Very Good PA System Advice

[tele_savalas]

Hola all,

I'm looking for advice re building a small pro PA for backing tracks, 2 vox and 1 guitar.

I'm currently feeding a pair of Martin Blackline F10's with a Yamaha EMX 5000, and a pair of Blackline S12 subs powered by a Crown XTI-1000, via a crossover. Thing is, I'm only able to use the tops and desk with my new project as the rest is owned by someone else, and the question is: would using my tops full-range be any good, or would I notice a worthwhile difference getting say a pair of F12's and running them full-range with maybe a Dynacord Powermate 1000 or similar? I'm gonna struggle for space in my car what with the lighting rig etc but maybe could squeeze a pair of compact subs in. Do I really need to go bi-amp? Would a Powermate on it's own run F10/12's PLUS S12's and sound ok? So many questions :)

Cheers in advance, John.

[paulears]

I've got some HK 15" subs laying around and rarely used because when you add those to a system with 12s or 15s in the tops, they don't make much of a difference. Some compact subs and the 10s you already have make sense, but if you change to 12s, then the compact style subs of most makes I've heard only add just a tiny bit at the bottom, and are often, for smaller gigs not worth the effort. Bigger cabinet 15s and 18s are tuned lower add do add some substance to the sound at the bottom. If yor run active crossovers, you'll probably end up filtering the top cabinet bottom end off so the subs do something - and removing the subs and dropping the top cab bottom limit produced to my ears something very similar. Small subs do a job, but only with tops that are a bit lacking in exactly the same place!

 

If you're ever near Great Yarmouth - you're welcome to borrow the ones we have, but frankly, I think you might not be impressed.

[Doug Siddons]

Not wishing to sound grumpy but have you listened to your F10's on their own running full range and if so will they do the job?

 

From experience probably not in a loud enviroment, I would suggest you look for a powered bin to supplement them not necessarily from Martin. If room is tight in the car remember you can probably get away with one bin. Replacing them with 12's isn't going to give you a massive improvement on the 10's but virtually any sort of sub would produce a notable difference.

 

2p

[tele_savalas]

Paul and Doug - Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post - plenty of food for thought there. I haven't been able to try the F10's on their own at gigging volume yet, and I guess that's the first thing that should be on my list. A powered sub might be the way to go, too. Now what's that ebay password again...