# Portable line array systems and bands



## Hamstrung

In my ever continuing quest to lighten the load-in/out I've been looking at portable line array PA systems for use with a 3/4 piece rock band. Examples of these are the Bose L1 and Electrovoice Evolve 50. There are a few others as well. These units appear to be marketed to acoustic players or duo's playing to smallish crowds but I was told (and am yet to be convinced) that these would work in a band setting for vocals and cover both monitor and main applications as they're less prone to feedback. I'm looking to use this for my band when we play small bars/restaurants where space is at a premium. 
Has anyone used one of these systems for a band? How well did it work out?


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## Guest




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## Hamstrung

Interesting review but it doesn't address the band usage question.


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## hollowbody

I love the look of these things, but there's no way they would keep up with a full band. The EV is rated at 1,000 watts. Bose won't even mention wattage on the L1.

I'm currently running 2x NX55P tops and 2x LS700P subs. That's 1,250 watt/side. I have plenty of bass, but I'm constantly running out of headroom on the tops. I can't imagine that a these little portable units would be able to deliver what I'm getting already. 

I _WISH_ there was a small, portable option since I HATE carrying those subs around, but I'm just not convinced that these guys are the answer.


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## hollowbody

Turbosound - iNSPIRE iP3000 2000w Line Array

These look really interesting, and I'm impressed not only by the 2,000 watt claims, but also the 45hz-20khz +/-3db and 130db max SPL ratings. Pricey, though!


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## Guest

Hamstrung said:


> Interesting review but it doesn't address the band usage question.


rent for a weekend?

Pg 6 https://www.long-mcquade.com/pdf/rental cat 2017-ENGlr.pdf


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## Hamstrung

laristotle said:


> rent for a weekend?


I just might...


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## 1SweetRide

At the L&M session yesterday, the sound guy mentioned calculating 5W per person in the venue. Raved about the Bose L1.


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## Guest

Hamstrung said:


> I just might...


edited with link to L&M


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## dgreen

I have the turbosound ip1000. Excellent rig, tried the comparable bose rig, but no comparison (imo). I am using it for vocal and acoustic guitar when required. It has more than enough power. We use it with a 4 piece group, lounge type gigs. It has plenty of power for a larger venue as well. It has a really solid build design.


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## Hamstrung

dgreen said:


> I have the turbosound ip1000. Excellent rig, tried the comparable bose rig, but no comparison (imo). I am using it for vocal and acoustic guitar when required. It has more than enough power. We use it with a 4 piece group, lounge type gigs. It has plenty of power for a larger venue as well. It has a really solid build design.


Can you set it behind the band to use as main and monitor? I've heard these things are pretty low risk for feedback in such a config.


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## dgreen

yes, we place it behind and just to the right of our drummer, no feed back, we all hear the vocals perfectly. Although we do a lot of older jazz standards, we also do "Alone" (heart) and "Hit me with you best shot". Our singer really belts out those songs, and we do turn up the instruments. The PA is still really just idling as it has so much volume on tap.
Makes for a very compact setup


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## Hamstrung

dgreen said:


> yes, we place it behind and just to the right of our drummer, no feed back, we all hear the vocals perfectly. Although we do a lot of older jazz standards, we also do "Alone" (heart) and "Hit me with you best shot". Our singer really belts out those songs, and we do turn up the instruments. The PA is still really just idling as it has so much volume on tap.
> Makes for a very compact setup


Music to my ears! I'll have to see if I can rent one locally. There's a dealer nearby and I've inquired. 
We do mainly classic rock in smallish bars mostly so this may be the ticket to lightening the load-in/out!


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## High/Deaf

I think a lot depends on how loud you're gonna be as a band and how much you want to control the coverage in the venue you are in.

At some point, these are going to cause feedback and mix problems and will be inferior to more directional boxes mounted on either side of the band (or flown above, if you've really got a budget). But there certainly are venues and genres where they will work.


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## hollowbody

dgreen said:


> yes, we place it behind and just to the right of our drummer, no feed back, we all hear the vocals perfectly. Although we do a lot of older jazz standards, we also do "Alone" (heart) and "Hit me with you best shot". Our singer really belts out those songs, and we do turn up the instruments. The PA is still really just idling as it has so much volume on tap.
> Makes for a very compact setup


This is reassuring. I really like the look of them, but without trying them, it's hard to tell if they'll work for us. We're definitely a LOUD band - not so much on-stage, where we try to keep it down, but out front, it gets very loud. My NX55P and LS700P rig is usually turned up nearly all the way at larger venues, so the ability of the Turbosound IP line keeping up with SPL is my #1 concern. To hear that the IP1000 has plenty of volume for your application makes me think that the IP3000 _might _be enough for us. I'm just gonna have to rent a pair one day or something.


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## Guest

Did a quick look at the IP1000.
It only has two inputs?
Say the band has 3 vocals and maybe the bass drum to mic up.
Would using a micro mixer into the IP be a solution?


