What are you using for stage amplification?

Bitflipper · Post by **Bitflipper** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 3:18 pm

Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences!

I'm now taking another look at the QSC K-8s. Am I just stuck in a 1970's mentality, thinking that a pair of speakers the size of my studio monitors couldn't handle piano and organ in a live band scenario?

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 4:34 pm

Ok that's clear. FWIW I also always bring a small hardware mixer - an A&H ZED10FX. It's enough for my needs and sound guys always keep saying how good it sounds. I have no complaints either.

kbrkr · Post by **kbrkr** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 5:56 pm

For big shows, I use two Mackie Thump 12' and a mixer and run stereo for monitor and send an output to the house system.

For solo or 3 piece work, I use two LD System Maui 28 Line array speakers. They are killer and make the K sound like a monster.

tomto66 · Post by **tomto66** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 5:58 pm

I for one am pretty happy with my KC-350. Very rarely have resonance issues, and if I do EQ takes care of it.

DaveKeys · Post by **DaveKeys** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 9:59 pm

Yamaha DXR10. Fantastic Speaker. Portable, yet very powerful. Handles the full frequency range with clarity.

I use it as a floor monitor and for solo/duo gigs in bars & restaurants, as the main speaker.

I AB'd it with the K10's and I much preferred the Yamaha.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Thu Mar 02, 2017 1:34 am

I use an inexpensive pair or Yorkvilles. I also use a Yorkville powered mixer. I wish I could tell you the model numbers but they're all packed away at the moment. The speakers have a 10 inch woofer and a small horn. I generally only use them for monitors unless I'm playing a small club. Most of the time I go through the mains. I've been thinking about getting a small powered sub woofer but then that just means more stuff to carry.

geoelectro · Post by **geoelectro** » Thu Mar 02, 2017 1:42 pm

I too use a pair of Yorkville Elite monitors with the 10" and horn. I've always liked these speakers for the amount of sound you get for their size. I have a 4 space rack with a QSC amp and an EQ. I made a in/out panel where I can make all connections from the front. These are considered as my monitors since I go through the PA as well.

Now I use in-ear monitors and just keep the Elite monitors around for a possible special gig where I need speakers.

I used to use a pair of 4115 Yamaha's self powered speakers which I still have and of course they sound wonderful. But, they are very large and heavy. Ahh, the 80's!

Geo

navydave · Post by **navydave** » Thu Mar 02, 2017 3:42 pm

Falcon2e wrote:I'm very happy using an EV ZLX15P. Lots of power and great sound. You can feed the FOH direct by tapping off the XLR output too.

I also use a EV ZLX15P and sometimes a 12P. Like em both. 15P has a bit more bottom end (obviously) but both do the job.

As far as a mixer, I just picked up the Mackie 802vlz4 (8-channel). Its pretty nice. Has an aux out volume on each channel which is nice to get your own mix without affecting FOH. Also has both 1/4" and XLR outs if you wanna run XLR to the FOH. Nice and compact.

DrKewel · Post by **DrKewel** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:01 pm

I have a Crate acoustic 125D. I have used it a lot and am very happy with it for both my Kronos and acoustic/electric guitars. Along with reverb and chorus knobs there are equalizer slides for zeroing in on tone.
I use it for practice in my room, and then when giving, there is a OUT port with a separate volume knob that I run to the board and the house, while the Crate itself acts as my monitor. Also a separate channel for a vocal mic.
Pretty swift.

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:01 am

Having tried both, the EV ZXa1 does not go as loud as the QSC K8, but it sounds better, especially for acoustic piano sounds. If it's just for on-stage use (or even more, if the venue is not too big), it should go plenty loud enough. QSC makes good stuff, but I don't think many people would choose them over EV if they heard them side by side. The EV is cheaper and lighter, too, and easily sits either horizontally or vertically which the K8 does not. Though the QSC does have more connectivity options/controls on its back panel.

Jogger · Post by **Jogger** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:58 am

I first bought a Traynor K4 for gigs with a previous board (roland a90) I had before getting a Kronos and it works nice. I bought a 2 manual Mojo organ and while the Traynor does fine with it. I decided to use a EV ZLX 12P for a top speaker leslie horn effect combination with the Mojo and K4. Sounds great with the Mojo and also with the Kronos for the stereo pianos.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:43 am

I'm actually quite amazed at the number of people here who use Yorkville or Traynor products for their stage monitoring. Same company actually. Way back in the 70-s, I used something called a Rev II amp and 2 cabinets that had a horn and a 15 inch woofer. The Rev II was a 5 channel mixer with 5 band EQ, spring reverb and a Leslie speaker simulator. Hence the "Rev" name. I had a footswitch to change the speed of the Leslie sim. There were a few connections on the front of the mixer; it was designed to sit on one of the cabinets; one was on out to a separate power amp. If you plugged your second cabinet into the second power amp, the Leslie sim was in stereo.

As far as I know, this was the very first real keyboard amp out there. The first 2 channels were designed to work EQ wise with an electric piano, I had a Fender Rhodes, and an organ, I had a Crumar Organizer.

With 2 cabinets the total output power from the amp was 520 watts. Enough to scare the poop out of any obnoxious guitar player!

I still have it but it's too big and heavy to bother with.

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:30 pm

I went with the K10 QSC because I planned on using it with the subs at some point. I tried the K12 and really liked them and the * was a bit less then the ten but to me the sound wasn't as full as the 10 or 12. I then hooked a the subs, which I didn't plan on buying then just didn't have the cash, now combined with the sub I preferred the 10 and 8 over the 12. I settled on the 10 but once i set the switch to deep 5-6 years later I still haven't gone for the subs. I will at some point but just haven't had the need. On their own I like them all but if you plan of adding a sub at some point try it first to see which combination you like better.

I actually bought the EV first like Scot has I think, I was on the road for work and in a hotel and connected it all up. The sound was very good but there was a little fan that drove me nuts. I returned it the same day. Once hone I tried to QSC, no EV where I live, only to find it also has a fan that at times can drive me nuts! You will never notice it unless you are like me and run them in your house or hotel room where it is very quiet. The fan is why I bought the headphones for certain times like micing my acoustic.

psionic311 · Post by **psionic311** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:48 pm

Bit flipper, I think you may be stuck in the 1970s mind set thinking small speakers can't sound big and clear. The QSC K8s are not only loud enough for live work, with subs, but also faithful enough sound quality wise to serve as studio monitors. Modern stuff uses class D amplifiers and DSPs to get clarity, flexibility, volume, and power efficiency, all in a portable and affordable package.

I bought a pair in Dec 2016, but wasn't thinking when I accepted a floor model for one of them. The fan came on way too often compared to the new one, which is annoying in a bedroom studio. Both the local electronic repair shop and QSC tech support could or would not address the issue. I ended up opening the back to disconnect the power to the fan. The fan turning on in the newer speaker will serve as the warning to check the other.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 4:49 pm

Never trust any commercial that says your PA speakers are faithful enough to use as studio monitors. Also never trust any commercial that says your studio monitors go loud enough to use as PA.

It's not just loudness and faithfulness, they're simply built for a completely different purpose.