Budget PA Sytem

[Rich]

Evening all.

 

I've been asked to spec a budget PA for the SU at Salford.

 

The system needs to handle sound reinforcement for live bands in a largish room with a max of 350 people.

 

I've already decided that the Thomann T.amps will be the best bet, along with a Behringer MX2442UX, graphic and X-over.

 

However it's the speakers I'm stuggling with. I've been looking at the JBL M Pro 225 200 series for mid/top, and the JBL M Pro 418 S 400 series for the subs, which I think would do the job well, but they are a bit too expensive (We are on a very tight bedget!).

 

Can anybody suggest cheaper speakers with a similar spec?

 

What are the Behringer speakers like? I'm concerned about the power handling, it seems to be a bit low.

 

I'm also looking for cheap monitors.

 

Thanks for your help folks. Rich

[paulears]

as you like thomann, look at the community 2 x 15" they have on offer dirt cheap - the internet revues seem excellent. add some subs and you have a workable budget system

[Rich]

as you like thomann, look at the community 2 x 15" they have on offer dirt cheap - the internet revues seem excellent. add some subs and you have a workable budget system

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

What subs would you suggest adding Paul?

[Mr.Si]

Yes, I'd go with Paul there - Community Speakers are very good stuff.

 

They also go very loud - well, at least, the pro stuff does.

 

I'm not sure on Subs, I think I threw my latest thomann catalogue away.

[paulears]

I bought 4 KME 1181 18" subs for a budget project a couple of years ago, and was very pleased with them.

[benge]

Ive used the behringer Speakers in teh past..... very loud..... not a too bad sound out of them...... ive only used the for a max of about 4 or 5 hrs at a time at there loudest..... so not too sure how they would cope being in an SU and turned up each nite.... At NEWI we have a DAS system there.

 

 

Ben

[IanG]

Evening all.

 

I've been asked to spec a budget PA for the SU at Salford.

 

[..]

 

I've already decided that the Thomann T.amps will be the best bet, along with a Behringer MX2442UX, graphic and X-over.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

In my opinion, you're going about this the wrong way. Choosing the amps with no knowledge of what speakers they'll be driving is foolhardy at best. I'd have picked your cabinets based on the coverage you'll require and the level of acts you're aiming at, and then worked back towards FOH from there. Processing will depend on what the cabinets need and what the system/FOH techs require.

 

You mention you're buying for Salford SU - are you looking for a system to compete with the other Manchester SU venues, or just for small amateur bands? If you're planning on competing, I'd advise either

 

a) Increasing your budget, lots

b) Hiring in a rig as often as you need it

 

On the other hand, if you're doing smaller gigs, consider buying in racks and stacks (speakers and amps) and hiring in desk & outboard - this way you'll save hire costs on the stuff you'll regularly need but will have the flexibility of offering different desks and outboard for visiting bands as required.

 

What have you got planned for monitors?

 

Ian

[Rich]

Evening all.

 

I've been asked to spec a budget PA for the SU at Salford.

 

[..]

 

I've already decided that the Thomann T.amps will be the best bet, along with a Behringer MX2442UX, graphic and X-over.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

In my opinion, you're going about this the wrong way. Choosing the amps with no knowledge of what speakers they'll be driving is foolhardy at best. I'd have picked your cabinets based on the coverage you'll require and the level of acts you're aiming at, and then worked back towards FOH from there. Processing will depend on what the cabinets need and what the system/FOH techs require.

 

You mention you're buying for Salford SU - are you looking for a system to compete with the other Manchester SU venues, or just for small amateur bands? If you're planning on competing, I'd advise either

 

a) Increasing your budget, lots

b) Hiring in a rig as often as you need it

 

On the other hand, if you're doing smaller gigs, consider buying in racks and stacks (speakers and amps) and hiring in desk & outboard - this way you'll save hire costs on the stuff you'll regularly need but will have the flexibility of offering different desks and outboard for visiting bands as required.

 

What have you got planned for monitors?

 

Ian

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hi Ian.

 

We would love to compete with Manchester SU, however Manchester is pretty much a differnt ball game- older, more established, salpped right in the middle of the action, and part of a much bigger Uni. I am just looking for a system for 350 people max, not the 50K required for Academy 1.

 

The acts are going to be your typical student bands - rock soul and funk, we woluld also want to put DJ's at low level through the system.

