Denon Axis Speaker Range

[Casual77]

Does anyone have anyone have any experience of the Denon Axis range of speakers and subwoofers?

I've been thinking about getting a small compact set-up with 8" tops and 12" subs and came across these. It looks like they only came out last year so I'm assuming it's too early for them to be discontinued but Why Buy New are selling them off really cheap. The set up I want with 8" tops and 12" subs is £849 down from £1,999! The spec looks pretty good to me with 1000W RMS and 125dB SPL and at that price I'm definitely tempted. I've had a look round at other online sellers and the original prices look to be genuine. The 8" tops alone are £562.70 each on Thomann and the subs are £659 each so the set-up would cost over £2,400 from there. I know the cube shape won't be everyone's cup of tea but is there anything else I'm missing?

[musicology]

Get in the mix are doing a great deal on these too http://www.getinthemix.com/sound-pa/speakers/active/?brand_0=denon
I'm amazed to see the axis12 full range goes down to 38hz!

[Casual77]

Get in the mix are doing a great deal on these too http://www.getinthemix.com/sound-pa/speakers/active/?brand_0=denon
I'm amazed to see the axis12 full range goes down to 38hz!

Yes I noticed them on there but it looks as though Why Buy New and Get in the Mix are either the same company or belong to the same group.

I can only assume that people haven't gone for these because Denon doesn't have any pedigree in the active PA speaker market. I'm thinking I might buy the setup tomorrow on interest free credit and give them a go though. I've had plenty of Denon DJ gear in the past and had no issues with the quality so I'm assuming they will be a good buy and seems a good deal for the money.

[Sapphire Disco]

I spoke to a major disco retailer about these he told me they were crap and I would be much better off with RCF 10s and a single sub , he could have sold them to me as he had them in stock but he wanted to keep me as a customer.

[Casual77]

I spoke to a major disco retailer about these he told me they were crap and I would be much better off with RCF 10s and a single sub , he could have sold them to me as he had them in stock but he wanted to keep me as a customer.

Well that's one review to bear in mind and in fairness I'm struggling to find many other reviews.

It would be interesting to know whether 'crap' is relative to the full retail price or whether he would consider them a reasonable buy at the reduced price. I'm assuming I wouldn't be able to buy a pair of 10" RCFs and an RCF sub for £850 and I'm particularly wanting 8" tops and 12" subs from a portability perspective. I was fancying the Yamaha DXS12 subs with DXR8s but that lot would set me back nearly three times as much as these Denons

[Casual77]

Hits harder than the 12" RCF sub
I just got is yesterday from PSSL and after running it for 5 minutes I wanted another one. They are sold out and told me they were not getting anymore. Bummer. I ran it last night while I was DJing at a local club side by side to the RCF702 and it was way louder before clipping. Funny thing also is the gain knobs, On the Denon I had to keep it at 10 o'clock position and the RCF was at 3 to be equal. I paid 386 for the Denon and 600 for the RCF, the Denon is a no brainer kick butt winner. I wish I could buy another for the same price.
July 7, 2016
DJ Lix

Just came across this review and I suppose it just goes to show that every different person can have a different view on something as subjective as how good a speaker sounds.

I'm still tempted to give these a go but if I do I will have to do it blind because I won't be able to have a demo before I buy. I suppose the question for me is whether they would be better than the pair of Alto Tsub12s and pair of W Audio PSR8As that I currently own. Based on the specs and my previous experience of Denon I suspect they would be by some distance even if they aren't up to Yamaha or RCF quality.

[Sapphire Disco]

Why don't you get the DXR 8 first you can't go wrong with those then trade up your subs later although Yamaha DXS12 is quite a big heavy lump for a 12" sub.

[Casual77]

Why don't you get the DXR 8 first you can't go wrong with those then trade up your subs later although Yamaha DXS12 is quite a big heavy lump for a 12" sub.

I think that is where I'd like to get to eventually but I'll probably have to work my way up to it because I can't justify £900+ at the moment for a pair of DXR8s. With this Denon deal I would be able to sell on my pair of Alto subs and put the money towards which would make the £850 do-able. I figured the 8" tops would be fine for my smaller gigs and for larger gigs I could switch the 8" tops for my Yamaha DBR12s. I've used the DBR12s with the Alto subs to reasonable effect and I'm assuming the Denon subs would produce a noticeably better sound and look a bit nicer too.

