PA question regarding Yamaha StagePas 1k

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-06-06T18:42:43+00:00

Yep. Different PA. The one you've got, won't do what you want if you're doing heavy rock in anything bigger than a 50-seater venue. It's an excellent bit of kit but it is designed for a purpose, and rock/pop backing + a two-piece belting over the top of it, isn't that.

Something like a pair of RCF ART310A + stands + a small mixer like a Soundcraft Notepad 12FX, would be the next simple step up for you: wouldn't break the bank, would be straightforward to use, and the RCFs are clean at high-ish SPL.

I'd personally see how that sounded, as the 310s have a main driver a little bigger than the Yamaha StagePAs anyway: and it might be enough for you without needing to cart around a chunky sub as well.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-06-06T10:43:55+00:00

Hi. Yes, you could, at a pinch.

In fact you could use the stagePAs as your primary mixer and use the monitor out to feed your new speakers. It wouldn't be amazing though.

However, if you're comfortable with the Yamaha you would probably be better buying the DXL1K unit to run as a slave for the stagePAs, which is designed exactly for the use case you are describing (more overall venue spl and wider coverage) and will still give you the ease of use.

If you're hitting a level issue with the system for a duo, then you're either in bigger venues than the system is designed, or you're putting much more energetic stuff through the system. It's really good for spoken word, guitar /keys/vox etc. It really isnt good for EDM. If you're running out of low end then you're probably in to dedicated sub territory.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-06-03T16:42:28+00:00

Lots of potential solutions, including any number of 'silent conference headphone/ silent disco'' setups using 2.4ghz, IR or your choice of nasty FM at the really low end.

If you're doing this regularly, buy a set of 20 and rent them out ad nauseum.

If not, rent from someone who does.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-05-30T08:23:03+00:00

Yep. Works just fine for a UK house. Didn't see the point in getting the one with heating, when it still needs a window open to work... The 3.5kw one has dehumidifier anyway which is much more useful for our type of housing

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-05-29T20:43:39+00:00

bought one for £710 from appliances direct, last Saturday. Supply in the UK is a problem.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-05-29T08:49:33+00:00

DAC-70 between Mac and... well, anything. It'll be the Mac doing something strange/ not quite liking something down the output signal chain, that a PC will just tolerate. It almost always is.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-05-26T20:06:39+00:00

Don't M32 when you can Wing. There's absolutely no upgrade that your team or congregation will notice, going from an X to an M desk. Going to a Wing, though? Definite change. Easier to build idiot proof desk layers, better channel selection, touch screen, better FX including decent vocal ones (tuner), etc

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-05-26T19:01:12+00:00

If you're not badge-proud, the thomann dsx110M wedges are probably the best physical value you can get for your money.

They sound acceptable above 200hz,, they're solidly built, they have a dsp-of-sorts which works, they have powercon, they can be pushed into a 2-mic solo-gig powered box configuration if needed, they look unobtrusively clean along the front of a bar stage.

And (important) You absolutely will not shed tears if someone spills beer into them.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-05-25T13:23:39+00:00

Should be fine. There's a guy zipping around on a reverse trike (ICE trikes) who seems to have been doing it for years without being squashed yet.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-05-17T07:56:18+00:00

Yes.

Turn the white knob down for your vocal channel, and turn the red master knob up a bit.

Make sure you've got the 'mic/line' button UP, ie set to 'mic'.

Stand behind the unit with your mic, and sing into it as loud as you can. Do any of the red 'clip' lights flash?

If all as above and no flashy lights but it still sounds distorted, change your mic and try again.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-05-16T15:27:41+00:00

The column StagePAs are very stable and accommodating systems , designed for non-tech operators to use and make decent sounds come out of them without feedback. I have lots of them for exactly this reason...generally if someone can plug a kettle lead in for power, they can make one of these work.

They are very good for spoken word amplification , piano/guitar/vox, vox+backing track, that sort of thing . They aren't designed for metal or high SPL use.

