Does My Band Need a Floor Monitor?

How much is it going to cost me to make sure I can hear myself at my next gig?

These are the two biggest questions we get when it comes to Floor, Stage, and Studio Monitors.

In our opinion you can never have to many floor monitors.  You can purchase the old faithful wedge style monitors or the rectangular style monitors.  Most floor monitors come in a 12" speaker cabinet or a 15" speaker cabinet.  Seismic Audio also carries a 10" version of the floor monitors.  Usually in each stage monitor you will find a high frequency driver to go along with the speaker.  Hence the name 2-way speaker.  All of the Seismic Audio monitors have a speaker and a horn.  Basically, monitors are used for hearing yourself on stage, especially for vocals.  Not only would you use monitors on stage, but you would want them for studio use as well.  Floor monitors, stage monitors, studio monitors, it is all the same thing.

Ideally each member of the band would have his or her own monitor or maybe even two floor monitors.  An elaborate (and expensive) pa monitor system with its own mixing board and amplifiers can even provide each band mate with their own customized mix.  The big band names carry their own engineers to manage their monitors, in addition to a FOH (front of the house) engineering crew that handles the sound the audience hears.  Since Seismic Audio is all about catering to the struggling musician on a budget, we will stick to the basics of what a floor or stage monitor does and consists of.  The everyday working band will simply be running their floor monitors from the "Monitor Outs" of their mixing boards, and will have a few less options than the big and famous bands.  Since having a reliable monitor mix is crucial to hearing yourself on stage and sounding great to the audience, it is important to buy a reliable pa monitor system.  Besides you want to be one of those big bands in the future, so you want to sound good now as well to get your name out there.  Be sure to give Seismic Audio a "Shout Out" when you make it.

How many watts a floor monitor can handle is something to consider.  The more wattage you have the easier it will be to hear yourself over the venue sound.  A typical stage monitor will handle 100-300 watts of input power.  Sometimes a little more and sometimes a little less.  If your band is loud, get yourself a high powered monitor.  Softer acts can get away with a less powerful stage monitor.

You can also pick up powered monitors.  Seismic Audio only sells passive monitors at this time.  These are the un-powered stage monitors.  Power monitors are great, but if the amp goes out, the speakers go out.  And vice verse.  With passive monitors, if the amp goes you can always plug your monitor into another amplifier.

A typical big brand name "Box Company" floor monitor is going to run you $150-$600.  Most of this cost is middle man mark up and paying for the name (that $1 logo printed on the front of the speaker monitor.)  However, Seismic Audio Speakers is different.  We cater to the struggling musician, rely on bulk sells to make our money, and we have no middle man.  You can pick up a pair of monitors, not just one, but a pair of floor monitors for $100-$275 from us.  If you don't like them, we will buy them back from you.  We have designed all of our monitors to be effective floor monitors and studio monitors.

Checkout our 10" Stage Monitors, 12" Stage Monitors, and 15" Stage Monitors.
Or view all our PA Floor Monitors.

If you have require any technical help or advice about floor monitors, send us an email or call 901.363.6030.