[Pe7e]

Does anyone have anyone have any experience of the Denon Axis range of speakers and subwoofers?


I haven't yet but it does seem like an incredible deal, I honestly can't imagine Denon risking their reputation by selling utter rubbish, but then again Mackie did with the 'Thumps' so who knows? I personally think it's worth the risk, and have just purchased the 12" Axis tops and the 12" subs package from get in the mix @ just under £900 complete with poles and cables, they would have to be pretty awful for me to be disappointed at that price. From personal experience I've observed clients are far less critical of sound systems than DJs themselves are, provided the sound system is 'reasonable' and not over driven. I should get delivery on Wednesday so assuming they arrive on schedule and I have the time, I'll post my initial opinion of them Wed evening. Thanks for the 'heads up'

[Casual77]

I haven't yet but it does seem like an incredible deal, I honestly can't imagine Denon risking their reputation by selling utter rubbish, but then again Mackie did with the 'Thumps' so who knows? I personally think it's worth the risk, and have just purchased the 12" Axis tops and the 12" subs package from get in the mix @ just under £900 complete with poles and cables, they would have to be pretty awful for me to be disappointed at that price. From personal experience I've observed clients are far less critical of sound systems than DJs themselves are, provided the sound system is 'reasonable' and not over driven. I should get delivery on Wednesday so assuming they arrive on schedule and I have the time, I'll post my initial opinion of them Wed evening. Thanks for the 'heads up'

I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts and I'll hold fire until I get your review. I can imagine at the full retail price of over £2k there would be other better options but at £900 it is almost a case of buy the tops and get the subs, poles and cables for free.

I'll look forward to reading your report.

[rth_discos]

I think that is where I'd like to get to eventually but I'll probably have to work my way up to it because I can't justify £900+ at the moment for a pair of DXR8s. With this Denon deal I would be able to sell on my pair of Alto subs and put the money towards which would make the £850 do-able.

I'm not sure of the benefit of keep trading up one small step at a time.

I bite the bullet early on and bought the RCF Evox 8 at the very beginning, and it's the one bit of kit I bought that I've never felt the need to look at replacing.

Long term, it's going to save me a lot of money, compared to if I'd bought budget speakers at the beginning and then kept slowly upgrading them a small step at a time.

Plus that are the ultimate in portability!

[Casual77]

I'm not sure of the benefit of keep trading up one small step at a time.

I bite the bullet early on and bought the RCF Evox 8 at the very beginning, and it's the one bit of kit I bought that I've never felt the need to look at replacing.

Long term, it's going to save me a lot of money, compared to if I'd bought budget speakers at the beginning and then kept slowly upgrading them a small step at a time.

Plus that are the ultimate in portability!


Yeah, I hear what you are saying and I don't disagree in principle. I just have to be careful though because this is still largely just a part-time hobby job for me so I can't over-commit financially.

The appeal of this Denon set-up really comes down to the fact that it isn't a budget set-up. If I bought this set-up from Thomann or most other retailers that sell them it would set me back more than a pair of Evox 8s but under this deal I get tops and subs for less than the price of a single second-hand Evox 8 with no warranty.

I've had a good look around and all the reviews I can find for the Denon Axis speakers are largely favourable which suggests that it is probably half decent. I'm still 50/50 at the moment but if Pe7e comes back with a favourable report I might be seriously tempted to give it a go.

[TONYTIGER]

I am surprised you cant find any reviews,i know that Pro Mobile had a full review in issue 76 and there are quite a few on the internet.

[Excalibur]

. It looks like they only came out last year so I'm assuming it's too early for them to be discontinued

In my initial searches someone suggested exactly that they may be. Many folk pointed out the similarities with the Mackie cabs we saw at Coalville.

The ones that spontaneously self destructed.

Thus, they won't be on my shopping list.

I guess they're not aimed at the same work as the little Maui 5 cabs, so I'm struggling to come up with anything else offering similar performance on paper at a similar price. Knowing the subs you have, I'd be inclined to go either for Yamaha DXR 8, or DBR 10 above them. Sadly, not the cheapest option.

[Casual77]

The ones that spontaneously self destructed.