 

The reason I have decided on the T.Amp range is because they are the cheapest amps (within reason) I can find, and when I've googled "T.Amp" on the Blue Room search, I've read nothing but good things. I feel the range of outputs will accomodate most cabinets.

 

The Uni currently hires from myself or a friend, but want to reveiw the possibility of buying a budget system fo themselves. The idea is not to hire, and to start building on something of our own.

 

As people have been suggesting the Community range of speakers, I been thinking along th Community monitors into lines. What do you think?

 

Many thanks. Rich

[london sound]

What happened to all the PA that Salford Su used to own, there was a considerable amount of pretty decent gear there?

 

 

Ian

[IanG]

Hi Rich

 

We would love to compete with Manchester SU, however Manchester is pretty much a differnt ball game- older, more established, salpped right in the middle of the action, and part of a much bigger Uni. I am just looking for a system for 350 people max, not the 50K required for Academy 1.

 

The reason I asked about whether you'd be competing is to get a feel for what level of rider acceptibility you would require, rather than size.

 

The acts are going to be your typical student bands - rock soul and funk, we woluld also want to put DJ's at low level through the system.

 

The reason I have decided on the T.Amp range is because they are the cheapest amps (within reason) I can find, and when I've googled "T.Amp" on the Blue Room search, I've read nothing but good things. I feel the range of outputs will accomodate most cabinets.

 

Ok. One thing to bear in mind is that Germany is a long way to send things to be serviced!

 

The Uni currently hires from myself or a friend, but want to reveiw the possibility of buying a budget system fo themselves. The idea is not to hire, and to start building on something of our own.

 

Understandable. It may be worth checking with them that they have a suitable maintainance budget for getting things serviced, replacing nicked SM58s, broken mic cables, dirty faders etc - often buying costs more in the long run but you have the advantage of having an asset at the end of it.

 

As people have been suggesting the Community range of speakers, I been thinking along th Community monitors into lines. What do you think?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I've not worked a venue which has a Community rig in it so I can't comment on the specific boxes that you're looking at (although I've heard the JBLs you mentioned earlier and they are a good sounding box for the money).

 

As far as monitors go, whatever box you pick make sure you have a channel of GEQ on each mix out of the desk. Cheap monitors in rock-style gigs are often unusable without some EQ to tame the peaks.

 

One other thing which might be worth looking at is whether there is good value in the used market - I noticed some PS10s for sale on here the other day (tempted to get a pair myself, but can't justify the cost over hiring in!)

[Rich]

What happened to all the PA that Salford Su used to own, there was a considerable amount of pretty decent gear there?

 

 

Ian

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I don't know Ian. Since I started three years ago, there has only been an HK concert T series system kicking about. The subs are now part of the main nightclub rig, and the tops are in the back of my van! - traded for various discos.

 

There were days when the SU used to turn over 100k per week - it certainly doesn't now! I would say this is when they had some decent gear.

[Rich]

Hi Rich

 

I've not worked a venue which has a Community rig in it so I can't comment on the specific boxes that you're looking at (although I've heard the JBLs you mentioned earlier and they are a good sounding box for the money).

 

As far as monitors go, whatever box you pick make sure you have a channel of GEQ on each mix out of the desk. Cheap monitors in rock-style gigs are often unusable without some EQ to tame the peaks.

 

One other thing which might be worth looking at is whether there is good value in the used market - I noticed some PS10s for sale on here the other day (tempted to get a pair myself, but can't justify the cost over hiring in!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hi Ian

 

Would love to use the JBL's, however when I mentioned the price I was told they were to expensive instantly! The budget is that tight I'm not even including any dynamics in the setup.

 

At the moment, this is an idea which one of the managers hopes to turn into a proposal, so I've been asked to spec the bare minimum of some of the cheapest gear for the room.

 

I'll have a look into a secondhand rig, that could turn out to be a better bet.

 

Thanks again Ian

[alsmyth]

Rich, If you are still looking, I would recommend looking at...http://www.voidaudio.com/BASYS.asp about £1500 2 bins 2 tops + amp.

2 stacks would be more than enough, I would also get the tops for monitors, they all sound awesome for the price, they do a cheap EQ etc, and made in UK, with some foreign parts, I use quite a bit of Void in our Hire stock, and everyone seems happy, especially me caus it is quite cheap, sounds great, reliable and their service, should you need it, is as good as it gets.

I would be happy to expand on the issue, but as a dealer that could be construed as advertising / review.

Cheers