P.A - improving the system

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GIGS: LOUD

AMP that goes to 1kw (so that vocals can come out loud enough over drums and guitar amps, when connected through the p.a)
SPEAKERS - 2x cabinets with mid and top speakers - if we can continue using Jona's Bass bins). Speakers need to be compatible with the bass bins and the amp - I (Christo) dont know this info).
CROSS OVER UNIT - to send appropriate signals to bass bins and mid/tops.
EQ rack? to set for different bands in that room.
SPEAKON CABLES from amp to speakers, to bring xlr's back into other useage.
MULTICORE - not totally necessary. So far, we have only ever had about 3 lines into the mixer used at any one time, although D.I box might be one area of improvement.
D.I box that we know how to use.
MIXING DESK - dont really need more than 8 tracks on it, possibly 12.

GIGS: QUIET

OMNI DIRECTIONAL MICs x2 - for acoustic guitars/ odd folky guitars from far off lands which dont have any pickups in them.
KNOWLEDGE of how to mic up those types of acts, when some people have amplified guitars and some have non-mic'ed up guitars.

SPEAKING/LECTURING:

could use an omni directional mic to get discussions a bit louder - often it is hard to hear them over the heating and ventilation system, but would need to know how to do that without feeding back. Insufficient to pass round a hand held mic.

DJ'ING/INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

TURNTABLES AND CD PLAYERS, plus cables to connect to mixing desk. LOUD GIGS system should provide ample volume etc. for d.j'ing. Might be nice to have 2 more speakers that are on the other side of the room?
Smaller amp and speakers to run in bar music on.

CINEMA:

EQ RACK
CROSS OVER? AT LEAST an improved use of the bass bin in the cinema, or a replacement.
2 more speakers positioned further up the walls in the cinema.
BABY BEHRINGER MIXER - 6 track? to have at the front of the stage, in case people want to send signals back to the main amp in the booth.(Qu would this include a mic for speakers/performance? - Ilana. If so great, if not can we add to the list)
CYAN TRACK READER - to read cyan track on newer films, and get rid of the annoying hiss.

CHARGING:

Curently dont charge for use of p.a.
If it s was in good nick, we could charge £25-£30 for use. However, that doesnt include an operator - is this a danger to allow people to use it without an operator?
Capacity doesnt currently exist to have operators there as volunteers - this might prove wrong with a good email out, but will still need a level of administration...
If we charged £30, and spent £1000 on rennovation, it would take 33 gigs to pay it back. So perhaps 18 months to pay for itself, if some still bring their own p.a.
It is something we could probably afford anyway, even if we didnt; take too much money for it - it is a really useful thing to have, if working well, just for our own benefit.
If we spent £2000, then it might be looking a little more tricky, unless we rented it out a couple of times at a high rate?

OPINIONS:

Christo: I think we should spend £1250 on upgrading the speakers, amp and mixer in the bar - £250-£350 on speakers, £300-£500 on amp, £150 on mixer, £100 on eq or x-over, £50 on cables, £150 on mics. = at cheapest - £1000, at most £1300.
If we can upgrade the cabinets in the bar with just buying new cones, could that price drop to say £150 for the speakers?
I would be happy with another of the yamaha mixers that we have in the projection booth, which are about £150.
If we can get 2nd hand eq and x-over units, perhaps donated?

Mike McHugh Opinions:

Here are the prices of powered speakers and sub woofers, same soec as what we use for most of last years Rimini nights and NYE2007

subs woofers Mackie SW11501 £549 each Mackie SA1532Z £1,099 each

Mackie SRM450 Active PA Speaker - single £399X4

£2,694

for SRM450 X 4 and SW11501 X 2

Mixer Behringer EUROPower desk PMP5000 1.2KW 419.99