Tech: Portable PA systems?

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Lester
Date: 27 Mar 13 - 01:49 PM

Re Andy Cutting this from mel.net in 2005
For what it's worth. I've tried as many box amplification systems as I could find and for me the best, for me (by far) is:
For the melody. An Audio Technica ATM35 condensor mic in a little swan neck that clips to the front grill or casing (if your prepared to cut a bit out of the grill!!). This plugs into a AT8532 Power Module. This is either phantom powered or using a P9 battery.
For the bass end: I use the element off of a PZM (Pressure Zone Microphone) screwed to the outside of the bass end grill with the mic looking through the grill at the middle and at one end of the instrument. The wiring passes through the grill and on the inside is soldered to a jack socket fixed into the bottom of the box (not the grill but the casing, so even whilst plugged in you can put the box down). The rest of the cable with the power/switch module has a jack plug soldered to it and this then plugs into the socket on the box. I then cut off the origional jack plug and soldered on an XLR.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: BrendanB
Date: 27 Mar 13 - 06:24 AM

We use a Yamaha Stagepas 300. If I was starting again I would go for a Stagepas 500 because it has phantom power and one or two other advantages over the 300. I have supplemented the setup with a small mixer to give us more inputs.
Our lineup is melodeon, bouzouki, flute and vocals. The bouzouki has a decent Headway under saddle pickup. The melodeon uses microvox pickups velcroed on and the flute player wears a small headmike.
Once you start to go amplified you are frequently compromising between weight, cost and quality. I would never use a mike on its own for string instruments having had too many bad experiences. The Microvox isn't perfect, I would love to know what miking system Andy Cutting uses! After much experimentation we are fairly happy with what we have got.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Mar 13 - 01:09 AM

I agree. I just bought a £259 Epiphone J200, and plugged in - it leaves all my more expensive guitars standing. Technically - the electronics side of things is getting better and better all the time.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: PHJim
Date: 27 Mar 13 - 12:50 AM

Unfortunately, about the only places you find all of the acts still playing through mics and not plugging in are bluegrass festivals, where transducers are frowned upon.
Some major acts still play through mics and have refused to sacrifice the wonderful sound you get by playing through a mic. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Country Joe McDonald, Catherine MacLellan and John Hammond Jr. still play unplugged.
I recall going to a festival 2 or 3 years ago where Bruce Cockburn, John Sebastion and Steve Earl all plugged in their guitars and got that quacky, twangy sound that's associated with transducers. Then Joe MacDonald came on and played both his regular guitar and his resophonic through the mic and it was a breath of fresh air.
I have been asked many times by sound people, "Why are you using a mic? Everybody plugs in these days." I resisted for a long time, and for a duo or solo show I still like a mic, but I finally broke down when everyone else i was playing with plugged in and the balance was off.
I don't see the point in buying an expensive guitar and playing it through a transducer. It will never sound as good as it does acoustically.
For busking, Traynor makes a neat little wedge shaped, battery operated amp called a TVM10. Mine has two inputs, one will take XLR or phone jack and the other takes only a phone jack. There are also 2 volume controls plus equalization controls for bass, low mid, high mid and treble. There is also an aux. input for media which I have never used. I've had it for a few years, so I can't recall the price, but I'm sure it was very reasonable, between $100 and $200.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 26 Mar 13 - 10:02 AM

Yes, I have an EMX 3000 and it is a brute to carry. Some of the modern little Behringers have much the same output, and nearly as many channels - and almost fit in a coat pocket (OK, I exaggerate) - and they have a sub out which is very useful. But you need a magnifying glass to see the knobs and who knows how long they will stay in one piece?

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 26 Mar 13 - 07:23 AM

Anyone got any thoughts about a lightweight PA system which would handle a 4-piece band doing ceilidh work? We currently use celestions with a Yamaha EMX2000, so the speakers are fine, but the mixer amp, at nearly 20kg with the bag, is getting beyond my lifting power.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Mar 13 - 05:01 AM

I don't trust blurbs with no techspec (and gererally have not liked H&K bigger things - fragile speakers - and i have said before and will say again that stickon bugs sometimes sound nice (I-beam a case in point) but rarely allow any volume without running into oscillatory feedback. Better than using a mic, in most gases, but rarely as good as a decent undersaddle system with preamp.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: GUEST,jeff
Date: 20 Mar 13 - 08:59 PM

If you DO get transducers for your guitars get the JJB Prestige 430c. It's designed for a classical guitar application, but requires no preamp or battery, is mounted internally and works fine for steel string. The 4 15mm piezos can be spread across the bridge plate to maximaize the sonic spectrum of your instrument. 60.00 is REALLY inexpensive. You'll have to pay a guitar tech/luthier extra for the installation, but it's well worth it.

