Stage monitor question?

Tony Harris · From: England

Before I go ahead and try this maybe someone could help? Our band has a simple PA - amp and 2 speakers and we needed no monitors. Since we've replaced our PA speakers, we find the new ones are good but very directional i.e. there's lots of vocal going out front but we can't hear enough onstage. Could I buy a third identical speaker for a floor monitor and run it off the PA - it would mean that one side of the PA would be running into 4 ohms instead of 8 - would that make a difference out front? The reason we don't go for a separate amp and monitor is that we the wouldn't have anyway of knowing what's going out front. If we had an independent monitor system, the front speakers could be too loud, too low, or go off without us knowing! If it works this way we should be hearing exactly what the audience hears - which would help us 'cause we have nobody to check our sound out front.

Vern Wall · From: Arizona, USA

It would make a difference only if the amp is running at maximum power.

Since you probably want lower volume on your monitor, you can put a 4 ohm or larger resistor in series with it.

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

Take a look at the back of your PA head. Near the speaker outputs, there should be a minimum load value (probably 4 ohms or 2 ohms) that the PA can tolerate without overheating.

Speaker outputs are typically in parallel, and two 8-ohm cabinets make up a 4 ohm load (1/8+1/8=1/4) on the system. If your PA is rated for 4 ohm total load, a third 8-ohm speaker would cause the power amp to "overproduce" and overheat. A more robust power amp with a 2 ohm minimum would allow you to use as many as four 8-ohm cabinets without overheating.

If your PA head won't handle the extra speaker, there is another "poor-boy" method you can use. Instead of a third speaker cabinet, use a small combo amp for a monitor. Run a cord from your MAIN OUT or LINE OUT on the PA to the input of the combo amp, and you will hear the same mix -- and will be able to adjust the overall volume as need for stage monitor purposes.

Ben Slaughter · From: Madera, California

OR, go get one of those self powered monitors. Same concept as using a guitar amp.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Our first stage monitor ever was a Tweed Fender Deluxe with an Altec speaker sitting on top of one of the mains.

If you actually have two amps in your PA why don't you patch one of them to the pre-fade monitor buss and use that for a floor monitor?

If you only have one amp in the PA then you are looking at 4 ohms already without adding a monitor.

[This message was edited by Dave Grafe on 23 May 2005 at 09:49 PM.]

Forum Index > Electronics		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: