Is my band stuck in the Stone Ages? Mixer and PA

L

Ledvedder

Groupie
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My band is currently using a Peavey powered mixer (https://peavey.com/product/xr-s-powered-mixer/) and Peavey passive speakers (https://peavey.com/product/pv-115-2-way-speaker/). We're basically a weekend warrior bar cover band. 5 vocal mics and 2 mic'd guitar amps. We've reached a point where we'd like to mic the drums and bass.

So I started doing some research on the various forums, YouTube, and speaking my my Sweetwater sales rep. I'm in my early 50s, but you'd think I'm a dinosaur and we run PA like the stone ages. From what I've read and heard, seems like powered mixers and passive PA speakers are a thing of the past. Everyone goes with powered speakers and monitors nowadays? What are the benefits?
 
For one thing, the digital mixers allow things like:

  • remote mixing
  • saved mixes (very useful for different venues, different bands, etc)
  • Many aux outputs for IEMs or individual monitor mixes
  • USB interface for direct multitrack recording
Powered PA cabs and monitors make for less cables, power that's designed for the specific cabinet, onboard DSP, etc.
 
If you're playing at venues that provide sound and you're using IEMs you may also consider getting splitters like the ART S-8.

That allows you to send everything into your IEM mixer and also to FOH, allowing your IEM mix to remain in your control and still allow FOH to manage that mix independently.
 
unix-guy said:
If you're playing at venues that provide sound and you're using IEMs you may also consider getting splitters like the ART S-8.

That allows you to send everything into your IEM mixer and also to FOH, allowing your IEM mix to remain in your control and still allow FOH to manage that mix independently.
Click to expand...
We rarely play anywhere that has their own sound.
 
It's easier to get more power/headroom out of powered speakers. My mains are QSC K10.2s, which are 2000w peak each and they're lightweight and easy to carry.
I also have 2 Alto 8" wedge monitors rated at 1000w each.
Compare that to what you have in a powered mixer. It's not about being louder (although it can definitely be), but it's about having the extra headroom, especially when you're adding drums to your PA.
A passive mixer is also lighter and easier to carry than a powered mixer.

All in all, you get a much more powerful and compact system going that route.

The other thing is that if your powered mixer goes out on a gig, it's over.
With multiple powered speakers you can rearrange things and get through the gig.
 
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I'm reading up on the Behringer XR18. It seems super confusing. Whatever happened to good old analog mixers? :wat

 
Ledvedder said:
I'm reading up on the Behringer XR18. It seems super confusing. Whatever happened to good old analog mixers? :wat

Click to expand...


We went from an ancient mackie analog mixer to the XR-18 and I like using Mix station app to run things on there infinitely better :LOL:

Any particular questions regarding the XR-18?
 
spawnofthesith said:
We went from an ancient mackie analog mixer to the XR-18 and I like using Mix station app to run things on there infinitely better :LOL:

Any particular questions regarding the XR-18?
Click to expand...
No questions yet. I'm trying to read up on it and watch some YouTube videos. I do see there's an X-Touch control board that can be used with it.

I just worry that the other guys in the band won't be able to use it. They can barely operate a cell phone lol. I think I'd learn it fine. I've been working in IT for 25 years.
 
Ledvedder said:
No questions yet. I'm trying to read up on it and watch some YouTube videos. I do see there's an X-Touch control board that can be used with it.

I just worry that the other guys in the band won't be able to use it. They can barely operate a cell phone lol. I think I'd learn it fine. I've been working in IT for 25 years.
Click to expand...

I could see that being an issue with people controlling their own mixes, and sounds like potentially the burden ends up falling on you to help them out :LOL:

Its pretty straight forward though.... and once everyones mixes are dialed in they can be saved etc. and in theory it shouldn't have to vary too much venue to venue
 
OK, now I'm gonna ask for decent, reasonably priced powered speaker recommendations. I'd like to budget this entire thing out, and still be able to pay my mortgage these next few months. I suppose 2 10 or 12 inch speakers for mains, and 2 or 3 monitors to start?
 