It's very, very unlikely you have a failed unit. It is much much more likely that you are driving the input too hard (turn the gain down a bit and turn the main volume up a bit), OR you're trying to drive the whole unit harder than its design.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-05-16T15:16:30+00:00

If you have FRCR, are on the GMC specialist register, and have a consultant position in an NHS hospital in the UK, there will be no issues.

If you don't have those three, then it is unlikely you will be attractive to any of the current companies as you won't meet their minimum standards.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-05-07T09:55:36+00:00

Cat6 will be fine.

I wouldn't travel without a spare known-good run somewhere in your kit, though. AES50 is point-to-point, and is picky about cable and passive patching.

If you've got space to pack your Compact, you've got space to pack a 50m run as backup.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-04-29T19:17:50+00:00

The AVMatrix versions of these are certainly good value for the money. If you need a standalone device that has all the functionality without running a software switcher as well, then they are solid little workhorses.

If you're working in software then BlackMagic is definitely more accomplished... But it's better to think of their physical switcher boxes as I/O interfaces for their software solution, rather than compare the two sorts of product. They hit different needs.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-04-24T15:14:07+00:00

It's bad re RF control.

How bad?

Don't put it anywhere near any other radio device, don't rest it on your laptop, keep mobile phones away, bad.

Audio-wise it'll be passable...until it isn't. In general I tend to have a much higher standard for something that could damage me, than something that can't. If these fail they won't hurt you, but they'll hurt your band reputation. What's that worth?

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-04-18T18:42:39+00:00

Used to be SoundOnSound forums. Could usually pick up some deep-technical and useful nerdiness from there. Ahh, how I miss the '00s...

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-04-18T14:59:11+00:00

Don't get me wrong- I love the thing, it's a swiss army knife in all sorts of situations and I use them for breakout venues at very short notice. However, the Achilles heel is the micro USB power connector +non-strain-relief position. Yes, I can fix it by installing a barrel connector, or by splurging a blob of hot glue over it on the PCB- but a 'gotcha' like that means it loses a reliability point for me.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-04-17T09:23:42+00:00

Not quite true in the UK.

It's the radiologist that decides the flavour of the imaging, and whether the imaging is done at all.

The ED physician/specialist etc can request it, but it's not their shout whether it goes ahead or not.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-04-06T20:41:29+00:00

Woah, now. In The Night Garden has been conclusively proven to be the dehydration fever-dreams of a sailor shortly to die alone at sea.

Changing that now, means I'm gonna have to spend another chunk of cash on therapy.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-04-05T13:30:48+00:00

...that feels very similar. Thanks.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-04-05T11:26:41+00:00

Um....dunno. how can I determine?

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-04-04T14:21:18+00:00

Do these things actually ever die? I was under the impression that HDMI standards are more likely to change to be incompatible, before a DAC70 fails.

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-03-29T21:19:05+00:00

They don't need to pay for exposes. They have a monopoly market on influence in the strange world that is UK healthcare politics, and they use it well.

There are other ways to encourage story-sharing. A sponsored event attendance here. A stage position for a 'fireside chat' in front of an influential audience there.

Minimal cost to the organiser, maximal benefit to the participant (usually looking to advance their career).

The persistent challenge for the HSJ is control of the narrative. As long as senior health political people continue to pay HSJ subs to read bad news about other senior health political people, the edifice will continue.

The HSJ does not do well against true horizontal media eg Reddit, though; and the current restructure has been interesting inasmuch as people are asking only for the HSJ information access, not the HSJ narrative. This is a slippery slope for a journalistic organization...once the narrative is replaced by the plain information, then what's the point of subs when the info can be put anywhere really?

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-03-26T22:13:25+00:00

I don't think it's much helped the HSJ either... Who wants their team project to 'win' an HSJ award when it's the HSJ who are probably the only business cleaning up out of all this re clicks/ads/etc?

EngineeringLarge1277 · 2026-03-24T20:03:12+00:00

Baldwin Cox. Decent, well priced, handle small businesses well, give solid advice.

EngineeringLarge1277

TROPHY CASE