SoloAmp vs. PA

chinmusic · #1 10-24-2010, 10:29 PM

I'm sure this has been covered before, and my situation is (probably) no different than most- I have a Yamaha PA system that I purchased late last year. Two powered speakers (MSR 250) and a 12 channel board.

It's fine- lots of headroom, big sound. But it's also a big pain.

It takes a few trips to move, is cumbersome and is (usually) too much for the venues that I play- or was playing, seeing as I just moved to Austin and am in the process of getting my proverbial foot in the door.

I'm thinking of trading the system in for a Fishman SoloAmp.

The reasons being a few:
1. I don't have a band anymore. It's just me. The PA is a LOT to carry for one guy and a guitar. Will I have a band in the future? I hope so- therein lies my trepidation, etc.

2. I'm downsizing all of my possessions- I read an article in some magazine in which they featured a married couple who have chosen to put a finite number on their possessions. I believe the couple set it at 100 things each- including clothes, dishes, books, anything and everything. This idea appeals to me. Obviously, ONE SoloAmp is a lot less than two speakers, one board, etc.

I've read up on the SoloAmp, I've even demoed it at the GC I work in. It's a great sound. Am I crazy for thinking of doing this? I'm sort of thinking that even if I don't stay in Austin, that the SoloAmp will always work for solo gigs, etc. I've read about many of you being pleased with it as a piece of gear. Moreover, it makes quite the little rehearsal amp.

Finally, if it helps, my live rig is a vocal mic and a Collings D1 w/ a K&K PWM or condenser mic, depending upon the venue size.

Any thoughts?

BoB/335 · #2 10-25-2010, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctalley

I'm sure this has been covered before, and my situation is (probably) no different than most- I have a Yamaha PA system that I purchased late last year. Two powered speakers (MSR 250) and a 12 channel board.

It's fine- lots of headroom, big sound. But it's also a big pain.

It takes a few trips to move, is cumbersome and is (usually) too much for the venues that I play- or was playing, seeing as I just moved to Austin and am in the process of getting my proverbial foot in the door.

I'm thinking of trading the system in for a Fishman SoloAmp.

The reasons being a few:
1. I don't have a band anymore. It's just me. The PA is a LOT to carry for one guy and a guitar. Will I have a band in the future? I hope so- therein lies my trepidation, etc.

2. I'm downsizing all of my possessions- I read an article in some magazine in which they featured a married couple who have chosen to put a finite number on their possessions. I believe the couple set it at 100 things each- including clothes, dishes, books, anything and everything. This idea appeals to me. Obviously, ONE SoloAmp is a lot less than two speakers, one board, etc.

I've read up on the SoloAmp, I've even demoed it at the GC I work in. It's a great sound. Am I crazy for thinking of doing this? I'm sort of thinking that even if I don't stay in Austin, that the SoloAmp will always work for solo gigs, etc. I've read about many of you being pleased with it as a piece of gear. Moreover, it makes quite the little rehearsal amp.

Finally, if it helps, my live rig is a vocal mic and a Collings D1 w/ a K&K PWM or condenser mic, depending upon the venue size.

Any thoughts?

You'll find plenty of thoughts!!!!!!!!!!!!

A quick search will bring up PLENTY of posts but the folks here will gladly jump in here with opinions anyway.

The SoloAmp is praised around here along with the Bose Compact so you will get a LOT of support for doing what you want to do.

I contemplated the same decision for many months. I ended up with a small passive mixer (Allen and Heath ZED 12FX) and a pair of powered speakers (first a pair of QSC K8's because of size and weight and now a pair of EV SxA360's which are only a few pounds more and a little bigger BUT huge difference in sound with the 12's)
I felt I would probably need a small mixer even with the Bose Compact if I wanted to go Duo or just for the quality effects. In any case, I'm quite happy with my decision. Yes it is still more trips but ............................

GibbyPrague · #3 10-25-2010, 02:40 AM

I was in the same thinking boat as you.

I considered the Soloamp but in the end went with the Marshall AS100D.

