What kind of PA System do you use (if any)

Okay, I’ll go first....

Right now we are using a Yamaha EMX 68S powered mixer into two Peavey PR12 speakers for FOH and we use two Behringer P1020 speakers on stands as side wash monitors. We also have a Peavey XR600G powered mixer as a backup. Both mixers are splittable into mains and monitors with separate EQ for each.. The Yamaha will give us 400w @4ohms into each mains and monitors. The Peavey is a little less powerful at 200w@4ohms into each. We can use either one as we never max out the master volumes on either one.

When I first joined this band, the other horn player (who only plays with us once in a while), had bought the PA system from my old band. It consisted of a Biamp 12 channel mixer > Yamaha EQ > Delay> Bryston 4B amplifier powering 2 Electrovoice Speakers and a Bryston 3B powering a pair of Klipsch LaScala bass bins This was a VERY LOUD system, 400W + 300 W per side... total of 1400W to FOH. We used to play events of up to 1500 people with this system. However that was the old days when we used to play large venues like that. Besides, that was a huge system to lug around and pretty much OVERKILL for the events of 300 people and less that we currently play. We never used this full system in my current band as it was too much, so we dropped the 3B and bass bins but it was still pretty much overkill.

So when my wife’s uncle left me his Peavey PA system when he passed, we started using it right away. I already had the Behringer P1020 speakers and we started using them as monitors. When I saw the Yamaha for sale on Kijiji, I picked it up for $100CAD as a backup. It’s moved its way to the main system once we checked out the specs and saw that we could have lots of extra power available. But like I said, for the size of events we currently play, we could use either unit.

Once this band packs it in, I plan on selling everything and investing into one of those Bose L1 or HK Audio Polar 10 compact PAs as I still plan on doing some small trio gigs with my keyboard and bass players. I also do some small acoustic gigs with the bass player too so this will be a nice small system to lug around.

I have 2x JBL Eon315 self powered PA speakers and a venerable MIA 12 channel Mackey mixer. Certainly not something that would power the band at the Meadowlands but good for most outdoor gigs. The only gripe I have with the Mackey is there are only 4xXLR inputs, which really isn't enough.

infant- you said the other horn player in the above post. Do you play horns?

I've got those same yorkville stands. Heavy as hell but sturdy. Just tighten up all the nuts on them. I had a nut fall off in the trunk of my car once. I was lucky that I saw it before the gig or one of the legs would have fallen off.  
I also have a set of aluminum stands that came with the Peavey system...half the weight of the yorkvilles.

BTW: Bandemic....what a great name!! Especially in 2020!

I have a couple of Peavey mixers, one powered and another un-powered.

The main one I use for most gigs is the Peavey XR1212 1200w Powered 12 Channel Mixer, which I link up to 2 Peavey PRO 15 cabinets, giving me 1200 watts. For bigger gigs, I can also plug in 2 active Peavey PVXp-12 cabs increasing the total to 2000 watts.

I carry the un-powered smaller mixer as a spare. I usually have the 2 active speakers in my van. so it just means swapping them out

I usually try to keep the mixer next to me as you can just about see in this video to my right

DB,
I used to fit my whole PA (4 speakers, 2 powered mixers, 4 stands), milk crate full of cables, guitar, Deluxe reverb amp, pedalboard, mic stand, lighting stands, 2 light cans and a small briefcase with my guitar related accessories into a 2011 Ford Fusion. It all fit in like a jigsaw puzzle. I now drive a 2018 Hyundai Tucson (IX35 for John) and there’s a bit more room in it..

Infant said: Once this band packs it in, I plan on selling everything and investing into one of those Bose L1 or HK Audio Polar 10 compact PAs as I still plan on doing some small trio gigs with my keyboard and bass players. I also do some small acoustic gigs with the bass player too so this will be a nice small system to lug around.







The band I was playing with last fall has one of those Bose systems, although I don't know what model. It seems to be a small woofer enclosure at the bottom and a thin pedestal that stands about 7 ft high mounted on top of it....Just a single unit, rather than pairs of speakers like most PA's, and he would put it at the back of the stage behind us. The small footprint is a big advantage on a small stage. The singer/guitar player that owned it was gigging as a single with taped backgrounds previously but it worked equally well in the band. He used to have 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue for his guitar, but he sold it and just plugged his pedal board directly into the PA and it sounded great.

That L1 does look cool, but do you think it could be used outside? I'd love to downsize at some point but I'd need to make sure that I don't lose the power of those 15" speakers on my JBL. I don't generally need the PA indoors but definitely need it outside

Another consideration might be that I don't think the Bose PA speakers utilize that direct-reflecting design that Bose was so fond of in their home audio line, so I would expect the PA line to be more forgiving of the fact that there isn't neccessarily a contained environment for the speaker to operate in.

Based on the Golf, but a lot higher- remember I always have 2 additional people in the car too!

So today I went over to Guitar Center and I was looking at the Bose discussed above. I also was looking at the equivalent Electrovoice Evolve 30m. Of the two I think I liked the EV more. Any experience with them? I'm seriously debating trading in my Eons for the EV. I like the 6xXLR inputs on that EV...

Usually, the subs have a pole adapter on top of them. They sit on the floor, the poles mount into the subs and the main speakers fit on to of the poles. Kinda like the ones in Johns photo. No need for the tripods.

So what do you guys think- will the EV 30m replace my EON 315's for outdoor use?

Let's preface that buy saying the EON's are hardly world class, but they are fairly loud

When I get home I’m going to snap some pics of the pa were using right now, detail exactly how we’re using it, and get your advice. My wife handles the pa mostly and after years of messing with pa’s of various sizes and makes she would tell you she is still struggling running one and I’m just clueless when it comes to them. We’re really struggling with this one for some reason and I’m pretty sure it’s the way we’re running it. Next time I post in this thread I’ll break it all down with some pics and see what you guys think.