Are Powered Mixers Still Relevant? Power Up Your Sound!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2021
- Do powered mixers still have a place today?
I'll cover applications where they fit well, why for most bands they are not a good choice with today's options of digital mixers, and why I'm glad I acquired a Peavey XR-600B powered mixer.
I'll also demonstrate the capability and actual measured performance of my Peavey XR-600B powered mixer.
Wow, You Really Know Your Stuff! Thanks for the Schooling Barry...I recently picked up a perfectly good- Peavey XM 6 mixer/amp for only $60ca, and your video really helped me out a lot. I have not been around similar vintage items since the 80's/90's. And Personally? I would have love to watch a video of you repairing the insides of your mixer.🤔 But Truly, Thanks Again... Dave.👍😎🇨🇦
Thanks, I appreciate that.
I've been a sound guy for 35 years. In the late 90s, I was touring with the reggae band Big Mountain. They had a smash radio hit with a remake of Peter Framptons 'Baby I Love Your Way'.
We had been touring for several months and heard about an old Navajo woman who lived on some remote part of a reservation, I believe it was Arizona...maybe near Flagstaff...cant quite remember. A mining company of some kind had diverted water, upstream of her little homestead, so she was left without any water at all. She had a small herd of sheep that she depended on for her livelihood. So she was in quite a jam.
Big Mountain decided to divert to her area on a day off, and we planned to play a benefit concert for her, and raise whatever money and awareness we could.
The only bar in the area offered their stage to us, but had no PA at all. I sat at the bar in the middle of the day, trying to figure out what to do. Gradually the regulars at the bar began to inform me that they had one of these, or two of those at the house. By the time I pooled all the available pieces of equipment that the locals were offering up... I ended up wi the following....
1 - Peavey Powered Mixer (just like the one you are featuring here.)
1 - Sunn powered mixer, similarly appointed as the Peavey, which I bussed in to the Peavey.
2 - Sunn dual 12 speakers as mains (set on cocktail tables for height).
2 - Crate single 12" cabinets, used as side fill monitors.
1 - Peavey keyboard amp used as drum monitor.
....And a variety of microphones Everything from RadioShack Highballs, to a couple Shure SM-57s...and some other no name stuff.
I then set about miking what I could, running things direct where possible, and simply relying on our own instrument amps, and natural sounds from drums and percussion, etc...
So we hammer together a little soundcheck and off we went. The band did two sets, playing a few songs twice. The spring reverb worked pretty well on the vocals. I was able to blend all the direct inputs very well (keys, MPC, and a little bass guitar). Overall it worked out pretty well. The band had a great time, and it was one of the most fun gigs I ever did with them (and I did stadiums with them, on state of the art gear).
We were able to present the funds to the old woman (I dont remember how much though), hopefully it helped her some.
I started with an old Sunn SR-6100... a 6 channel powered mixer, in my bedroom as a teen...went on to tour the world with many bands...and I end up in a bar in Arizona with an internationally touring act... on gear similar to what I cut my teeth on.
I have retired from touring and now run a little sound company in a rural area where I live. I always keep gear like this around. It always has a purpose.
Sometimes Im doing sound for a puppet show at the park, an oldies car cruise night at the old folks home, a community discussion on property taxes at the local expo hall... I dont always need a bunch of complex gear. Sometimes old simple stuff works fine and does the job. I have a soft spot for old Peavey audio gear. I have quite a bit of it, and most of it works like it did the day it came out of the factory.
Right on! Thanks for the story.
What a Great Story! ....Thanks For Sharing, I really enjoyed reading that.👍😎🇨🇦
Very educational, I have a 600E my father gave me a few years back. I thought about selling it, but as you pointed out: its old school stuff and isn't worth a lot. My dad used to sing for small event settings like nursing home and church gatherings . He has now gotten too old for that. You have inspired me to get some speakers and try it out. He gave me some tape and cd players too.
I was always impressed by the performance of these mixers. A lot of bang for the buck.
I can hear from the audio quality that you are a sound technician. There aren't many videos on TH-cam with decent audio, this is certainly one of them.👍
Thanks, I know it's important to have good audio on video. I've often had a challenge getting clean, low-noise audio with the camera's preamps, and often don't get results I'm superhappy with. Seems like a lot of cameras don't offer really high quality audio preamps.
It's temping to record video and audio seperately for better sound quality, and sync the two recordings in editing. This is why Hollywood directors say "Take 1" and slams a clapper board during production - to help the editor sync the audio + video tracks.
