Active or Not... Help!

[starlight-party]

Hi,

Maybe some of you experts can help me a little here. I am upgrading my sound as I am carrying two sets of speakers, 1 amp and 1 mixer amp to my medium sized gigs (150ish), its a lot.

I am looking at buying some active speakers ideally around 1600watt for the pair. Now I won't lie here, but I am no expert and I know should know more than I do. (thank god for the internet)

Anyway, I am totally confused on what to buy. I don't have a massive budget around £500 at best. I have been looking on ebay and the prices are all over, I would love to be able to spend a grand or two, but at the moment thats not possible.

So can anyone point me in the right direction on some decent, powerful active speakers or seperate speakers / amp (I am assuming 1600watt should be powerful enough for larger parties upto 250 people), but I dont want to buy some and they are not very good. I have some 800watt ekho speakers, 8ohm, 15" and a ekho 1600watt amp, but my smaller skytec 300watt speakers running off a prosound (i know, but its been a brilliant bit of kit and not let me down) 1000watt mixer amp. Like I said I am totally lost with all the technical stuff they put on the sites.

thanks in advance

Gary
Starlight Party

[Sapphire Disco]

Would think these were just what you are looking for ?

http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?40341-Mackie-450-V2s

[starlight-party]

Hi,

Yes a little farto collect and to be honest, I dont want to spending nearly £500 on second hand speakers. Done it before and twice been burned..

[DazzyD]

The SRM450 v2s are over £900 new for two, and speakers don't depreciate that much, so at £500 for a pair this is pretty much a bargain. The only thing they're lacking is the guarantee/warranty but, if you've got yourself a decent engineer then that's less of a worry. Also, I used to travel to Staffordshire, and I've been to Derbyshire a few times, and it's quite a pleasant little journey. Not that far away, really, and it could be a worthwhile day out for you!!

To be fair, with a budget of only £500, you're not going to be getting top of the range actives new. You could get a pair of Alto Truesonics or some DB Cromo's but anything less than 15" versions then you'd be looking at factoring in bass bins to add some depth for the size of venues you're looking at. The SPLs for these speakers are what you'd expect of budget speakers. Oh, and they're only around 400w a side (usually 300w low and 100w high) so not even near the 1.6kw system you're looking at.

[starlight-party]

Cheers for that, I live in Newcastle upon Tyne, not Staffs unfortunalty. So would be a 5 hour round trip easy.

Looks like I will have to save up for some decent speakers then, if i am looking at closer to a grand for some. Its a nightmare lugging 4 speakers, a heavy mixer amp and another amp and still jumping into the orange and the sound is not that powerful. Unfortunatly my knowledge is poor when it comes to all the technical stuff when it comes to speakers, just dont want to end up spending cash on something thats not great and in the same light dont want to spend a fortune on something that is not going to be used in decent venues and I am not making the money back on them, if you know what I mean..

Some of the ones I am looking at are:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-SP1500A-Active-Speakers-15-Inch-1600W-Speaker-Stands-DJ-Disco-PA-Karaoke-/151014911719?_trksid=p5197.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC.NPJS%26itu%3DI%252BUA%26otn%3 D4%26pmod%3D151014189680%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26cl kid%3D6872670839947584161&_qi=RTM1178011

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KONIG-ACTIVE-SPEAKERS-2400W-TOTAL-15-DRIVER-1-75-HF-TITANIUM-DRIVER-1-PAIR-/230925548000?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Speakers_Monitor&hash=item35c43c39e0

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KAM-RZ12A-ACTIVE-1600W-TOTAL-DJ-CLUB-PA-SPEAKER-USB-MP3-MEDIA-PLAYER-PAIR-/321061127731?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Speakers_Monitor&hash=item4ac0bc0633

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACTIVE-15-2-WAY-PA-STAGE-SPEAKER-1000W-MAX-BI-AMP-USB-DIGITAL-WIRELESS-CONTROLS-/350739346297?pt=UK_ConElec_SpeakersPASystems_RL&hash=item51a9b1b379

Like I said i am pretty clueless..

