Small PA Mixer Questions
Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:05 pm
This is a “live sound” question and not a “Recording” question. But this is the closest forum I can find.
If I ever get my ‘act together’ (pun intended) I will have (somewhat) outgrown my current PA mixer.
I currently own two PA speakers and a floor monitor (all passive) and all around 75 watts RMS at 8ohms which I would all like to keep and not have to replace if possible.
I’d like to keep this to just getting a new mixer … the main reason being that my current mixer only has two speaker outputs and no way to connect the floor monitor.
I thought this would be an easy situation to solve but apparently not.
Here is what I think I understand:
1. Passive speakers can be connected to powered mixers.
2. In order to connect passive speakers to (much less expensive) analog mixers, I have to go through the additional expense of getting an amplifier.
Correct?
The smallest powered mixers I can find seem to have (just like my current one) only two RCA speaker connections and no floor monitor connections.
The ones I have found that have a “Monitor Out” I’m told need an outside amplifier to drive that line. Well, if I’m going to have to buy an additional amplifier (which I’m told goes for at least $400) then I might as well just get an analog mixer! This makes no sense to me.
So, does anyone know what the least expensive solution is to get a small club mixer that has RCA connectors for at least three passive speakers?
And, by the way, I’d much prefer (if possible) a mixer that is flat (like a studio console) instead of one that is like a front-facing amplifier. It would be much easier to just look down to use it stead of having to bend all the way over and peer sideways.
Thanks.
If I ever get my ‘act together’ (pun intended) I will have (somewhat) outgrown my current PA mixer.
I currently own two PA speakers and a floor monitor (all passive) and all around 75 watts RMS at 8ohms which I would all like to keep and not have to replace if possible.
I’d like to keep this to just getting a new mixer … the main reason being that my current mixer only has two speaker outputs and no way to connect the floor monitor.
I thought this would be an easy situation to solve but apparently not.
Here is what I think I understand:
1. Passive speakers can be connected to powered mixers.
2. In order to connect passive speakers to (much less expensive) analog mixers, I have to go through the additional expense of getting an amplifier.
Correct?
The smallest powered mixers I can find seem to have (just like my current one) only two RCA speaker connections and no floor monitor connections.
The ones I have found that have a “Monitor Out” I’m told need an outside amplifier to drive that line. Well, if I’m going to have to buy an additional amplifier (which I’m told goes for at least $400) then I might as well just get an analog mixer! This makes no sense to me.
So, does anyone know what the least expensive solution is to get a small club mixer that has RCA connectors for at least three passive speakers?
And, by the way, I’d much prefer (if possible) a mixer that is flat (like a studio console) instead of one that is like a front-facing amplifier. It would be much easier to just look down to use it stead of having to bend all the way over and peer sideways.
Thanks.