You actually have genuine sound knowledge... Very refreshing 🎉... looking for more videos 😮
Thanks! Working on it!
Great stuff! I love you’re approach to the topic! Please put out more content!
Thank you! Will do!
Just what I needed! Thanks for this very professionally presented info!
Glad it was helpful!
I have a Korean manufactured, Sound Tech M860. This 8-channel powered mixer is equipped with 3 auxiliary sends and returns, tape in and out, compression, reverb, and phantom power. The Sound Tech M860 is capable of powering 2 main speakers and 2 monitor speakers. (4 ohms 225W x 2 & 3 ohms 325W x 2
It's been sitting in my garage for the last 7 years in okay condition for its age nothing wrong with it.
I just have no clue what it's for until I saw this video 😅
I’ve used the 600B my whole career. Has a compressor. The reverb tank is exceptional. Better than any digital effects I’ve heard. On bigger stages I use it to preamp the vocals and acoustic guitars.
Nothing sounds better than a 600B.
I picked up a Prosonic 250 watt 10 channel powered mixer head, some EV 15 " speakers,and stands for $300. They had cords,mic and cord and all came in boxes for storage. Great for vocals, electric drum set, and monitoring everything else. I rather run guitar bass and keys through their own amp.
Good deal
Awesome video! Just picked one up for $15 bucks! Be fun to practice with
Great info, great video. You got my mind working now. I'm trying to use a mixer for a band. What would you recommend for under 800bucks. I was leaning to a powered mixer but now I'm not to sure
i was given that same one along with a couple peavey speakers, the way i would probably use it is playing guitar with someone else since i dont have an amp with more than 1 input. i dont have much understanding of things like this but i played my guitar through it and it seems alright.
The thing about Peavey products was this,it remained popular with churches,where vocals, especially 4 part harmony needed to be heard , nobody cared about monitors,the bass player, electric guitar,L-100 Hammond, drummer, pianist,and choir could all be heard by a congregation 200+, happily
Great info! Thanks very much!
Very welcome!
I played the bars for years with this exact same mixer and a set of SP3 Peavey speakers With a separate peavey monitor amp with its own graphics.. That head is more than enough to play gigs of 100 to 150 people. SP3 speakers are only 50 to 100 watts depending on witch ones you have? or had. WE always ran two over heads not so high and a base drum mic two vocal mics. Peavey is the top of the line back in the day. She never ran hot and had no problems with running 4 speakers straight out the back .. That being said it is a bit of a learning curve to go to the digital world. Its the trip I really don't want to go on And there are few videos telling how to change the parameters of each effect?? Could you go into this for us? this is a great video and easy to understand. Thanks
The differences in effect controls between digital and analog mixers really aren't that great you have the same controls. EQ, compression, effects, all have essentially the same controls.
The main workflow difference is that there wouldn't be enough room to put all the controls on the digital mixer surface at one time, so aside from operating the faders, when you want to adjust the controls on a channel you typically have to push a button to select that channel (or page) and then the effect and parameter controls become active for that particular channel.
So, select channel, then adjust. That's basically it.
I've never been the sound guy. I was given a dead xr600b. The repair guy gave me two options. 200 to bring it back to stock. 230 to hot rod it. Used it on a gig in à room for 120 people. Money well spent.
I have a newer version of this exact PV powered mixer. I use it to power a couple of monitors. So with that being said these are very useful. And relevant can be used with bigger PA this way.
I have a 400 and power my monitors also, 12 years now........
Yeah, cost does sometimes become a factor, especially when starting out and if it meets your needs then a great option, as you say, easy to service and sound quality is excellent it seems, at least on yours. Good for small home studio as well in a hybrid system, a bit of extra EQ never hurt if you make music that can use it and for inputting audio signals/instruments etc....Monitoring and hooked up to DAW. (Going to try my 600C on the 003 Rack connected to computer, plus give me 6 more front access inputs for it. Plus look at all those knobs to turn ; ) Mmmm! (Wonder how hard it would be to hack into the output of each channel and add an output socket for each one or are they internally bussed to mono, before the power amp, or am I making things up lol? It might reduce output but if used in a small studio setting that loudness isn't needed?)
Did you ever end up running the 600c into your interface/DAW? I found a 600c and speaker cab for $100 on marketplace and am thinking about buying it to gain more channels into my DAW like you were thinking. I wonder how well you think it works?
