Re: [Callers] opinions on sound equipment

Coming out of the shadows here to respond to Peter & Will & others - My husband Bill spent a long time researching and looking and asking all kinds of people, including sound equipment sellers (with experience), and he got a Mackie SRM-150 which is usually used as a monitor (that's what he uses it for). http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SRM150/?utm_source=Google&utm_me… He uses it for a sound system by itself for small groups. It's only 7 pounds (MUCH lighter than the Roland), loud, and has 2 multi-use XLR/1/4" plugs and 1 RCA plug). We mount it on top of a sturdy Hercules microphone stand, which is much more portable than speaker stands. It mounts upside-down when mounting it on a microphone stand, but that was not too confusing. I've used it in a big multi-purpose room at a town hall where I lead a weekly traditional country dancing session (mostly trad squares) for seniors, and it worked wonderfully well. I wanted something that I could take with my laptop (I'm not at iPod mode yet, but my music is all in iTunes) and microphone and go. On a completely different note, take a look at the Yamaha Stagepass 300. It's not a powered speaker. It's a 2 speaker powered mixer, the PA mixer module fits right into the back of one of the speakers, and it has 4 XLR inputs and more....see it here. I often use it with just one speaker. The detachable PA mixer part is also the amplifier. The speakers weigh just under 20 pounds each - the mixer/amplifier weighs almost nothing. We use this for medium-sized gigs where we don't need the full power of the Mackie and we need more than the SRM 150. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/search.php?s=stagepas+300 Regarding microphones - I used to have an airline 77 wireless headset mic that I LOVED (and Bill HATED because he always had to tweak the sound system - usually had to cut off the high end and boost the low). Then it died and I couldn't even try to get it fixed because of that frequency ruling - it was one of the ones that became illegal. I then switched to one that has a belt pack (I do not like belt packs because I don't wear belts and I'm always having to figure out another solution), and it was okay (again, had to tweak the sound a lot). I just recently switched to a Countryman E6 *Directional *and I LOVE it and Bill LOVES it because he doesn't have to use the whole PA system equalizer to adjust the low and high ends for all sound - he can just adjust the treble and bass for that channel (before, he had to use the main equalizer for the whole system - a Mackie PA/Mixer 800 watts). The sound is great, the mic is weightless and easy and wonderful.....I just still don't like the belt pack, but that's the price you pay....speaking of which - it took me a very long time to decide to spend that much money on a microphone, but as someone else pointed out, the caller's mic is like the musician's instrument, and I needed something that would sound really good. I do all kinds of different types of gigs, from family & community dances to 18th century balls to school programs to May Fairs, etc. and I can count on it working well in all kinds of places. One more thing about wired vs wireless handheld vs wireless headset. I started out using a wired mic. Then I got a handheld mic. Then a wireless headset mic without belt pack, then with belt pack. Now the Countryman E6. I love having the freedom of a wireless mic for the times I need to either be dancing with the people or demonstrating things. The handheld mic sounded good but was too much of a hassle to either move from hand to hand or have someone hold my elbow instead of my hand. Whether I'm staying up in front of the band or I'm out on the floor (I'm always visible to the dancers), I like the freedom of being able to turn or move my head or whatever and not have to worry about either holding the wired mic or having my voice drop out because I moved my head away from it. Patricia *Patricia Campbell* *Newtown, CT* *www.countrydancecaller.com*