Hey Aes, is there anything wrong with using my Marshall poweramp to run Audio through, untill I buy a SS poweramp?

I realise it'll colour it an awfull lot, but I just wanna test out these speakers I just bought, for feedback on ebay and such...

If it's gonna damage it, I'll wait till we (me and my mate) gig the speakers.

Nah. It should be no worries at all to use your poweramp for rull range audio.
EL34s aren't known for being exactally transparent. Not like 6L6s or KT88s.
But I reckon it'll sound great.

If the speakers are new they could do good with a couple of hours 'burning in' time anyway. Crank those little fukers! :)

Aes, I was curious to know what live sound gear YOU use.

Most of the stuff I have used and had (limited) experience with hasn't being my own.
It has being either hired on the night or belonging to the venue.

Because I just dead set cannot afford some of the rigs that you get in theaters or play-houses, or like at big gigs. Some of these seups are worth many thousands of dollars.

For my own gear. I use a little 100 watt powered mixer (similar to that c100 one that was linked to earlier). That my band use for the occasional practise or as a monitoring setup during small gigs.
I've also got a pair of decent 300 watt powered speakers that we use to run vocals through during small gigs. These are very nice speakers.

[QUOTE=Aes820]Well. If it is power that you're looking for. Then seeing as the C1 is rated at having 160 watts peak. It's RMS power may only be around 50 watts or so. Maybe a little less, maybe a little more. You really can't tell, because peak power is no clear indicator of the amps actual performance.
And it's only got 2 mincrophone inputs as apposed to the 4 on the other systems.

If it is a quality product that you are after, then you definatley get what you pay for.[/QUOTE]

Is the difference between 12" speakers and 10" speakers greaT?

What matters more is the efficiency of the speakers.
And the frequency responce of the speakers.

But, because there is not much difference in price beteween these setups I don't think there'll be much of a difference between them anyway.

The description of the products don't even list the speakers efficicy and frequency responce.
Which is fine, it just means that these products are inteded as a more entry level system. For people who may not know or dont care about technical specifications such as these.

To answer your question: No, it shouldn't matter that much.

Which system would be good for my band that has two 120 watt(one tube) guitar amp, one 300watt bass amp, and a drumset?? our budgett was around 200-300 dollars but we figure we wouldnt get loud enough system with that kind of money so we are hoping to raise it to around 500 if that will get us a decent system.....

PAs don't include instrument combos/stacks.

[QUOTE=Aes820]Nah. It should be no worries at all to use your poweramp for rull range audio.
EL34s aren't known for being exactally transparent. Not like 6L6s or KT88s.
But I reckon it'll sound great.

If the speakers are new they could do good with a couple of hours 'burning in' time anyway. Crank those little fukers! :)[/QUOTE]


Hmm, will it still keep the louder than SS properties?

[QUOTE=soheaven]Which system would be good for my band that has two 120 watt(one tube) guitar amp, one 300watt bass amp, and a drumset?? our budgett was around 200-300 dollars but we figure we wouldnt get loud enough system with that kind of money so we are hoping to raise it to around 500 if that will get us a decent system.....[/QUOTE]


500? not much. my band has a 120w bass amp, a drumset, and my 120w guitar amp, soon to be upgraded to the 5150 which is 120w tube. we're getting a new pa system soon, and we're looking at close to $800, and its just the basics, power amp, mixer, speakers. we were looking at a powered mixer again because of the prices, but none were powerful enough, and if they were they had so many features that we didn't need and they ended up being mroe expensive. we're getting an 800w system though, so we can do shows with it. i dont know what you want to do, but get at least 200w, that'll barely work for practices. id look more at 400-500 or more

OR

should i go for this?:

[url]http://www.wwbw.com/Kustom-KPA7212-7-Channel-PA-System-i142135.music[/url]

B stock for $340

compared to that s20 or those other ones?

would there be a big difference in sound quality/loudness/overall quality?

[QUOTE=Horenulas]OR

should i go for this?:

[url]http://www.wwbw.com/Kustom-KPA7212-7-Channel-PA-System-i142135.music[/url]

B stock for $340

compared to that s20 or those other ones?

would there be a big difference in sound quality/loudness/overall quality?[/QUOTE]
That is a good PA. I own one of those.

[QUOTE=isojoe420]That is a good PA. I own one of those.[/QUOTE]

Awesome. Now "B stock" means that it has scratches/marks etc., but since its b stock and not c stock it wouldnt be too bad would it ?

