Yamaha EMX512SC Powered Mixer Review

Greetings!

I mostly use powered speakers for gigs, as I my QSC K10s and K12s are loud and bulletproof, but for smaller gigs (i.e. karaoke parties) sometimes it is easier to not have to run extension cords to the speakers, so there is still a place in my world for an powered mixer with passive loudspeakers. This is why I am hanging on to my Yamaha EMX512SC mixer. You have certainly seen this same mixer being used by bar bands all over the world.

The EMX512SC is a 12-channel mixer, even though it only has 8 faders. In Yamaha math they count inputs with stereo channels twice, but either way, that is enough for whatever I am going to do with this thing. This mixer has dual 500 watt amps (max at 4 ohms), so it is plenty loud for most small to medium sized shows. It is a nice looking piece with a nubbly plastic case with built in handles, and it measures 18x12x11 inches, and weighs in at under 20 pounds. It is kind of a big box with a beveled edge on the back so it can be tilted up, or there are a couple of included plugs that keep it from tilting back if that is what you prefer. Those plugs always get lost.

The back of the mixer has an IEC power cable socket and a pair of output jacks, which include both ¼-inch and Speakon jacks.

The front side of the EMX512SC is a lot more complicated, but that is because it is chock full of features. The input channels each have a 3-band EQ, and there are 4 for monaural microphone (with phantom power and one-knob compression) or line input, and 4 pairs that can function either as monaural microphone inputs or stereo line inputs (2 with ¼-inch jacks and 2 with RCA jacks). There are also separate 7-band graphic EQs for both the main and monitor power channels.

Another neat feature is the power mode switch which allows the two amps to function in stereo, or as separate mono channels for mains and monitor. And one of my favorite features is the surprisingly useful knob that controls 16 SPX digital effects including reverb, echo, chorus, flanger, and phaser. The effects knob has its own level control and ON/OFF switch.

I run the EMX512SC with my low-tech Yamaha A12 loudspeakers, and this combo is definitely up to the task. This set-up has a warm sound that I never have found with the QSCs, and there are surprisingly good bass and mids for 12-inch speakers. This whole thing gets plenty loud without distorting - I consider Yamaha to be a solid brand, and these speakers meet my expectations every time. BTW, all I use are Yamaha mixers, and they have never let me down.

I believe this model has been discontinued, but if you vcan find one the Yamaha EMX512SC powered mixer sells for around $599 new each from most online sellers, and around $400 used. It sounds good, has good power output and features, and is plenty durable. What more could you ask for?

Mahalo!

Review: Yamaha A12 2-Way Passive Loudspeakers

Howdy!

I mostly use powered speakers for gigs, as I really love my QSC K10s and K12s, but for smaller gigs sometimes it is easier to not have to run extension cords to the speakers, so there is still a place in my world for passive loudspeakers. This is where the Yamaha A12 PA speakers come into my story.

The Yamaha A12s are 2-way passive speakers with a 12-inch woofer and a 1-inch diaphragm titanium high-frequency horn. I have no idea what the cabinets are made of as they are covered with fuzzy black carpet, but at this price point I suspect they are made of MDF. They are relatively light at 35 pounds each, and thy measure 16 x 23 x 13 inches. There is only one handle on these, a recessed unit on the top, so they are not entirely easy to wrestle onto speaker stands.

Spec-wise, they are 8 ohm speakers that are rated at 300W continuous / 500W peak, with a frequency range of 65Hz-20kHz, and a maximum of 125dB. Around back you will find ¼-ich and Speakon jacks, and not much of anything else.

I run the A12s with my old-school 500-watt Yamaha EMX512SC mixer, and they are certainly up to the task. They have a warm sound that I cannot really get with the QSCs, and they provide surprisingly good bass and mids for 12-inch speakers. And, of course they get plenty loud without distorting - I consider Yamaha to be a solid brand, and these speakers meet my expectations every time.

The Yamaha A12 loudspeakers sell for around $230 each from most online sellers, and they are a great deal. They sound good, have good power output, are durable, and will get the job done. Why kick a winner?

Mahalo!

