Can I use a basic guitar amp as a stage monitor?

[baddog]

Hi there.

 

I have a small PA system (Kustom KMP60) with a pair of 10in Kustom Front of House Speakers. I usually feed my guitar, bass and vocals through the PA and it works well, but I really want to add a stage monitor into the set-up. I have two questions which I hope somebody my be able to help with?

 

1) How do I connect a monitor? Is it from the Powered Mixer's Line-Out socket, or do I feed it from an output socket from one of the Front of House speakers?

 

2) Do monitor speakers have specific characteristics ? They seem a little expensive so I was wondering if I could use a cheap guitar amp instead as all I'd need to do would be to alter the case so that it's angled up to me on stage ?

 

 

 

Hope you can help?

 

 

 

Thanks

[Doug Siddons]

On the set up you've described, yes, use the line out and you will get everything which goes to front of house into your monitor, on no account use the output socket from the speakers into the input of an ampliflier.

 

Yes you can use a basic guitar amp as your monitor if you have one lying around; but it will not sound as good as a dedicated monitor, as its voiced for guitars ( make sure its on its clean channel !!!). A dedicated monitor will produce a full range signal sounding better. The best alternative if you have a cupboard full of unused amps is a keyboard or acoustic amp.

[baddog]

Thanks very much Doug. I'll try this out.

cheers

[Kevin Ross]

Well in reverse order.

 

A guitar amp will not work as a stage monitor, well it will in so much as if you put a signal through it sound will come out but it will sound really bad and will not be worth the hassle. If you are on a budget something from thomann will do the trick such as

 

http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_box_ma82cl.htm

 

Or for a bit of a louder stage

 

http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_box_ma120_mk_ii.htm

 

http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_box_ma150.htm

 

As you don't have a massive PA I take it you don't need massively loud monitors

 

I have chosen active monitors as they will be the easiest to setup from your point of view. You will need to run a signal to them through an AUX out on your desk/head sometimes it might be called a monitor out then Roberts your mothers brother .

 

Another option would be to upgrade your FOH speakers and use your existing ones as monitors

[baddog]

Thanks Kevin.

My PA mixer/head doesn't have an aux or monitor out socket, but it does have a line out socket.Is this the same thing? I have to say the Kustom user manual isn't much use?

 

cheers

[Kevin Ross]

Thanks Kevin.

My PA mixer/head doesn't have an aux or monitor out socket, but it does have a line out socket.Is this the same thing? I have to say the Kustom user manual isn't much use?

 

cheers

 

I must admit I cant find your mixer on their website but if it does not have an AUX out you could have the main PA working off the right side and the monitors running off the left and use the pan pot to contorl the mix. It would be crude but it would work

 

What we are trying to acheive is having a seperate mix going to the FOH system and to the monitors I would imagine that the line out socket will just have a mirror of the DOH mix and so will not be of much use.

 

What did you think of the option of upgrading your mains and using this as monitors?

 

Ohh and what is the application you are using this for?

[paulears]

I don't think it's that certain that every guitar amp won't be any good. Certainly, most of the open back California style guitar amps are anything other than flat response and feedback could well be difficult to control - but not every one is like this. I've got a few different ones here and one - a carlsbro small 2 x10" has a flat response 2nd input, with closed back and a couple of switched HF horns, and will happily do monitor duty with no problems. So the best advice is that if you are stuck, a guitar amp might work - but the only way to find out is have a listen.

[baddog]

Thanks for that. My application is fairly simple. I have a guitar, bass and vocals going through the PA. I do the vocals as well as guitar and I find that I'm not always able to hear what the audience hears as I stand behind the front of house speakers. I thought a monitor would give me a replication of the mix that the audience hears (vocals, guitar & bass). If this is what I want am I okay to use the line-out socket on my PA?

 

Cheers

 

Roy

 

Thanks Kevin.

My PA mixer/head doesn't have an aux or monitor out socket, but it does have a line out socket.Is this the same thing? I have to say the Kustom user manual isn't much use?