:confused::confused::confused::confused:

[hadyn]

well if i had to choose between the second hand mackies and the brand new truesonics for around £500
id go for the mackies even though i have one of the truesonics as a back up.
the mackies seem to be a tried and tested speaker that a lot of peeps swear by.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

The Mackies are great in my opinion. Grab them for £500.00 (we should all be on commission here!) and save some more money and get a couple of decent subs and you're laughing.
The Macks will be good enough on their own for the smaller to medium sized parties and if you get larger parties then you add the subs.

I did this. I bought some RCF subs (used them twice so far) but wow! do they make a difference.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Like I said i am pretty clueless..


I'm going to be blunt. Everyone has told you what a bargain the Mackies are and you still listed a pile of rubbish from Ebay. If you want advice, then take it from the professionals on here. A five hour trip for a bargain like that is more than worth it.

They won't be powerful enough for 250 people, but you can add a sub when you have the budget.

[ukpartydj]

The Mackies are great in my opinion. Grab them for £500.00 (we should all be on commission here!) and save some more money and get a couple of decent subs and you're laughing.
The Macks will be good enough on their own for the smaller to medium sized parties and if you get larger parties then you add the subs.

I did this. I bought some RCF subs (used them twice so far) but wow! do they make a difference.

Agreed, I buy all my speakers second hand ... mainly because I've heard that the original mackie V1's & RCF310a's (V1) used less cost optimised parts.
Warranty is good but the £300 saving would probably cover the repair bill if you're speakers did have a problem.

[starlight-party]

I live in Newcastle upon Tyne, not staffs. So a round trip to derbyshire would take around 5 hours, so thats a no no.

Seems like Mackies are the way forward, worried about the size though. I don't want to have to carry subs too. One of the reasons I am after some half decent active 800watt (each) speakers, so i can carry just the one lot and not have to carry 4 big speakers. I agree on the subs making a difference in a big venue.

Looks like I am going to have to save up for some better quality stuff, I really thought, maybe nievely tha £500 could get something half decent.

Anyone any idea what the ekho or qtx speakers are like?

[Sapphire Disco]

Why don't you ask if the guy selling the Mackies if he could meet you half way ? if he's still got them .

No I think you would be throwing your money away on QTX type stuff , you don't necessarily need subs with the Mackies although if you found you needed a bit more for some venues you could get a single compact active sub and put it under your deck stand.

[Pe7e]

For your budget of £500 there are no new speakers that I would advise you to buy, QTX an Ekho would be best avoided. In my opinion, you would be much better off buying a s/h pair of professional standard speakers than new inferior ones. They will sound better, out last them, and retain a better residual value when you come to sell them (think cost of ownership). If you are regularly doing gigs for 150+ then maybe you should be looking for a decent pair of 15" actives, a pair of 12" speakers without a sub is a big ask even for pro speakers, especially if you are doing lots of 18th and 21sts. Assuming you have a decent size vehicle, and you aren't a seven stone weakling, I would recommend you consider the Mackie SA1521s, awesome sound, and they will cope easily with 250ish guest parties without subs, and (in my experience) are pretty much bullet proof if not over driven. Cost wise you would need around £600 for a s/h pair of these in good condition, and only buying s/h speakers that have been well looked after is important, if the outsides are in a poor state, the insides are also likely to be the same, ropey ones are best avoided IMO. To illustrate a point, I sold a pair of 1521s three weeks ago for £600, I originally bought them s/h for £675 and had owned them for just over two years in which time I spent just £30 replacing a HF diaphragm. I can't think of any new speakers I could have purchased that would cost me less than a £1 a week to own and operate. Buying s/h pro quality kit is the way to go IMO, but you do need to be selective and only buy the well looked after examples as they don't come with a guarantee.

[starlight-party]

Thanks for all your advice, seriously its been a godsend.

I think I am going to have to save some cash and buy some mackies, seems like they are the best for what I need and if I need more power, then its going to be a case of using my old speakers and amp to boost and then saving and buying a second set of Mackies for bigger parties.

Sound and understanding sound is not my expertise at all (which is not good really), so all your help is appreciated.

thanks again guys.

[DJ Jules]

Anyone any idea what the ekho or qtx speakers are like?

In one word. :Censored: (insert any swearword you like). They look good on paper and sound awful in person.