It fits perfectly my situation where i need room for two mikes / guitar quarter inch. (theres two of us)

The tone is wonderful, lots of effects and options, can mix it all together easily through the marshall.

Its also i believe about half the price of the Fishman Solo.

Definitely worth considering.

cheers.

chitz · #4 10-25-2010, 07:40 AM

I downsized from a Yamaha powered PA and 2 s115v speaks to a soloamp and I'd do it again tomorrow. We're a 3 pc ensemble and one of the others has a soloamp too. When we play out together we link both soloamps together and use a small unpowered mixer. Works great! This also allows us to do solo work without a truckload!

But downsizing to only 100 items? Naw, never!

MikeTX · #5 10-25-2010, 08:46 AM

Hey Austin - WELCOME!

I didn't have a PA like yours, but a full Bose, with two subs and the T1 controller. I still use that in my band, but like you - it was just overkill for my solo gigs in relatively small restaurants. Too many heavy bulky things to carry, and way more sound than was needed, even though I turned it down and it was fine. My point was, if the SoloAmp sounded One-THIRD as good as the Bose, it would be more than enough. SO... I pre-ordered a SoloAmp and got the first one in Texas, and I've been using it ever since, with great success. My experience would tell you to do it and don't look back!

Very best luck - Mike

powerpopper · #6 10-25-2010, 01:25 PM

I have two Solo Amps which can be connected to serve as one PA. Awesome setup for 2 guitars and 2 voices. Easy to carry, too. Been using them for a year regularly and no complaints.

Forensicguy · #7 10-25-2010, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powerpopper

I have two Solo Amps which can be connected to serve as one PA. Awesome setup for 2 guitars and 2 voices. Easy to carry, too. Been using them for a year regularly and no complaints.

I like the concept of the SoloAmp, but I like even better the idea of using two of them. Of course this doubles the cost as well.

Currently, I have one Mackie SRM350 speaker and for solo work, it's fine... except where do you put it? If I want to keep my sound centered to where I am, it's got to go behind me and that of course adds the potential for feedback both for my vocal mic, but also my guitar. So usually, the single Mackie speaker has to be slightly off-center. That just sounds a bit weird to me.

So now I'm contemplating buying a second SRM350 speaker just so that I can put both speakers to either side of me and thus balance out my sound to the room. This is standard "PA 101" school of setup right? The problem is, like ctalley mentioned, more trips to move it around. But the SRM350 is fairly small and compact... but not as much as a SoloAmp.

So my issue with downsizing to just one SoloAmp is a matter of placement to get a even soundfield. This is why I kind of like the concept of two SoloAmps. It's just too expensive that way though!

chinmusic · #8 10-25-2010, 06:17 PM

Thanks for the thoughts thus far, fellows.
I'm still very much considering the possibilities.
My logical brain tells me that the PA is more versatile,
while the rest of me thinks about how much nicer
it would be to have the guitar in one hand and the SoloAmp in the other.

I have a good friend who just graduated from Full Sail
and he admonishes me for even entertaining the idea,
if only because I can never "grow out of" the PA system-
that is to say that the powered speakers could be used for
monitors if I had to play bigger venues, et cetera while
the SoloAmp is so wildly specific in its uses that its akin
to only wearing shorts- it's nice a lot of the time, but when
you need "more", you'll be painfully aware of that need.

Keep the thoughts coming, all! Thanks!

alohachris · #9 10-25-2010, 07:20 PM

Aloha,

As Mike TX said (Howzit Mike!), the Soloamp is really good - for smaller gigs/rooms in quieter settings where coverage is not a consideration.

However, & this is based on experience, the SA is NOT so good for larger venues, or crowded venues where penetration & dispersion are issues.

It sounds very good. In fact, it might be worth a look at two SA's in stereo as others have mentioned. But at that price point, you could get into some really fine Daedalus mini-PA's, so....

Keep using your PA - one speaker for the smaller gigs. It provides much more flexibility & coverage, making it worth the schlepp - to this old man at least.

