kev_b Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Hopefully I'm posting this in the right type of forum and right bit of the forum! I'm currently setting up a basic PA system starting with the flight case. I've seen one on you tube which would probably be ideal for what I want but I can't find anything similar (I've probably been looking in the wrong places). As ever I'm on a budget so cheaper the better but I'd rather start off with something half decent than have to keep changing bits and pieces. Anyway... if anyone could steer me in the right direction it would be much appreciated. I'm sure I'll be back with loads more questions regarding sound and lighting in the very near future. Oh and the you tube link... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 All the major flightcase people do these cases - they're designed for DJs who need the horizontal surface.This kind of thinghttp://www.spider-engineering.co.uk/content/shared/productpics/4812_3_l.jpg So it's going to cost about £260ish for the flightcase. A small mixer, like a Mixwiz could be good, some amps and odds and ends. Exactly what the equipment choice is depends on what you need it to do - quality, loudness, effects, sound sources etc? I've got a couple of rackmounted systems like this, but without the horizontal surface - A small mixer, nice pokey amp, a minidisk, CD, ipod dock and an SD player. I pull the back off, pull out speaker cables and mains cable, plug them in and it's working in two minutes. You can have the amp(s) in the rack or use powered speakers - just let us know what the intended use is. A loud music system for dance will be different to drum 'n' bass! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GR1 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Have a look at the flighcasewarehouse website to familiarise yourself with flightcases although there are a lot of other manufacturers. It is normal to select the kit you want for your PA and then spec cases to suit unless there are particular issues like cubic volume which will limit the size of your PA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev_b Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 I will only be doing pretty small events, small conferences, car launches in showrooms, small fashion shows in shopping centres, the odd outside event, nothing with live bands though. I want to try and cover most things but in just the one unit so thinking of mixer, cd player, mp3 player, ipod / laptop via mini jack, a couple of radio mics. I'm also thinking of including a pc so I can play music from a hard drive via a dj software program, powerpoint presentations could be covered with this as could dvd's etc. I only intend using 4 active speakers and subs. I've probably missed something but you get the idea. The tables built into the flight case would be handy for the computer monitor, mouse etc. I'll also be using some lighting (I'll need a control desk for this?) but this is a whole different topic which I already have a few questions regarding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owain Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I suggest you don't buy the flightcase until you've got the stuff you want to put in it. Flightcases can be obtained in any size if custom-made, but no-one makes a 0U amp if you've run out of U. A 'gopack' folding table is cheap if the venue doesn't have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev_b Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 I suggest you don't buy the flightcase until you've got the stuff you want to put in it. Flightcases can be obtained in any size if custom-made, but no-one makes a 0U amp if you've run out of U. A 'gopack' folding table is cheap if the venue doesn't have one. I can see where you are coming from but the problem I will have is that I already have enough kit to set up a basic pa but no flight case to put it in. I don't really want to go out and buy a small cheap case only to replace it in the near future when I buy my next bit of gear. I guess I will have to work out what I'm going to use in the long run and if need be lose the couple of drawers I intend fitting if there is something I don't account for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 We thought you were wanting to source the entire thing from your first post - starting with the flight case. If this is right just add up the kit, add a bit for safety and order a case. If you want an extra tall one, they'll happily make them for you. Just be aware that the 24U one I have when full is only just get-in-able to my transit on my own. I run the case up to the van, tilt it and I can just lift the castors off the ground, and sliding it on the ply flooring needs considerable effort! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev_b Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 We thought you were wanting to source the entire thing from your first post - starting with the flight case. If this is right just add up the kit, add a bit for safety and order a case. If you want an extra tall one, they'll happily make them for you. Just be aware that the 24U one I have when full is only just get-in-able to my transit on my own. I run the case up to the van, tilt it and I can just lift the castors off the ground, and sliding it on the ply flooring needs considerable effort! I will need to source the entire thing really as the kit I have is worse than terrible but will just about do the job for now, any spare cash is going on upgrades. I don't think I'll need a huge unit and trust me I know how heavy these things can get as I helped a sound and lighting company a few times after events and the weight of some of their kit just wasn't funny! Anyway thanks for all the advice, I'm sure this forum is going to come in very handy as I'm completely new to all of this really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjadingle Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I would suggest a more modular approach rather than an all-in-one system. The problem with small events are access to your venues - bet it won't be long before you one across a staircase and become unstuck! Trying getting that 16u case up a couple of stairs.... Plus having a big case means the temptation to put more in gets strong, and it all gets heavier..... I tend to use a small Soundcraft mixer (6 mics, 2 stereo) in its own case, this sits on top of 4 radio mics in their own 2u case. Add a laptop (covers CD and MP3 formats) and you're laughing. You mention you're using powered speakers, so that's even easier. I have done corporate events and weddings using a similar rig, and it easily upgrades to a passive system for the bigger stuff... Also loads easier into a car if you're not using enough kit to warrant using a van (I get 4 SRM450's with mixer etc into my Golf +...). Food for thought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev_b Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 I would suggest a more modular approach rather than an all-in-one system. The problem with small events are access to your venues - bet it won't be long before you one across a staircase and become unstuck! Trying getting that 16u case up a couple of stairs.... Plus having a big case means the temptation to put more in gets strong, and it all gets heavier..... I tend to use a small Soundcraft mixer (6 mics, 2 stereo) in its own case, this sits on top of 4 radio mics in their own 2u case. Add a laptop (covers CD and MP3 formats) and you're laughing. You mention you're using powered speakers, so that's even easier. I have done corporate events and weddings using a similar rig, and it easily upgrades to a passive system for the bigger stuff... Also loads easier into a car if you're not using enough kit to warrant using a van (I get 4 SRM450's with mixer etc into my Golf +...). Food for thought? At the previous company I worked for we had a very similar set up to yourself and its something I will have a think about. The only downside being that everything needs to be wired up when you get there but I guess that's no big deal. One thing I have no problem with is the transport, I always use a high top lwb sprinter which I can pretty much fit anything in at the moment as my car would be lucky to make it to the end of the street let alone an event! I have a question which is a little off topic and I should probably know the answer. The biggest system I've set up in the past has had 4 speakers but we linked to two of them from out of the back of the first 2 speakers. This won't always be possible and probably isn't ideal anyway so how is it normally done. The mixer has 2 outputs so am I right in assuming it would go to another bit of kit with more speaker outputs on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owain Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 You should be able to 'modularise' many of the connections if you use the same set-up repeatedly. For example, ninjadingle might have an audio multiway between the mixer box and the radiomics box instead of using separate leads for each channel. Plug in speakers, plug in mains, turn on, job's a goodun. And, of course, when something goes wrong it's easier to swap out the faulty item on site than have to disassemble a rackful of stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrV Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I have a question which is a little off topic and I should probably know the answer. The biggest system I've set up in the past has had 4 speakers but we linked to two of them from out of the back of the first 2 speakers. This won't always be possible and probably isn't ideal anyway so how is it normally done. The mixer has 2 outputs so am I right in assuming it would go to another bit of kit with more speaker outputs on it? Your "other bit of kit" is just a passive spltter (well, two - one each side) each of which is simply an XLR socket wired to two XLR plugs. Pin 1 to pin 1, pin 2 to pin 2, pin 3 to pin 3. Nothing fancy required. Sockets connected to the mixer and plugs go off to the amps. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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