When I started out I had a Prosound rig from maplin's which did me well for a year or so. I then went out and spent £1200 on a JBL system (2 x JRX115 tops and 2 x JRX118S subs) and another £400 on a pair of amps (amps were new, cabs were second hand) because the idea of spending £1600+ on a pair of active EON's or other quality active speakers put me off and I thought I was getting more for my money this way. I then spent 18months regretting the decision as I was lugging around a lot of heavy kit which always sounded a bit "sharp" at the top end to my ears and didn't really give me what I wanted.

I then bit the bullet and spent £1600 on a pair of RCF's, sold the JRX kit and the amps at for about £800 and have never, ever looked back since.

The moral of the story - don't be tempted to buy kit "to tide you over" or something that you think "will be good enough", it WILL cost you more in the long run and you are unlikely to ever be happy with it until you have bit the bullet and bought something of quality. I wish I'd just followed my gut instinct and bought RCF, QSC or the JBL EON's first time round - I would have saved myself a LOT of money and backache!!

Before you buy anything, go and listen to it and think really hard about how happy you're going to be to a) be carrying the speakers around (and bear in mind that a lot of actives from the cheaper brands have little weight advantage over passives) and b) be listening to them belting out 2-3 times a week for the next 2-3yrs.

If you're really not happy with what you've got now because of the weight and their power output, I'd recommend buying a cheap pair of plastic passive cabs second hand that will cost you less than a few hundred notes and tide you over - but don't blow your budget on something which you should realise is going to need to be replaced in a year or two (and might not even last that long given the track record of some of the cheaper brands for reliability).

P.S. a 5hr round trip isn't that bad (and there is always www.parcel2go.com if you're really not up to driving that long).

Julian

[DJ Jules]

I think I am going to have to save some cash and buy some mackies, seems like they are the best for what I need and if I need more power, then its going to be a case of using my old speakers and amp to boost and then saving and buying a second set of Mackies for bigger parties.

The other thing to bear in mind is that cheaper brands will quote figures on paper that they can't produce in real life. I borrowed a set of SRM350's (10" cabs rated at 275w RMS a side) for a school disco 4yrs ago and they wiped the floor with the kit I had at the time (Prosound 15's and a Prosound1600 amp rated at 350w/side!)

The 422's I own now are rated at 450w RMS a side and I've never hit the limiter on them with gigs up to 200 people. I know I'd get a fuller sound out of them with one or two bins, but they do well in most venues by themselves and they're only a 12" cab. A few weeks ago I had a chat with the resident DJ at a venue and he runs JBL 125's paired with 118 subs in the same room (theoretically over 1100w per side) and said that my RCF's had a much nicer, rounder, sound to them and were doing the job better than his 4 cab rig!

Julian

[SoundONE]

P.S. a 5hr round trip isn't that bad (and there is always www.parcel2go.com if you're really not up to driving that long).

Julian

Never use parcelwillgo-astray without insurance, I see a lot of people recomending these, don't be fooled, don't risk it, myself and several others I know have all had parcels lost by them and they they charged all of us to loose them, shocking.

[teenypops]

Never use parcelwillgo-astray without insurance, I see a lot of people recomending these, don't be fooled, don't risk it, myself and several others I know have all had parcels lost by them and they they charged all of us to loose them, shocking.

surely it isn't parcel2go themselves that can be awful as they are just essentially an agent like compare the market, advertising and selling other couriers services on their behalf????

[DJ Jules]

Never use parcelwillgo-astray without insurance, I see a lot of people recomending these, don't be fooled, don't risk it, myself and several others I know have all had parcels lost by them and they they charged all of us to loose them, shocking.

Going a little bit Off topic, but which courier were you using through parcel2go? I've never had anything go missing or get damaged yet (and I've sent quite a bit through them, including amps and the aforementioned JBL JRX118S subs!)

I agree with the insurance thing though, I would always use insurance for any item worth over £50 regardless of which courier/service I used.

Julian

[SoundONE]

It doesn't matter which courier, loose-your-parcel (parcel-has-gone parcel2go whatever you want to call them) wont except liability and the courier will refer you back to them. My advice is free, don't take my word for it carry on using them, makes no odds to me, I was only offering advice. We all thought they were OK until they lost our parcels.

