Advice on a powered wedge for a modeler

[Eric***]

I saw this in a MF ad I recently received and was wondering if it would work as a power unit for a modeler -- something to just provide power and pass the signal to the PA.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...ker?sku=485594

I have been throwing around this idea for a long time, but never bought anything up to this point. The only reason I bring this up is because the price is really good compared to other powered wedges I've seen. What do you think?

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While I'm at it, what the word on this thing? Any good?

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...der?sku=580037

[hubberjub***]

I'm sure that would work just fine. Though I don't use modelers live, I just picked up a used Tech 21 Power Engine for $175. They are designed for modelers but I'm sure that wedge would work great to monitor yourself. For $120 I doubt you could find a better deal.

[Spudman***]

I would suggest a keyboard amp over this. You have no tone control on the wedge.

[hubberjub***]

I don't disagree with your suggestion Spud. I would use the tone controls in the modeler though. $120 is hard to beat on a new powered speaker.

[Eric***]

I thought about the tone control too, but it seems like anything that has XLR out and an EQ is about $300+.

I don't know if I'll get it or not, but it looks like a decent price for a non-Behringer wedge. I guess I was just trying to find out if I would be wasting my money with this.

The power engine is another model that is high on my list.

[Eric***]

Well, I ordered it. I'll let you know what I think when it gets here.

[deeaa*]

I'm sure you will find good use for it...I have used a couple of different wedges for the same purpose/idea. I have played dozens of gigs bringing just a guitar, preamp/modeler and an active wedge. I had a 100w one which even had tone controls - a pair actually, made by Solton I think, and a very small mtb? one later on. I built all kinds of bastardizations from them too, like an active 4x10 and whatnot. With bass I didn't even use a preamp, just plugged to the wedge and ran a line feom there to the soundman.

I ended up ripping the tweeter out though...it was always all too bright and piercing even with eq. And cutting treble heavily would make it just murky...but tweeter out of commision and then added treble worked real nice.

They don't really give an amp feel, imo...they're great on gigs with PA taking care of foh sound, and for home practice, but normal band playing, well it's nlt gonna give the punch and bite of a real amp. But I don't think you even expect such :-)

[Eric***]

I'm sure you will find good use for it...I have used a couple of different wedges for the same purpose/idea. I have played dozens of gigs bringing just a guitar, preamp/modeler and an active wedge. I had a 100w one which even had tone controls - a pair actually, made by Solton I think, and a very small mtb? one later on. I built all kinds of bastardizations from them too, like an active 4x10 and whatnot. With bass I didn't even use a preamp, just plugged to the wedge and ran a line from there to the soundman.

Hmm, I thought maybe you were talking about one I had seen, but that's a Samson. Maybe this will work for a bass amp of sorts too...

I ended up ripping the tweeter out though...it was always all too bright and piercing even with eq. And cutting treble heavily would make it just murky...but tweeter out of commission and then added treble worked real nice.

I'm a little worried about the lack of EQ, but I figure if nothing else, this will show me the limitations of a powered wedge. That's the main reason why I didn't want to blow $300+ on something like this -- fear that it wouldn't work out right. I might find the same thing about the tweeter; maybe you'll have some advice on how to disable it. It's good to know that you did that.

They don't really give an amp feel, imo...they're great on gigs with PA taking care of foh sound, and for home practice, but normal band playing, well it's not gonna give the punch and bite of a real amp. But I don't think you even expect such :-)

That's interesting. What do you mean about punch and bite of a real amp?

I don't expect it to be exactly like an amp, but it's still a little surprising to hear. I guess it's just more on that idea of how studio/home/live/practice are all sort of different animals, and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. Very confounding to me.

[deeaa*]

I might find the same thing about the tweeter; maybe you'll have some advice on how to disable it. It's good to know that you did that.

Well, heh, I did it simply by detaching it from it's hole and screwing it back beside the hole...left it in the circuit for impedance's sake and so I might not do something bad to the crossover. Plus easy to revert to normal. But it worked just fine like that.

That's interesting. What do you mean about punch and bite of a real amp?

I don't expect it to be exactly like an amp, but it's still a little surprising to hear. I guess it's just more on that idea of how studio/home/live/practice are all sort of different animals, and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. Very confounding to me.

It's the speaker...it's not designed for just guitar by any stretch but more like vocals etc...so it will sound too hi-fi and not very punchy/midrangey enough when played loud....it just don't feedback the same, and the breakup is pretty abrupt, and it feels like it has way less wattage than rated - it just seems a bit tame...At least both of mine worked better for bass in that respect. It's certainly good enough for monitoring and especially for home use/low volume...but if you swap an actual guitar speaker in, then it starts sounding much more like a guitar amp as well and cuts thru the band mix better. But then again all these take away from the idea of making it sound much the same as FOH speakers.