 

cheers

 

I must admit I cant find your mixer on their website but if it does not have an AUX out you could have the main PA working off the right side and the monitors running off the left and use the pan pot to contorl the mix. It would be crude but it would work

 

What we are trying to acheive is having a seperate mix going to the FOH system and to the monitors I would imagine that the line out socket will just have a mirror of the DOH mix and so will not be of much use.

 

What did you think of the option of upgrading your mains and using this as monitors?

 

Ohh and what is the application you are using this for?

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

eek! sounds complicated? I've found a cheap guitar amp on ebay that has a clear channel input. I was thinking of just bunging it into a wedge shaped housing I'd make to close the back and hopefully 'funnel' the sound in an upward diection.

Do you think it's worth doing or am I best just biting the bullet and getting a proper monitor?

 

Thanks

 

I don't think it's that certain that every guitar amp won't be any good. Certainly, most of the open back California style guitar amps are anything other than flat response and feedback could well be difficult to control - but not every one is like this. I've got a few different ones here and one - a carlsbro small 2 x10" has a flat response 2nd input, with closed back and a couple of switched HF horns, and will happily do monitor duty with no problems. So the best advice is that if you are stuck, a guitar amp might work - but the only way to find out is have a listen.

[david.elsbury]

Just for reference, normally a monitor speaker has a different mix from the main PA, usually because you want a mainly vocal mix, or something a little different from the main PA. There is nothing wrong with what you want to achieve- and because you can control the level of the "monitor" speaker, you can run the level a bit below the PA. Only thing to be careful about really is the potential to feedback if it's too loud (obvious really!)

 

For the sake of a couple of cables, it's worth a try. Just take it from the line out of the desk, into the guitar amp.

 

This is what it's all about... experiment! No chance of blowing anything up, so long as you don't take the feed out of a speaker, into a guitar amp or something :D

[baddog]

Cheers. Thanks everyone for their help. I'm going to give it a go at practice at the weekend and I'll let you know how I get on.

 

Cheers

 

Just for reference, normally a monitor speaker has a different mix from the main PA, usually because you want a mainly vocal mix, or something a little different from the main PA. There is nothing wrong with what you want to achieve- and because you can control the level of the "monitor" speaker, you can run the level a bit below the PA. Only thing to be careful about really is the potential to feedback if it's too loud (obvious really!)

 

For the sake of a couple of cables, it's worth a try. Just take it from the line out of the desk, into the guitar amp.

 

This is what it's all about... experiment! No chance of blowing anything up, so long as you don't take the feed out of a speaker, into a guitar amp or something :D

[benweblight]

I'm going to give it a go at practice at the weekend and I'll let you know how I get

 

Bear in mind using it a gig will probably be quite different to in your practice room in terms of the level you need etc.

[dB or not dB]

Monitor speakers are usually wedge shape and sit on the floor firing the sound up at 45 degrees towards the performers. Make sure the guitar amp is behind the vocal mic(s) and try leaning it back like a wedge. I achieve this using two short lengths of drain pipe (110mm and 68mm diam) joined by two short strings. (Cardboard tube from carpet roll would do.) The speaker / amp cabinet sits between these "rollers", leaning against the larger to achieve the 45 degree tilt.

 

Looks like O--o and O\ /o with cabinet in place.

[i_hate_fisicks]

Thanks for that. My application is fairly simple.... If this is what I want am I okay to use the line-out socket on my PA?

 

Yes.

 

In terms of what to use for this. By all means try a guitar amp if you have one, but don't spend money on one. If you're going to buy something, you may as well get something proper. Others have recommended Thomann products. I would recommend their PA108A (with the monitor feet). This is a great box (though it will almost certainly sound better than your PA.

[baddog]

Thanks to everybody for their help. I'm using a solid-state laney as a monitorin a wedge housing I've built and it works fine.

Cheers ;)