[ckpr2]

I bought a pair of new ekho 400 watts speakers and was a bit disappointed in the volume of them.

Look for a decent make preferably new.

Second hand stuff scares me especially after being stung on ebay a few times.
"Honest guv just used twice" is a common saying on ebay.
I have received cd players that were completely useless off ebay despite them saying they were hardly used.
Speakers don't last forever so why chance unknown second hand speakers off ebay?

I don't have a problem with ebay as I always buy new off ebay from a dealer rather than a private person.
I have had a couple of good deals on lights which were £20-£30 cheaper than list price.

The only other way is buy from mates who will be honest about how old the speakers really are.

[DazzyD]

I think the best way to buy second hand kit it to get to know other DJs in your area and build a good working relationship with them. I know lots of DJs who, from time to time, upgrade their kit and I've occasionally gotten first refusal on equipment that has become surplus to their needs. I think if you know, and trust, the person you're buying from then it makes things a whole lot safer when buying second hand.

[Excalibur]

I think if you know, and trust, the person you're buying from then it makes things a whole lot safer when buying second hand.

Agreed totally. And of course it has the bonus that you may have already have seen/heard the gear in action, and know its capabilities. Worth a lot.

[starlight-party]

I think with sound gear, its always better buying new. I don't have a problem with that, after all its an investment.

Right another question...

Looks like I am going to go with the mackie thumps, only whats better or the disco and karaoke? the 15" or 12" . I was thinking maybe the 12" and for bigger parties maybe investing in a bass bin?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I think with sound gear, its always better buying new.



Are you basing this on experience?

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Are you basing this on experience?

My main issue is that with amps and speakers, unless you know and trust the person, you have no way to know how they've been treated.

It might be that they were babied and never really pushed. On the flipside you might have some chancer that has taken them to the brink of death and now wants shot of them at your expense.

Even if you have the chance to go to someone's house to have a listen or check them out at a gig, you'll still never 100% be sure of what the system has previously been through and wether it's just a money pit waiting to open up.

[Pe7e]

Even if you have the chance to go to someone's house to have a listen or check them out at a gig, you'll still never 100% be sure of what the system has previously been through and wether it's just a money pit waiting to open up.

Whilst in some respects you are absolutely right, but you can take steps to avoid such a scenario, ask the right questions of the seller, look them over and test them before you complete the deal, and if you are not happy with any aspect, walk away. There is also another, and equally valid train of thought, buying new doesn't protect you from a bad set of speakers, only the cost of repair during the guarantee period, the hassle is just the same. In addition, by the time the 'new' speakers are out of guarantee you will have already lost around half of the price you paid for them, if you're on a tight budget this needs to be taken into consideration.
I forgot to add, most modern, professional quality active speakers have built in electronic protection to prevent driver and amplifier damage if overdriven, not totally foolproof, but they do help.

[Pe7e]

Right another question...

Looks like I am going to go with the mackie thumps, only whats better or the disco and karaoke? the 15" or 12" . I was thinking maybe the 12" and for bigger parties maybe investing in a bass bin?

Personally I recommend you have a rethink, I'm a fan of Mackie kit, but the Thumps don't exactly have a wonderful reputation, they don't have much in the way of output and aren't held in high regard by industry professionals, subsequently their s/h value suffers.

[DazzyD]

Personally I recommend you have a rethink, I'm a fan of Mackie kit, but the Thumps don't exactly have a wonderful reputation, they don't have much in the way of output and aren't held in high regard by industry professionals, subsequently their s/h value suffers.

And, when you think about it, the Thumps are around half the price new of the SRMs which, to me anyway, speaks volumes about their quality.

[DJ Jules]

Personally I recommend you have a rethink, I'm a fan of Mackie kit, but the Thumps don't exactly have a wonderful reputation, they don't have much in the way of output and aren't held in high regard by industry professionals, subsequently their s/h value suffers.

As someone who has used both the SRM450 V2's (12" driver) and Tapco Thump 15's (15" driver - as they were before Mackie bought them back under their badge) I've used both in medium size venues with crowds of about 150 people and while the SRM450's weren't working hard, the Thumps were riding on the limit lights all night to get to the same levels.

