best bang for the buck amp or powered speaker

[The Kid!]

I own three QSC K10's, and Allen & Heath Zed10FX, and a QSC Touchmix 16. I'd recommend trying to find a (used) QSC K10 and a (used) A&H Zed 10FX.

For a duo or trio gig, I always grab my Allen & Heath. I think that board sounds fantastic. The Touchmix 16 (imo) is overkill unless you're able to get out in front with your ipad and mix.

[Psalad]

Two things. Weight and complexity.

Weight. The loud box mini is small and is easily carried along with a guitar in one trip. Done. It's designed to amplify voice and guitar in small spaces and it does well.

Complexity. PA speakers are designed to amplify multiple instruments with full frequency for a larger audience. Many mixers aren't designed to plug an instrument into directly. You need more setup time.

A PA vs acoustic amp is a fine question, but it's like asking electric vs acoustic guitar. They both have a purpose. It's true a PA will work for acoustic guitar, but if you are MAINLY playing acoustic guitar and singing in front of smaller audiences, it might get old carrying around more stuff.

[ricdoug]

Originally Posted by kevinp

Lots of excellent suggestions. Thanks guys, these powered speakers are new to me, I'm in my 60's now and have not played out in . A long time.
Back in the 70's & 80's we had Peavey equipment, a cs 800 power amp, sp2 and or sp 3 speakers and a couple monitors nothing fancy ,but it sure sounded good.
Now I might do something on a small scale, with small equipment. Lite weight, its amazing the sound out of smaller equipment.
I thought about something like the Carvin, or the fishman but getting something that could also be turned into a p.a. sounds inviting too.

It's easy to add a mixer to a Carvin AG200 or Carvin AG300 and use it as PA system. It mounts on a speaker stand and so does the matching extension speaker. Ric

[myersbw]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

As a retired EE and lifelong performer, I find it very hard to believe anyone could hear a difference in a properly setup modern mixer, cheap or expensive. The specs are pretty clearly beyond our ability to hear. But maybe someone else can hear something, but no venue will be quiet enough that it would matter anyway (if you are commenting on the size of the power supply, and not its specs, then you are hearing with your eyes). I did do direct comparisons between a K10, SRM350V3 and DBR10 at my home and thought it was impossible for me to choose a winner (they were all set flat, 4 feet off my basement floor, blasting "Hey 19" at a level I could not tolerate too long). As an old man I went with the lightest one. The nice thing about a single speaker high and behind, is it is main and monitor. You control the relative "monitor" volume with how high you place the speaker (higher is quieter and a must for me at an outdoor gig).

Ha! I've got a similar background, Jon, but I also have a small Behringer mixer that will conflict with your first sentence. (I really hate using it...fortunately I've resigned it to the bench for some tests and DON'T have to!

Years ago I bought some power speakers for Miami U (my livelihood)...I brought a bass-loaded mix of tunes and A/B the , then, G2 series of JBL's along with Mackie & Yamaha offerings. The bottom line in 1990? The JBL Eons (then) far exceeded with crisp transient that the Mackie's couldn't touch once you turned the music up. Medium levels where identical.

Today, those JBL's are STILL pumping out great transient air! Cheers!
Brad

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by myersbw

Ha! I've got a similar background, Jon, but I also have a small Behringer mixer that will conflict with your first sentence. (I really hate using it...fortunately I've resigned it to the bench for some tests and DON'T have to!

I've owned a few different low end mixers in the last 10 years but that is hardly an exhaustive test.

Another thing to keep in mind; modern electronics manufacture is highly automated, extremely high yield (low defect rate), and post assembly test for something with lots of knobs, jacks, and switches is expensive to do right. When you buy a new mixer you need to exhaustively check it out and do what the manufacturer probably didn't. Not all of them will be good.

[myersbw]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

and post assembly test for something with lots of knobs, jacks, and switches is expensive to do right. .

That is SO key. I worked in a steel stamping production plant my first 4 years out of high school (went to college when the recession in the early 80's hit). Even in that business...quality control was a "concern", but the bottom line was shipping the order to the customer...even when the product wasn't ideal. Sad.

I've recently been inside of a couple of Fender Deville's and I am not impressed. Folks like the tone, but you can almost look at the trace and it'll melt off it's so thin. Ribbon cable of too small a gauge in key spots. No adequate heat ventilation. I was shocked at the shoddiness and will never own one unless it's to entirely strip it out for my own custom build.

Sorry to hijack the post a lil, OP! :O

Cheers!

[jman1283]

Well said.

[rokdog49]

My turn.
I doubt you will find a better powered speaker than the Alto Trouper at it's price point. PSSL puts them on sale periodically and you can get one new for $149.00 like I did. In fact, my buddy and I got one each.
Pair it up with a small Yamaha mixer ( MG12XU ) and can come in right at your dollar amount.
Of course I'm biased, but I looked a long time before I bought.
Here are the specs:

http://www.pssl.com/Alto-TROUPER-Com...able-PA-System

[Perchman]

EV ZLX12 and a Yamaha MG mixer with effects can squeak in under $500 new and sound great. I have both and am very satisfied.

[jricc]

I will give my experiences with 3 different systems, Fishman Artist amp, JBL Eon610 powered speaker, and Carvin PA XPL800 head/mixer with passive Carvin speakers.

I do like all three systems.
The Fishman Artist ($500-549) is a compact acoustic amp I've used for up to 75 people. It does a pretty good job of throwing sound, providing you get it up in the air. I made a little mini "shelf" that can be mounted to a speaker stand. The one negative for this is you can't expand it by adding an extension speaker. You can however add a powered speaker (but, more money)

JBL EON610 ($399) is a fantastic sounding, powerful powered speaker, I've used just this speaker outdoors for well over 100 people and I only had the master at 12 o clock and the channels at 9 o clock. Negatives are 1) you need an additional mixer for reverb or effects and 2) you need outlets for each speaker, and THIS for me, is the biggest negative of powered speakers. You need an outlet where every speaker is situated, and one for your mixer if you want to keep that close, or you can carry a massive extension cord too.

The Carvin XPL800 head/mixer and passive speakers sound very good and you can mix and match, 1 cabinet and head/mixer, 2 cabs if you need more throw/ spread. This is my personal favorite option. You can invest in a powered Carvin mixer 500 total watts for $349 and a passive 12" cab for $219. If you can wait for sale, you can definitely do it for $500. You can add another cabinet down the line or not.

I hope this helps. Good luck in whatever you choose.

[The Kid!]

I sold my QSC K10's after trying out and purchasing a Line 6 L3T Powered PA speaker. I know own a Line 6 L3T, a Line 6 L2T, and a Line 6 L2M. I have never been happier.

The "T" models have a built in two channel mixer with mid sweeps.

http://line6.com/stagesource-pa-speaker/

I don't need their over-priced mixer, but the speakers are phenomenal!

[Outre']

I just recently got an AG200, and so far to my ears it sounds a good as any amp i've had and/or tried(to date). The sound is complete, low, mids, highs. It's very responsive, i do a lot of tapping, harmonics, etc. perhaps zero coloration, and my intention is to use pedals through it. I personally would like it to be smaller, but after messing with the amp i don't think i would change a thing, Carvin obviously made it this size for a reason. I would say most striking is the low end. The twin 6.5" speakers make you scratch your head.

Functionality, doesn't seemed like they left anything to be desired. I have yet to gig this amp, but am confident it will be perfect. My AG300 is on it's way, so i'll opine when it arrives, but i think both AG's would be hard to beat for portable acoustic musicians.