I must have missed that one Peter. Can you fill me in?


Knowing the subs you have...

Based on technical specs alone wouldn't you expect the Denon subwoofers to blow my Alto Tsub12s out of the water?

[Nakatomi]

I must have missed that one Peter. Can you fill me in?
They plugged em in & one just blew up straight off the bat. The remaining one sounded ok for a cubic box but only just.

Fwiw I saw the whybuynew deal on these speakers too. Then I looked closely & saw they were the denons. Pro tip: if something looks too good to be true it probably is.

I wouldn't waste my money on these.

Consider this: they're so cheap because they're discontinued. So what if they need any warranty work done on them? Not that they come with a very long warranty mind.

[yourdj]

8" tops for my Yamaha DBR12s. I've used the DBR12s

i always think if its too cheap then there must be something wrong with it. Denon do not have a pedigree in sound, but as someone else said they surely would not risk selling crap on their first venture? Perhaps they have changed their mind and given up, so these need to be sold fast?? I am not a fan of the large square tops either, when every other speaker is going slim now. Looks like something from the 90's.

Having said that would 10 inch DBR's be an option? I have bought an 8 inch 124spl 'PRO' speaker from Thomann (£160), and although I have not fully tested it, using it at events alongside my other speakers, I don't think its loud enough even for ceremonies, compared to my 12 DBR (I may be wrong). I will find out on Sat as I am setting up in a large room early. The previous times the wedding breakfast as in the other room, so I could not open it up. :)


Pro tip: if something looks too good to be true it probably is.

Totally. But if they are as cheap as a crap makes speakers I can bet they are better.
My guess is it has not sold so the retailers are just trying to shift them at almost cost to get rid of them asap.
A few people have said that they are probably Mackie DLM's in disguise, but thats hearsay. They did it with Tapco.

[Nakatomi]

They might very well be Tapco made but isn't Tapco owned by the same parent company as Mackie?

Laws of physics dictate their specs are lying as per usual. Trust only your ears & an SPL meter.

At BPM I took in a couple of big rig demos. Even they peaked at 'only' 122dB

[Casual77]

I'm still a bit torn on this at the moment. I realise that Denon don't have any pedigree within the PA speaker market but I've owned plenty of their products over the years from hi-fi separates to CDJs to midi controllers and they have always struck me as being a brand synonymous with good build quality and reliability.

I spoke with the head guy at Why Buy New yesterday and he said that sales of the range had not gone well, largely due to a lack of marketing, and that Denon had decided to discontinue the product to focus on their core product ranges. Looking at the RRPs it is hardly surprising that sales weren't great because anyone looking to spend upwards of £500 on a speaker or subwoofer would naturally gravitate towards the more well known PA brands with longstanding reputations. Why Buy New/Get in the Mix decided to buy up all the remaining UK stock and got a good deal on the job lot enabling them to sell them on at attractive knock-down prices. I asked him what he thought about the quality and he said that they were very good and that you wouldn't be able to get a PA system of comparable quality without spending double the money (but then I suppose he would say that).

My current position is that I have a pair of DBR12s which I am more than happy with and a pair of back up Proel Flash 12" actives which are really decent speakers but not as good as the Yamahas so they don't ever get used. It seems a shame to have such a good pair of speakers gathering dust at home and I really fancy the idea of a smaller more compact set-up that will fit in the boot of my car without feeling that I'm giving my clients a sub-standard sound experience. I've thought about line array systems but I'm not sure which if any within my budget would offer the sound quality and volume I'd want so I was thinking that 8" tops and 12" subs would probably be a better option for me. That would hopefully give me a back up system that would get used on occasion.

Justin - I get your point about there only being a 12 month warranty but that doesn't cause me major concern. I tend to buy a lot of my equipment second hand so I'm used to having no warranty at all. And, again I do place a certain amount of trust in the Denon brand based on my previous experience of it. As for being wary about the offer being too good to be true... well I would generally agree but in this case the story stacks up. WBN bought in bulk and so are able to sell at a heavily reduced price to compensate for the fact that people will be deterred by a discontinued product and they are still selling at full price at other reputable retailers. The question I ask myself is, could I buy anything new with warranty for comparable money that would perform as well or better, and I honestly don't think I could. Don't get me wrong, given the choice I would go for the Yamaha DXR8s and DXS12s every time but I just don't have the extra £1,200 on top of the £850 that they would cost me.

