Who runs an active system - who runs a passive?

[monthlymixcd]

... and that's the main reason I haven't made GC an offer on the Maxx6a speakers... but for 15s they do have nice mids and sound really crisp... that's probably the high quality HF driver though.

[monthlymixcd]

I have a 17 lbs 4 channel 2U amp in its own case for them

Which amp?

[RoadRanger]

Which amp?

Alto D2 - some stoopid online retailer had it for $335 shipped. I shoulda bought a couple more before they got the bill from the distributor that drop shipped it to me. Their price almost doubled to what everyone else is charging after that !

[monthlymixcd]

I thought I remembered that you were the guy that got that deal. That's the amp I'm shopping for right now... seems like a better deal even at the normal price than the CS800x4.

Are these the 4 channel amps I should be looking for used?
Alto D2 & D4
Peavey CS800x4
Carvin DCM1204
QSC CX254
Crown CTS4200 series

Am I missing any? Any here that I should avoid? I'm just looking to free up 2U and drop some weight in my amp rack. Currently using 2 older amps (50lb. of amps) that run around ~150W/8ohmsx2 each for 4 monitor mixes total. My current monitors (JBLs and EVs) can handle ~200W/8ohms easy although I would love to upgrade to all EV ZX1s and maybe a ZX5 as drum monitor... so I'm in the same ballpark power-wise with that upgrade I think.

[RoadRanger]

I thought I remembered that you were the guy that got that deal. That's the amp I'm shopping for right now... seems like a better deal even at the normal price than the CS800x4.

The Alto is a full depth amp - I'd buy this one today:
http://www.carvinguitars.com/products/single.php?product=DCM2004L

[monthlymixcd]

I'll add that to the list... only 10lb.?!? Sweet!

I've never really minded Carvin stuff. Had one of their 24ch. mixers for years with no issues.

[CyberHippy]

Mixed bag here.

My "hop in the car & help us out" setup(s): 2 Mackie C300's (main or monitor depending on needs), 2 passive 10" Apogee monitors and 1 12" (rescued from friend's garage, rebuilt them myself) main, 2 QSC K10's, and a pair of passive 15" Apogee's that I drag out for larger setups (heavy & awkward but great sounding)

One company I work for is 100% QSC K-series

Another company I work for is a mix of Meyer (older, passive, heavy) and Apogee (powered) with a set of K12's for grab-n-go shows.

And of course, lots of clubs & small halls with their own various systems…

Edit: that Meyer company I work with got another pair of K12's & I used them all weekend at the Novato Arts & Wine Fest 7th St Stage for monitors (instead of packing the Meyers & their ludicrously heavy amp rack) - worked like a charm all weekend even in full sun > 100degree heat

[musicman7722]

I run all active. 2-FBT Maxx4a tops, 2-FBT Maxx9sa subs, and 5-FBT Maxx2a for monitors. And yes, you need to check the EQ's before every job because they do get moved in transport. I have resisted the power/xlr cables because of the cost, but I may be weakening. One downside to those cables is with the AC running inside it, I would hate for someone to put a high heel or something through the cable. The only problem in 5 years was one of the monitor amps went, but FBT promptly repaired it (reasonably priced). A couple of the pots are starting to get noisy, so I will have to address that soon. The system has a great sound and is pretty lightweight.

I purchased 2 x 30 combo cables for MF.  The first one failed in a month.  Took a bit of talking but I reminded them of their lifetime guarantee and they sent me a new one.  Now one of them has failed again at the connector that goes into the powered speaker.  I feel there is to much weight from these cables and they are just pulling the cable to much.  I like them for floor speakers such as my sub or a monitor.

Chris

[musicman7722]

I use all QSC K series for my band.  2 K12's for tops and a K212 for the sub.  Also 2 K10's for monitors and one IEM for me to mix through LOL.

I drop a small stage snake in the centor of the stage and feed all 5 speakers off of it.  makes for a single home run back to the board.  I also run one good sized AC cable to the same location with a heavy duty 8 port power strip and feed them all from the same line.  Makes setups and tear downs that much quicker.

[RoadRanger]

My present system is active tops, passive subs, and passive monitors. Usually my RCF 310A's over Danley TH-Mini subs and semi-custom Ramsdell Pro Audio 10" coaxial monitors (I have eight of these but usually only carry 6). My amp rack is a Gator GR-6S with two Peavey IPR1600 amps for monitors and one Behringer NU3000 or IPR3000 for the subs, weighs about 35 lbs total .

I have a pair of Rog 186 horn-loaded subs loaded with 4 ohm Eminence Omega Pro's for outdoor use and a pair of Behringer B412DSP tops that don't get used much as they aren't any louder than the 310A's and weigh over twice as much  - 65 lbs each . LeeSteel has the newer lightweight version of those .

[Trshot]

Fully passive!
I went this way because we could be playing a small, large or outside venue. I have all the power necessary for everything in a 12 space amp rack. I run all JBL cabs,  MR515 tops for all venues and will add one or two of my SR 4718 or MR528 bottoms as required. I also run 4 monitors with this set up.....

[ijpengelly]

All active here, mix of gear:

Pair of Mackie SRM 1521
Pair of RCF ART 312a
Pair of EV SbA760
Pair of Mackie SRM350 (used as monitors)
Pair of W Audio SW12a (monitors)

Prefer the ease of set up and being able to reduce the number of cables I have to carry. The majority of the speakers have very few controls on them, so typically it is just a case of checking the gains and that none of the line/mic switches have been depressed. With the band I normally engineer for I wil typically just use a single EV bin linked to the RCF tops and run the SRM350s as monitors. In the 14 years of engineering I've never had any one fiddle with the settings (monitors or FoH) during a gig. I have had people drunk and clearly a bit numb to their surroundings knocking the speakers round on their stands :-) 

[Greg C.]

Technically speaking, speakers don't need to be self-powered to be "active". It's a misnomer started by Mackie marketing (of course). My main PA is all non self-powered boxes. But the system is an active 5-way system with separate amp channels for each driver band-pass. Passive implies that the speakers have a passive crossover network that divides the band-pass signals post amplifier.

Glad to be back!

P.S. you know you ALL missed my pedantic, über detailed posts, especially Jerrylee!

[Trshot]

Technically speaking, speakers don't need to be self-powered to be "active". It's a misnomer started by Mackie marketing (of course). My main PA is all non self-powered boxes. But the system is an active 5-way system with separate amp channels for each driver band-pass. Passive implies that the speakers have a passive crossover network that divides the band-pass signals post amplifier.

Glad to be back!

P.S. you know you ALL missed my pedantic, über detailed posts, especially Jerrylee!

Haha, nice post Greg I'll be passive and let JL respond!

[ijpengelly]

Good point Greg! 

All self powered (and active) here.