Correct Me if Im Wrong...

[T.J.]

A Mixing board has an amp itself, right? Therefor there would be no need for a PA except to use as a preamp (which just may make things more confusing) And then there are EQs which need to be plugged inbetween the amp (PA, mixer, or whatever) and the speakers or to the instruments before they hit the amp.

Right?

[DrDeltaM]

Euhm, there are powered mixers (build in amp) and 'normal' mixers (no amp, you need a PA amp).

[T.J.]

^^Yuss sorry I just read that after I posted the question that the mixers lines out use level signals but need an amp to boost them to the needed sound. So now, what kind of Mixers have a built in amp?

[DrDeltaM]

There are lotsa small mixers out there with build in amp, the so called 'Powered Mixers'. You can hook up PA speakers directly to them.
Brands that have them: Yamaha, Spirit, Behringer, Dynacord, ...

[T.J.]

Another Question:

Whats the overall difference of Power driven speakers and non power driven? I wonder because my computer speakers are 3 watts and put out a ton more then if they were non powered, Also whats the price range difference (I know its not pleasnt)

[De chromium cob]

Its the return of the son of WALTERS.....

[DrDeltaM]

Originally Posted by De chromium cob

Its the return of the son of WALTERS.....

Seems so yes

T.J.: I'd advice you to learn the basics of music and sound first, at Gearslutz we expect a certain common knowlegde... Get a basic book about sound reinforcement. Or, I know Yamaha made some very basic introduction to live sound on a DVD, you might wanna ask for it at a Yamaha dealer (it's free afaik).

[T.J.]

^^Will Do

sorry if I asked to many questions, my best way with learning is hands on experiance

[tINY]

TJ - self powered speakers may be confusing you. Some speakers have built-in amplifiers.




-tINY

[natpub]

don't be sorry :-)

A mixer does not usually have a power amp in it. A mixer is usually volume nobs, pan nobs, and treble/bass nobs. The mixer also has microphone pre-amps in it which boost the mic level signal high enough to move along to the amp.

The amp is usually a seperate box. For some live PA applications, people started putting the power amp inside the mixer, for ease of carrying, but generally it is better to have them seperate, for numerous reasons.

Speakers usually did not have amps in them, but for little computer speakers, it made sense to put them in, and save space and make things easy for home users.

For audio monitors, in the past 10 years or so they have started putting the power amps inside those speakers also, largely to make it easier for home studios not to have to sort out things like crossover frequencies, impedence matching, etc.

Thus, your usual home recording set up will have the power amp inside the monitors, not inside the mixer. Look at something like www.sweetwater.com for a wide selection of all these kinds of things.


Hope that helps.