Toby - I suspect that the DBR10s would do the job nicely paired with some 12" subs and would be considerably cheaper than the DXR8s. My issue is that they wouldn't be all that much smaller than the DBR12s and therefore not much more portable and probably still wouldn't give me the 'boot of my car' set up that I'm looking for. I think if I got the DBR10s I would still end up taking the DBR12s

Pe7e strikes me as someone who has a good knowledge of speakers and their capabilities given that he runs a dry hire company and owns numerous different brands of speaker. I will wait for his report and factor that into any decision I make. In the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions of anything else in the same financial ballpark that I should consider as an alternative I'd be very interested to hear them.

[yourdj]

Toby - I suspect that the DBR10s would do the job nicely paired with some 12" subs and would be considerably cheaper than the DXR8s. My issue is that they wouldn't be all that much smaller than the DBR12s and therefore not much more portable and probably still wouldn't give me the 'boot of my car' set up that I'm looking for. I think if I got the DBR10s I would still end up taking the DBR12s

That was my problem as I considered them, but they are not much smaller, but noticeably lighter. Why they did not do an 8 I don't know as it would be perfect for lots of other non DJ applications, such as a fitness instructor. DXR is such a jump in price, but I will consider one if my other 8 is not up to it. RCF 8 inch, or are they too expensive?? Great specs and a reputable brand. That would be my first choice for cost and looks.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/rcf_art_708_a_mk_ii.htm

18079

[Casual77]

A DBR8 for around £300 would be ideal. Do you think if we begged Yamaha they would consider bringing one out?

The RCF 708 does look like a definite possibility though. Its just a shame that the RCF 12" sub is so expensive at £700+ making a 2 subs and 2 tops set-up still come in at over £2,000.

Would any of the line array systems offer anything comparable to this kind of set-up at a cheaper cost? I can't say I know anything much about them having only heard a few. I'm assuming you would generally go with a pair of them rather than a single unit unless you were playing just ceremony or background music?

[DJColsie]

I have bought 2 RCF 708a mk2s. Not used them in anger yet but initial indoor trials very positive. Very clear and detailed with acceptable controlled but not earth shattering bass.

Will be gigged for the first time on 28th and 29th of this month with my RCF 902a's

If I was looking for a cheap, small light sub to pair them with I with (which I am considering) I would go with one of these.

http://www.whybuynew.co.uk/sound-pa/speakers/active/alto-ts212s-powered-active-subwoofer.htm

or these

http://www.whybuynew.co.uk/sound-pa/speakers/active/electrovoice-zxa1-sub-12-active-800-watt-subwoofer.htm

The EV's are exception for the size and weight, really really nice sound. Not heard the new Alto's

[Casual77]

I have bought 2 RCF 708a mk2s. Not used them in anger yet but initial indoor trials very positive. Very clear and detailed with acceptable controlled but not earth shattering bass.

Will be gigged for the first time on 28th and 29th of this month with my RCF 902a's

If I was looking for a cheap, small light sub to pair them with I with (which I am considering) I would go with one of these.

http://www.whybuynew.co.uk/sound-pa/speakers/active/alto-ts212s-powered-active-subwoofer.htm

or these

http://www.whybuynew.co.uk/sound-pa/speakers/active/electrovoice-zxa1-sub-12-active-800-watt-subwoofer.htm

The EV's are exception for the size and weight, really really nice sound. Not heard the new Alto's

The Alto TS212S sub does seem like a reasonable step up from the Alto Tsub12s that I currently own but then when I follow the link and look at what other subs Why Buy New offer I find myself asking whether the Denon 12S sub for £239 is a better option than the Alto TS212S for £299. Am I right in thinking that since Denon was bought out by Numark who also own Alto that they would be coming out of the same stable anyway?

The EV subs look nice but I think I would feel inclined to pair them up with the 8" EV tops rather than the RCFs purely for aesthetics reasons.

[Pe7e]

Pe7e strikes me as someone who has a good knowledge of speakers and their capabilities given that he runs a dry hire company and owns numerous different brands of speaker. I will wait for his report and factor that into any decision I make.