Are the outputs on the front (Main, monitor, Effects) line level? I’ve got a similar peavey unit that I’m trying to record the audio from but I don’t want to blow anything up. Obviously the speaker outputs in the back are way too powerful, but what about tapping into the “main” on the front?
Yes, I think they are unbalanced, line level.
i would mainly use this for the drum set up
A question for you: If a powered mixer has a really loud fan is there any way to quiet the fan noise? Can we open the back door and cut the fan out to quiet the unit? Or would it burn up without the fan on? It's just too loud to use unless in a really loud environment. Thanks
It's safe to assume that the designers feel it needs that much airflow to stay cool enough when run at full power. When operated at low volume/low-power you could probably run the fan slower safely. Some amplifiers have a thermal sensor that switches the fan speed from low/high depending upon heat sink temperature.
Sometimes fans get more noisy because they are dirty or the motor needs lubrication. You could try cleaning. You could also try to identify the fan model and see what it's CFM airflow rating is and try to find a replacement that is the same size, voltage, with a similar CFM (or greater) rating and is quieter. There are some computer fans that offer good airflow and run quietly.
I'd advise against just removing or disconnecting the fan. I'm sure the unit requires some forced airflow to operate safely.
That fan must be pretty loud, fan noise usually isn't an issue in situations that require PA. If you decide to upgrade/replace this unit, you now know one requirement - low noise at idle.
Good luck!
// I have a peavey powered mixer XR-AT That does not boot up but the litle screen show a message of te mixer serie '' XR-AT , the eqs are light on , the control keys for usb media play back are light on , mute light on ///// reparable or no reparable ???? kind regards //////
I'm not familiar with that unit. Anything can be repaired, it's just a question of is it cost effective.
My experience with Peavey in years past was that they offered good customer support so I would contact Peavey and see what your service options are.
hola barry !! ya estoy suscrito, tengo ese modelo de mixer que uso para ensayo con mi banda y tengo otra que es el modelo XR 680C la cual uso cuando hay evento.. mi pregunta es ? soportan ambas mixer un bajo 18" y un medio 15" por canal ? y para cuantas personas ?.. muchas gracias te mando un saludo
Thank you! How large of a show you can cover depends on many factors - your expectation (speech vs folk music vs a motorhead concert), the size of room (less power indoors vs outdoors) and loudspeaker efficiency. I would consider this unit capable of covering a speech or modest-level music event for 150-200 people.
If you're using a subwoorer (18) plus a top speaker, keep in mind that these units do not provide a crossover, and there is only one loudspeaker signal output. Your speakers would need to have internal crossovers. Or you could use the line level output to drive a seperate stereo power amplifier that has a built-in crossover funtion to drive the lows to the subwoofer and the highs to the top speaker (using two channels of the amp)... or use powered speakers that provide this crossover function internally. Best wishes!
I got a Peavey XR 800C someone gave me, Im trying to figure out how to make it into a glorified spring reverb pedal now + eq. I only see sends to Monitor and found an external Rev in the back so Im so confused. I can hear the rev inside if I kick it so I know its in there.
Try your input signal into one of the channels turn that up w/ reverb and then look for an output signal from the main out connector on the left side of the rear. Not to be confused with the speaker out jack.
I have peavey xr 684f and a studiomaster 700d amplifier and two prosound 300watt speakers. Would that be used as an alternative to a guitar amplifier. Sorry if i sound like i dont know anything because i don't really.
Sure, why not. If you like the sound of it. It won't have guitar tone effects, but you could cover that with effect pedals.
Guitar amplification, particularly distorted guitar, can be really brutal on speakers, particularly tweeters. So, for tone and durability I would suggest that you consider finding a guitar loudspeaker, as used with guitar combo amps.
Used to use a similar one for rehearsals. Basically just ran vocals and DIs on it and we had our amps turned up. Wasn't useful for recording, of course
But yeah we're talking 20 years ago or so
I have one of these too. Love it. But wouldn't using it for an outdoor party mean the music would be summed to mono?
Yeah, you *could use external power amps and use the main/monitor buss to do stereo... but yeah, if you use the internal amp, it's only 1 channel. I used it to power a PA speaker for some music while doing outdoor construction last summer, it worked okay I thought, better than a boom-box. :)
As financial constraints seems to be the issue these days, going for the cheeper option makes sense in most situations.
I have a peavey xr 600 G can I connect it to my sound bar or woofers and have a home karaoke system??