Btw, they don't NEED a transducer, but will sound better with one than without, usually. That being said I've got a mandolin w/a K&K dual-point transducer that I run straight into the board w/no pre-amp, sometimes and it sounds fine. It's all in the eq.

Also, musiciansfriend.com has a bunch of small systems that are battery powered and rechargeable. You may find something there that will work for you. The days of unamplified busking are pretty much over, unfortunately.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: GUEST,Graham Bradshaw
Date: 20 Mar 13 - 06:02 AM

Sorry - that should be www.hkaudio.com

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: GUEST,Graham Bradshaw
Date: 20 Mar 13 - 06:00 AM

You would do well to check out the HK Audio LUCAS range. Fantastic quality in a compact package.
Latest addition to the range is the NANO, which comes with a little sub with built in amps and 3 channel mixer unit, plus 2 tiny satellites which can be mounted on stands, or atop the sub on a table.
Check out www.hkaudio.co.uk or check out my eBay listing www.ebay.co.uk

They sound great and are ample for most club gigs.

Graham

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Mark Clark
Date: 19 Mar 13 - 11:40 AM

For a portable system, you really can't beat the Schertler Unico or, for a smaller unit, the Scherter David. Unbelievably great sound in a small portable unit that can also be mounted atop a standard speaker stand. We add a Schertler Side for larger venues.

These are bi-ampped with plenty of power and deliver a true acoustic sound whether you're micing your instruments or using transducers.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 03:39 PM

Yamaha do a Four Channel unit that all fits together like the Fender Passport , but is smaller and lighter ! I would be tempted if I needed to replace my 'little' PA setup

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 03:15 PM

I have found the bigger Peavey Escorts not bad at all. IMHO the Fender passports do not have the grunt.

Most stuff from Maplins is dogshit.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 02:43 PM

get tranducers on your guitars - they are less difficult to amplify than mic-ing up the guitar.

I find that the fender passport 150 is fine for most small gigs - though I also use a fender acoustasonic combo 150 watt xombo for the guitar. The new model is very light - less than 20lb.

The yamaha stagepass also fairly good, and ergonomic. It comes in different sizes.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: GUEST,PeterC
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 12:13 PM

I used to use a Peavey Solo 15W battery/mains amp (with a battery powered 4 channel mixer if needed) but have recently upgraded to a 50W DJ Tech battery/mains amp from Maplins. They are listed at £129.99, but are frequently 'on offer' - I paid £99.99 for mine. Really good, and comes with radio mic as well

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: bigchuck
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 11:33 AM

Behringer makes several nicely powered speaker that sound quite good for an acoustic act, ranging from 8" to 15" that combine well with any of their unpowered mixers. We have a couple of the 8" ones for smaller venues.

SAndy

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 11:18 AM

I bought a Fender Passport 250 over 10 years ago and it has been really great in a variety of situations - ranging from small rooms where you only need a little bit of a boost, to large halls, and even outdoor festivals. That model has now been replaced by the Fender Passport 300 which looks even better. It's lighter (the whole system fits together and can be carried like a suitcase - although for me it's kind of heavy), has phantom power, and a few other features. There are four inputs, plus the two stereo inputs that I have successfully used in a pinch with a little bit of fiddling. If I need more inputs, I just bring along a small mixer and plug that in to the Passport. I got the package which included two Fender mics, stands, cords, etc. I'm still using them. That sound system has been hauled around a LOT - it's still working and I've been very happy with it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Mark Ross
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 11:00 AM

I use a Behringer 802 (I only use 2 mics), but you might want this with 4 XLR's.

EURORACK UB1202

For a speaker I only use one powered speaker on a stand;

JBL EON10

It works well in small venues, and even outdoors, and is reasonably inexpensive.

With the speaker in a rolling suitcase, the speaker, mic stands and instrument stands in a golf case cover, and the board, mics, and cables in a padded computer bag, I can carry the whole shebang in by myself.

Mark Ross

Subject: Tech: Portable PA systems?
From: Kim C
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 09:47 AM

Mister and I go unplugged 99% of the time. We don't even have pickups on our instruments. But we're finding ourselves in situations where a little sound boost would be a good idea.

Now, I know very little about amplification. We don't need anything huge or expensive, just something that would allow us to be heard over a small crowd of people. I'm sure the collective brain power that is the Mudcat may have some suggestions for me.

Thanks! :-)