[QUOTE=devildriver421]500? not much. my band has a 120w bass amp, a drumset, and my 120w guitar amp, soon to be upgraded to the 5150 which is 120w tube. we're getting a new pa system soon, and we're looking at close to $800, and its just the basics, power amp, mixer, speakers. we were looking at a powered mixer again because of the prices, but none were powerful enough, and if they were they had so many features that we didn't need and they ended up being mroe expensive. we're getting an 800w system though, so we can do shows with it. i dont know what you want to do, but get at least 200w, that'll barely work for practices. id look more at 400-500 or more[/QUOTE]

well, we just need a decent PA for rehersal and maybe a small indoor show. We just need the PA for the mic. By the way, what exactly does the power amp do?? Sorry for the question, Im not too sure of equiptments :(.

[QUOTE=americangothic]Hmm, will it still keep the louder than SS properties?[/QUOTE]
Oh yes.
It'll be the same amount of power, watt for watt. But it'll sound louder because of the harmonic content created by the tubes.

[QUOTE=soheaven]well, we just need a decent PA for rehersal and maybe a small indoor show. We just need the PA for the mic. By the way, what exactly does the power amp do?? Sorry for the question, Im not too sure of equiptments :(.[/QUOTE]
Check out some of the more recent links to some PA systems in this thread. Over the last couple of pages.
somethign with at least 200 watts will be suitbable.


A poweramp is a part of the amp that 'adds the watts'.
When you buy a powered mixer like in a packeaged system. It already has a poweramp built into it.
But, you can buy poweramps seperately. Although these are intended for use in more higher end or advanced setups.

okay, I got more question :P

1. Can you play cd players through the pa system??
2. what is a passive and a active cab??
3. Since Im low on money, would it be a problem to have one speaker and having a mixer connected to the drum mic(bass drum only) and the vocals?

[QUOTE=soheaven]okay, I got more question :P

1. Can you play cd players through the pa system??
2. what is a passive and a active cab??
3. Since Im low on money, would it be a problem to have one speaker and having a mixer connected to the drum mic(bass drum only) and the vocals?[/QUOTE]
1. Yes
2. An active cab has an amplifier built into the cab, a passive cab doesn't.
3. I don't see a problem with that.

3. Yes. But for that to work you would either need to use a powered speaker (active speaker). Or a powered mixer.

Just a mixer with a speaker will not work. You'll need a poweramp in between the two.
Remembering that a powered mixer has got a poweramp built into it. And a powered speaker has a poweramp built into it.

[QUOTE=Aes820]3. Yes. But for that to work you would either need to use a powered speaker (active speaker). Or a powered mixer.

Just a mixer with a speaker will not work. You'll need a poweramp in between the two.
Remembering that a powered mixer has got a poweramp built into it. And a powered speaker has a poweramp built into it.[/QUOTE]
I figured he would already know that.

Just clarifying. :)

Hey, I am very new to all of this, and I was wondering if you could explain the basics of PA's/Mixers/Speakers and what I would need to get vocals up and running for jamming with my band.

Put very simply, to make yourself heard you need four things:

Microphone

Mixer

Power amp

Speaker


Some of these things come combined, like you can get powered mixers, where the mixer has the power amp built in, or powered speakers, where the speakers have the power amp built in.

Look for the PA packages on musicians friend for an idea of cost. Look into ones with a powered mixer and a pair of speakers, with a mic and mic stand, I think the complete packages are the best to start off with.

For getting yourself heard over your band, look for something 200 watts or above.

Thanks very much! :wave:

I'd say 200w was for getting yourself heard over a band at a small gig. 150 might do it for practice, or even slightly less if you're practising somewhere fairly small.

Also depends on what amps the band are using.

Not Really

[QUOTE=Aes820]3. Yes. But for that to work you would either need to use a powered speaker (active speaker). Or a powered mixer.

Just a mixer with a speaker will not work. You'll need a poweramp in between the two.
Remembering that a powered mixer has got a poweramp built into it. And a powered speaker has a poweramp built into it.[/QUOTE]

So would this work if i get one of each?

[url]http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=122/g=live/search/detail/base_pid/481216/[/url]

[url]http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=122/g=live/search/detail/base_pid/600910/[/url]

and

[url]http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=122/g=live/search/detail/base_pid/631236/[/url]

^ Those speakers are active speakers. You will not need that poweramp.
Just the mixer and the active speakers will do.

But, they are only little speakers.
They are suitble for use as on-stage monitors. But I doubt they'll be big enough to handle gigs.

[QUOTE=Aes820]^ Those speakers are active speakers. You will not need that poweramp.
Just the mixer and the active speakers will do.

But, they are only little speakers.
They are suitble for use as on-stage monitors. But I doubt they'll be big enough to handle gigs.[/QUOTE]

well were not really planning to do a gig with that PA, just for practice since were on a low budgett but im not too sure of myself if one of those speakers will be good for rehersals. But is it better to get a passive speaker and analog mixers with a seperate poweramp? Or does it really matter that much?