Small Portable PA Round Up

localguitarist · #1 08-13-2015, 11:25 PM

It's been a while since I've been on the forum. I currently have a deadalus/hafler system that I use with my trio. I love the sound and look of it. The thing is I'm having shoulder trouble. They are maple cabinets (absolutely gorgeous and sound incredible!). They also don't handle drums. I don't want to blow my audiophile speakers. I need something lighter weight that will work with the kick hat snare, accost guitar and vocals in largish rooms and outside. We're not a rock band, acoustic feelsy, with some blues and funk tendencies. I have an A&H ZED board to use with it.

My current info looks like this:
Bose L1: been there sold it, for me at any placement distance elevation, signature is over all scoopy. Harsh highs, airy not enough warmth. IMHO
JBL's: Seem to have a DJ signature, similar to Bose but more low end and eh...
Fishman Artist: I have one, like it, and use it a lot. It's super portable. Mine has a stand receiver and elevation helps! It can be boxy at volume. 8" speakers again.
QSC Kseries: everyone seems to like these. I've never heard them. Anyone with experience? maybe the K12s?
EV: Same here. I have no experience. Anyone use these?
Cerwin Vega: They have active pa speakers! I know right?? Anyone with experience. Know what kind of quality, signature?

EQ/Placement: I know this is important, and I play with this a lot.

I want to avoid harsh exhausting high frequencies. I also want a quick easy set up. A tiny bit of dialing is fine, but I'm not spending my first beer time tweaking EQ. I don't need to blow anyone away with volume, but it's not a coffee shop band either. We're in that sweet spot.
concerns: 1 Warm Clear Sound. 2 Price point. 3 Weight. 4 Beauty.

ok those who are still Reading...Go!

krisls · #2 08-14-2015, 12:48 AM

Not asking much are you.

I use K 10's primarily for guitar vocal, lovely; though Yam DXR,DBR, or JBL Prx 7 series work as well to taste.

For your use I would not go below 12's if you want to have that kick up there, maybe go to 8's if you do a sub, then the Yam or EV are pretty compact, the K is a little bigger. Maybe look at an HK Nano - sub with satellites. You don't mention money, it all costs. Happy hunting.

Kris

dannyg1 · #3 08-14-2015, 03:32 AM

Ive heard the QSC K8's without a sub, outdoors mind you, with a full band and a Fender Jazz Bass and I was amazed at what they can do. Nexo also made a small speaker system, I believe they were 10's, that I heard (the large sub houses the amp on these) and they also were smooth as glass, but much more cash than K8"s and as a kit, these are only smallish. The new Yamaha Dxr/dbr systems are supposed to have been designed by Nexo, though I haven't heard them.
A system of dual Fishman Artists would be small, loud and sound excellent. Having a separate speaker for each member of the band makes a mini Grateful Dead style 'wall of sound'.
The higher end EV speakers, though excellent, will probably sound a bit sterile if you're liking your Daedalus and Fishman Artist traps. You'll probably like the QSC's very much. There's an over powered warm sound that these speakers all share. The Tannoys are like that as well, with the proper amp.

Tannoy V12's, with your Hafler amp, are definitely worth hearing. I have these and they're very, very good.

localguitarist · #4 08-14-2015, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krisls

Not asking much are you.
Kris

LOL Just the moon!

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyg1

Ive heard the QSC K8's without a sub, outdoors mind you, with a full band and a Fender Jazz Bass and I was amazed at what they can do. Nexo also made a small speaker system, I believe they were 10's, that I heard (the large sub houses the amp on these) and they also were smooth as glass, but much more cash than K8"s and as a kit, these are only smallish. The new Yamaha Dxr/dbr systems are supposed to have been designed by Nexo, though I haven't heard them.
A system of dual Fishman Artists would be small, loud and sound excellent. Having a separate speaker for each member of the band makes a mini Grateful Dead style 'wall of sound'.
The higher end EV speakers, though excellent, will probably sound a bit sterile if you're liking your Daedalus and Fishman Artist traps. You'll probably like the QSC's very much. There's an over powered warm sound that these speakers all share. The Tannoys are like that as well, with the proper amp.

Tannoy V12's, with your Hafler amp, are definitely worth hearing. I have these and they're very, very good.

Thanks for the great responses! It's exactly what I was hoping for. Those Tannoys have me intrigued! I can't find any way to get a hold of them on this side of the pond? There's no tweeter though, eh?

My bass player and I were talking about a doing a couple of artist. That would also give us more inputs too. Not sure how it would handle the low end. There's no air port. I'm not gifted enough to try to place and cut one myself. I wish fishman would put a stand receiver in the bottom too. I cut into mine and installed one my self. Best mistake I ever made until I needed a bigger system.

No experience with the Cerwin Vegas?

lschwart · #5 08-14-2015, 08:07 AM

What's your budget? If you've got the scratch, I'd start with the Yamaha DSR112 and look upward from that level/price-point.

