Live Sound Advice Needed

[Raj]

Hi Guys,

I need some advice on live sound. I plan to do small home concert for say 30 people. Guitar and a bunch of other (3-4) instruments. I need two speakers, two monitors, 4 mics, mic stands, a mixer.

Should I go for those packages? Or should I buy individual items?

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gear-One...ors-Package.gc

I get one of those 20% of guitar center coupons that can apply to a package which can be considered a single item.

What do you guys advice?

[ocarolan]

For an audience of 30 people in (I assume) a relatively small space I wouldn't want to use any amplification at all.

Keith

[akafloyd]

Rent......

[martingitdave]

Rent a system, or use no system at all. 30 people is borderline for amplification unless they are very loud. A quality system is only a good investment if you have near future use for it. The cheap systems don't usually sound very good. And, once you add in costs for all the stands for the speakers and the mics, the mics, and the cables, you're really getting low quality electronics to go with it.

[Kalani]

If you must have amplification I would go for a mixer into something small on the ground, like a Roland AC60 or similar, just to boost the overall volume and ambiance a bit.

[Raj]

Amplification is needed not just to make it loud. It's needed to provide balance between instruments. Acoustic guitar would not be heard if you have an instrument like harmonium playing along with it. Also monitors are great for players.

I don't want to rent it. We do this often enough. So I want to buy.

Any particular brand recommendations?

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by Raj

I need some advice on live sound. I plan to do small home concert for say 30 people. Guitar and a bunch of other (3-4) instruments. I need two speakers, two monitors, 4 mics, mic stands, a mixer.

Should I go for those packages? Or should I buy individual items?

There are a couple of things that only you can answer, but as a constant public performer I'd say that having at least a small system is an important thing to own...unless you think you'd never use it.

I'm pretty flabbergasted at the posts saying that no system is needed for 30 people, without even knowing what kind of music you're going to be playing or what type of audience you'll have, because those are the two unknown, and yet most important points in determining whether you can play unamplified or not.

Before any of the no-amps-needed jump to any conclusions about my perspective, I've played for as many as 50, unamplified down on the ocean beach many times, but context is what matters most.

That established, it's also important to note if the OP is going to be doing lots of singing and how big of a voice he's got or if they're going to be a bluegrass band. The former situation will always benefit from miking, at very least for vocals, and the latter is the format that I personally think is most acceptable for straight acoustic performances.

How much time do you have to get this thing together and will there be a set performance time and area, or will this just be in the background while people hang out and visit with you in the background?

My present perspective makes me like the idea of a JBL Eon One system with a small mixer, which will offer quick setup, minimal space requirements, excellent area coverage and no need to mess around with monitors or speaker stands.

As for the cheap microphones in the system you linked, nothing more annoying than cheap mics and if you could at least find some used Shure 58's, you'd be way ahead, or better yet, a group of the now ubiquitous, excellent and highly rated Sennheiser 835's.

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by Raj

Amplification is needed not just to make it loud. It's needed to provide balance between instruments. Acoustic guitar would not be heard if you have an instrument like harmonium playing along with it. Also monitors are great for players.

I don't want to rent it. We do this often enough. So I want to buy.

Any particular brand recommendations?

I see while I was writing my long-winded post you weighed back already and I feel even more certain than before that regardless of what you get for a mixer and speakers, that you should not get those mics. Whichever mics will fit into your budget, they will be one of the most satisfying or frustrating pieces of equipment you can buy.

[roylor4]

I would not recommend the system you chose, you need to buy components individually IMO.

One high quality powered speaker for audience (JBL, EV, Yamaha), one powered wedge speaker for monitor, mixing board and mics.

If you want a full, but small sized PA system, I would look at either Yamaha Stagepas or Samson. If you go this route, make sure you have enough inputs on the PA board. You will still need a monitor, cables etc.

A low budget brand will disappoint you, I'm afraid.

BTW, I agree with Nama, bad mics can even make a pro level sound system sound atrocious. Get mid-grade mics, at the very least.

[YamahaGuy]

I'll dissent from the other replies. I'd go for this system. You'd be hard pressed to get two mains, two monitors, speaker strands, mics and mic cables,.speaker cables and a powered mixer separately for twice the price. The Kustom speakers are decent. This system will get you up and running and you can always upgrade later. I'd probably upgrade the mic cables first, then the mics.

I've started on the low end of pa and when you're just getting started, I see no shame in using low end gear. Then when you learn how to use it and can afford it, you'll sound killer on the better stuff. I've seen people with no knowledge of how to use their high end pro gear sound awful. Also I've seen people who've played awhile use very cheap gear sound great.

Down the road you could always sell the starter pa and recoup your money.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by Raj

Amplification is needed not just to make it loud. It's needed to provide balance between instruments. Acoustic guitar would not be heard if you have an instrument like harmonium playing along with it. Also monitors are great for players.

I don't want to rent it. We do this often enough. So I want to buy.

Any particular brand recommendations?

What is your budget? $700?

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

I'd probably upgrade the mic cables first

The mic cables are the least of the weaknesses in the linked system, but the mics...

I've seen people with no knowledge of how to use their high end pro gear sound awful. Also I've seen people who've played awhile use very cheap gear sound great.

While you're citing that, how about people that sounded awful on cheap gear and great on pro sound systems. I know you're trying to play devil's advocate, but don't ignore the fact that better choices are better choices.

Down the road you could always sell the starter pa and recoup your money.

Actually no, unless you buy used for a decent price, you're never going to get your money back out of anything you buy new and the only advantage at sales time with cheap stuff bought new is that you can sell it for even less.

[YamahaGuy]

Originally Posted by Nama Ensou

The mic cables are the least of the weaknesses in the linked system, but the mics...

While you're citing that, how about people that sounded awful on cheap gear and great on pro sound systems. I know you're trying to play devil's advocate, but don't ignore the fact that better choices are better choices.

Actually no, unless you buy used for a decent price, you're never going to get your money back out of anything you buy new and the only advantage at sales time with cheap stuff bought new is that you can sell it for even less.

Devils advocate yes. That's what I was going for.

I checked out the components and reviews on a few websites for the system the OP mentioned and most of the parts gets rave reviews. Granted, many reviews may be by someone who bought their first pa, but some are by vets. The ones that mentioned the mics only really complained of handling noise.

I agree, there are better choices, but to purchase separate quality components would involve thousands rather than hundreds of dollars.

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

Devils advocate yes. That's what I was going for.

I checked out the components and reviews on a few websites for the system the OP mentioned and most of the parts gets rave reviews. Granted, many reviews may be by someone who bought their first pa, but some are by vets. The ones that mentioned the mics only really complained of handling noise.

I agree, there are better choices, but to purchase separate quality components would involve thousands rather than hundreds of dollars.

I'm sure there are other package deals available out there and if I was to help a friend get into a separates system like this with monitors on the ground I'd have no problem with this system except for one place where I have a hard time compromising, and that's the mics.
Probably a phone call to the store selling would get an upgrade to better mics.

[MikeBmusic]

How large is the room?

I will advise 'NO' on that system - it would probably be 'ok' (at best) at low volume in your current situation, but in the long run its not going to sound very good for acoustic instruments or vocals.
Note that the 1/4" input jacks on the channels ar emarked 'line in', so an instrument-level signal may not sound good/have much volume. The Kustom speakers are not known for the clarity.

If this really is a 1-shot show, then rent a PA system.