Small PA systems?

[peterp]

Not sure this is the right board for a PA topic.  

For no apparent reason I am suddenly thinking I "need" a small PA system, after sitting in a coffee house listening to Daniel Davies a rather good performer, using a Yorkville M810-2 mixer and Elite series speakers.

Was thinking something along the lines of a Yorkville MMD5 powered mixer and yx10 or yx12 speaker
http://www.yorkville.com/mixers/micromix/product/mm5d/
http://www.yorkville.com/loudspeakers/yx/product/yx10/

Anyone with experience with these things not necessarily Yorkville in particular?
After a quick run around the stores I am seeing the shops have many different brands like Peavey and Behringer, Fender, Yamaha.
But my knowledge of them is zero, so I have no idea what I am looking at.
And the shop people seem very happy to help me spend.

[Blooby]

Samson has some super portable stuff that would be suitable for a small venue.  You may want to check that out (link).

Blooby

[peterp]

Looks interesting!

Sweetwater does not seem to want to ship cross border (and the customs fees tend to be killer).
However I see Sampson is sold by Korg Canada here, and they show some dealers around Toronto. Bit of a drive, will need to check them out when I can get there.

[Hook]

When I fist started gigging I got a B52- Matrix 200

I liked it a lot, sound was very good & it packs into a suitcase on wheels (80lbs)

I've used the Fender Passports

Excellent in portability but never been impressed with the sound.

I upgraded a few years ago to the Fishman 220 tower & I've never once regretted it!

Sounds incredible, super portable with a case on wheels (38lbs), it rocking!
In fact it's probably the best equipment decision I ever made, but I make a living with it. If your not using it alot something cheaper might be more sensible. I remember when I was shopping around a while back that Kustom also made some nice portable pa's.
Good luck brother!

[Geir]

I've wanted a small PA for a while too .... and would love to have something like this:



.. with good sound ... something that assembles into a smallish unit (on wheels) ..... that's affordable .... I really don't need it .... just really really want it .... ooooh the GAS .... the GAS ..... the gas

[thetworegs]

I recently bought the  TC Helicon Viocesolo fx150 and it's a cracking piece of kit loud clear and small. I can hear myself sing over the drums being played by a very loud drummer check it out http://www.tc-helicon.com/products/voicesolo-fx150/ it cost me £209 and is worth every penny it can be plugged into a soundboard and just be used as a monitor bu with the added attraction that you can control the sound from where you are ....it's a brilliant piece of kit ...

[peterp]

Great confuse me with even more options!

The Fishman 220 like the Boss L is out of my bodily safety range, ie I prefer to stay mostly alive after the wife find out I bought more kit. It is probably also overkill for what we need for the local coffee house circuit.
Actually "need" is the wrong word for those small rooms, many people manage them with just a small fishman loudbox.

And I agree about the Fender, my bother in law's band used to use a passport 600 and the sound was loud but on the muddy side.

That TC Helicon Viocesolo fx150 does look interesting, and better yet a local shop (60km away) is showing they have one to go look and poke at.

[peterp]

An update after many moons gone by.

After getting another pile of recommendations from AGC (Acoustic Guitar Community, Seagull forum)
I was even more confused than ever!  

However the Fishman Loudbox Mini popped up several times as workable solution for small indoor rooms like coffee houses.
And when we just got back from summer hols a couple of days ago there was a used one for sale at a price that was hard to pass by. So it came home with me.

Very clean sounding amp, 2 channels 1 guitar and 1 vocal, 60 watts into a 6.5" and 1" speakers, and it does have a post DI xlr out.

GAS only temporarily sated, still thinking I might have to acquire a full blown PA at some point in time as this little amp won't handle outdoor or larger rooms if that ever happens.

[Flash Harry]

Full blown PA?

I have a couple, one anywhere between 600 watts RMS and 2.2kw RMS depending on how many amps and speakers I take, all peavey. The 15 inch tops are full range so for small gigs, one amp and just the tops, for larger gigs, two amps and the tops and subs. Really nice kit, clean and clear and bomb proof.

I have a small 100+100 watt powered mixer to drive the monitors, and a powered monitor for our singer.

The large one is about 3.6kw RMS, has to be carted around in a van, the amp rack is a 19 inch flight case on wheels, 18 inch subs and 18 inch tops.  1.2kw into the tops and 2.4kw into the subs. Active cross over to separate the signals and a digital EQ with feedback killer.

This is monstrous. I have been standing 30 feet from the speakers mixing a live band and not been able to hear myself singing along at the top of my voice. At a push I could run them both and have nearly 6kw but not needed to yet.

I bought everything second hand off eBay, the amps, speakers, crossovers, racks, EQs, the small rig cost me £200. I wouldn't sell it. It's brilliant. The big one cost me a bit more but it came with loads of cables and stands, a mixer and other accessories. I have hardly used this since I bought the smaller one.

I think that the main things about a PA are reliability as number 1, ease of setting up as number 2.  You need to be able to rig quickly and know that it will just work.