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## dgreen

Yes, two inputs on the IP1000
I run an Allen Heath Z10 mixer into the Ip1000, gives me more options and it has a great reverb. It is a very compact mixer, very solid too


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## Guest

Here's what I have.
Picked it up in the 80's along with a Fostex 4 track.


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## dgreen

I had the Yamaha MT4X, just like this one. Built in mixer..


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## dgreen

Here is my turbo sound ip1000 with my allen & heath micro mixer and my quilter micro 200-8 amp. This is the rig I use when I do my shmooooz corporate gigs. The sound is huge. I run my backing tracks into the mixer and also DI out from the amp into the mixer for just a little thicker / richer tone.








View attachment 195025


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## Guest

Now there's a first for me.
Setting up in a supermarket.
Did you happen to play Thorogood's I drink alone? lol.


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## dgreen

ha ha, no all instrumental blues / jazz. Our local Save on Foods in BC has many stores and when they renovate and add the BC VQA wine additions they have a grand opening day. I have done several of these now. I get to start playing usually by 10 a.m. for these gigs.


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## greco

dgreen said:


> BC VQA wine additions

















Our provincial alcoholic products store (Liquor Control Board of Ontario ...LCBO) is starting to bring in more wines from BC. 
These are two that are arriving April 28th. 
The Bordertown Merlot $39.95/750 mL bottle 
and the Osoyoos Larose blend is $47.95 /750 mL bottle.
A bit too expensive for my wine budget

Back to PA systems and apolologies to @Hamstrung for the thread derail .


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## Lord-Humongous

Bumpy bump. I'm in the US now and my finger is hovering over the 'add to cart' button for MF's deal of the day: Gemini PA-300BT Portable Line Array Column PA Speaker System

It's not a 'pro' set up like the BOSE or Turbo Sound, but I'm not a pro. Google has led me to believe that this unit has a model designation for MF, but is actually the WRX-843, which has some positive reviews on Amazon and a YouTube demo.


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## marcos

I leased a Bose system last Christmas and there is no way it would hang with a live rock band. They where great for a duo but thats about it. I know that Pat Matheny uses something like 10 of these on stage for monitors but thats an insane amount of money. Pretty hard to justify that expense. Too bad cause at low volume gigs, these are perfect but add a drummer, bass etc......


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## hollowbody

marcos said:


> I leased a Bose system last Christmas and there is no way it would hang with a live rock band. They where great for a duo but thats about it. I know that Pat Matheny uses something like 10 of these on stage for monitors but thats an insane amount of money. Pretty hard to justify that expense. Too bad cause at low volume gigs, these are perfect but add a drummer, bass etc......


This is kind of what I thought was the answer. I still haven't had a chance to demo the flagship Turbosound unit, but even 2000w a side I bet doesn't feel all that big when you get a full band going. Too bad, my back would've loved it!


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## marcos

hollowbody said:


> This is kind of what I thought was the answer. I still haven't had a chance to demo the flagship Turbosound unit, but even 2000w a side I bet doesn't feel all that big when you get a full band going. Too bad, my back would've loved it!


I agree as i had the same expectations.


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## sardocs

I was watching this video earlier and they seem to make it work.


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## Milkman

No matter how many people tell me how great their band sounds when using one of these Bose Sticks + sub (or similar), I have yet to hear that great sound.

Yes, they sound very smooth and balanced for an acoustic single or maybe duo, and I embrace the portability factor, but honestly, I had a country band at a county fair who insisted on using theirs.


I had to mic it.

NO SPL, NO penetration until I put a couple of 57s on it and put it through a little Yorkville M810.

I also heard one used in the foyer of a major event (convention) just to try and draw the crowd into the main auditorium. Frankly, they gave up and started yelling.

No way would I try to get a band mix using one, but that's just my opinion.


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## djmarcelca

A sub-woofer and a small top speaker is my preferred setup. 
My go-to setup for dj-ing and I've used it for a 4 man band (g/b/d/V) is a B52 matrix v1 
I bought mine from AXE music when they were still around. 
B-52 Professional Matrix-1000V2 700-watt Active Speaker System - 15" Subwoofer and 2x10" Satellites


However, there are multiple versions of this sound system out there.
TriFlex® II : Peavey.com

DIscontinued (unfortunatly)
Yorkville


Even my high wattage system for the band is 15 inch passive subs and 10 inch passive tops.
The line array systems seem to work best for DJ/small duo with backing track applications. 

For drum pulses and bass pulses through a PA you need a good sub-woofer. Speaker diameter isn't as important as it's mechanical limit for movement.


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## Milkman

I like Lolly pop systems too. These days I use four Yorkville Elite single fifteen powered bins and four subs for mains. I don’t even remember the power in the Elites. It’s way more than I need.

My processor is a QSC TM 30 Pro.

I use however many powered wedges as I need for monitors.


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