Thank you for the vote of confidence, but what I think can only be my opinion, and due to the nature of my operation, my priorities may be different from yours. Sound is a very personal thing what I may like, might not ring your bell, if you can, listen to what ever you intend to buy if at all feasible. Also take into account you clients will be far less critical of your sound than you will, provided of course it's decent quality equipment, in good repair, and not being over driven.

On to the mini review, on unpacking it was obvious the speakers had been produced for the higher end of the market, there's nothing about them that screams cheap and cheerful, they have a good build quality that looks to have been designed to last. I like the design of the subs more than the tops, but they are growing on me by the second, I've just not owned square tops before.

First to be connected up were the tops, I wanted to see what they could do without the subs and I was duly impressed with their output. To my surprise they can certainly compare with SRM450 Mackies on their own, I wasn't really expecting that. IMO they would easily cope with a party of 80 or so guests, and probably more, but I don't like to run speakers hard, they last longer that way (and sound better)

Next step was to connect the subs into the system using the 'high pass' option into the tops, the PA was turned on and another surprise, the amount of chest pounding bass they can produce defies their size, they're incredibly powerful, as another post mentioned they had to turn down the gain to 10 o'clock, I also did the same, plus took a bit off the bass EQ before I could turn the desk volume higher. I can't imagine anyone needing to use the subs anywhere near their potential, just one would be adequate for most situations I've ever come across where I'd take 12" speakers to.

To summarise I wanted a compact PA with a small footprint that would fit easily into an average car with space to spare for a Gigabar and a player. It also needed to be capable of playing to an audience of 60 - 80 guests and provide a full 'Disco' sound, and not be only suitable for a retirement party gig or background music. It also needed to be at a price that would allow me to achieve a decent ROI at an attractive hire fee. Personally I think the 2 x 12 + 2 x 12S Denon Axis system exceeds these requirements by a margin on all counts, I'm delighted with them, so much so, after I picked myself up from being blown over, I purchased another pair this afternoon before they sell out, they are such a bargain IMO.

There is one slight concern I have however, and some may not see this as a problem, the amp modules in both the tops and the subs are awesomely powerful and I fear they could give the drivers a good rodgering in the wrong hands, despite the on board protection circuits. I'll need to be careful as to who I allow to hire them, 18s and 21s parties will be off the accepted list.

Finally, back to the original question, do I recommend them to Casual77 ? well he needs to make his own mind up after taking the opinion of others into consideration, but I certainly wouldn't try to put him off. If purchased from 'Get in the Mix' you can buy an additional 2 years guarantee for a little under £90 giving you 3 years cover for under 59p a week if the fact they're a discontinued item worries you. I would suggest if Casual77 does go with the Denon's, get the 12" tops not the 8", the 12" tops are only 15" cubed, the space/weight you would save with the 8" would be insignificant compared with the extra flexibility the 12"s would provide you with, and you would be far less likely to damage the drivers if you were to get a bit over enthusiastic some night when the party's rocking.

[Casual77]

Thanks for taking the time to write that review Pe7e. It's much appreciated. Whilst I agree that sound perception is very subjective and one person's 'excellent' might only be another person's 'OK', I don't think for a second that I would have any major complaints with any sound that you consider to be good. To be honest your review was very much in line with what I was expecting you to say. Whilst I won't buy them simply on the back of your report I can honestly say that if you had thought they were terrible I would certainly have been put off buying them.

I also take on board your point about getting the 12" tops instead of the 8"s due to the dimensions not being all that much bigger. Looking at the specs the 12" tops would be considerably smaller than my DBR12s and, as you say, would offer more flexibility than the 8"s.

At this point I'm definitely swaying towards giving them a go. I just need to decide whether the extra 2 years warranty is worth paying an additional £90 for. Did you take up this option?

Out of interest, does anyone who advised against these being a worthwhile purchase think differently on reading Pe7e's positive report?

[Excalibur]

? I have bought an 8 inch 124spl 'PRO' speaker from Thomann (£160), and although I have not fully tested it, using it at events alongside my other speakers, I don't think its loud enough even for ceremonies, compared to my 12 DBR (I may be wrong).
At which point, I have to say that might the more expensive option of DXR8 or DBR10 have been a better investment? I've had W Audio PSR8s, and from the off their limitations were obvious.