On Stage LS7730 DJ Lighting Stand With Truss Review

Aloha!

As time goes on, most DJs (and some bands) start to add lighting elements to their stage set-up. My lighting has grown from a single Chauvet 4-Bar to two 4-Bars, some pin spots and other effects. When it was requested that I bring a disco ball to a recent school dance I decided it was time to step up to a lighting truss, and I went with the On Stage LS7730.

The LS7730 is just about as cheap as it comes for a truss system. This set includes two tripod base lighting stands with three section shafts and T-bars. The T-bars have mounts to hold four par cans each. There are also two five-foot truss sections that can also accept four par cans each. It can be set up tall, up to a touch over 10 feet and it is rated for 200 pounds (110 for each stand, and 80 for the truss). It should be noted that the manufacturer recommends that only static lights be mounted to this assembly.

When I got my new truss home and took it out of the box, I found that a few of the plastic set screw handles were broken. As there is no packing materials in the box and it came from China, I counted myself lucky and did not return it. God know how much stuff could have been broken or bent…

Looking over the components, it is obviously a budget set-up. It is made of black powder-coated aluminum, and the tubing is very thin. There is not a single weld anywhere on it, and the truss sections are screwed together with plastic connectors. But, when it is all put together it is surprisingly rigid. The American DJ O-clamps work great on this truss as they come with plastic spacers that fit this tubing perfectly.

I was able to figure out how to put it together without the instructions, and it took about 10 minutes to get it together. There is a bit of fiddling needed with the pins as it is tricky to get the holes lined up, but it was not an insurmountable hurdle. Mounting the lights took a bit longer, and it took two people to get it everything where it needed to be. If this thing had cranks it would have been a way easier job as the light could have been attached when it was closer to floor level, but that feature would have doubled the price.

Once it was together it looked really sharp, and as I said, it was sturdy. I mounted the pin spots for the mirror ball to one of the T-bars and to the stands, and it was a neat effect. Tear-down at the end of the event was simple, but I always had to keep in mind that this thing is fragile, and I was super careful when loading it back up into the van. On Stage sells a carry bag (LSB6500, list $85.99/street $45.99) for this system and I will look into it. There are a lot of parts, and it would make load-in quicker if everything was kept together in a single bundle (the total weight is around 40 pounds).

By the way, this would also be a great stand for hanging a projection screen, if you are into that sort of thing.

The On Stage LS7730 lighting stand with truss has a list price of $367.99, but of course you will not have to pay that much. The MAP on these is $199.99, but they sell all day long for $179.99. If you can handle that this product is just good enough for the job, it really is a pretty good value.

Mahalo!

Stimulus Package: Local Gig Tonight in Lakewood, California

Aloha!

It is short notice, but if you are around the Southbay tonight you should try to catch Stimulus Package at the Regal Inn in Lakewood.

Stimulus Package is a Southern California based 4-piece band, and I have written about them before on this blog, plus had the joy of them performing at my house party last year. They have been “providing your Rock and Roll bailout since early 2009.”

They play covers from every kind of rock band from the 1960s onward, including The Stones, Bowie, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, STP, Badfinger, Judas Priest, Tom Petty, Black Crows, The Plimsouls, The Cars and Neil Young.

They are great musicians and put on a fun show, so make it out is you can. There is no cover and the drinks are cheap…

The Regal Inn is located at: 6763 Carson Street in Lakewood, just west of Los Coyotes Diagonal (behind the donut shop). Stimulus Package will be playing from 9:00PM until late.

I hope to see you there!

Mahalo!

Stimulus Package: Local Gig on April 29

Greetings!

I want to clue into a fun show if you are going to be around the LBC area this weekend: Stimulus Package will be playing on Friday the 29th at the Regal Inn in Lakewood.

Stimulus Package is a So Cal based 4-piece band, with Ben on lead vocals/bass, Eric on lead guitar/vocals, Maynor on lead guitar/vocals and Randy on drums. They have been “providing your Rock and Roll bailout since early 2009.”

I have known Eric for a few years, but got to know the rest of the band when they played my house party last year. Unfortunately I missed most of that show because I was cooking for my guests, but everybody said Stimulus Package kicked that mother out.

