Need advice on a good PA, singer rig.

My buddy uses JBLs. They sound fine and my drummer use to use a Behringer board something like that one. He was happy with it. I wish TC made a whole live setup with a power board and big speakers, because everything elose they have is G-O-L-D

Jaime Vendera
www.thevoiceconnection.com

I use an Electro Voice wireless system and its the best sounding mic i've ever heard in terms of dynamic mics. It's not really quite as warm sounding as an SM58 but I like the bit more treble in the tone. I'm considering getting one of these eventually for recording purposes;http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ElectroVoice-Blue-Cardinal-Condenser-Microphone?sku=270064.

Have you ever tried one of those?

Hey, thanks for the kind words Rob.

As far as singer's rigs go, I really recommend the VoiceLive. The compression and reverb are really quite good. I once tried to put together a rack system with compressor and reverb rack in it, but it had terrible feedback problems. The VL just makes you sound better, especially if you are a 'technical singer' and have taken the time to learn about compression and reverb. I can't believe how little about gear the average singer knows. This lack of knowledge is an incredible liability in a cutthroat business like the music industry.

As far as mics go, I use a Shure 58 Beta for live applications. I prefer it over a lot of other mics because even though it has a sizeable presence peak around the 5-6k area, it's pretty moderate compared to a lot of other mics. Plus, it's a standard and you know what you're going to get out of it. The EV 767a is a pretty interesting mic too, and I've noticed some warming of the sound when I've used it. But my baritone range is pretty dark, so I prefer the percieved 'brightness' I get when I use the Beta. Personally, I have had a bad experience with the Sennheiser e835. The one I used for a while seem to have a lower signal output (which in the end means more noise from board gain), which is NOT what I was looking for. I wouldn't recommend them, though I can't say I've used other Sennheiser mics extensively and it's possible the one I had was defective. I recommend trying any mic out and controlling the settings on the board so you know what's going on. If the sales guy is dialing up the system as you demo a mic, how do you really know what it sounds like? It's important to remember that each voice needs its own individual mic sound, so experiment.

However, honestly, any mic that is built fairly well will do a good job of reproducing the voice for live use. The sound guy is probably going to have more to do with the results than mic selection in most cases (note that I'm not talking about studio applications). That's why I'm digging the VL, it lets me be my own sound guy to a certain extent, and I know more about singing tones than your average sound engineer does (any of us singers do, really).

If you want a great rig, be sure to learn about what everything does. Learn about compression, learn about reverb, learn about delay and chorusing, learn about equalization and such. Money for gear in this case is not as important as education. I've seen plenty of guys with expensive gear that sounded terrible.

If you've ever gone from singing karaoke in a cheaper place to singing in a good venue, you'll understand that the PA system and sound board settings have a dramatic effect on your sound. If you don't know these things, even if you buy a VoiceLive it's likely your ignorance will keep you from enhancing your performance to the fullest. The VoiceLive is a complicated but incredibly powerful tool.

Last edited by vox_rocks1234 (2006-12-11 12:45:36)

Yeah, I got the VoiceLive box, don't have the pedal for it yet. What does that do, anyway?

And yes, I fully agree that the EV 767's are made of awesome.

I use the Neumann KMS105 i really dig this mic it has incredible detail but is quite expensive for a live vocal mic.

Will you be using this setup just for Vocals? In that case, forget double 15" speakers.
Personally, I don't like JRX and EON series speakers (or yamaha's club series) but that's personal taste.

As a sound engineer, I prefer speakers that work up to 18...20kHz and don't sound distorted even at moderate levels.
For that reason, I like to use Ohm's TRS series of speakers. Those are real workhorses, rugged quality and sound just great.

I also use TRS115 and TRS112 as a monitoring system on stage with my personal Beta 87 mic. There's nothing to do except for a low cut at about 100Hz to get a great sound through that setup.

Regarding Behringer: Except for the DCX2496 controller and those Ultra-DI100: avoid it!
During my work as sound engineer (live and studio) I found out a quality mixing desk can make so much of a difference in your sound. Behringer frequently annoyed me for three different channels might sound _different_ at the same settings.

If you can, go for Allen&Heath's PA-Series of powermixers (PA12-CP for example). They offer better mixer sections, better poweramps and even a better built in effects unit.

Again: What do you need a double 15" speaker for if you just want to amplify vocals?

I think that a great start is with the VoiceLive. Then you have to ask yourself if you want powered speakers or not.  You can get a small mixing board (mackie is better than the behringer. But-before you get anything else, Get a DBX drive rack PK for the powered speakers. I like JBL G2EON's but they are a little pricey. the drive rack will all the EQ set for you and you can save it for the venue. Next to the VoiceLive, the drive rack is the next best thing to buy. For Mics I like Beyerdynamic M-88. They are pricey too.  You really can't go wrong with Shure sm58 or Beta58. They are a workhorse and they are cheap.

there you go..
Tommy

Since this is going to be used as a stage/performing rig, go with quality first. Start w/ a Mackie mixer, there's no cleaner sounding mixer, very user frieldy and built like a tank. Next your vocal mics --go Shure SM 58s. They're the performing industry standard and can be had for a little less than a hundred each, once again built like a tank.  Power amps , I like Crest. They last well and are fan cooled, it helps. Speakers are your choice. I have some JBLs and others that all work well. DON'T BUY CHEAP CORDS. Always remember good clean sound will get ya more compliments than loud mediocre sound,   Stewfish

Hi,

here my setup for a solo gig - might be interesting for singer/guitarist who wants low weight but good sound.

- HK LUCAS SMART : http://www.hkaudio.com/products.php5?se … s&id=5
- Shure Beta 58
- TC Helicon Harmony G

The Lucas Smart weights just 30 Kg but can handle 70 sqm room easily and sounds like a HIFI system. Musicians who were gigging with me were that impressed that they also bought it afterwards. Inputs are: 1 MIC, 2 stereo line and a stereo cinch. All controlled with its own knob. No mixer needed (saves space and money). If you want to amplify a complete band you can still come up with a mixer.

Regarding Beta 58 and Harmony G I think there's no need for more comments from my side.

The complete equipment (plus guitar) can be transported in a MINI.

Best regards,
Nyng

I've been using a pair of MAckie SRM 450's for years - I work as a solo singer with backing tracks and with a 5 piece rock band.
I upgraded to the SRM 450 V2 last year which sound even better (crisper) and they are 5kg's lighter!
I use a small Behringer XENYX 1204FX which is fed by a wireless Sennheiser mic that runs through a Voicetone Correct.
The reason for the correct is it allows me to get a really clear vocal at lower levels which means I don't have to pump up the volume to cut through the rest of the band - which means less chance of feed back.
I also use small Mackie SRM 150 monitor which is mounted on a mic stand.
This set up works fine for gigs ranging from living rooms right up to medium sized clubs. For bigger venues I add a pair of Mackie SWA 1501 subs.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Aubrey