radiofc
I have a Peavey PV-900 amp powering two ST-15 speakers and was considering purchasing a subwoofer or pair of same. Can anyone advise on a suitable item(s)? Is it possible to configure the sub using the PV-900 or would a separate mixer be required? Cheers.
Posted Mon 12 Mar 07 @ 5:24 pm
funkturnal
Don't know your budget but you have a couple of options. You should try to buy another amp to dedicate to the subs. If you can' can't you can't. I would get a sub over another pair pf pa's though . The only reason you should get another set of speakers is if the room your playing in is huge.
Not knowing much about your position I'll give you an opinion.
I always recommend this unit because it has a eq & basic crossover:
http://www.behringer.com/FBQ3102/index.cfm?lang=ENG
If you really don't want a eq or already have one get this crossover:
http://www.behringer.com/CX2310/index.cfm?lang=ENG
You'll go from your source/board & sum the left & right channels to make a mono signal. You can use a ycable. That signal will run to channel 1 & 2 of the eq or crossover. Channel 1 will be for your s15 speakers, I would cut it off at about 120hz. Channel 2 will be for the subs, cut off about 100hz. Run channel 1 out of the eq/crossover to channel 1 of the Peavey amp & then to the s15 speakers........wire them in parralell. This will give you a 4ohm load which the amp can handle & you will still get 150 watts a piece to them. The same goes for channel 2 but instead for the subs, except for the parralell part.
Now the tricky part using this amp for the sub. You need to find a 4ohm subwoofer that handles no more than 450 rms. You can only under power a sub so much, if not its really going to sound like crapola. Also try to find one with high spl (sensitivity) atleast 101. 4ohm is important because you need all the power you can get from that amp. If you hook up a 8ohm sub........ the amp is only going to put out 150watts.
So if possible try to get an amp. One of the best amps for the money:
http://www.behringer.com/EP2500/index.cfm?lang=ENG
good luck
Not knowing much about your position I'll give you an opinion.
I always recommend this unit because it has a eq & basic crossover:
http://www.behringer.com/FBQ3102/index.cfm?lang=ENG
If you really don't want a eq or already have one get this crossover:
http://www.behringer.com/CX2310/index.cfm?lang=ENG
You'll go from your source/board & sum the left & right channels to make a mono signal. You can use a ycable. That signal will run to channel 1 & 2 of the eq or crossover. Channel 1 will be for your s15 speakers, I would cut it off at about 120hz. Channel 2 will be for the subs, cut off about 100hz. Run channel 1 out of the eq/crossover to channel 1 of the Peavey amp & then to the s15 speakers........wire them in parralell. This will give you a 4ohm load which the amp can handle & you will still get 150 watts a piece to them. The same goes for channel 2 but instead for the subs, except for the parralell part.
Now the tricky part using this amp for the sub. You need to find a 4ohm subwoofer that handles no more than 450 rms. You can only under power a sub so much, if not its really going to sound like crapola. Also try to find one with high spl (sensitivity) atleast 101. 4ohm is important because you need all the power you can get from that amp. If you hook up a 8ohm sub........ the amp is only going to put out 150watts.
So if possible try to get an amp. One of the best amps for the money:
http://www.behringer.com/EP2500/index.cfm?lang=ENG
good luck
Posted Tue 13 Mar 07 @ 3:37 am
Double Image
Whoa....DO NOT purchase Behringer--they make cheap, unreliable equipment! Stick to quality names such as Crown, Rane, DBX, QSC, EV, Yorkville, B-52, etc. Y-cables or splitters are also not recommended because they would introduce overlapping frequencies which are not beneficial to your sound.
Anyhow, you DO NOT need another mixer, but you really do need a second amp to power the subwoofer(s) if you do not just go with an active (powered) sub. I'd recommend a powered subwoofer just to make things easier--RCF, Mackie, B-52, Yorkville, and EV have a number of options you can look at. If you're going to stay passive (un-powered), then you will need a crossover and second amp regardless of if you get one or two subs. The Rane MX-22 is a very simple, yet reliable crossover which should suit your needs and not cause any headaches down the road. As for amplifiers, I wouldn't recommend getting anything other than Crown or QSC, though Crest is a quality name as well.
If you can list your current gear and budget, I'm sure some suitable recommendations can be posted up for you...
Anyhow, you DO NOT need another mixer, but you really do need a second amp to power the subwoofer(s) if you do not just go with an active (powered) sub. I'd recommend a powered subwoofer just to make things easier--RCF, Mackie, B-52, Yorkville, and EV have a number of options you can look at. If you're going to stay passive (un-powered), then you will need a crossover and second amp regardless of if you get one or two subs. The Rane MX-22 is a very simple, yet reliable crossover which should suit your needs and not cause any headaches down the road. As for amplifiers, I wouldn't recommend getting anything other than Crown or QSC, though Crest is a quality name as well.
If you can list your current gear and budget, I'm sure some suitable recommendations can be posted up for you...
Posted Tue 13 Mar 07 @ 7:30 am
funkturnal
ummm k.
"Crown, Rane, DBX, QSC, EV, Yorkville, B-52"
I doubt this in the budget...although they're great brands.
