PA Requirements

[tm486]

Hi,

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask this or if something similar has been asked before, I have had a quick search but couldn't really find the answer I was looking for.

The band I am in at the moment have been borrowing a PA for practice (we rehearse at the drummers), and the person who owned the PA had no need for it so it was on a semi-permanent loan. They now need it back so we are left without a PA and we are looking to buy one.

The singer has put forward this setup which seems pretty cheap.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Astounded-2100W-Channel-Active-System/dp/B008S9Z6JK/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1382696809&sr=8-8&keywords=PA"]http://www.amazon.co...8-8&keywords=PA[/url]

Now I've never heard of QTX, but they seem to get alright reviews. I've also seen a second hand pair of RCF ART310A's with stands and a mixer and I was wondering which would be the better choice.

I can imagine the QTX system will go a lot louder and produce a lot more bass than the RCF's but seeing as we only ever put vocals through the PA, is it really necessary? We are a loud rock band, so the volume is important, but I should think that 800w dedicated to vocals only should be more than enough? And we could always add subs later if we felt the need and/or wanted to add reinforcement to the other instruments.

So, what would be your choice? Get the RCF ART310A's with no subs or the QTX system.

Any opinions or other options would be gratefully received.

Thanks,


Tom


Edit: Just had a look at the QTX website and the figures quoted on amazon are fairly misleading. The power figures are actually 250w RMS for the tops and 150w RMS for the subs, bringing the total output to 800w, the same as the RCF tops. I think I might have answered my own question and I'll be trying to persuade the others to go for the RCFs instead.

Edited October 25, 2013 by tm486

[hamfist]

As you are discovering, in the world of PA you have to look closely at specs to be able to make any meaningful comparison between some cabs/amps. Certain makers, especially at the cheaper end of the market, are clever at trying to manipulate specs to make their amps/cabs appear more powerful than they really are.
In your position, I'd go with the pair of RCF cabs, depending on price and bearing in mind the cost of the new cabs which will include a warranty. The RCF's will give a better sound, be more reliable, and you have no need for full, solid bottom end as you are only putting vocals through them. You can add a sub later if you need or wish to.

QTX is cheap and cheerful, and made down to a price. Also, please bear in mind I have no direct experience of either of these cabs or setups. But I have a fair amount of experience with other PA and am fairly well aware of the market at the moment. In their price-range, IMO, the RCF ARTs are hard to beat.

Edited October 25, 2013 by hamfist

[Chrismanbass]

buy the RCF's all day long

the qtx stuff is good but as already mentioned they're made to be cheap

the RCF stuff is great quality and will be built to last and you'd be surprised how much

bass you can get out of them

give me a pm if you have any more questions

chris

[tm486]

Thanks for the replies guys, they were ideal.

The RCF's I've seen will work out cheaper than the QTX setup, so it seems like a no brainer. As you confirmed, the subs are probably not necessary as it's vocals only.

Now I've just got to set about trying to persuade the rest of the band that more power isn't necessarily better.

Chris, am I right in assuming that you use these as the PA in your band?

Cheers,

Tom

[Stealth]

RCF no question

[JTUK]

Saw a great unplugged band using the RCF 10's and they could really blast out the vocals... which is what the band sold themselves on.

Unless you are a very loud band, those RCF 10's will be more than enough and will also match up with subs better, IMO..

Don't know the QTX things well... but have heard a few bands running them and they don't sell them...so RCF all the way.

Too many bands have decent enough sounding gear as a backline and then run the vox through a muddy and battered pair of 12's...
I really don't get that... if the vox suck then so does the band, IMO.

[Phil Starr]

QTX is the cheapest Chinese generic PA. Tou'll see it badged with other names too. It does a job at a price and sounds ok so long as you don't push too hard. As you've spotted it tends to be pushed over hard by quoting 'music power' When you read on it does tell you what the RMS wattages are.

The other bit of the equation is that the speakers are very limited, small magnets so efficiency is low and short voice coils so bass excursion is poor so they overload fairly early on.

To be honest it is exceptionally good for the money but limited by its budget.

The RCF's are top of the range speakers well known for great vocal sound, get them and then look for subs in the future if you need to put bass and drums through the PA. they'll be a lot louder than the QTX's.

[Karnage]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1382725293' post='2256050']Too many bands have decent enough sounding gear as a backline and then run the vox through a muddy and battered pair of 12's...
I really don't get that... if the vox suck then so does the band, IMO.
[/quote]
Never a truer word typed.

[goblin]

What's your budget? That'll determine a lot of factors

[tm486]

Thanks for all the replies.

I don't really know what our budget is, ideally as low as possible though, hence I've been looking at second hand. I think we'll probably go for the RCF's I've seen because they seem like a very good deal and are also virtually new and unused. And as some of you have said, poor vocals ruin a performance so easily so I think it's important to get the best we can afford.

Thanks for all your help.


Tom