What Sound Equipment Do You Play Rhythm Tracks Through??

Keenan Friday · From: Magnolia, Arkansas, USA

What sound equipment do you use? Small room, house, ect. That's what I'm interested in hearing from other people. I like the sound I got from my Home stereo system that consisted of two speakers I sat on my shelf. Perfect for the practice room.

Im wanting to do away with that. Not easy to transport to and fro. Too many wires.. Im wanting similar system with two speakers I can connect to a mixer. I have a small behringer mixer I use at home to practice through.

Would Studio Monitors be what I am looking for?? They are similar in size to my stereo cd player speakers.

A PA Speaker some of yall might use, but I want a stereo system for the house. Set one on each side of my steel amp. Wouldn't that be too loud. PA Speakers are bigger speakers like 10 inch. Do they make 5-8 Inch range?

And with my mixer, I read they (I think) recommend Active Powered Amplifier speakers not Passive?

Im just looking for a home stereo sound. Loud enough to hear over my steel amp in the home. Not large room or building. Just something easy to setup and break down (like a PA speaker just smaller speaker size) that I can carry over to friends houses. A boombox isn't what Im looking for because too many wires exist if the speakers are separated from the control amp. If they are together as one boombox package. Im not having those speakers separated beside my steel Amp.

Thanks for any insight..

Keenan
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Keenan Friday
Mullen Pre Royal D-10, Walker Stereo Steel, Hilton pedal, George L cables, Livesteel Strings, (White) Fred Kelly thumbpick, Dunlop .025 fingerpicks

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

Mackie SRM 150
This works great for playing rhythm tracks.
I use it for a vocal monitor in a loud band.
Add reverb pedal and I play my steel through it direct to the PA.
It has 4 inputs one of which is RCA stereo.
Handy and sounds good .. better than the knock offs.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Mackie-SRM150-Active-Speaker--Black--105783823-i1512404.gc

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MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes

Ollin Landers · From: Willow Springs, NC

My music room is on the second floor in my office (I do IT work) and the stereo is in the living room downstairs. So I use my PC.

I have a pro audio card in my PC. I have used both passive with an amp and powered studio monitors with the PC.

The added advantage of the PC for me is the ability to use slow down or pitch changing software to aid in practicing.
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Zum SD-12 Black, Zum SD-12 Burly Elm Several B-Bender Tele's and a lot of other gear I can't play.

I spent half my money on gambling, alcohol and wild women. The other half I wasted. W.C. Fields

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

I've got all manner of pro audio gear at hand, Keenan, but for my own practicing, in a 9'x11' dead space, I've got a little $30 computer setup, consisting of two little electrostatic paddles and a fairly powerful sub-woofer.

The inputs are 1/8" TRS "stereo mini" for use with computers, ipods, and such, and with the addition of a 1/4" TRS adapter it can be fed from of the headphone jacks - and associated volume controls - of "real" CD, MiniDisc, Tape, etc. decks, which is what I mostly do.

One downside of consumer speaker products such as this is that the wiring between the parts is generally permanent, thus without chopping it up one is limited to about a 5' stereo spread.

On the positive side, it costs very little, and although the adjustable sub-woofer level is the only EQ, I can listen to anything at any volume and it sounds excellent. If I feel the need to test my rig at a real stage level it cranks right along with me until my wife comes downstairs and says something ( there are limits to even the best acoustical isolation schemes). Bonus points for the fact that it all fits into a small box for travel or storage, included with purchase.

If you have to show your space to clients you may want something with more gravitas - I've got that in the other room - but if it's just for pleasing yourself if it sounds good to you then it IS good Cool

Keenan Friday · From: Magnolia, Arkansas, USA

Ken, I like the smaller package that the Mackie is, but would want two speakers for that price range.

Ollin, I would be using my PC as well going to the Behringer 802 mixer I have. I talked to one of the church bandmembers about wanting to try studio monitors with the mixer to play the rhythm tracks, he told me that studio monitors are for mixing and didn't say much about me wanting to use them like PA speakers.

