I'm Happy after buyingThis Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 Portable System
I bought this system to find a way to amplify a country/bluegrass string band that has vocals, guitars, fiddle, banjo, and dobro. This was my first ever purchase of a PA system and I'm pleased with the results. I don't have a huge vehicle and don't like hauling a ton of heavy gear, so I wanted something pretty small and portable. This system is very compact, very lightweight (compared to other PA equipment I've used), well designed, and extremely easy to set up right out of the box. It looks and feels solid, and produces a really clear, pleasing sound. It may not have the punch and power for louder bands, and it may not be big enough to fill a big dance hall or theater with powerful sound. For what I've used it for - small cafes or bars, and for some smaller outdoor venues, it has worked great. I thought about going with those compact Bose tower units, but I just couldn't get my head around the cost.
Some limitations of this Yamaha system should be kept in mind. The advertising describes it has having 10 inputs. While that is literally true, channels on channels 5/6, 7/8, and 9/10 are stereo channels where two "channels" share the same level controls. For a band, that means that for most purposes channels 5-10 constitute at most three usable inputs rather than six. Plus, channels 9/10 only take RCA inputs (probably a feature intended for DJs or other uses involving AV equipment rather than musical performance). Pretty early on I realized that when I have our full 5-piece band, with three singers and five instruments, I just wasn't going to have enough inputs, especially mic inputs with built-in preamps (there are four of those on this mixer). So I had to go get a small, inexpensive Mackie mixer, and I do a vocal mix in the Mackie and then run an output from that into the Yamaha. Then run the rest of the inputs straight into the Yamaha. So in retrospect this system may not have been the best choice for me, but I'm still really pleased with how it performs and admire its good design and quality.
Some other limitations to be aware of are that EQs controls are limited to two knobs per channel (high and low), which isn't a lot of control, but I haven't found this a big handicap, although perhaps as I gain more expertise in setting up for live sound, I'll start to want more control of that. Reverb is available on the first four channels. The reverb is just an on-off switch so while it sounds pretty good, you are not going to be able to really shape how the reverb sounds. Also note that if you are playing music with this system, no monitors are included, so you'll probably also need to invest in one or more powered monitor speakers. For my small band, one good powered monitor seems to be sufficient, although two might be better.
I can't decide what to buy please help.
ReplyDeleteWell, i am looking to get an amp and a microphone. i was wondering if i should use a guitar amp to sing with my microphone. is this a good idea seeing that is not expensive? it's only a first one too so i could get a better one in the future.
ReplyDeletei need a basic pa system for my band my budget would be 700 euro and basicly all i need it for is for 2 vocals a keyboard and to mic a guitar amp. i dont no what gear i need with the pa system so if someone can tell me all the stuff i need that would be great thanks
ReplyDeleteI need to know what i need in order to use my mic to sing with. I have a guitar amp but that doesnt have enough volume. I know nothing about mic amps or whatever they are called (pre amps, mixers and so on). Can anyone advise me on what i need to be able to sing with the basic necessary equipment? thanks
ReplyDeleteI have an effects pedal hooked up to my PA. It is a Yamaha Stagepas 300. I was thinking about buying the 500, but the speakers are supposed to be the same on both. So, can I use the pedal to up the wattage over 300, but not above 500? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm about to purchase a korg m3, could anybody give me a link to a decent and compatible amplifier? Thank you.
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