Powered Monitors
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Posted on Jul 09, 2017 02:48 pm
dbmasters
Administrator Since: Apr 03, 2002
What are people's opinions on reasonably priced powered monitors?
Any preferences to which one's are better than others?
With proceeds from this year so far we are each thinking of investing in one, but we want similar/same units for consistency of sound. I see lots of clubs use a certain model of Peavey, I forget the model, but they are loud and sound good...and we sure as heck aren't each buying $800 QSC's or anything...
We have powered EV's in front, and if all monitors are powered, we could run sound at small rooms with just a simple mixer and a couple effects units, which would be pretty cool.
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J-botByte-MixerMember
Since: Dec 04, 2007
Jul 13, 2017 06:15 am I think it'd be hard to go wrong with a reasonably priced self-contained powered monitor setup like the Yamahas, JBL, Mackie, or EV.
Are these going to be mostly for personal monitors, like the self-contained portables maybe doing double duty as a smaller PA for small gigs? Or are you strictly looking for floor wedges?
I'm not super familiar with wedges, but on the personal monitor front:
I was looking at PA/monitors in Sam Ash Saturday because I'm toying with the idea of getting a lightweight/portable personal stereo monitor/PA pair for use with my Roland VR-09 at rehearsals. All-in-one, powered, and self-contained. The Yamahas StagePas are a bit out of my budget, and probably more than I need. The Samson Expeditions look usable for me, though, looking at the XP150A, at least for rehearsal. 75W/channel might not cut it on stage, even if I set them at ear level to me.
JBL EON also has a smaller 160W self contained stereo PA system for $450. Out of my budget, but maybe in the future if I save up. Apparently Fender also make some personal PA stuff.
But if it's wedges you're looking at, I don't really have any recommendations other than the usual suspects. Try em out in a shop if you can.
Of course, my immediate goal is to nab a Neo Ventilator 2 or the Mini Vent 2 to beef up my keys rig a little. Preferably the full Vent 2 so I get the stereo inputs. Sometimes keys/organ/synths don't compress down to mono very well.
I didn't get up close to see the model, but there was a modest PA setup at the Narberth art fest in the street last Sunday. A pair of EV, and a pair of Mackies at the front. FOH guys did a great job of getting a good clear sound with no feedback. The band members (Raw Honey) all had their amps as well. Keyboardist was running a Nord Electro through a MarkBass amp, possibly the ninja after looking at models online. Bass player was going through a GK of some sort, I think, and the guitarist through a Fender amp. Kind of a pop/funk band doing covers (Stevie Wonder, etc.) They had a great, tight performance. I didn't see what kinda wedges they were using. Here's a pic/video of one of the other groups there though. They were on before Raw Honey.
www.instagram.com/p/BWVpb-bF5K7/
Jul 14, 2017 07:43 am These are for strictly personal monitors. We have 1000 watts EV's front of house.
Trying to get away from a powered mixer or rack of amps, if each person has their own powered wedge we can just run in series...also ends the need of long cable runs, just daisy from wedge to wedge across the stage.
It seems some 12" Peaveys get great reviews and run far cheaper than EV's and such...I guess I'll just have to go plug a few in and listen to them.
We run a mono PA, sometimes the keys don't sound the same, but the size venues we play, trying to get a decent stereo sound is just plain silly...the image would never come across to the listener at all.
Dec 25, 2017 08:12 am If you're bringing your own PA, why not migrate to in ears? In the long run, it's a lot easier to set up, doesn't weigh anything.
You can get Behringer powerplay (they're great) wired headphone packs that run 6 hours on 9V battery for $50. A pair of Shure SE215 IEM's are about $80. Now you don't have to buy POS monitors that sound like *** and will die just past the warranty, and you'll save your hearing in the long run.
FOH sound clarity will be greatly improved also.
Dec 25, 2017 08:12 am Not to mention, no feedback or ringing out monitors anymore (yay)
Dec 29, 2017 05:10 pm I agree, I'd love to go to in ears and have mentioned it. A couple members are pretty old school, seem to think it's more expensive than it actually is...plus, stage monitors, in the size venues we play, actually add to the overall volume and sound in the room to a limited extent too.
I'm with ya though, in ears would be great.
Funnily, since this original post what wound up happening is a couple things...a couple guys bought a pair 1000 watt powered 15" EV's...so the former powered 12" EV's got demoted to stage monitors, and then another member bought a matched EV subwoofer...right now the system is 100% than it was, sounds really good...sum total of a ballpark 5000 watts, all powered which is handy, a nice little unpowered mixer runs it all, working very well with our first half dozen shows or so with that set up.
