So i know this is retarded but If i bought 2 PA speakers like these http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/pv215/
could they be plugged into a mixer directly or do they require a power amp?

Becuase what I wanted to do was plug my guitar and microphone into a Mixer, then use 2 PA speakers for amplification, and I was looking at Amps which look pretty expensive, so I wasn't sure, becuase if i have to buy an amp then its alittle out of my price range

Just to know, is this for home use, or for live gigs?
For home : probably too much power, you won't use the half of it.
For gigs : a mixer is always a good idea (even your singer could use it, if you have enough input) but just use the venue's PA, don't carry yours hehe.

But yeah, you can do this. But your sound will be better in a guitar amp (with guitar modulation tone and effect). The mixer is not fit for a guitar (most of the time, except if you just need delay, chorus but no disto.) but for a mike.

This post was edited by Clayman213 on May 1 2010 08:17am

well its from some outdoor things this summer, but still small gigs in general

/e my guitar signal goes through my pedals before it gets to the mixer so it should be the same as a guitar amp right? except the PA speakers have better high and low range on them than my amp

but my main question is still, are PA speakers required to have a Power amp or can they run straight from a mixer

This post was edited by elitepie on May 1 2010 11:49am

It depends if your PA speakers are powered or not... some require amps.

What brand + model are they?

posted a link in the first post, but im looking at several similiar models from different companies

These speakers are passive, needs an amp. These would make your guitar sound like shit, unless you're using an acoustic.

These speakers require a power amp. PA speakers will always require a power amp.

I would recommend against running guitars through this in this situation. You are going to need an amp somewhere, be it running guitar pedals into a non-guitar amp into a PA, or a guitar amp for your guitar (best solution). I recommend a small power amp and speakers for a PA setup, matched in output to the guitar amps (100w is usually fine). If you have a good amp head and cabinet for your guitar, you are 100% ready for any sort of PA system, and most venues have a house system. Ideal minimal system if you are playing places without soundsystems would be ~100w guitar amp/cab + ~100w power amp and PA speakers. Get a good guitar setup and a basic vocal PA setup, and from there you can work out what you need for various gigs. If you want to run a 700w PA with all instruments mixed together, that is another ordeal, I am familiar with them if you need any help if you really need 700w standalone everywhere you go.

ok heres my problem tho. i have this marshall half stack the HDFX or w/e its called and if i turn it up loud enough to compete with my drummer it starts to distort and lose sound quality, and i like to use an envelope filter but it cant handle the bass notes whats so ever, it just sounds like distorted fuzz, so what kind of amp do i need?

Alot of good info in this answer. I would honestly recommend you go for an amp like a ProSound 1600w xD Lots of noise ftw

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Turn your amp up till it sounds 'good.' Detailed the way you like it and not distorting. Mic the Amp up and run it through the PA. 100W PA is (IMO) no where near loud enough to compete with a drum set and guitar amp at a gig. Practice space maybe. Watts is also a deceiving method of measurement. What you need is db in spl or volume. Watts is the amount of power it's using not how loud something is. Your 100w Marshall would sound half as loud as a 60w Fender Deville. You may have to try some stuff out to see what works best for you. You have two choices though to get your sound louder:

1: Mic your current amp up through a PA.
2: Get a different amp with higher db SPL's (Decibels in Sound Pressure Levels.)