I've thought about line array systems but I'm not sure which if any within my budget would offer the sound quality and volume I'd want so I was thinking that 8" tops and 12" subs would probably be a better option for me. That would hopefully give me a back up system that would get used on occasion.
If you want 8" tops, why change your subs? :confused: One of the Alto 12s used to outclass two Alto TS210 with ease. Just stick RCF ( £720 ) or Yamaha ( £1,000 ) over them, and you'll have a rig with a proven track record.



Justin - I get your point about there only being a 12 month warranty but that doesn't cause me major concern. I tend to buy a lot of my equipment second hand so I'm used to having no warranty at all. And, again I do place a certain amount of trust in the Denon brand based on my previous experience of it.
I think you're missing the point. Second hand kit like RCF 310, or Denon X-500 are widely regarded as bulletproof, and with a spares backup including secondhand. I wouldn't have confidence in kit which didn't sell well, was discontinued shortly after launch, and may well have issues if repairs are needed.




. In the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions of anything else in the same financial ballpark that I should consider as an alternative I'd be very interested to hear them.
I know one secondhand rig for well under £500 which would blow the Denons out of the water. Only two snags. Firstly the cabs need stripping to bare wod and repainting with Tuffcab. Secondly, the PV2600 that drives them is :Censored: heavy.
What cabs, I hear you cry? W Audio Epics, 10" subs and tops. Amazing performance.




Would any of the line array systems offer anything comparable to this kind of set-up at a cheaper cost?
No. Next question please.
My beloved Maui 5 is £1000 per pair with bags from Thomann, and the 11 is £1200. Hand on heart, I wouldn't expect them to match this Denon rig for power.


I can't say I know anything much about them having only heard a few. I'm assuming you would generally go with a pair of them rather than a single unit unless you were playing just ceremony or background music?
That's the beauty. Use one or both.

The Corabars sing the praises of the Maui 28, but that's more expensive still, as is the Curv. Pe7e I think bought an 11, I'd be keen to know how he'd compare that to one side of the Denon. :confused:

EDIT: Pe7e bought a 28. Still be keen to hear how it matches up against Denon.

[Casual77]

Pe7e I think bought an 11, I'd be keen to know how he'd compare that to one side of the Denon. :confused:


I'd be interested in Pe7e's thoughts on that too. I noticed the edit about him actually having bought the 28 but I could potentially buy a new pair of Maui 11s for under a grand which would make them comparable to the cost of the Denon system. I presume that if the 28 wouldn't match the performance then the cheaper 11 wouldn't either.

Peter, would you consider that higher powered 12" subs wouldn't offer enough extra benefit over the Alto Tsub12s to justify the extra cost? Would you not consider the Denon 12s an upgrade on the Altos?

[Excalibur]

I'd be interested in Pe7e's thoughts on that too. I noticed the edit about him actually having bought the 28 but I could potentially buy a new pair of Maui 11s for under a grand which would make them comparable to the cost of the Denon system. I presume that if the 28 wouldn't match the performance then the cheaper 11 wouldn't either.
How much? With bags? Note that Pe7e didn't like the 11s due to physical size.


Peter, would you consider that higher powered 12" subs wouldn't offer enough extra benefit over the Alto Tsub12s to justify the extra cost?
Let me put it another way. Do you ever feel your subs are underpowered/underperforming? I never did, and I only had ( needed ) one. What benefit will louder ones give?


Would you not consider the Denon 12s an upgrade on the Altos?
Considering the phone conversation I've just had with someone about them, most definitely not. Pe7e's reports of his experiences with these things is becoming of the utmost importance. :)

[Casual77]

How much? With bags? Note that Pe7e didn't like the 11s due to physical size.


Let me put it another way. Do you ever feel your subs are underpowered/underperforming? I never did, and I only had ( needed ) one. What benefit will louder ones give?


Considering the phone conversation I've just had with someone about them, most defiknitely not. Pe7e's reports of his experiences with these things is becoming of the utmost importance. :)


Gear4Music appear to be selling the Maui 11 for £480 each but I'm not sure if that includes the bags or not.

I'm not sure what benefit louder ones would give. A richer sound maybe? I just assumed there must be some reason why people would spend more money on higher powered subs but I admit I haven't heard enough to answer that question.

