First PA for small band?

[ady]

I'm sure you get this one all the time but I searched the forum and couldn't find anything .. maybe i'm just being a muppet.

I'm looking for help choosing a first PA system for a small band, we have just started playing pubs and small venues (school halls) for about 100 people.

I need to hook up a vocal mic, a keyboard and mic up two guitar amps and possibly one bass amp. As you can guess budget is limited ideally something cheap now that can be expanded later.

Any ideas or suggestions welcome, thanks

[ady]

update after searching the web.

I have seen a 'no brand' PA system advertised on another site, with 200w 6 channel power mixer and pair of 12" speakers for around £200. Can anyone comment if this would be any use or should i put the £200 towards a reputable brand?

Thanks

[Twiggy]

From experience, put it towards a reputable brand. Any idiot can put a speaker in a box, but if you want a good sound the box has to be constructed from the right materials, with the right angles.

If you've no experience with PA systems I'd go for active speakers if I were in your position. Less likley that you will blow them up.

[ady]

Thanks for posting Twiggy I was beginning to give up hope.

I'll take the advice of active speakers, but being a novice have no idea of descent brands.. do you have a top 5?

also are Behringer any good?

Thanks for the advice.

[TrevCircleStudios]

I agreewith Twiggy. Far better to go for something decent. Look at this thread:

Is this any good?

And if your budget wont stretch to that, try this:

http://www.dv247.com/invt/43903/

[Mustang1]

Re PA for band I mix for, I use two Mackie SRM 450's. This has worked well so far and, if we get gigs at larger venues we will add one or two Mackie 15 inch subs with 450's then handling high and mid range freqs.
Good thing is that sub and 450's are designed to work together and crossover and connections already sorted for you.

We have a seperate foldback system which is a Behringer Euromaster 1000 powered mixer and passive speaker system fed from the aux section of Mackie CFX12 mixer. I would not want active speakers as floor monitors
as they don't handle spilt beer well!!!

hope this helps.

Hope this helps as another option.