Hey All.. I have a middle eastern meets brooklyn kind of band

We use:

Cumbus (turkish fretless kind of banjo-like) instrument
Hurdry Gurdy (i'm serious)
Beat box (you know, guy with a microphone)
Doumbek (middle eastern percussion).

We're starting to do out of town gigs and going to need to bring our own PA system.

We don't get paid a zillion dollars for these gigs so spending $4000 on a PA seems kind of silly...

Questions:
1. Will this thing work with our weird instruments...

I have a mixer (I assume it's ok to put the band into the mixer than into one of the channels)

2. How big a room can this thing REALLY handle. It seems all the promotional photos are in bars and small clubs. But what about auditoriums (like the one a school or college would have). How big a room (realistically) can this handle?

I have a gig in upstate New York (I'm from Manhattan) that requires us to bring our own PA. I'd love a simple portable solution that doesn't take up my whole New York city apartment...

Thanks!

My band is here: http://www.DjinnNYC.com

Feel free to email me directly: carmine@carmine.com



-Carmine

Short answer: Yes

A little bit longer answer:

By the time you configured something decent sounding and somewhat portable, your costs would likely be similar to the simpler Bose L1 alternative.

- or -

By the time you found something with similar power for such venues, your load would be much larger and heavier.

As with ANY amplification system with microphones, the key to "getting loud" is positioning of the speakers relative to the microphones. The L1 System gives you a lot more flexibility in microphone placement.

I would start with a single L1 System with two B1's (because you have percussive instruments). Your sound would be even more magical with two Systems, but you can start with one and grow from there.

Hey..
I still see lots of photos of bars (even in the wiki).. although the bose diagrams are small auditoriums..

Any one really used this thing in a small auditorium?

I use my systems in concert halls and auditoriums all the time. I agree with Dan that you need a minimum of two B1s.

I recently provided the cannon and church bell sound effects for a school performance of the 1812 Overture, and found one L1 system with four B1s to be easily enough firepower, as it were.

I play mine in a church that seats 600.

Cool music Carmine, nice video sound too.
I think the L1 would work...two would be really nice.

I think the trick would be the placement of the two systems so that your mics don't feedback.
There are many bluegrass bands who have found ways to make it work, no doubt you could too,
your mic'ing needs are similar to that.

Close mic'ing each instrument with dynamic mics, with three going left and three going right.
4 of the mics could go direct in to XLR channels 1 & 2 on the left/right systems.
The other two mics would require a small mixer hard panned to the systems.
Entirely do-able.

Carmine, are you frailing the cumbus or using a pick?

Wayne

frailing? I use my own made picks (mizrap) and not guitar picks..

The best way to answer your questions is to try it out with your band. There is a program by which you can receive a demonstration from a local user and/or you can try the system(s) out for 45 days. If you're not happy, you get a full refund. Something to consider.

John