Are you able to enlighten me regarding the phone conversation?

[yourdj]

A DBR8 for around £300 would be ideal. Do you think if we begged Yamaha they would consider bringing one out?


I don't see why not, it can be hard to convert the DXR in to a DBR.
Perhaps we should ask them? I think a lot of people would find that a handy little speaker.



At which point, I have to say that might the more expensive option of DXR8 or DBR10 have been a better investment? I've had W Audio PSR8s, and from the off their limitations were obvious.

We shall see on Sat when i test them in a big room. I have only used them on full when my other PA was also on. :)
For £160 it's not a problem really as I can still use them Wish the RCF's had bass and treble as i would have bought them tbh.

I will go DXR8 if not as the only reason I wanted one was for the size benefits of not carting about my 12 inch. :)

[Nakatomi]

Gear4Music appear to be selling the Maui 11 for £480 each but I'm not sure if that includes the bags or not.

I'm not sure what benefit louder ones would give. A richer sound maybe? I just assumed there must be some reason why people would spend more money on higher powered subs but I admit I haven't heard enough to answer that question.

Are you able to enlighten me regarding the phone conversation?

If the Denon speakers sound as much like the Mackie DLM12s as they look, they're a bag o' :Censored:

[Pe7e]

The Corabars sing the praises of the Maui 28, but that's more expensive still, as is the Curv. Pe7e I think bought an 11, I'd be keen to know how he'd compare that to one side of the Denon. :confused:

EDIT: Pe7e bought a 28. Still be keen to hear how it matches up against Denon.

Slight correction, I was looking at the Maui 5, Maui 11, Maui 28 and the Curve for the same type of scenario that I've just bought the 2 Denon PA's for i.e. big sound when needed, small footprint, easy to transport and carry, and able to easily fit into a average car with room to spare. I passed on the Maui 5s after watching the Phase One video after questions were raised on the output, I rejected the Curve on it's limited output and the fact I judged as being easily broken and a bit fragile for my purpose (people don't always take care with your equipment), and the 11's were too long to fit across the back seat of a car, I eventually PM'd Steve for his opinion, he owns Maui 28s but suggested a Maui 28 Mix would be the best choice. I followed his advice and bought one, it's a great bit of kit, I love it, but I had a fair few customers rejecting it in favour of two cabs on tripods, they couldn't seem to get their heads round a single colombe on a sub even if it did contain 16 speakers + 2 x 10" subs and 3 amps. The ones that did take my advice loved the Maui 28 Mix and were amazed at the sound it was capable of, but I needed to find something else for the others, which I have now found with the Denon PA.

On to the comparison of the two, if I was recommending kit for a smart cocktail party were music was required, but not so loud the guests couldn't talk to each other without shouting or sign language I would unreservedly go for the Maui 28 Mix, it would be ideal, the sound is more refined and the wide even distribution of it is almost magical.
If the event was for a lively bunch who wanted get down and boogie to a nice clear sound with a decent bass beat it would have to be the Denon PA by a country mile.
Comparing one side of the Denon with the Maui 28 Mix, the sound output of the Denon wins hands down, the sub is far more powerful. Where the Maui comes into its own, is in its subtle musical refinement and distribution, for this it's very very good. To summarise, if it's a meeting /talking disco it's the Maui 28 that wins, if it's a dancing disco it's the Denons that wins hands down.

Casual77 At this point I'm definitely swaying towards giving them a go. I just need to decide whether the extra 2 years warranty is worth paying an additional £90 for. Did you take up this option?

No, as I said earlier my requirements are different to most mobile DJs and if the Denons proved to have inherent problems (the guarantee gives me a 12 month window to decide on this) they would be moved on before the guarantee ran out. Unfortunately I don't have a crystal ball so can only make the initial buy decision based on experience and judgement, I've got it wrong in the past and will make mistakes again in the future no doubt, but I don't make many, and consider my judgement to be sound. Sometimes to win you need to take the odd calculated risk. If after examining and trying the speakers out, I thought they were a risky buy, I wouldn't have bought a second set this afternoon. Regarding your guarantee question, I use to buy a lot of stuff from Thomann because of the free 3 year guarantee whether I would have paid for a guarantee on top of the price is a different matter, I don't think I would have, I can put up with the bit of risk that others worry about. As I said previously, the biggest potential problem I can see is the huge power the amps seem capable of producing, but if it's your hands on the throttle it shouldn't present a issue, and maybe the built in protection circuits will prove to be better than I'm giving them credit for.

