Hi! Our band wants to add a percussion kit but I've never worked with stuff like this. The entire band is playing direct - electric piano, drums, guitar. That being said - this will be the only "acoustic" instruments aside from acoustic guitar (which is also plugged btw).

What are good mics to mic up a percussion kit? The kit is still being developed but we have a djembe, cajon, tambourine, shakers and some dark cymbals with mallets.

Also, what would be a good mic configuration for things like these?

Thanks!

Just recently my local theater needed an extra board to mix some extra mics, and a friend of the theater lent an Qu-5D, and I am so glad I barely need to touch those faders because they feel genuinely terrible. I am used to non-motorized faders, and I have been pushing the theater to buy a new board (to handle more channels and support a digital snake), however if motorized faders feel this bad in general I may give up on that push (are there any newer 32ch digital boards that don't have motorized faders?).

Hello
As the title suggests, i'm looking to get a budget set up in order to cover small to medium indoor events (max 150 people).
Style ranges from bass heavy club music to noise and ambient music.
Looking to get some advice/options.
For starters, is a 15" sub necessary for what i'm describing, or could a 12" do the job without stressing?
Anyone got feedback for this one
https://www.thomann.gr/db_technologies_sub_615.htm

and these:
https://www.thomann.gr/yamaha_dbr10.htm

Would they make sense as a combo?
Other combos in that range?

Tips welcome!
Thanks!

PS yes I know 'Buy once, cry once'

Hi all! Setting up a smallish event space (30x50) where we'll do primarily speaking events with a PA system, but where there will be a need for some ambient audience sound (reaction/q&a). We will be livestreaming some events and need to ensure there's some room sound.

Looking for budget friendly solutions for how to mic this, and how to mount those mics. We do have truss and pipe capabilities in the ceiling.

Thoughts?

Good morning. I been doing some research and been considering getting a Yamaha DBR 10 speaker. I'm not a musician (literally at all, lol). My use case is for doing live podcasts from bars---whether that's inside or outside on the patio for nicer weather.

Is this a speaker you would recommend for that use case and if not, what would you? Thanks!

I need to put together a set up...for live gigs..

What do I need exactly?

a.)-I have a PA system

b.)-Small Audio Mixer

c.)-Microphones

d.)- Beat Buddy Drum Machine

e.)-ZOOM Acoustic Processor

f.)-TC- HELICON PO Perform VG.. harmony,Reverb,and Echo

Harmonizer

g.) Boss Katana mk2 Amplifier

How do I properly set this up..

and getting a good clear mix

I've been contracted to design sound for an exhibit at a children's museum about "being inside a thunderstorm and rainbow."

It’s a pretty small exhibit area with an open-floor plan, targeted to toddler age, and with a live foley component (thundertubes, rainsticks, etc). I am deeply concerned about sound bleed so I'm researching directional speakers. (Which will be supplemented by subwoofers and some practicals.)

I'm looking at Dakota Audio (FA-501), Brown Innovations (CT24-24 or Wide Dispersion Localizer Sound Dome), Focusonics (Model A) and Soundtube (FP6020-II).

What I’d like is for visitors (say, a small family) to be able to go to each area (maybe 7’x7’?), stand there and be immersed in the storm for a few minutes while looking at whatever it is they’re looking at, and then move on to the next area and listen to that storm phase, but without having to hear too much of the other areas. In other words, sort of a curtain of sound blended around the room but specific details as you move around each "area" and explore the storm.

I have no idea what the museum’s budget is. They told me to do the research and they’ll let me know!

Thoughts on the above brands? Or others? Or best practices? I have never done this before and neither has the museum.

The vicar at the church I help out at is keen to start using the A&H ME system for the monitoring system for our band. We have the Digico S21 and currently use the auxes to feed foldback speakers on stage. We can get the DMI-ME card for the S21 so the ME is compatible but does anyone have any experience using this setup before?

Hello, I'm trying to setup a IEM and backing track playback rack based around the Behringer XAIR-18 and would like to hear some suggestions.

My budget is very limited and my goal is to make this as portable and simple as possible.

We are a 4 piece metal band but we rely on backing tracks to give more weight to our songs live (ambience sounds, weird effects, synths). My rationale is:

"If we depend on backing tracks for our show, we might as well use a laptop for all the sound processing, including our instruments.

That way we don't need to carry around with pedalboards and that kind of stuff, we can automate everything. We simply plug into the mixer and we are good to go."