I finally got out to one of their shows last month (also at the Regal Inn) and had a great time. They play covers from every kind of rock band, including Bowie, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, STP, Badfinger, Tom Petty, Black Crows, The Plimsouls, The Cars and Neil Young.

Not to mention a no-synthesizer version of Gary Numan’s “Cars.” Fascinating!

But most of all, they played the Stones, who seems to be their biggest influence. And, if you are going to take inspiration from a band, the Stones are the best place to start.

And they are all very capable musicians. Randy was steady on the drums, and Eric and Maynor swapped some great lead guitar parts around, and I have to give it to Ben: he is a great frontman. A band lives and dies by their singer, and he did a fine job of working the crowd. And you know what? They all looked like they were having a great time too.

The Regal Inn is located at: 6763 Carson Street in Lakewood. This is just west of Los Coyotes Diagonal (behind the donut shop). By the way, they have an interesting crowd of regulars, so it should be a fun evening. Stimulus Package will be playing from 9:00PM to Midnight

I hope to see you there!

Mahalo!

Why Tool is not my favorite band

Aloha everybody!

In another brazen stroke of ego, I am going to use Al Gore’s tremendous internet to share a bit about Tool. Though they have cranked out some awesome music, there are a plenty of things hold me back from loving this band.

In case you have unplugged yourself from the music scene since 1990 (and it seems like a lot of people have), Tool is a Los Angeles-based progressive rock band. They have released 4 albums and an EP, earning three Grammy awards along the way.

Tool’s rabid fan base (more on that later), assert that Tool’s music is genius, the lyrics are brilliant poetry and nobody has better performance skills.

Well, on some level I agree with parts of this. Over the years, Tool has honed their craft. They have some truly great songs, and their production is slicker than snot on a doorknob. I think they are all first-rate musicians, and that Danny Carey is a brilliant drummer that really holds everything together.

1993’s Undertow was the breakthrough album for the band, and was very good as a whole. All of the songs had plenty of anger yet were still listenable. I really think this album was their high-water mark, and we have seen a steady increase in self-indulgent offerings from Tool.

Their 1996 album, Aenima, won the band their first Grammy award. And it certainly is a slick album, with some sort of deep concept throughout. By the way, I think the concept of the album is that the recording industry and their fan base are mindless sheep (chew on that for awhile, fainbois). But this album is also where Tool started working in a lot of non-musical crap into their content. And, of the actual songs they recorded for this album, there are only a few stand outs.

And, their latest two albums, Lateralus and 10,000 Days, complete their spiral into the Hubris Hut. I think there are only about 3 good songs in the bunch. I attended a few of the shows for the Lateralus album tour, and their performance gave me the same cheated feeling that I get from these later albums. They played very little of their older material, but they found time for Maynard to stand like a statue for 15 minutes while a pre-recorded synthesizer track and light show played. Come on…

But Tool fans continue to eat this up and ask for more. Why is this? The short answer is that Tool fans are insane.

Because Tool’s music is more progressive than anything else played on the radio, their fans have deluded themselves into believing that the music is deep and intelligent. This could not be farther from the truth. Writing songs about religion, violence, sex and abuse does not put them in a terribly exclusive club.

But, because the fans have “discovered” this deep and intelligent band, they feel that they should be exclusive members of a club that should only include deep and intelligent persons such as themselves. This is personified by the Tool Army, their official fan club (toolarmy.com) which charges members fees from $40 to $99 to join. This is the ultimate indication of zealous these fans are, not to mention how the band really feels about their fans.

Of course, true fans think that they are the only ones who “get it”, and that the vast majority of other Tool fans do not “get it” and are therefore unworthy to be fans, and should not be included in the club. Of course, the sad truth is that anybody can understand Tool’s music if they step back and realize that a lot of what the band does is for their own entertainment, at the expense of people who buy their records and who pony up for concert tickets.

Anyway, step back a little and think about why you really like this band before sending me hateful e-mails. And, look at the bright side: if you are a Tool fan you are probably not a Rush fan!

Mahalo!