[Casual77]

Thanks again Pe7e. Like you, I think I'm prepared to take a calculated risk and my gut feeling is that this is probably one worth taking. If it turns out to be the wrong decision then £900 spread over 10 months interest-free less whatever I could recoup for them on eBay wouldn't be a devastating blow. If I manage to get a few years use out of them and nothing more than that then I will feel as though they don't really owe me anything.

As much as I value and respect the opinions of all contributors to this thread I have to place greatest store in the opinion of the person who has just bought two sets and sound tested them himself today.

All that said.... I'm still not 100% convinced I will make the purchase tomorrow.

Ps. Peter if there is something definite you know that should deter me from making a purchase please could you drop me a private message. Thanks

[Excalibur]

Thanks again Pe7e. Like you, I think I'm prepared to take a calculated risk and my gut feeling is that this is probably one worth taking.

No problem. If they're still working in February, bring 'em to Coalville. ( Wayne, it's the 19th, don't know if I mentioned that. :) ) We'll run 'em up against Wayne's Yamahas, and my Maui 5. There'll likely be a C-Ray there as well, hopefully.

[Imagine]

No problem. If they're still working in February, bring 'em to Coalville. ( Wayne, it's the 19th, don't know if I mentioned that. :) ) We'll run 'em up against Wayne's Yamahas, and my Maui 5. There'll likely be a C-Ray there as well, hopefully.

I've booked it as a day off...you'll get to play with my Yammy's Peter ;)

[Casual77]

No problem. If they're still working in February, bring 'em to Coalville. ( Wayne, it's the 19th, don't know if I mentioned that. :) ) We'll run 'em up against Wayne's Yamahas, and my Maui 5. There'll likely be a C-Ray there as well, hopefully.

I've not done Coalville yet but I certainly plan to next year and if I get the Denons I will certainly bring them along. Please could you let me know the date and I'll make sure I keep the day free. I'd be keen to check out the DXR8s myself.

[Nakatomi]

I've not done Coalville yet but I certainly plan to next year and if I get the Denons I will certainly bring them along. Please could you let me know the date and I'll make sure I keep the day free. I'd be keen to check out the DXR8s myself.

19th February 2017

[Excalibur]

I've not done Coalville yet but I certainly plan to next year and if I get the Denons I will certainly bring them along. Please could you let me know the date and I'll make sure I keep the day free.

Ahem. Two posts ago.


bring 'em to Coalville. ( Wayne, it's the 19th, don't know if I mentioned that. :) ) .


I've booked it as a day off...you'll get to play with my Yammy's Peter ;)
Two edged sword. Nice to hear them, but be prepared for floods of tears :cry: when I realise I can't afford to buy a similar rig.

Would have loved to hear the DXR8 over the Alto 12 subs. Now that would have been educational.

[Casual77]

Ahem. Two posts ago.


Oh yes.... might help if I had read the post more carefully.



Two edged sword. Nice to hear them, but be prepared for floods of tears :cry: when I realise I can't afford to buy a similar rig.

Would have loved to hear the DXR8 over the Alto 12 subs. Now that would have been educational.


I might have a pair available for sale if you are really keen to give that a go.

[yourdj]

A DBR8 for around £300 would be ideal. Do you think if we begged Yamaha they would consider bringing one out?

Computer said NO. :(

Dear Mr Oakley,

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the DXR and DBR series speakers; we are glad to hear that you are a fan of these lines.

Following the successful launch of the DXR, we were able to study our results quite closely and build a business plan for the more affordable DBR series. These‎ were only ever made economically possible to us due to the success of DXR range, but sadly based on customer demand and cost of manufacture it was not a viable option to produce an 8inch model in the DBR range.

I'm very sorry for this but hope you can understand our reasons.

I hope this helps and thank you for contacting Yamaha Music Europe GmbH (UK).

Kind Regards,

Alison Osborn

Best Regards

Your Yamaha Customer Service Team

( helpLine Connectivity )

[Casual77]

Hmmm.... that's a shame. I'm glad you asked the question though.