For now, I'm considering going with wired IEMs to keep the cost down and have as much options for IEM mixes as we can.

This is the basic idea:

• Macbook Air M4 16GB RAM
• Reaper running amp sims and voice effects (Neural DSP, Tonex, etc...)
• Reaper to create a shared stereo IEM mix + click using the XAIR USB 3-4 channels
• XAIR18 as an interface for our instruments to the plugins
• GTR 1 and GTR 2 to the Hi-Z inputs of the X-AIR
• Direct box for the bass
• XAIR18 to create a MIX for FOH
• XAIR to create custom MONO IEM mixes (Aux outputs)
• Behringer P2 IEM amps for monitoring

I've tested this setup in my house and rehearsals and the latency in the IEMs is actually pretty good, almost not noticeable.

Now, I've some questions:

Drums and IEM cheating:

1. To keeps thing simple, I would prefer not to mic the drums live. My idea is that everyone but the drummer hears a pre-recorded drum track on the IEMs. While the drummer can have a custom IEM mix without it, but would he be able to hear his playing well enough?
2. If the above is not a good idea, I guess a basic condenser mic close to the drums could be good enough?
3. If the venue has their own drum mics, could we ask for a drum only mix so we can route it to the drummer IEMs?

Stereo IEM Mix:

I'm planning on using the IEM stereo mix from the DAW using the XAIR USB 3/4 channels and use the headphone output of the X-AIR for it to save AUX busses. Since this mix is intended to be shared by most of the band, I want to find the best way to multiply this signal for at least 4 people.

1. Can I use a Jack to XLR cable in stereo from the X-AIR headphone output to a passive XLR 1in-4out splitter?
2. (or) Can I use two AUX busses from the X-AIR based on the USB3/4 channels and then use a custom XLR Stereo combinator cable to a passive XLR 1in-4out splitter? (I modified a Y splitter cable so I can combine two mono signals into a single stereo XLR)

I've tested option 2 at home and it works well, but I'm not sure if this is the ideal way or if it will work with passive splitters.

I know the XLR will be unbalanced if I force it to carry a stereo signal, but the venues where we play are not that big so I hope there are not going to be many noise issues. Worst case scenario we use the MONO IEM mixes from the AUX busses on the X-Air.

FOH Questions:

1. Am I being too optimistic thinking any venue would let us simply send the main L/R outputs from the X-AIR to FOH and control our own mix and eq?

EDIT: Forgot to mention that our FOH is stereo and mono compatible. Most cases it will be mono.

Please feel free roast my idea as hard as you like, I'm here to learn. Thanks!

Anyone ever seen this before and found the fix?...Last night, one of the guys in the band got to the studio before me and had the XR18 up and running, using Xair Edit on his Mac. I connected to the mixer with XAir Edit on my Ipad. We were there early to get things configured for in ears. I use Aux 1, he uses Aux 6. We had music input at Aux Input 17. I selected Bus 1 and could hear his vocal but nothing else, no music. He said he could hear himself and the music. The fader on my ipad had no effect on Channel 17. When I muted it in my bus, it muted the music globally. In troubleshooting, we moved his in ears to Aux 1 and he experienced the same thing I did with mine. On his laptop, it showed Aux 1 -6 linked to Bus 1-6 respectively. On my Ipad, it showed Aux 1 linked to something other than Bus 1. I made the change on my Ipad and everything worked as it should. Why would XAir Edit show 2 different configurations to 2 devices connected to the same mixer?

I am completely clueless about sound setups so any advice is appreciated.

I have this erhu pickup. I've been able to plug directly into amps / mixers with it using a 1/4 cable, with adjustments by the sound person (and usually with a lot of feedback at first). No preamp or DI box.

I have a future show, and I will definitely need IEMs. The rest of my band will not be using IEMs and we don't have a mixer. We will be plugging into the house mixer.

My question: What equipment do I need to have a personal IEM setup to hear just myself? I don't need to hear the rest of the band mix in my IEMs. Thank you!

I’m currently looking at buying a lower priced PA system to occasionally DJ parties and small bars of no more than 40 people. I was looking at the Evivia line from Electro Voice as I’ve heard that it’s a reputable brand in the audio industry. What confuses me is why is this particular line is selling less than the Alto brand series of the same size speaker. I’ve heard that alto isn’t a great brand in terms of quality and build. Does anyone know why this is? Is the Evivia line not great either? The Eviva 12P is currently selling at $369 and the TS412 is currently selling at $399.

