Powered Speakers Reliability.

[Zog]

Powered speakers are popular these days. They are compact and easy(ish) to set up and use, BUT, are they reliable.

Commentators on powered speakers list the following about potential vulnerabilities.

1. Vibration of internal parts such as electronic components that may cause damage and failure, caused by the speaker.

2. Overheating of the internals, as ventilation is poor and most heat generated by the internals can not escape easily, especially with the internal wadding acting like a blanket.

Any thoughts on this please.

Zog.

[Excalibur]

Once upon a time, I would have shared your misgivings. Nowadays, as long as you avoid certain known problematic models, they're as reliable as the amps that drive passive cabs.
Thus, I now run actives, not passive.

[DJ Jules]

My 12 year old active RCFs haven't skipped a beat.

Even the Alto TS212s are still running, despite going through a number of tweeters in their life. The only failure I've had has been the amp module in a FBT J8, but I have 4 of these and only one has had this issue.

I would, however, say that they have their place. For mobile gigs they're an accepted part of normal life, for installs where speakers are often placed in hot dusty corners near the ceiling and aren't often maintained, passive speakers and amp racks are probably the better option.

[Excalibur]

Even the Alto TS212s are still running, despite going through a number of tweeters in their life.

Ah yes, but:


The main/usual cause of failure, especially with lower quality cabs, is people buying a box with a sticker on the front saying " 10 Gigawatts of awesome power " or similar, and winding everything up to 11, expecting a pair of 12" cabs to deafen 500 people in an aircraft hangar. More red lights than a house of ill repute, signalling imminent failure.

We both know that used within acceptable parameters cheap speakers can have a long and reliable life, producing perfectly acceptable sounds. At one point in my life, I was usually running with a pair of QTX cabs, which were very acceptable, as long as you didn't max out any dials.

[Imagine]

At one point in my life, I was usually running with a pair of QTX cabs, which were very acceptable, as long as you didn't max out any dials.

I got through several of those things until enough was enough and they started sounding nasty in a marquee wedding. The 15" subs I had to match were even worse.

I think I'll stick with my drainpipes in a flowerpot look for now - they seem more than capable of anything I throw at them

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Used actives for the past ten years and think I had to repair one (mackie).

Love my RCF Evox 8 system, so easy to carry in and gives a nice overal sound.