It would probably work well for karaoke, it's intended to drive a full-range passive speaker. You could use line-level output to drive some kind of amplified speaker (sound bar etc). I think speakers designed for sound reinforcement would be a safer choice. The XR600 has enough power to damage some home hifi speakers if you are not careful with the levels, or you experience serious feedback with your mic.
I have a vintage Peavy XR600-B the reverb went out a few months ago.
I replaced the reverb tank but all I'm getting is a low humming sound. It sounds like somethings not grounded.
Help me of you can.
I don't think I have a schematic for the preamp side of the unit. Do you get clean signal at the effect output jack?
@@Barry-Watson yes...and I'm currently using a microverb reverb unit through the effects ports and its totally clean.
That's probably a better solution than the old internal spring reverb.
@@Barry-Watson but Barry I also have a Peavey Bandit 112 Red Stripe Transtube and the spring reverb sounds beautiful.
@@madmaximilian5783 I love the reverb on my Teal Stripe Bandit 112.
they can use as a keyboard amp
400BH - the 400 power section has BG and BH versions... H represents "Heat Sink" - the G versions use the back panel for heat dissipation, the H versions have the finned Aluminum that provides 2 ohm stability...
Thanks, interesting info! I never knew about the G version.
How do powered speakers or monitors provide power to a non powered mixer?
The speakers have amplifiers built in the box, so you need to provide power to the box. The mixer just sends an audio signal (not speaker level). So, the box needs two wires going to it, AC power and audio signal.
The powered speaker does not send power to any other devices.
I have a Mackie 406M for some 25 years! Will be cremated with me!
That particular head wasn’t designed for a band. And it’s a very old model. Even 10 years later the capabilities were expanded for mixer amps. They evolved to stereo and even switchable to main/monitor configuration with full on board digital effects. They’re great for small ensembles in small spaces.
Yes, technology has evolved even more but modern stuff has become cost prohibitive whereas these old systems were quite affordable. And you can use this old beast as a dedicated monitor amp if needed.
The crazy part to me has been the evolution of speaker technology. Now you’ve got 1000W speakers and most single acts and small ensembles don’t need all that power for small spaces.
Thanks! I agree.
Hey, sorry, so I didn't really catch the part of why you're glad you have this. So, you actually use it in an actual live band setting somehow, or just for small acoustic, or stand up/spoken word stuff?
Also, question. If you were mixing bands in a small reflective, not so great sounding bar/club, would you still probably use reverb/delay/pitch shifters on the Vox?
I have occasionally found the unit to be very useful. Either as a instrument or monitor amplifier I've used it for some friend's weddings, I've used it for company meetings, and for doing a little background music in the backyard. There's lots of applications where a 100 watt amplifier with a couple of mic inputs can come in handy.
If I'm in a room that's acoustically very challenging, that sounds very lively, and I need all of the clarity I can get I'll probably use very little reverb effect. I'll still probably use some reverb but as I turn the reverb mix up I'll be listening carefully to make sure that that effect plus whatever the room is doing, isn't hurting the clarity of the production
@@Barry-Watson Hey! Right I see. So it's just nice to have it around totally. If you were doing a bigger live show though, I'm guessing you likely wouldn't be using it though huh. Like, think it could come in handy if you needed an extra stage monitor, or something, and didn't have enough spare aux's on the board or something?
Oh, okay, that makes sense. I just got an on call job mixing at a bar, the one I was speaking of, and I've only done 2 shows, and haven't even used any Vocal FX yet, I just haven't had a chance as I got thrown in, and so far have just gotten used to the system. I might bring down one of my Lexicon's soon, and try out some light reverb, or I was thinking maybe some pitch shifting/harmonizer type thing blended in in parallel could be cool. I think that might be fine even in the reflective room since it's more of a dry effect huh?
Are these now effectively useless for a one piece solo act using backing tracks run from an iPad?
It's still a good solution for that, although I may prefer to carry powered speaker(s) and a small mixer instead.
as the video shows, when they are in working condition they provide extremely high quality sound, but the work required to get them back to specification may be too much to ask for the average owner, now that they are 40+ years old... but I still run many shows and rehearsals on the 600B and 600C, they are consistently reliable and good sounding
Starting a death metal band and i got a shitty 200 watt power amp one going to two 800 watt spearks and a 1000 watt😭
If you have something special, the gear issues will probably take care of themselves. Good luck!
@@Barry-Watson yeah it's just because there isn't enough power going to em I can't wait to pick one of these up
@@user-fs2xr3qx8iYea baby, old school peavey is awesome for hard/heavy sounds, especially doom and sludge styles