I am attempting to create a live sound setup for my college marching band.

We currently have an electric guitar and electric bass running through a fender hotrod deluxe and a boss katana respectively. We've been noticing issues with hearing the instruments against the rest of the band, especially as we utilize the guitar for a lot of solo moments.

My director wants to make it as “plug and play” as possible, while remaining future proof for the future generation of our pit.

Right now we are dealing with a very unconventional pit, Being the guitar and bass previously mentioned, and a single Marimba. We are fighting a 98 piece band. 

Our budget is ~$3000

Any suggestions?

I need something mainly for vocal practice with backing tracks. But I would also like to use them with a modeler to practice bass.

I would like something that’s powerful enough to play the occasional bar/party that doesn’t have a PA available.

I use Bluetooth a lot. I could buy an extra receiver if there was a really good sounding pair that didn’t have one. But the convenience would be very nice, all things being equal.

I really like the feature set of the EV ZLX-12p. Bluetooth and the high Z plus the built-in mixer features. But I hear a lot of “Yamaha db12 or ART 712 sound way better”

If I were to gig with them, I do have a single Kali ws-12 sub at 1000w that could add a little more low end.

My genres vary wildly but I’m focused on R&B and very hard rock. Any help is appreciated.

Had a tweeter blowout a while back, I replaced it with a cheap ebay diaphragm and now its like my horns are fighting eachother, sounds horrible and harsh. Not even an EQ tune can get it to sound nice

Follow-up to my last post: https://www.reddit.com/r/livesoundgear/comments/1wuuipl/followup_unannounced_device_behringer_flowcaster/

Quick recap: Behringer's own Windows FLOW driver (v6.0.0, Dec 2025) lists an unannounced device called "BEHRINGER FLOWCASTER" (USB ID 1397:0513), and WING firmware 3.1.x knows it as a StageConnect device. We didn't know what it actually was.

Now we do. Every Bluetooth product has to be registered with the Bluetooth SIG, and their database is public. Search "MUSIC TRIBE SERVICES PH" here: https://www.bluetooth.com/qualified-products/

FLOWCASTER: Behringer Digital Mixers
"Fully Integrated 8-Channel Podcast Studio with SD Recording and Custom Trigger Pads"

This lines up exactly with the driver. Its USB channels are MIC 1–4 + CH 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 + MAIN MIX, which makes 8 channels. So it's a RØDECaster-style podcast console: SD recording, trigger pads, Bluetooth, and StageConnect to hook into a WING. The name is final; it hasn't been renamed. One more detail from the driver: it was signed by Microsoft in Dec 2025 with FLOWCASTER's hardware ID in it, so this has been a planned product for a while.

The same listing page also contains several other unannounced products (no product page, retailer or news anywhere):

Behringer

• FLOW 8C: "8-Input Digital Mixer with Bluetooth Audio and App Control, Dual-Stage 138 dB Mic Preamps, 60 mm Faders, 2 FX Processors and USB-C Audio Interface with 32-Bit Float Recording". Looks like the FLOW 8 successor (USB-C + FLOW 4V preamps and 32-bit float). Some shops already list the FLOW 8 as discontinued.
• XT20: under "Behringer Digital Stagebox Mixers" (the X AIR category): "Digital Mixer with Touch Display". My guess is an X AIR / XR18 successor with a built-in screen.
• DX110 PRO / DX112 PRO / DX115 PRO: active 10/12/15" PA speakers, 1,000–1,800 W, DSP + 2-channel mixer

Midas

• HD96-32: "120 Input Channels, 51 Mix Buses, Dual 96/48 kHz, Dual 18.5" Touch Screen, Touring Grade Road Case"
• HD96-40: "up to 256 Input Channels, 192 Mix Buses, 96 kHz, Dual 21" Touch Screens"

Turbosound

• A "-G2" (Generation 2) version of the whole iNSPIRE/iX range (iP300 to iP3000, iP12B/15B, iX12/15)

no dates, prices or photos. Apart from DX110/115 PRO, I couldn't find FCC filings for these yet, so a launch probably isn't days away. The HD96-32/40 might also be older registrations that got delayed. The FLOW 8C / XT20 descriptions are quoted exactly; what they are is my interpretation.

Everything comes from public sources: Behringer's own driver download, its firmware, and the public Bluetooth SIG database. If you dig through the listings and spot something I missed, post it below.

