Sub-$1000 column PA choices...

[Horseflesh]

Originally Posted by lkingston

As you price things out, keep in mind the total cost, and space, and wires, and stands, and cases. The EV30M only really becomes a bargain when you factor all those extras into consideration. The current price for a customer return (at ProAudioStar.com) is $1020, so it isn’t that far above your threshold, and it truly is all you need by itself.

This is what I came to say. I have one and it is an absolute workhorse. I bought mine as a return from there too and it looked 100% new when I got it, other than some of the styrofoam packing blocks being cracked.

Keep in mind I can't actually play guitar very well yet, LOL. But friends have played acoustic through mine and it's wonderful. We also use it for singing, DJing, outdoor movies... I love it.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by RogerPease

How about something like an Alto Trouper?
200 watts, 2 full channels with 2 way EQ plus an Aux in with Bluetooth.
Clearly not a bass monster, but do you need that for solo acoustic and voice?
Kind of a poor man's Bose S1, except bring your own reverb.
And you would have to have/bring a speaker stand.
I don't have any hands on myself but it gets good reviews.
Oh yeah, it costs lees than $300 new.
Seems like a good way to dip your toe in and get some experience.

All this depends on what kind/size of venue you expect to play, of course.
I love my Fishstick SA330x but like all column array speakers it doesn't sound it's best
when you're right up against it.
It needs some room for the small drivers to blend. Same for Bose and EV, too.
So if you're going to play really tight stages a single speaker high and behind
might be good thing.
This at the risk losing the dispersion of the column array speakers.

Then again it's nice to have nicer stuff if you want to/can spend the money. :-)
The suggestions made so far are all good.

Happy gear hunting! _RP

The Trouper is an excellent choice for a singular vocal/guitarist.
Actually, we use two Bose S1’s for most of our venues and then add one or two troupers for outdoors or in a larger indoor setting.
If you play small to medium sized rooms it’s plenty loud enough and has sufficient bass response for that application. $199 and get a stand.

[leew3]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

The Trouper is an excellent choice for a singular vocal/guitarist.
Actually, we use two Bose S1’s for most of our venues and then add one or two troupers for outdoors or in a larger indoor setting.
If you play small to medium sized rooms it’s plenty loud enough and has sufficient bass response for that application. $199 and get a stand.

What he said! +1

[JPH]

Originally Posted by Aahzz

The Peavey LN 1063 arrived today. Have only tested it briefly so far, but I'm really digging the sounds

Nice. I like the look of it. Sleek.

[sublro]

Originally Posted by Aahzz

Did a demo to show just that:

https://youtu.be/XrGefdR7C6Q

Thanks for this. Is it fair to say that you lose a LOT of the highs when you get say more than 45 degrees off center in either direction, giving it useful dispersion of maybe 90 degrees? That’s how it seemed to me….

Others?

[CASD57]

I've got a EAE M2-6 On a speaker pole.. Works great
All battery powered
Sorry not a column
[IMG][/IMG]

[Stringmaster]

You should be able to find a lightly used Evolve 30m at the top of your budget.

[L20A]

When I decided to try solo gigs, I looked at several Tower Pa systems.
The worst of the bunch was the Harbinger as expected. The store rep said to stay away from them.

I wound up getting a JBL Eon 1 and I have been very happy with it.
It's 3 years old no2w and sounds great for solo or even with my full 6 piece Folkgrass Band, when a mixer is added.

My model has been discontinued and the newer one is over $1,000.00.

My buddy is using a Fishman Tower System and it sounds very nice.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...e-audio-system
The price on it is also very nice.

[Rick Jones]

I'm loving the Fishman SA300x, been using it a whole lot in the last few weeks as we've just passed peak tourist season here, with venues and hotels open and hiring entertainment most every night.

The Fishman lets me get in, get set up and sound good, and I've yet to notice anything I don't like about it, sound or design-wise.

The other thing is that being able to mount the Fishman Expand Unit on the mic stand has been a revelation. I can adjust my basic eq or input levels between strums, because it's all right in front of me. Connect to the unit with a cat-5 cable and then you only need a short mic lead to the unit and your guitar leads going into the mic stand.

Somer cables make a super-heavy duty 'tourtech' cat-5 that is very flexible and has reinforced connectors, that I've bought as a back up to the flat cable Fishman supply with the unit in case it should ever fail, but it's a beautifully thought out system.

You can see in the below picture that I am very close to the unit (edge of it in the left-hand side), the expand unit (I hadn't yet procured the shorter leads for the mic, hence all the un-needed surplus wiring) and it's easily coping with an outdoor gig that had most of my audience sat either side of the centre aisle that was directly in front of me. I was running it on about 11 o'clock on the master volume and had no feedback issues despite being so close to the speakers.

I'm extremely impressed with it. I paid very little for it as as far as I can tell, the UK dealers are clearing them for a new incoming model with bluetooth and app capabilities. You should be able to get a great deal.

[leew3]

I'm with Rick above and have posted my positive experiences with the sa330x in a previous thread.

[CarlE]

I have been using the predecessor to the Fishman SA330x, the Fishman 220, for a few years. What I like about it compared to many of its competitors is that it has physical controls for everything - EQ (bass, mid, treble), volume, reverb, etc., and lots of connectors for monitors, effects loop, tuner, aux inputs plus some others that I can't remember. The controls are on the front side so if you have the unit behind you it easy to reach back and tweak the controls during a performance without having to wade through a digital menu. It only has two channels and not a ton of bass, but that is fine for me because I just run a single guitar through one channel and my vocal through the other, perfect for what I need. Plus the portability factor with the rolling bag/case makes it great for a quick setup and takedown.

One negative is that instead of the column being mounted on a subwoofer, it uses a more traditional PA speaker type tripod stand which takes up more floor area than the sub mounted arrangement but that has not really been much of a problem for me.

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by CarlE

One negative is that instead of the column being mounted on a subwoofer, it uses a more traditional PA speaker type tripod stand which takes up more floor area that the sub mounted arrangement but that has not really been much of a problem for me.

Yeah, one of the benefits of the 330x is its subwoofer, which the column sticks into the top of the sub. A user or two has used it that way even when not really needing the sub indeed because of the smaller footprint.

They often are on backorder though including a couple sources I checked just now.

[willymartin]

The 330 is just so...pro..it works best for me...pros and cons for every system I've owned...330 checks the most boxes. People want to hear different things...I need some punch/warmth you'd typically hear from a point source speaker. The 330 has that...while most other columns sound thin to me. Reverb is great, controls are at the perfect height, led light for dark stages, the right ins and outs, monitor volume is handy...most cases i do not need a monitor, but if you can't get some space between you and a column it will sound harsh to you but fine to your audience...confusing.., cheap expander that can be mounted on your mic stand...super convenient if you want to both mic your guitar and use your pickup..blending is simple. I owned a 330...sold it, looked for greener pastures, and bought another one because I couldn't find anything that compared with using it live. Mic stand, tripod, and 330 in roller bag, small backpack (bag of tricks for all the unknowns), and I'm ready for any gig. I hope fishman doesn't abandon this...I've heard they are out of production..cannot find a sa sub anywhere.? When with my band I use the 330 as a monitor..keeps up, easily with a loud folk rock band.

I've gotten slightly better tone from other acoustic amps (Genzler) but not at gig volumes/distances.