Pissman Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 I've looked and it's not going well, What is a PA....I think it has something to do with amps...and I'm getting confused... I tried looking for it...but that didn't help... Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 (edited) Personal Address system, used by bands in gigs. They are in simple terms speakers being controlled by a mixer. Ever wondered why a singer and drummer don't have amps?? what in particular do you want to know about them? Edited December 2, 2008 by BassManKev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pissman Posted December 2, 2008 Author Share Posted December 2, 2008 [quote name='BassManKev' post='343318' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:12 PM']Personal Address system, used by bands gigs. They are in simple terms speakers being controlled by a mixer. Ever wondered why a singer and drummer don't have amps?? what in particular do you want to know about them?[/quote] Just wondering what they were, so what you said pretty much. So at a largeish gig, if I see a big wall of speakers about 8ft high and a long way across, are they PA's? I probly sounds stupid, but thanks for your help mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 [quote name='Pissman' post='343325' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:18 PM']So at a largeish gig, if I see a big wall of speakers about 8ft high and a long way across, are they PA's?[/quote] Kind of but the PA encompasses the mixing desk and amplification for the speakers too. And it need only be a couple of speakers at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pissman Posted December 2, 2008 Author Share Posted December 2, 2008 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='343337' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:27 PM']Kind of but the PA encompasses the mixing desk and amplification for the speakers too. And it need only be a couple of speakers at that.[/quote] I think..I think I might just understand something technical now! Does that PA system usualy belong to the band or the venue then? Thanks.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Yeah and the stuff the singer sings through, even at a little gig in a pub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M4L666 Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Pissman' post='343325' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:18 PM']Just wondering what they were, so what you said pretty much. So at a largeish gig, if I see a big wall of speakers about 8ft high and a long way across, are they PA's? I probly sounds stupid, but thanks for your help mate![/quote] Essentially. But it can be just one tiny speaker. At a small gig, the PA will be mainly for the benefit of the singer and guitarists. The bassist is at a different frequency so can hear him/herself easily, and the drummer needs earplugs not to deafen himself. The PA also includes a mixer and normally monitors. Edited December 2, 2008 by M4L666 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 [quote name='Pissman' post='343342' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:31 PM']I think..I think I might just understand something technical now! Does that PA system usualy belong to the band or the venue then? Thanks..[/quote] More often than not the venue will have that covered but bands who have their sh*t together will probably have their own PA too - if not you can always hire one for the night for about £50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOD2 Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 [quote name='BassManKev' post='343318' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:12 PM']Personal Address system, used by bands in gigs.[/quote] Sorry... don't mean to be pedantic but it's actually "Public Address" system. The term comes from the sort of loudspeaker systems that were used at railway stations and the like to "address the public" with announcements etc. It is also known as the "Front Of House" speaker system (FOH). The "house" being a theatre, and the FOH system being the speakers setup to send the sound to the front of the theatre and beyond. A PA system comprises all the speakers, amplifiers, mixers and sound processors that are used to project sound into the audience...EXCLUDING the amplifiers used by the musicians on stage. Your own stage amplifiers are often referred to as the "Backline". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 (edited) ha i always thought it was personal address......learn sumit new every day Edited December 2, 2008 by BassManKev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='343346' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:35 PM']More often than not the venue will have that covered but bands who have their sh*t together will probably have their own PA too - if not you can always hire one for the night for about £50.[/quote] £50? What do you get for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='343536' date='Dec 2 2008, 09:25 PM']£50? What do you get for that?[/quote] Behringer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danbass7 Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 [quote name='bremen' post='343542' date='Dec 2 2008, 09:31 PM']Behringer![/quote] lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 My old band had it's own PA system... it was a behringer... and it consequently broke (the desk that is), most decent venues have their own, but the places we played didn't, doesn't say a lot for our band i suppose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 [quote name='BassManKev' post='343318' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:12 PM']Personal Address system[/quote] Is it for when having a quiet word with yourself just isn't enough!