If you're looking at Thumps, it is worth having another think about a second hand pair of SRM450's, or if you have to buy new, waiting a little while and buying a pair of 450's. Or there's always finance as speakers are a long term investment (especially if you buy the right speakers up front!)

Julian

[ukpartydj]

As someone who has used both the SRM450 V2's (12" driver) and Tapco Thump 15's (15" driver - as they were before Mackie bought them back under their badge) I've used both in medium size venues with crowds of about 150 people and while the SRM450's weren't working hard, the Thumps were riding on the limit lights all night to get to the same levels.

If you're looking at Thumps, it is worth having another think about a second hand pair of SRM450's, or if you have to buy new, waiting a little while and buying a pair of 450's. Or there's always finance as speakers are a long term investment (especially if you buy the right speakers up front!)

Julian

Same, I bought some Tapco Thump's 15" brand new in 2010. Tapco was engineered by Mackie and basically it seemed like it was basically Mackie's way of selling cheaper speakers without harming their reputation if they were crap.

They weren't crap speakers but the red limit light would come on at medium volume, I also had a Tapco subwoofer and had the same issue.

I then bought some SRM450's as they were cheap (not because I wanted to replace the thumps) but honestly there is no comparison ... the SRM450's feel more solid, sound better and go louder.
The funny thing was that the price of the Tapco Thump speakers new was like £400 (I think) as soon as they became "mackie" they shot up to £550 - exactly the same specification and description though.

100% with Julian.

[starlight-party]

Are you basing this on experience?

Yes, I have purcahsed rubbish. Lights that look great until 30 minutes in and they blow a fuse. I have had an almost new amp that again fired up and sounded awesome in a dining room but on the road was no louder than my home stereo..

When starting out, you have to buy second hand and trust those selling. I am upgrading my sound and would rather save for new at least you have warrenty and by coming on forums like these you can see whats best and what to avoid.

[funkymook]

Yes, I have purcahsed rubbish. Lights that look great until 30 minutes in and they blow a fuse. I have had an almost new amp that again fired up and sounded awesome in a dining room but on the road was no louder than my home stereo..

When starting out, you have to buy second hand and trust those selling. I am upgrading my sound and would rather save for new at least you have warrenty and by coming on forums like these you can see whats best and what to avoid.

That sounds like buying 2nd hand rubbish, which is the same as buying new rubbish. (it wasn't the fact it was 2nd hand that you had problems!).

We've all been through the buying and selling process on here so you have the advantage of all our mistakes and experience. The same makes and models will crop up time and time again when we discuss what we use, there's a reason for that. If there was a very cheap brand that delivered professional results and was reliable we'd know about it and pass on the recommendation.

Lots of equipment has been bought and sold amongst members on here, it's probably one of the safest places to buy 2nd hand - but if you want new as soon as you've got your maximum budget together let us know you'll get plenty of good advice.

[starlight-party]

That sounds like buying 2nd hand rubbish, which is the same as buying new rubbish. (it wasn't the fact it was 2nd hand that you had problems!).

We've all been through the buying and selling process on here so you have the advantage of all our mistakes and experience. The same makes and models will crop up time and time again when we discuss what we use, there's a reason for that. If there was a very cheap brand that delivered professional results and was reliable we'd know about it and pass on the recommendation.

Lots of equipment has been bought and sold amongst members on here, it's probably one of the safest places to buy 2nd hand - but if you want new as soon as you've got your maximum budget together let us know you'll get plenty of good advice.

I was about to buy rubbish actives, looked good on paper but thanks to the knowledge of people on here. I was swayed away and guided on the right path.

Knowledge is power and thats why i joined this forum, because other peoples experiences can help.

[DJ Jules]

I was about to buy rubbish actives, looked good on paper but thanks to the knowledge of people on here. I was swayed away and guided on the right path.

Knowledge is power and thats why i joined this forum, because other peoples experiences can help.

We're just glad you're listening - there's nothing more frustrating than giving advice based on experience and then watching people go on to repeat your mistakes :D

Julian

[DazzyD]

We're just glad you're listening - there's nothing more frustrating than giving advice based on experience and then watching people go on to repeat your mistakes :D

Julian

But surely no-one on here would do that??? :zip:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

My main issue is that with amps and speakers, unless you know and trust the person, you have no way to know how they've been treated.

