per side) into 2 1x15+ horn Warrior cabs (8ohm, 300w each) and 2 1x12 Peaveys (8ohm, 200w each) for 2 vocals and possibly a keyboard. Works fine for what we need, backline handles the rest.

Liam

[goblin]

Depends on the size of the gig, for small pub gigs, Peavey XR800f desk to mix and power 4 monitors (2 peavey, 2 homebrew) and a pair of EV SX100+ ran from a Bell poweramp.

Also got a pair of Studiomaster VX15 Subs, ran by an Ecler poweramp

[51m0n]

Anything upto 8K, wasnt running flat out or even being pushed, but sounds totally immense....

[mrtcat]

We went the Behringer route for amps and mixer as you can get some bargains on the bay. We have an EP2500 for subs, an EP1500 for tops and another EP1500 for monitors. All three were £310.

Mixer is a 24 channel job. Not top of the range or owt but copes well with 3 x vocals, 1 x guitar, 1 x bass, kick drum, snare and overheads. £150 off the bay.

We've got a few rack bits & bobs EQ's, crossover, vocal pre and a multicompressor for drums

Finally speakers

I built all of ours myself and if you can cope with tools you can save £1000's

Subs are BFM tuba 30's which rule. Put both side by side and they'll bring the house down. Tops are BFM DR280's and they're very very good.

Total spend was probably £1400 but worth every penny as we get lots of love for our big sound!

I'll happily make any BFM cabs for a price as long as you first buy the plans from Bill at www.billfitzmaurice.com let me know what you want and I'll give you a price.

[nig]

We use a 1k gigrac by soundcraft, 2 x 300w carlsbro 1 x 12s on tripods and 2 x 100w wedge monitors, split the amps to out fronts and mons A+B, we are a 3 piece, the drummer brings his own power monitor, feed to him. throw it up in 1/2 an hour, its always been more than adequate and as we always say, quick packaway, quick packaway, quickpackaway.