Man......I'm totally cornfused right now. I need to build out a PA that is good for rehearsals AND small inside gigs (150 people or so). Bigger than that, or outdoors, we'd hire it out. Band is a typical 5 piece (drums, two guitars, bass, lead vox) with some backing vox. Music is late 90's/early 2000's rock.....all covers.
But I need to put together a decent PA.
I picked up a mixer a month or so ago (Allen and Heath QU16C......nice console!) that I'm very please with. Currently for rehearsal, I've employed an Alto 1x15 powered speaker as a main monitor with 2 passive monitors powered off of a Peavey powered mixer (not mine, but I'm making it work). This will not work for a gig.
So I'm thinking about what I need to buy. I have plenty of experience in the studio and with lugging heavy racks and cabs....but I've been out of the gigging loop for almost 10 years (and my back/body isn't what it used to be.). So I'm looking at light weight options that sound good but won't break the bank. Powered speakers sound like the best fit. But should I go with tops and subs or check out the line array options? How much power per dollar should I be looking at? If I go the "traditional" route, should I get 12" or 15" tops.....then combined with what size sub....15" or 18"? Can the various portable line arrays do what I want and still sound good despite their smaller everything? Has anyone seen possum poop? And these are the questions of my life right now.
What do you guys use for rehearsal and playing gigs?
But I need to put together a decent PA.
I picked up a mixer a month or so ago (Allen and Heath QU16C......nice console!) that I'm very please with. Currently for rehearsal, I've employed an Alto 1x15 powered speaker as a main monitor with 2 passive monitors powered off of a Peavey powered mixer (not mine, but I'm making it work). This will not work for a gig.
So I'm thinking about what I need to buy. I have plenty of experience in the studio and with lugging heavy racks and cabs....but I've been out of the gigging loop for almost 10 years (and my back/body isn't what it used to be.). So I'm looking at light weight options that sound good but won't break the bank. Powered speakers sound like the best fit. But should I go with tops and subs or check out the line array options? How much power per dollar should I be looking at? If I go the "traditional" route, should I get 12" or 15" tops.....then combined with what size sub....15" or 18"? Can the various portable line arrays do what I want and still sound good despite their smaller everything? Has anyone seen possum poop? And these are the questions of my life right now.
What do you guys use for rehearsal and playing gigs?