Hi,

I'm looking for an improvement to my current PA. I'd like the system to be able to run a full mic'd up 6-piece band (drums, bass, guitar x 2, keys, vox x 3) with decent effects, switchable via MIDI. Playing to halls of approx 100-300 people.

A lot of the posts on here are looking at a £1000 budget or around there, so although I've searched I need to move up a level from the standard prosumer brands, and I am very unfamiliar with whats available.

At present my system uses 2 Crown XLS 402 rack amps. The front end is a Mackie 1604 VLZ which runs via the Bose 802-C controller to the two amps, which then power the 802s (2 per side) and 302s (1 per side). However I've started using Peavey HySis 115 bass bins instead of the 302s as they are way lighter and I'm not noticing a different.

For effects I'm using a TC Electronic M300 in dual mode so reverb on one Aux and multieffects on another.

I then use 3 Voicesolo 300XTs on 3 Auxes for the 3 vocalists/instrumentalists and a pair of peavey powered floor wedges (master + slave) for the bassist and drummer.

As you can see its quite a compact system and I'd like to try and keep it that way - especially as our rehearsal room where it lives and is used between gigs is on the first floor!

I have the following pieces of equipment which I am planning on implementing in the following ways:

Behringer Composer - apparently one of the few good pieces they make. Vaguely considering using this for compression somewhere, probably on a backing vocalist and/or kick drum when needed.

FMR RNP & RNC. Going to start using these on the main vocalist and one of the backing vocalists.

Phonic Stereo Compressor - unsure how good this is, probably in line with the Behringer.

dbx DriveRack PA+ (older version with dark blue front) - possibly if I stop using the Bose 802s, I will start using this across the mix bus.

This will give me after compression on 3 vocals, 3 further compressable inserts if I want them, plus compression across the mix bus.

I either use this system just with 3 vocal mics, and occasionally a
monitor feed for a guitar or something if its situated the far side of the stage from somebody.

Or I mic up kick, snare, overhead (1 mono), DI the bass & keys, and mic up the 2 guitars. I've had no real sound issues but feel its a bit limited still.

So basically I feel the systems weak points are:

- the Mackie desk - its going to get more and more unreliable as time goes by, and although for £280 I can have it brought back to spec with aftermarket connectors, faders & so forth, I don't know if the money would be better spent elsewhere

- the Bose 802s. Although I think they sound better than most cheap PA gear out there, they have an upper volume limit (albeit matched by the Crown's upper limits - although I could drop an impedance band on these) and a bad rep amongst guys with more knowledge on live sound than me

- the Voicesolos - they are great spacesavers but don't seem to put enough volume out for vocal monitoring above a drumkit thats 2 feet away, and they also seem to be too responsive if thats the word - you are either too loud or too quiet and it seems to be very easy to push in either direction just by moving a few cm in front of the mic - i'm wondering if compression across the vocal channels will help this or just cause me feedback issues. these would be the last things to change but I'd appreciate advice.

- the Crowns. I have a Peavey 2600 which I will get back on warranty repair one day, they've had it for a year, and some Tapco Juices which have been equally unreliable. The Crowns are very reliable but I need something a step up in volume/power/headroom/quality

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So my rough plan is:

- upgrade to some kind of light, biamplified PA that can handle, musically, a fully mic'd full band

- possibly lose the Mackie, one idea is to replace it with some kind of powered desk that would then be able to power monitors in the future. with the RNP I only really need one vocal pre most of the time, but obviously need up to 6 further if I mic the full band. plus i need a lot of aux functionality especially if i am to deal with other bands' requirements on the same night

And my questions are:

- what to go for PA & speakers-wise

- whats a good desk that would give me the functionality and expandability I need and possibly an upgrade in musicality. I know a Midas Venice is £3k and a Mackie £500 but what sits in-between? I'm a bit caught in that if I bought a Midas Venice I would want to hardwire it into my studio for analog summing so I need solid live gear that isn't pushing studio quality, if such a thing exists.

- what things should i just get rid of? I feel like for example I may not need compressor/gates in a live setting for small halls of 1-300 but I'd appreciate opinions. If I sold everything for example and just replaced the lot, or if I was starting from scratch with a £3.5k budget, what would you suggest?

Look forward to hearing some opinions.

Many thanks in advance,

Jamie