For those that run a medium sized PA...

[deksawyer]

Evening All

After a debacle yesterday with our brand new PA, the problem being that cables, mics, power leads etc were all in different boxes (inc. some of those cheap plastic storage bins you get at homebase) and some not even in boxes at all I'd like a view on what others are using to store/transport their cables.

I had thought about 2 LP record boxes because I'd rather split the power/audio leads up and it eases carrying 2 boxes rather than one heavy one. They're also pretty light. There's also the silver aluminium ceases on ebay...

Any thoughts?

cheers

D.

[Happy Jack]

I use a drummer's cymbal bag. It's perfect.

All PA cables get neatly coiled and then bound with velcro strips, ditto the XLR cables, and the whole lot goes into a circular, padded bag.

If I'm feeling particularly anal, I put the various cables in different compartments of the cymbal case.

[EssentialTension]

Toolbox(es) from B&Q (or similar), like this:

[Stewart]

Just a couple of nylon 'tote' bags - one for signal cables, one for mains

[yorick]

Ammo boxes are the way forward. Cheap-ish, and indestructable.

[essexbasscat]

I've seen some bands roll end - end connected XLR cables around a garden hose drum

T

[Dubs]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='873882' date='Jun 21 2010, 09:01 PM']Toolbox(es) from B&Q (or similar), like this:[/quote]

Exactly that, but a budget Lidl's jobbie

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Dubs' post='873957' date='Jun 21 2010, 10:23 PM']Exactly that, but a budget Lidl's jobbie [/quote]
Ours are very budget too but I could only find a pic of a smart one.

[The_D]

We bought one of these for all our PA stuff [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thon_zubehoercase_38_30_28_schwarz.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thon_zubehoercase..._28_schwarz.htm[/url]

Takes the whole set of cabling, mics, a Crate emergency amp, set lists and a tambourine.

Not cheap right enough but we had a dose of cash in the kitty and kept losing cables.

[Ian Savage]

I use one of these: [url="http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=10907984&fh_view_size=10&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3C{9372015}%2fcategories%3C{9372043}%2fcategories%3C{9372178}%2fcategories%3C{9392071}%2ffeaturesBrand%3dStanley&fh_refview=lister&ts=1277160263181&isSearch=false"]http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?acti...;isSearch=false[/url]

Mics in the top bit, cables in the bottom, and a few handy little 'hideaway' bits for spare fuses, connectors, adaptors and all that kinda bollocks. Perfick.

[Bottle]

Our church has a mid-sized PA setup (we have to set-up and tear down after every service - we're renting space in a school). A pair of EV Sx-300's and a couple of Peavey active wedges.

Mixing Desk and IEM Tx's have their own roll-on flightcase. Amp has its own smaller flightcase which also houses the rack DI, wireless mic receivers etc. There's enough free space to get all of the stage XLR patch cables and Speakon leads to fit in there.

Microphone cables go in a square plastic storage bin, microphones go back in their padded bags and into the same box. I quite like the idea of the circular cymbal bag for the longer XLR's - I'm forever trying to stop them from getting tangled (I blame those pesky Cornish Cable Pixies ).

We have a small aluminium case that has all the IEM receivers + earbuds.

Multicore stage snake gets coiled back up and put back into its box. Then everything gets stacked on top of the mixer flightcase and trundled to the lift.

We used to have everything in separate plastic boxes, but they didn't stand up to being used every week.



HTH, Ian

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

We only have a small PA, but all cables are coiled neatly and each type (Speaker / mic / power) is in its own supermarket "bag for life" which then all go into a large holdall which also has other bits & bobs - mains extensions, mics (in boxes) etc. When each bag for life wears out after a few gigs you can exchange it for a free replacement.

[Owen]

[quote name='essexbasscat' post='873925' date='Jun 21 2010, 09:47 PM']I've seen some bands roll end - end connected XLR cables around a garden hose drum

T[/quote]

I do this. It is not the most space efficient, but it keeps your cables lovely!

[Mog]

Plastic Tesco bags for the cheap cables. The heavy duty stuff goes into a flight case. You'd be surprised how many 20+ ft speaker cables go missing each year????? Gnomes??????

[Telebass]

[quote name='yorick' post='873920' date='Jun 21 2010, 09:41 PM']Ammo boxes are the way forward. Cheap-ish, and indestructable.[/quote]


+1