It might be that they were babied and never really pushed. On the flipside you might have some chancer that has taken them to the brink of death and now wants shot of them at your expense.

Even if you have the chance to go to someone's house to have a listen or check them out at a gig, you'll still never 100% be sure of what the system has previously been through and wether it's just a money pit waiting to open up.

And are you honestly telling me you've never bought new kit that's hasn't gone wrong?

I'd much rather buy decent quality secondhand than new cheap rubbish which won't do the job, last very long or have a very good resale value.

[Excalibur]

I'm a bit late into this, but first let me say there's been some excellent advice given already, from folks whose opinions I respect. It's worth listening to.

My two pennorth is simply this: You have £500. Do you buy something new which costs £500 and performs like it cost £500, or do you uy something secondhand for £500 which sounds like it cost £1000? Yes, I know that finding good secondhand kit is the trick, but looking on reliable forums is one good way, and another way is to stick with certain names and models. W Audio ( Warrior ) and Peavey spring straight to mind as kit which won't have people going into raptures about it, but generally makes a relatively nice, fairly loud noise for a long time. I would cheerfully use some of their kit as frontline gear. I wouldn't feel the same way about Ekho, Omnitronic, Legendary Prosound, etc etc.

Certain names are popular for a reason, because they keep working to mthe required standard for a long time.

[starlight-party]

Thanks for all the advice guys, appreciated.

I have been looking around and listening to some speakers to see what is best.

Obviously the Mackie Thumps (TH12A) had a real nice punchy sound and decent bass. The 15" I felt had too much bass. I also had a good look and listen to the Alto Trusonic TS112A and these sounded pretty awesome too. Not had a listen to the 15A speakers.

So I am seriously thinking I am going to need to buy the 12A speakers for smaller parties and bring along my (ekho 15" speakers and amp for the larger gigs (I know ekho, but these have actually been ok, no where near the power rated they claim, but has a nice bass bump))

So is this the best option? Especially for the Karaoke, as I need decent top end and less bass?

[Excalibur]

So I am seriously thinking I am going to need to buy the 12A speakers for smaller parties and bring along my (ekho 15" speakers and amp for the larger gigs (I know ekho, but these have actually been ok, no where near the power rated they claim, but has a nice bass bump))

A circle which probably will not square, I suspect. Most people will say you're approaching this from the wrong direction. If you want to get a big sound out of two speakers ( esp 12" ) it's going to cost you. Budget brands just won't cut it. As many folk have said, your best bet is s/h Mackie 450, or RCF 312 as the two which spring to mind. There's nothiing wrong with the Thumps and Altos, but they just won't do the job you want. You'll end up spending small sums of money many times, rather than a large wodge once.



So is this the best option? Especially for the Karaoke, as I need decent top end and less bass?
Best option? Probably not. Folk often think that adding subs is always to add bass, but the more important effect is twofold. First, it allows you to use smaller tops than if you were running full range, which are more suited to speech/vocals.
Second, removing the low frequencies from the tops makes them sound better, run easier, and actually get a little more sound out of them.

How to achieve this? Well that's where the drawback comes in. Let's do Good, Better, Best.
Good. Buy some passive subs ( with crossovers fitted ) , and a bigger amp. Run into the subs, and feed the tops you already have from the filtered output. Believe me, this will improve your sound.
Better. Buy one good quality active sub. Feed the filtered outputs into your amp and tops. Improved sound quality again over Good option.
Best. Buy an active crossover, two passive subs and a big amp. You're very unlikely to achieve this for £500, so we'll ignore this option.

If I were you, what would I do? Buy a pair of 450s or 312s s/h, and add one active sub later, as funds allow. Your sound quality and volume will increase. Keep one pair of cabs and an amp as backup. Or buy the active sub to add to your existing tops. Try to hire/borrow a sub and see how it works for you.

[starlight-party]

So after much deliberation and research I decided to go with the alto ts115a speakers. They sound pretty decent when set up right with a decent eq, clip light does flick a bit when you try to push them. The only downside I am finding is there is no sound control on the speakers, so all sound control has to come from the mixer and eq. I am happy though with them.

