Yamaha Stagepas 1K thoughts
 

I finally had a chance (last night) to put the 1K through its paces and test it in a live setting.

When I first got it, I tested it at home with the bluetooth streaming and the mobile device app. I had it play back a variety of music with vocals and some with heavy bass to get a feel for the capabilities. I had also played my guitar and sang through it at home to try out the effects and the one knob tone shaping EQ. For singing vocals, to my ears it seems best to leave the EQ at "flat." For guitar, since I prefer a slightly scooped mid with lots of bass, I ran the EQ almost all the way to the "scooped mid" setting. I really like that for each XLR/combi input channel, the effect can be switched on/off AND that the amount of the effect on each of those channels can be dialed in to suit your taste. The one knob compressor/master EQ is pretty neat. I set it flat for playing and singing. If I were to DJ a party with dance music, I'd surely turn it all the way clockwise to get the most bass. Speaking of bass, the technology Yamaha used for the cab is very good. There are no weird noises from the sub, as with some other systems when the bass hits. And does the bass ever hit. Very nice thump--shake the house thump, not the thwonky sound you get from a 6.5" woofer. I will be trying my 5-string bass through it and report back on that.

So last night I took the 1K to a nonprofit venue in the crowded basement of a church packed with nearly 200 people. There would be a speaker and myself singing and playing. I hooked a Shure Beta 58a up to channel 1 and set the gain to about 11 o'clock; dialed the EQ to "flat" and put the reverb level at 1 o'clock. I plugged my Seymour Duncan MagMic equipped Eastman O1M into channel 2 with the gain at 2 o'clock and the hi-z disengaged (not sure if I should have engaged it or not) and the mic/line set to mic; reverb was at about 12 o'clock. I plugged in the speaker's mic (an Audix OM2) into channel 3. I set the EQ on that channel all the way counterclockwise and the gain to 12 o'clock with no reverb. I had the master volume maxed out. I was pleased with the sound/tone I got and I believe the speaker (person) was heard over the entire crowd -- even the people sitting in an adjoining room, some 70 feet away.

The most important thing to me was that I could load-in with a single trip. Usually, I have to bring a small mixer to accommodate the second mic. It is a pain to have to turn the effects on/off on the second mic while holding a guitar, moving music stands, etc. I had a stand bag that contained a music stand, mic stand, and guitar stand which I carried in my left hand, my guitar on my back (in its gig bag) and carried the Stagepas with my right hand. The AWESOME thing about the 1K is the cover. It not only holds the extension columns and speaker column, BUT it also has a pocket large enough to hold two mics (in bags), two XLR-XLR mic cables, an AUX cable and an instrument cable. There is a smaller pocket for the power cord.

Whenever I bring the mixer, I will take my pedal board too, and then I need to bring a multi-outlet extension cord, so I have a whole other bag to bring in, plus the case my mixer is in.

I will say that the 1K is HEAVY. I would not want to have to carry it much further than I did last night. It probably weighs in at a little over 60 pounds with the gear I had in it. And the carry handle on it, though not super uncomfortable, does have some grooves/ridges in it that make it less pleasant when lugging the thing around. I have ordered the Yamaha dolly kit for it and will report back on that.

I was tempted to try a small mixer with it, but the main reason I got it is so that I don't have to carry one with me -- a 1 trip haul-in. At home I did patch a mixer into it through the line in channel and I had plenty of gain: I hear lots of people complain about this--that when lining in a mixer, they have no gain. Another complain I read about is the line-in lacking bass. I have not had those issues with my 1K, so I have no clue where people get that from.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Feel free to ask questions/comment. Thanks for listening.

Nice review.

Seems many ppl like the Yamaha stagepas 1k. I notice there's quite a lot of similar products, like Mackie SRM-Flex, JBL Eon one etc. Is there any advantages over the similar products for choosing the Yamaha Stagepas 1k?

Thank you.
The Mackie unit is advertising that the mixer is 6 channels when you really only get 4. Two XLR, one stereo TRS (3 + 4), and an AUX 1/8" or bluetooth (5+6). It is much lighter than the Yamaha, and has reverb, but the columns pack separately in a shoulder bag. I highly doubt the Mackie gets as loud as the 1K, with its 10" sub. The claim 1300watts, but I can't find and spl levels on it. The Mackie and JBL units are very similar in specs and features and both offer apps to remotely control them. The JBL comes in at 118db.

I suppose selling points for each individual will come down to fit/finish/feel, weight, of course sound, and probably brand preference. For me, even if the JBL sounded slightly better I'd still probably prefer the Yamaha. As with vehicles, some people just have to have a particular brand. As my name suggests, I prefer the tuning fork instrument making (and motorcycle, and home audio, and pro audio, etc.) company.

I do especially like the latching combi connectors Yamaha uses on the Stagepas 1K. They seem more secure and rugged than others.

THREAD REVIVAL!

Yamaha Guy.....are you still using the Stagepas and how has it been for you all this time?