Re: OT: PA speakers

[ron <rmbaylin@starpower.net>]

Try looking at the Bose PAS or the commercial version which is the MA-12 and MB4 bass cabinets.  We use these very effectively for upwards of 500 people to as few as 20.  The drive the audio levels twice as far before drop off, and have excellent clean sound.  Some use the PAS version, with 1 setup per musician. We use 4 MA-12 'stcks' and a Peavey 18" bass cabinet with the Panarray controller and QSC amplifiers (3106?) and a Yamaha 01V96 board.  We have 6 sticks in all for the big performances. All instruments, and vocals play through the PA only. No amps allowed! We place the all the speakers behind us and have generally use no stage monitors, and we hear what the audience hears.  Surprisingly it's not too loud at stage, but very clear and evenly distributed out into the audience due to the line array properties of the sticks.  Very nice.

R

---- Original message ----
> Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 12:04:13 -0400
> From: Bill Fox <billyfox@soundscapes.us>
> Subject: Re: OT: PA speakers
> To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
>
> >L.A. Angulo wrote:
> >> Folks,
> >> i am updating my live PA rig and after trying a few PA
> >> speakers i realize how important "lightweight" has
> >> become for my back,since living in my new home where
> >> my studio is in the cellar.
> >> So the speakers have to be active,grips on the sides
> >> and tops and light but powerful enough for clubs that
> >> house about 400 people.I am looking at the RCFc Art
> >> 310A,very attractive at 12,4 Kg with 300 watts 
> >> but quite pricey compared to mackies so i though i ask
> >> before buying has anybody tried them? are they better
> >> than the mackies(350,450s) and since they only have
> >> 10" speakers would i need x-tra subwoofers for such
> >> clubs?
> >Do you perform solo or in a group?  What kind of music do you play and 
> >what kind of demands does that make on a PA system?
> >
> >If you want to minimize the weight, then you might want to consider 
> >avoiding active speakers.  That puts the weight of the power amp 
> >somewhere else but costs you an extra trip when loading gear into the 
> >car.  My experience is that the best sounding speakers have the heaviest 
> >magnets and the most solidly built cabinets.  That means they have 
> >substantial weight.  Lightening the load for our aging backs and knees 
> >forces us to find help with carrying gear or to compromise on sound 
> >quality.  Whenever I have to move my JBL speakers and bass amp, I try to 
> >load the car the day before a gig if at all possible.  That's the 
> >operation that I have to do solo.  It gives me over night to recover and 
> >then there's plenty of band members to help me unload the car and set up 
> >at the gig.
> >
> >If the speakers you are considering require a subwoofer to handle your 
> >music (only you can make that determination), that's more weight and 
> >more loading trips and more room needed in your vehicle that transports 
> >the gear.  For me, extra trips, especially when stairs are involved, are 
> >something to avoid.
> >
> >I live on ibuprofen and Aleve on gig days and still I'm usually a 
> >hurting puppy before the gig starts.  Then I have to sling a bass guitar 
> >over my shoulders for hours on end.
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Bill