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='343536' date='Dec 2 2008, 09:25 PM']£50? What do you get for that?[/quote] Dunno, is the simple answer. We hire from our mates down at our practice rooms, tell them the size of the gig and they give us whatever they think is best. I've seen them take £20 off us before, as long as it's back the same night. Does the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-T-P Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Just to add a little balance, my band has used a Behringer powered mixer for the last 3 years, doing about 250 gigs in that time. It's the single best bit of kit we have bought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='343639' date='Dec 2 2008, 10:50 PM']Dunno, is the simple answer. We hire from our mates down at our practice rooms, tell them the size of the gig and they give us whatever they think is best. I've seen them take £20 off us before, as long as it's back the same night. Does the job.[/quote] OK Mates rates are a bit different. I'd bet if I phoned them for a little FoH + Monitors PA for a night it would be closer to £150 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadonroll Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='343823' date='Dec 3 2008, 09:29 AM']OK Mates rates are a bit different. I'd bet if I phoned them for a little FoH + Monitors PA for a night it would be closer to £150[/quote] Before we got our own one, we would always hire one of these little Peavey PA systems (left-hand side pic - we use our own amps!), 2 mics, 2 stands and a couple of monitors for £25. It's not huge, but will do your vocals in most small/medium sized places. What you get for £150 quid? I hope it's loud! [url="http://www.earthstudios.co.uk/images/gig3.jpg"]http://www.earthstudios.co.uk/images/gig3.jpg[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='343823' date='Dec 3 2008, 09:29 AM']OK Mates rates are a bit different. I'd bet if I phoned them for a little FoH + Monitors PA for a night it would be closer to £150[/quote] Yeah there is a wee bit of "not what you know but who you know" sometimes (especially with the "if you get it back to us tonight" deal) but I'm pretty sure the ~£50 charge would work for just about anyone although we're not talking monitors here - all we've hired before are 2 speakers/stands, desk/amp and 2 vocal mics + 1 kick mic. I don't think we've hired out of town yet (we just load a van) so perhaps rates vary a lot depending on location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 [quote name='BassManKev' post='343443' date='Dec 2 2008, 08:11 PM']ha i always thought it was personal address......learn sumit new every day [/quote] You were confusing it with Personal Assistant - which is something you bend over a desk for your own private entertainment I'm surprised that anyone hires in for pub size gigs these days. There's a wealth of decent quality , inexpensive powered mixer amps and 15 plus horn cabs which are more than adequate for the price of just a few hire ins. Personally I'd go new on the mixer and used on the cabs. We tend to use a pair of Turbosound 12 + horns and a Yamaha mixer/amp for smaller gigs , we add a db active woofer for larger jobs - and if we're pulling the stops out also add the turbosound matching bass bins powered by a Peavey amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clauster Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Gotta love those Turbosouds - We've got their cabs and subs, QSC Amps and at the front end is a Behringer digital desk (which has been completely reliable) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 +1 for teh Yamaha kit. Very nice stuff. We've got a Yamaha 8 channel mixer amp and some antique EV 200 speakers for FoH with a little Mackie 12 channel mixer running into two of the channels on the Yamaha, one for FoH and one for monitors. That gives us 16 channels in a small package. For monitors we have one passive running off the monitor amp side of the mixer amp and two powered wedges daisy chained from the monitor line out... Last time we hired in it was £120 for two big power amps and a 16 channel mixer plus tops and bins Foh and 4 monitors. We used our own mics and stands and had to work the knobs ourselves. Oh, I forgot, that was with two T bars of lights too as ours were not ooomphful enough for the gig.. ... I guess we're talking about something a bit more sophisticated Last PA we hired with a engineer was about £200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Our band's pa has a Yamaha mixer too, 12 channel & has been pretty good. Was hoping to be able to use the usb to fire individual tracks to Ableton but haven't sussed if it can be done. My singer went & bought a PA system for less than a grand & came back with the mixer & a Carlsberg amp & speakers (my personal opinion of Carlsbro stuff is that it's a pile of w@nk, I've had other bits of their junk before). I never go thru it as it's only a 1k system & I make it fart. Saying that, I think a ukulele could make it fart. Adding another amp & more speakers (pref subs also) would be a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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