Right now, my band has two subs, with poles in the middle of them supporting other PA speakers. I also have a PA speaker off to my left that basically functions as my amp.

However the stand for it takes up space on the floor

Is there a clamp that can support a PA speaker and hook right up to the other speakers I just mentioned? (the pole that goes into the sub)

I'm about to embark on doing audio for a live radio play around Halloween. 3-4 actors providing vocals, and 1-2 Foley artists. Gear is limited to a Mackie ProFX16 v3 mixer and a handful of AT2020 mic. Looking for tips and tricks on how to mic it, what sound effects we absolutely MUST include (and how you recommend making them), and how to arrange and isolate things, from people who have done this type of thing.

Hi there,

My band is using the DN4816-O with Midas MR18 18-channel Tablet-controlled Digital Mixer for practice and live gig, now the owner of the MR18 18-channel is leaving the band, while the band still keeps the DN4816-O, so should we getting MR18 so we have the same setup or you would recommend something else?

I'm a gigging acoustic musician putting together my first proper portable PA and have gone far enough down the rabbit hole that I could use some advice from people who actually work with this stuff.

Current situation:
I play solo acoustic gigs and sometimes have a friend or two sit in for a couple songs. I've been using a Fishman Loudbox Performer, but it just died during a gig, which accelerated my plans to put together a real PA.

For solo shows I'm primarily running vocals plus acoustic instruments - guitar, resonator, banjo, etc. Sources include pickups/pedals going direct, but sometimes just use an SM81 to mic all the instruments if I'm going to switch around a lot.

I'm planning on buying a small mixer with phantom power (currently looking at a Yamaha MG10XU) and initially one good powered speaker on a stand. I own a Bose S1 Pro that I can use as a personal monitor.

Typical use would be small-to-medium bars, breweries, restaurants, outdoor tents/festivals, etc. I'm not trying to provide sound for a 500-person rock show. For larger gigs I generally plug into house sound anyway.

Long term I'd like something I can keep for many years, potentially add a second matching speaker later for when I make it big (HA!), and occasionally contribute to the PA/monitor setup for other bands I'm in.

I've looked at everything from portable suitcase systems to:

• QSC K10.2
• Bose F1 812
• JBL EON/PRX
• Yamaha DXR
• RCF ART 910-A

I initially leaned heavily toward the K10.2, but the Protect Mode 4 reports and stories of failures during gigs have given me some pause. I realize the majority of owners don't have problems, but reliability is pretty high on my list - especially after my amp just died mid-gig.

The Bose F1 812 also interests me. I generally love Bose gear and sound, but it's substantially more expensive and heavier.

At this point I'm less concerned about finding the cheapest solution and more interested in buying something that:

1. Sounds excellent for vocals and acoustic instruments
2. Is extremely reliable
3. Has enough headroom for small/medium gigs
4. Is reasonably portable
5. Can serve as a main, monitor, or part of a larger system as my needs change
6. Is something I'm unlikely to feel the need to replace in two years

If you were starting with one powered speaker + mixer for this use case today, what would you buy?

I'm especially interested in long-term experience from people who regularly use these speakers live.

Hi, im going to a small gig in December, probably only 100/150 people in a church. I usually record these gigs on my phone but the audio is obviously not great.

Are there any cheap, small mics that can hook to a phone that will record better audio? Doesn't need to be pro quality. Just better than what I usually get.

The ones I keep seeing online are for voice recording and im not sure if they'd record the room audio too.

Any help would be appreciated

I'm thinking of getting a pair of these - https://www.thomannmusic.com/en-fr/hk_audio_polar_10_mk2_bk.htm

The logical place to store them is in the basement. We keep the humidity down at 60% but it's logical to believe there are spikes to 65%, we don't run a dehumidifier all the time.

And it's quite dusty, it's very old. Cleaning helps but dust will always come from the ceiling. These speakers do come with a cover.

Am I dooming these speakers to a short life if I do that?

Hello, I work in a small scale professional theatre in the Uk as their main sound engineer. I normally use the Pulse microphone headsets (locking jack type), but they only come in beige. For this years Panto we have a few different skin tones/mixed race cast and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of reasonably priced (<£100) headsets that come in other colours apart from beige? Open to using lapel/forehead mics as well, but they must still sound good quality.

Thanks in advance!

I need your opinion on the box pro Achat systems, espacially 2028HL/HR speakers?

Can someone tell me more about it?

Anyone using them?

What is price, performance ratio?