I was about to say, i've not come across an XLR amp-cab connection before in the guitar and bass world. 1/4" or Speakon only.

Seems like a curious choice for the speaker out, Alex...

^ +1 to what Bill & Andy said.

If you crank your amp and then attenuate the nuts off it, it isn't going to sound a whole lot different to simply turning the MV down. The Orange AD amps master volume isn't too bad.

Thanks guys. Was thinking acoustic so I could play unplugged, but with scope for adding a pickup - probably a soundboard transducer so it still sounds like a mandolin (more so than those with an e.guitar pickup). Happy to fit the SBT myself. I'm happy to spend up to £200 for a decent unflashy model....

Ok, if i'm looking for a mandolin to pick up (used or new - not fussed), what's a decent workmanlike one to look out for?

I've got little idea what's good and what's not, and what sort of budget I should be thinking of.

Yeah, make sure you get something to run into the speaker - a little mixer is best. His 4 channel probably won't have a swept midband, and that's the most powerful tool on the desk for making sure you don't feedback, and sweetening the tone. It'll help a LOT with the violin if you mic that. You don'...

I'd agree with what Andy said. Personally, I wouldn't use Behringer speakers. There are odds and ends which they do that are good, but speakers aren't their forte (IMO).

What have you got to spend?

You need a mixing desk, some cables and some speakers - that's the short story. In a bit more detail, you can work out how many channels you need from a mixing desk and buy something appropriate. Sounds like you want an 8 channel desk, minimum. Make sure you get something with at least 3 band EQ, wh...

Give 'em an in ear monitor...

Depends how loud your sound stage is... If you can isolate a bit, a condenser would be nice, but if you're going with normal volume live gigs, get a good dynamic mic with high gain before feedback and get it as close to the body as you can. The share betas would be a good choice, or any similar opti...

Thunder or Rocker series

They're cheap tarted up copies - i've seen a few of them in the UK. Don't know that they're particularly bad or anything, just not that great. They're one of those, 'you get what you pay for' guitar brands.

Looks enormous too. I play a Sansamp!

Matamp do a great version of it on their 1224 amps, and could make it work excellently. It's a single channel amp, but has an overdrive circuit which you can switch in. So I used to defeat the master without the o/d on for my clean sound, then bring the MV back in and click in the o/d channel for di...

Blob of blu-tak should pick up most of them if pressed against them.

Acoustic guitar recording and acoustic guitar live are two very different bunnies though...