And, you can do so much more with creative two-speaker source placement than you can with the SA.

I played a large pavilion party last Spring - bright room, about 300 people & I was up on a raised stage, using the provided SA. People in the middle to the back complained they couldn't hear me. The front was fine. I did not really like how more than one vocal source sounded through it that day. I still don't. Decent quality dual-speaker PA's have no problem with multiple singers.

Again the SA is fine for small, uncrowded gigs. But keep your PA. If you're rich, get both. Mike TX has it all figured out!

A Hui Hou!
alohachris

MikeTX · #10 10-25-2010, 10:21 PM

Howdy Chris - long time bro... HA! Like I have ANYTHING figured out... :-)

I should have a PhD for what I DON'T know! But I have a fun time...

sventvkg · #11 10-25-2010, 11:53 PM

Well I used my uncle's Bose Compact again with the T1..Now i'm certain I don't like it. My ONE K8 SHREDS it for clarity, smoothness and just overall fidelity. You could get one K8 or 10 for less then the Compact and it would be smaller, lighter and could cover the same gig. I'm certain of it. It would sound a whole lot better to boot. I've used the Full Size Bose L1 for about month and numerous times sitting in and doing gigs with others and it's a different beast alltogether. I find it does a good job but for the prices I can do get a Full PA for a band plus it's way more then I need for most solo gigs.

Anyway, I gigged all summer with just ONE K8 including some outside deck type of work and It did the job quite well so i'm certain for the solo gigs you are talking about one and a small monitor will be fine...I use a Roland Cube 30.

GmanJeff · #12 10-26-2010, 04:20 AM

Duplicate post; sorry.

GmanJeff · #13 10-26-2010, 04:21 AM

I second the suggestion to have both, using what is most appropriate for the environment at the time. I find the SoloAmp to be very convenient - lightweight, uncomplicated, and easy to use, but a conventional PA is superior in larger or noisier enviornments. So, I use the SoloAmp for solo gigs in small coffeehouses, and a PA in other environments. It doesn't have to be a "either/or" proposition, unless you're financially constrained to one or the other exclusively.

To keep weight and size down, you can create a PA with smaller and lighter components, especially if you're only amplifying a guitar and vocals. I use two EV ZxA1 powered PA speakers, which are lighter and smaller than anything else on the market, but which generate significant output, coupled with a relatively small footprint Peavey PV 10 mixer. If you're a solo, you can use an even smaller mixer (I use mine for rehearsals with a full band, so it's larger than it otherwise would need to be for solo gigs). You'll see debates about ultimate sound quality differences between the EVs and other speakers, but standing on their own they are fine. When you perform, nobody is doing A/B comparisons against other speakers, and the typical venue is unlikely to be in an acoustically perfect environment where audiophile-type gear will make any difference at all to the audience, which in a restaurant/bar/party setting, as opposed to a concert hall, certainly isn't listening critically anyway.

Forensicguy · #14 10-26-2010, 04:28 AM

I recently did a gig with 5 horn players, a drummer, another guitarist and a keyboard player all playing songs from the rock group Chicago. We only used the one Mackie SRM350 PA speaker and ran my vocal and guitar and keyboard through it. My brother on keyboards had a separate smaller PA for his background vocals (not preferred, but we did it because it was already hooked up that way for another performer to use.)

You can hear how the Mackie performed against all the other instruments if you click on the link on my signature line. Because the PA speaker was farther away than where the video recorder was, the vocals sound softer than it actually was, but you can hear that even with just one PA speaker, it held its own against all that noise (music) from the horns! The background vocal is loud simply because his PA speaker was too close to the person who recorded the video. In the house, the blend of his vocal sounded fine.

These small PA speakers can really do a great job.

J o · #15 10-26-2010, 04:39 AM

I use a couple of EV SA360 that I put at my sholders, and with no monitors. The sound go out over my head and I have few feedbak problem because of the high position of the EV (on the stands) respect the guitar and mic. This set needs a little expercience but, once check it, you'll never came back.
(excuse for my english..)