To me, Studio Monitors look ideal. Bigger than computer speakers but smaller than PA speakers. similar in size to my stereo speakers. I just don't know if they are powerful enough or sound good enough to use live in a room. Do they get loud I guess is what Im asking while sounding clear for a room in the house

Don't want to buy them and then wish I had gotten couple PA speakers.
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Keenan Friday
Mullen Pre Royal D-10, Walker Stereo Steel, Hilton pedal, George L cables, Livesteel Strings, (White) Fred Kelly thumbpick, Dunlop .025 fingerpicks

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

You've already got a mixer... you need a couple of powered speakers... whether you call them powered speakers or studio monitors, it's the same thing basically.

That's one reason I like the Cube series... they have an auxiliary input you can plug your iPhone, etc into for playback with MP3, iRealBook, etc. Not stereo... unless you get a stereo Cube like the Mobile Cube, too small for your use I think.

So if you get a pair of 8" 100watt powered speakers you're in business. These Yamahas look nice... at $300/pop, they'd better be.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha-MSR100-8--Powered-Speaker-102466851-i1152891.gc

This would be enough for small gigs, with singing etc. If you just want to accompany acoustic jams, then you might be able to get away with 40watts and 5-6" speakers:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Audix-PH5-VS-Powered-Speakers-100183104-i1549934.gc

These come as a pair for $350... not quite the bass response of the Yamahas, and a total of 50w (I think).
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Too much junk to list... always getting more.

Ollin Landers · From: Willow Springs, NC

Keenan,

What your friend is referring to "monitor speakers are for mixing" is the fact that the frequency response is very flat. Most stereo and PA speakers are tuned for listening. They have a frequency curve that enhances those frequencies that are pleasing to the ear in a musical sense.

The other thing is many monitors are called "Near Field" meaning they sound best at a short distance say 4-5 feet away.

Monitor speakers being flat are for critical listening so that you can hear everything in the mix exactly as it is without any enhancement. One thing to watch out for is make sure they are magnetically shielded if you use them near the PC. Most are these days.

It was said that John Fogerty used to use old car speakers to do the mix on his albums. He figured if he could make it sound good through those it would sound good anywhere.

And yes monitor speakers will be plenty loud enough.

I use a pair of 5 1/2 inch speakers with a 1 inch tweeter rated at 100 watts. I can't turn them up past 4 on the amp.

Browse some monitors here

http://www.sweetwater.com/c405--Active_Monitors/low2high

I would stay away from the M-Audio AV40's. I had a pair and they have a tendency to lose the signal to one side after awhile. It's a well known issue. But mine lasted for about 2 yrs before they went bad.
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Zum SD-12 Black, Zum SD-12 Burly Elm Several B-Bender Tele's and a lot of other gear I can't play.

I spent half my money on gambling, alcohol and wild women. The other half I wasted. W.C. Fields

Clark Doughty · From: KANSAS

IPod thru the aux in on the same amp I'm using for the guitar. Very Happy

John Peay · From: Cumming, Georgia USA

Mike Poholsky · From: Kansas, USA

IPod through a set of Altec Lansing Computer speakers w/ Sub Woofer. About as simple as it gets and plenty loud. I use either my Twin or FSK for my steel.
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Zumsteel 12 Universal
SGBB
ShoBud VP
'64 Fender Twin Reverb/Fox Rehab
Fender Steel King w/BW 1501-4
FX to Taste

Larry Lorows · From: Zephyrhills,Florida, USA

I use a small Kustom PA portable set, which is set up in my living room all of the time. I've even used it out doors at jam sessions that we have down here in Florida. The speakers and 6 channel amp, both have handles built right into the top, for easy transporting. You can add powered speakers for monitors if you want to, when playing outside.
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U12 Williams keyless 400
Vegas 400, Nashville 112, Line 6 pod xt

Bill Duncan · From: Lenoir, North Carolina, USA

I use the Tascam trainer/recorder for playback.

At home I use a Crown 150 amp with two JBL sound cabinets; 12" woofer 6" mid and 2" tweeter.

Away, Tascam trainer into channel two of my amp.
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You can observe a lot just by looking

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Home: Stereo
Away, my amp's other input
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

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