Its too bad some people don't have the experience to make a budget sound system sound GREAT.
"Y-cables or splitters are also not recommended because they would introduce overlapping frequencies which are not beneficial to your sound."
I bet if I put two identical systems side by side, one with y's & the other without. I would put my car on it that you wouldn't hear the difference. Now will a spectrum analyzer see it? Probaly...but who cares? Not 99.9% of the people in the club.
Whats funny is people that make comments like that, most likely don't even have an ear to hear the difference between a 128k mp3 & a 192k mp3. Huge difference!
I got nothing but love for ya....just experience talking.
Proud Behringer owner of many items including crossovers; mixers; eq's; sound processors & amps.
The perfect budget solution. Now if you have the budget for a Mercedes go buy one. But I drive a Toyota :P
"Crown, Rane, DBX, QSC, EV, Yorkville, B-52"
I doubt this in the budget...although they're great brands.
Its too bad some people don't have the experience to make a budget sound system sound GREAT.
"Y-cables or splitters are also not recommended because they would introduce overlapping frequencies which are not beneficial to your sound."
I bet if I put two identical systems side by side, one with y's & the other without. I would put my car on it that you wouldn't hear the difference. Now will a spectrum analyzer see it? Probaly...but who cares? Not 99.9% of the people in the club.
Whats funny is people that make comments like that, most likely don't even have an ear to hear the difference between a 128k mp3 & a 192k mp3. Huge difference!
I got nothing but love for ya....just experience talking.
Proud Behringer owner of many items including crossovers; mixers; eq's; sound processors & amps.
The perfect budget solution. Now if you have the budget for a Mercedes go buy one. But I drive a Toyota :P
Posted Tue 13 Mar 07 @ 8:31 am
radiofc
Thanks for the info lads. I think I understand what you are saying. My budget isn't huge as I am really only getting off the ground mobile-wise. I was hoping (perhaps naively) to add sub sounds to my set up for €500 max. No one specified a suitable sub speaker for my set up i.e. what wattage do you think I'd need?
my gear:
Peavey PV-900 amp
2 x Peavey ST-15 speakers
Hercules MK2 DJ Controller
Lenovo IBM T-60 Laptop 1.83 GHz Centrino Duo; 80GB HD; 1G RAM
Maxtor 300GB External HDD
AKG D880 MS EMOTION SERIE microphone
It is a fairly basic set up with the DJ controller acting as my mixer which I realise is not an ideal situation but it's all I could afford for now.
my gear:
Peavey PV-900 amp
2 x Peavey ST-15 speakers
Hercules MK2 DJ Controller
Lenovo IBM T-60 Laptop 1.83 GHz Centrino Duo; 80GB HD; 1G RAM
Maxtor 300GB External HDD
AKG D880 MS EMOTION SERIE microphone
It is a fairly basic set up with the DJ controller acting as my mixer which I realise is not an ideal situation but it's all I could afford for now.
Posted Tue 13 Mar 07 @ 11:23 am
funkturnal
start with one sub, amp & crossover. You need a crossover. Later on when you get more money buy another sub.
sub:
http://pssl.com/bitemdetail.tpl~waGroup1datarq~subwoofer~eqint_KeyIDdata~43061~itemNumber~E1800X%2001%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20~UID~2007030521124594~disp_IMG~Y~catgroup~%5BcatGroup%5D
or
http://pssl.com/bitemdetail.tpl~waGroup1datarq~subwoofer~eqint_KeyIDdata~43933~itemNumber~PV118-SUB%2001%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&UID=2007030521124594&disp_IMG=Y&catgroup=%5BcatGroup%5D
crossover/eq: (optional because the Behinger & Peavey subs has one built in) but I would get one
http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHGEQ3102
or
http://www.music123.com/Product/Product.aspx?SKU=66317
amp:
http://www.music123.com/Behringer-Europower-EP2500-i98661.music
or
http://www.music123.com/Behringer-Europower-EP1500-Power-Amplifier-i106768.music
peace
sub:
http://pssl.com/bitemdetail.tpl~waGroup1datarq~subwoofer~eqint_KeyIDdata~43061~itemNumber~E1800X%2001%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20~UID~2007030521124594~disp_IMG~Y~catgroup~%5BcatGroup%5D
or
http://pssl.com/bitemdetail.tpl~waGroup1datarq~subwoofer~eqint_KeyIDdata~43933~itemNumber~PV118-SUB%2001%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&UID=2007030521124594&disp_IMG=Y&catgroup=%5BcatGroup%5D
crossover/eq: (optional because the Behinger & Peavey subs has one built in) but I would get one
http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHGEQ3102
or
http://www.music123.com/Product/Product.aspx?SKU=66317
amp:
http://www.music123.com/Behringer-Europower-EP2500-i98661.music
or
http://www.music123.com/Behringer-Europower-EP1500-Power-Amplifier-i106768.music
peace
Posted Tue 13 Mar 07 @ 4:43 pm
radiofc
thanks for the additional info. food for thought..
cheers,
Shane
cheers,
Shane
Posted Tue 13 Mar 07 @ 6:25 pm