Weight is going to be the trickiest thing to deal with, if you really want kick drum in your mix. Have you considered small subs?

Louis

MikeBmusic · #6 08-14-2015, 08:23 AM

hard to go wrong with the QSC K12s.

ljguitar · #7 08-14-2015, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

hard to go wrong with the QSC K12s.

Hi MB (and others)…

Yeah, we've owned/run PA systems for decades, and we think the sweet spot is 12" two way cabinets with actual high frequency drivers with horns (not piezo drivers).

They are better balanced on the bass, and not thin when they are pushed. I have used the QSC 8" & 10" high end cabinets alone, and without subs if you push them really hard they become painful to anyone who is in line with the high frequency drivers. And 15" two or three way cabinets tend to exhibit muddy bass.

Our mobile rig is an out of date pair of passive 12" two way Community cabinets, with a powered head which puts out 1600 watts of power, and we can do a room of 300 with no issues and the community have actual horns (old school these days).

SpruceTop · #8 08-14-2015, 09:20 AM

Line 6 L2t

Earl49 · #9 08-14-2015, 10:17 AM

My personal choice has been the Mackie SR 450 active cabinets. I had two but used only one most of the time. They are kinda big and heavy (32 pounds), but they sound really good and have plenty of power. My wife's flute comes through very nicely, especially with a good head-worn microphone. You will need an external mixer, adding another component to the load-in. I was never too proud to use hand-truck or bell boy cart. I hate tearing up my hands lugging heavy gear just before playing in public.

Spook · #10 08-14-2015, 01:29 PM

How much money, how much weight, and how pretty?

My innocuous JBL 4722's (no longer available) sound wonderful but I don't lug them out anymore.

For my low power applications Schertler Jam 150 extensions work well. I can carry one for most settings, two if I need more coverage. Matched with a small pedalboard for reverb/EQ/stuff and a DTAR Solstice I get a high fidelity sound without much weight.

If you don't want to come up with your own components but still want hifi sound, A Schertler Jam 400 would probably do anything.

dannyg1 · #11 08-14-2015, 01:42 PM

Tannoys V12's, like all 'true'Tannoys, are dual concentric, which men's the horn is located in the very center of the woofer for exact time alignment. They're ported as well. They have 'em hanging all around at Carnagie Hall. You can audition them there

.

The Kid! · #12 08-14-2015, 02:06 PM

I like the QSC K10's but the Yamaha DXR10's are great too and are $100 less per speaker. Both are very reliable and lightweight!

Steve_B · #13 08-16-2015, 04:43 PM

I'm looking at the Mackie Freeplay. Anyone have any experience with it? I guess it's just been released. Hard to find any reviews on them yet.

sdelsolray · #14 08-16-2015, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by localguitarist

It's been a while since I've been on the forum. I currently have a deadalus/hafler system that I use with my trio. I love the sound and look of it. The thing is I'm having shoulder trouble. They are maple cabinets (absolutely gorgeous and sound incredible!). They also don't handle drums. I don't want to blow my audiophile speakers. I need something lighter weight that will work with the kick hat snare, accost guitar and vocals in largish rooms and outside. We're not a rock band, acoustic feelsy, with some blues and funk tendencies. I have an A&H ZED board to use with it.

My current info looks like this:
Bose L1: been there sold it, for me at any placement distance elevation, signature is over all scoopy. Harsh highs, airy not enough warmth. IMHO
JBL's: Seem to have a DJ signature, similar to Bose but more low end and eh...
Fishman Artist: I have one, like it, and use it a lot. It's super portable. Mine has a stand receiver and elevation helps! It can be boxy at volume. 8" speakers again.
QSC Kseries: everyone seems to like these. I've never heard them. Anyone with experience? maybe the K12s?
EV: Same here. I have no experience. Anyone use these?
Cerwin Vega: They have active pa speakers! I know right?? Anyone with experience. Know what kind of quality, signature?

EQ/Placement: I know this is important, and I play with this a lot.

I want to avoid harsh exhausting high frequencies. I also want a quick easy set up. A tiny bit of dialing is fine, but I'm not spending my first beer time tweaking EQ. I don't need to blow anyone away with volume, but it's not a coffee shop band either. We're in that sweet spot.
concerns: 1 Warm Clear Sound. 2 Price point. 3 Weight. 4 Beauty.

ok those who are still Reading...Go!

Chris,

The problem you will have (and it's a good problem to have) is that you are familiar with how Daedalus speakers sound and behave. You may be less than impressed with the sound and behavior of the speakers you listed.

MarvinLee · #15 08-16-2015, 05:23 PM

EDIT - saw the part about drums... wouldn't let me delete post, so I'm leaving it for those who don't have drums. (I'm just a solo acoustic guy.)

I roll small gigs with a Lucas Nano 300. It works very well. They came out with a 600 shortly after I got this one. Smallest, lightest PA I've seen anywhere. Sounds really, really nice.