Ledvedder said:
OK, now I'm gonna ask for decent, reasonably priced powered speaker recommendations. I'd like to budget this entire thing out, and still be able to pay my mortgage these next few months. I suppose 2 10 or 12 inch speakers for mains, and 2 or 3 monitors to start?
Click to expand...

That's out of my wheel house, however if the whole band would be making the move to IEMs you shouldn't really need any stage monitors?
 
Ledvedder said:
This is an additional mixer that I'd need to hook up? I'm only planning to mic the kick and snare for now. Since we're mainly playing in bars.
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Get a small 4 channel and try the line-in. If everything else is working in your PA; that's a dirt cheap "investment". You could grab something off Amazon know whether or not it would work quickly and not have to upgrade everything.
 
JiveTurkey said:
Get a small 4 channel and try the line-in. If everything else is working in your PA; that's a dirt cheap "investment". You could grab something off Amazon know whether or not it would work quickly and not have to upgrade everything.
Click to expand...
Oh ok! You mean to use with our current powered mixer. That wouldn't give me the ability for separate monitor mixes, but it's a great idea to try with the drums. I'd wanna run the bass through the PA as well. Any recommendations?
 
Ledvedder said:
drums. I'd wanna run the bass through the PA as well. Any recommendations?
Click to expand...
To put the bass guitar and the kick drum in the PA you need subwoofer(s), unless you play in very very small venues like a restaurant or something like that. Powered subwoofers + satellites is the system I got for my band and what now I use as sound guy for other bands. And I love it for small places; I mean till about 200 people. More than that is very rare for me, and in that case I would rent all the stuff I miss and need.

About subs, I'd suggest two small subwoofers in case that are much more practical to move instead of a big and powerful single sub. You will place them on the same side (to reduce the "power alley" effect) and just one satellite on the opposite side.

About mixers my opinion after some years is still the same: if I'm both the sound guy and a band member playing at the same time, I suggest a mixer with real volume sliders for each channel. I want to be able to change at least the volume quickly without any doubt about what I'm doing while I also play.
I got the Zoom Livetrack L12 that is imho a good compromise between analog quick access and digital stuff, and I love its multitrack recording on SD card. It can also mix 5 outputs differently (=separate monitors each with its custom mix).
Maybe you may like even more a... more traditional analogue mixer, and I don't think anybody could question it.
On the contrary when I'm only a sound guy (not playing) I'd love to have a full digital mixer with more flexibility for equalization and effects and PC/iPad wireless control without having to reach the mixer to adjust anything.
 
Lele said:
To put the bass guitar and the kick drum in the PA you need subwoofer(s), unless you play in very very small venues like a restaurant or something like that. Powered subwoofers + satellites is the system I got for my band and what now I use as sound guy for other bands. And I love it for small places; I mean till about 200 people. More than that is very rare for me, and in that case I would rent all the stuff I miss and need.

About subs, I'd suggest two small subwoofers in case that are much more practical to move instead of a big and powerful single sub. You will place them on the same side (to reduce the "power alley" effect) and just one satellite on the opposite side.

About mixers my opinion after some years is still the same: if I'm both the sound guy and a band member playing at the same time, I suggest a mixer with real volume sliders for each channel. I want to be able to change at least the volume quickly without any doubt about what I'm doing while I also play.
I got the Zoom Livetrack L12 that is imho a good compromise between analog quick access and digital stuff, and I love its multitrack recording on SD card. It can also mix 5 outputs differently (=separate monitors each with its custom mix).
Maybe you may like even more a... more traditional analogue mixer, and I don't think anybody could question it.
On the contrary when I'm only a sound guy (not playing) I'd love to have a full digital mixer with more flexibility for equalization and effects and PC/iPad wireless control without having to reach the mixer to adjust anything.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that thought has crossed my mind, considering we usually run our own sound. I've wondered how difficult it would be to do quick adjustments mid-song on an ipad.
 
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