So my next question is bass bins, to get that extra oomph, and better sound out the tops I know I need some bass bins, If i am right in thinking I would also need a seperate active crossover unit or do most active bass bins come with a built in cross over to filter out the top end frequencies?

[Excalibur]

So after much deliberation and research I decided to go with the alto ts115a speakers. They sound pretty decent when set up right with a decent eq, clip light does flick a bit when you try to push them.
Hmmm. Sounds like you're trying to get Ferrari performance out of a Ford Cortina. By the time the clip lights are flickering on John's RCFs, it's way too loud usually.



So my next question is bass bins, to get that extra oomph, and better sound out the tops I know I need some bass bins, If i am right in thinking I would also need a seperate active crossover unit or do most active bass bins come with a built in cross over to filter out the top end frequencies?

The simple answer is that you will need a crossover, but the best way is to have it built into the active sub. Remember that it's possible to run either one or two tops from one sub, as long as it's got a decent crossover fitted. The cheaper ones will omit the crossover as a cost saving exercise.

Which ones to buy? Now let me say for a start that I'm not the oracle on these matters, but your tops would struggle to keep up with a pair of RCF subs. One might easily be more than enough. Try to borrow one for a gig, and see how it goes. Other ones I'd have a look at would be DB, and a brand I tend to like a lot, W-Audio. That's about the limit of my knowledge.

Golden rule: Try before you buy. One bin of any kind may be enough for you. May. This is why we advocate trying them first. Bear in mind that if you think you really must have two, you don't have to buy them both at once. With actives, you can manage perfectly well with one, till funds allow the purchase of a second one.

[starlight-party]

well, 4 gigs in and one speaker blew. It was not even clipping and not even close to peaking on the mixer. So basically I bought cheapish and its bitten me on the arse.

I am thinking of getting some credit to buy something a bit better, hopefully something that will sound good and not blow out. I am really pee'd off about this. The reviews were pretty decent for the Alto's, but now looking on EBAY it looks like they are coming back as refurbs for really cheap prices, which to me says lots were returned.

So back to the drawing board and £500 lighter!

[Totally Plucked]

Well guys, again I am going to play 'Devil's Advocate'..............AGAIN !!! :D

I will link to a thread I posted a very long time ago.

http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?36086-Tapco-Thump-eaten-alive-!!&highlight=thump

In a nutshell, yes it's 'Horses for courses' but I STILL stand by the comments made in the thread. I am currently using and have been using 4 pair of these for approx 18 months on hire etc. And not a SINGLE failure. I have used them personally in smaller gigs etc and cannot fault them.
The feedback from posts of 'Doubters' on other forums have also been surprisingly positive after having experience with them. Quite similar to the old CLASS - D (Mansfield) debate.................'Cue Pete' !!! ;)

And by the way I normally use 'Sherman Audio' on my main rig.

No these cabs are no SM450 but fantastic for the cash, hammered used and abused by one man and his dog for the last 18+ months and not so much as a blown fuse !! would plump for these EVERY time in comparison to the 'Thumps' or Alto ......................................'Cue the doubters' !! ;)

[Excalibur]

There's nothiing wrong with the Thumps and Altos, but they just won't do the job you want. You'll end up spending small sums of money many times, rather than a large wodge once.
.
A painful and costly lesson to learn. The reason some of us know these things is that we've played this game before. Many many times before.


Well guys, again I am going to play 'Devil's Advocate'..............AGAIN !!! :D

I will link to a thread I posted a very long time ago.

http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?36086-Tapco-Thump-eaten-alive-!!&highlight=thump

The feedback from posts of 'Doubters' on other forums have also been surprisingly positive after having experience with them. Quite similar to the old CLASS - D (Mansfield) debate.................'Cue Pete' !!! ;)
And as if by magic, here he is. :D What do I think?

QTX, I have absolutely no experience at all, so can't say yea or nay. I don't think I've heard any. Must try to.

Class D? Well as we all know, the company's no longer trading, but all my cabs are still running fine. Some have had work on them, but nothing major.

Nowadays, from what I have seen and heard, for anyone on a budget, I'd recommend W Audio or old Peavey kit. Mind you, I am road testing something which against all odds, I'm growing to like. Purchased as monitors, but beginning to be used as frontline regularly. Watch this space. ;)