# PA systems for pub/club gigs..



## projectjetfire (Jul 15, 2011)

Ok, so at the moment we are searching for a PA system for our live covers band. We are essentially a four piece (drums, bass player who does backing vocals, a lead vocalist and myself on guitar) and have borrowed a PA System for the last 2/3 gigs. We tend to only put two vocals and the bass drum mic via the PA and are looking at getting one for regular gigs. 

At the moment, we are using a Yahama head which is 1000 (500 x 2) watts, some JBL speakers (JRX100's, I think) and some monitors too, basic stands etc blah blah. 

However, I think Ive got kinda hung up on the POWAH!!!!11 of the current head we are using and its clouding my judgement in terms of what we need. We play mainly pubs. A few of the regular venues we play are:

Pub 1. Long room with low cieling (around 24 foot wide by 60 foot long) max capacity would be around 200 at the most 
Pub 2. High cieling room (35 foot long by 20 foot) Max capicty 150 
Pub 3. Reasonably square room, moderate cieling hieght (50 x 50 ft) 200 max

So, as a starting point, would a 1000 Watt PA head be too much for most of these applications? Are we going to be tearing peoples heads off if we are not careful? Is there a rough kinda of formula for these types of things?


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## KingAenarion (Jul 15, 2011)

projectjetfire said:


> Ok, so at the moment we are searching for a PA system for our live covers band. We are essentially a four piece (drums, bass player who does backing vocals, a lead vocalist and myself on guitar) and have borrowed a PA System for the last 2/3 gigs. We tend to only put two vocals and the bass drum mic via the PA and are looking at getting one for regular gigs.
> 
> At the moment, we are using a Yahama head which is 1000 (500 x 2) watts, some JBL speakers (JRX100's, I think) and some monitors too, basic stands etc blah blah.
> 
> ...



1000 Watts is probably fine... Unlike guitar amps, you want as much headroom as you can get with PA so as you can get the levels you want without ever driving the amp too hard.

Also, it's not a "head" it's a power amplifier. In the 10 years I've been doing live sound I've never heard it called a "head"...


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## chronocide (Jul 15, 2011)

KingAenarion said:


> Also, it's not a "head" it's a power amplifier. In the 10 years I've been doing live sound I've never heard it called a "head"...



I hear the powered mixers with front mounted controls get called heads all the time. Soundcraft gigracs, Yamaha EMXs and so on. Most of their sales reps refer to them that way.


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## Mondo (Jul 15, 2011)

Theres no harm with having too much power. Worst case scenario is you have to turn it down. 

1000 watts seems good enough lol


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## projectjetfire (Jul 15, 2011)

This is kinda of my point. Do I need 1000 watts? Surely, a 1000 watts is alot of headroom lol


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## Mondo (Jul 15, 2011)

projectjetfire said:


> This is kinda of my point. Do I need 1000 watts? Surely, a 1000 watts is alot of headroom lol


 


Well its really up to you.

Would you rather have to keep your volume minimal with 1000 watts, or turn all the way up with something smaller?

But if you want to buy a smaller one and keep both thats fine too.

And its always good to have the equipment to play a bigger show. Like with an outdoor venue I'm sure smaller PA's wont get the job done.


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## projectjetfire (Jul 15, 2011)

This is true, its all a cost factor sadly as compact heads tend to like 500 Watts at 8 ohms and those speakers which are kinda tricky to find..

And now Im looking at power amps and wondering how you connect them to a mixing desk!


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## MaxOfMetal (Jul 15, 2011)

projectjetfire said:


> This is kinda of my point. Do I need 1000 watts? Surely, a 1000 watts is alot of headroom lol


 
For a PA 1000 watts overall isn't very much. Most small clubs I've played at have had systems ranging from 2000 to 8000 watts. 

Having 1000 watts is fine if you're just running a simply 3-way main (as in a single "array" of speakers) setup with a couple speakers and a small board. 

You DO NOT want to be in the position of "turning all the way up" when working a PA system, that leads to distortion which is exactly what you DON'T want with a PA system. Adding wattage is relatively cheap and well worth it. Clipping is what seperates a PA system from an oversized stereo someone set up. 

As for how it all works, the most simple setup is this:

Board/Mixer -> Power Amp -> Speakers

Though it really depends on what you want from your system, it can get pretty complicated. 

If you're new to PA gear I HIGHLY recommend renting some setups to see what your needs are. It's fairly cheap and a great way to learn what your needs really are, not what you think they are.


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## Katash (Jul 22, 2011)

I like the idea of renting different sized PA systems to see what you need too....  

And 1000 W for a PA really isn't much. Really depends on what music you want to mix on it imho - you can mix a small jazz / acoustic session with a really small PA but on the other side for example I regularly mix in a venue for about 300 people, 3 way system, 2x 2x15" subs, and afair 3kW.

For some shows it's quiet ok but for stuff like reggae/dancehall and metalcore I really have to drive the PA hard to get the pressure levels from the subs that I like. And no I'm not mixing at 130 dBa ;P 98dBa limit, sometimes up to ~103.

So I think it depends what you demand from the mix and from the music...


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