Pros and Cons of using a small PA for a rig?

[AdamWoodBass]

Hey guys, like the title says what are the pros and cons of using a small PA for a rig? Does anyone out there just not bother with an amp and go direct? Does anyone use literally a small PA and send a feed to the band PA? Just curious to know what everyone thinks about this?

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

[quote name='AdamWoodBass' post='92951' date='Nov 22 2007, 02:32 PM']Hey guys, like the title says what are the pros and cons of using a small PA for a rig? Does anyone out there just not bother with an amp and go direct? Does anyone use literally a small PA and send a feed to the band PA? Just curious to know what everyone thinks about this?[/quote]
The main disadvantage to small PAs is that they won't handle bass. They're tuned to the vocal range and that's all they'll do well.

[Guest MoJo]

What do you class as a small PA?

[bass_ferret]

This keeps coming up and the answer is always the same - bad idea. If you are gonna blow a couple of grand on Mackie etc it will work as a full band PA is designed to take bass and drums. Vocal PA's can only handle vocals.

[Jack]

A small rig with a top over a sub should work. No reason for it not too, but this requires a crossover to do which makes it a bit more complicated.

A four space rack with a preamp, a xover and a 2 channel power amp would make a tidy little rig. Just make sure like the sound of bass through a PA. I'd miss a proper bass cab.

Edited November 23, 2007 by Jack