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Looper's Delight
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My wife has been hankering for quite some time for a very small output device to play music while teaching class. She teaches at several colleges in the SoCal area, teaching a wide variety of dance and movement oriented classes. Although there is often a PA system in the classroom, sometimes there's not, and she needs to bring something along. She's gone through several iterations of 'boom boxes' and has always struggled for something small, lightweight, portable, sounds good, and is able to take some abuse while being packed and moved. And she's a major Techophobe, so it has to be simple and direct. We've been migrating her away from CD's to the iPod over the last couple of years, which has allowed her to carry fewer binders full of discs. Now that she just has a 1/8" mini jack to contend with....what to connect it to? Due to this dilemma, and the recent input from this thread, I went yesterday and bought two items. #1 was the Roland Cube Street, the battery powered 'busker' type unit, and the more straightforward Roland CM-30 'monitor'. I've been looking at the Cube Street for some time, and the CM-30 I saw mentioned here. I was going to try both and return the one I didn't want....or both...for that matter, if we weren't happy with either. WOW. The CM-30 absolutely CRANKS. Although the Cube Street is interesting for battery operation, we don't really need the amp modelling, and there's no master volume or eq for the mini jack input (you have to control it from the iPod). And it didn't hold a candle to the CM-30, sound wise. On the CM-30, you get 3 channels, one of which has a mic/xlr input, which she will plug in here wireless headset receiver. One of two Aux ins (RCA and 1/8") will take her iPod input. There is a global bass and treble EQ and a master volume to control the 3 input channels and the two Aux in channels. With mixed program material coming from the iPod, being played mono through this system, it was incredibly clear, punchy and LOUD! Earlier in the day, I plugged in my pedalboard into it and got really satisfactory results for guitar tone and drum machine sounds. Since the CM-30 can stereo 'link' to another unit, I can't see how this wouldn't be a kick ass solution for anyone wanting a big, full sound. If you were using a mixer to send sound, two of these things with the XLR inputs would be great for sending a balanced signal to each CM-30. You'd have a 60 watt mini PA in the size of two lunchboxes. Seriously, this thing bumps. Let the honeymoon begin. Rich On 4/25/11 10:38 AM, "thetoyroom@charter.net" <thetoyroom@charter.net> wrote: > From my limited research a while back, the inexpensive portable PA > setups are coming from Fender (Passport), Yamaha (Stagepass) and Peavey > (Escort). I found a used Peavey Escort locally on Craigslist, the 150 > watt model. I don't think they make it anymore, but make a very similar > format in 300watts. > > Honestly, I dig the little thing. I've gotten compliments on sound a > couple of times, using it for a couple of house parties, and also for a > gig for my wife's dance company. It is suitable for 50-75 people, i > would guess. > > Likes: > Good sound. > > Onboard reverb, which sounds decent to add a bit of air/space to the > sound. > > It likes modeller pedals pretty well. I'm running my Tech 21 'Blonde' > into it for guitar, and a Tech 21 Bass Driver for Bass. It 'feels' > pretty good for amp-like response, and it means i can switch out from > Guitar to Bass whilst looping...all through the same output. > > Dislikes: > In its original packaging, where the speakers/power output all lock > together and become rollable, it's a bit heavy. I've since removed the > power/mixer section from the 'base' and just carry that in a carrying > case, and the speakers I carry seperately. they are very light. > > No pans on the mono input channels. There are two stereo in options, > however, so you could submix a stereo feed or two into this unit. I'm > planning on submixing a summer party gig at my place with an Allen+Heath > Zed12fx and send the stereo feed to the Peavey for output. > > > > It's definitely not Pro level stuff, but it's worked pretty good for my > uses so far. > > > Rich > > > > > On Mon, Apr 25, 2011 at 9:20 AM, Michael Peters wrote: > >> just wondering what you use if you want to play in a club or gallery >> which >> doesn't have a PA and you have to bring your own, and you don't want >> to use >> guitar combos but something clean - the stuff that I do does come from >> the >> guitar but goes through laptop and plugins and has more the spectrum >> of >> keyboard music, with possibly lots of dynamics and bass. A friend uses >> a >> pair of Rokit studio monitors for his ambient music but another friend >> said >> these are not suitable for more dynamic music, and I should get a >> small PA >> instead. No idea what kind of product would be suitable but it should >> be >> lightweight, small, and not terribly expensive. Ideas anyone? >> >> -Michael >