Bass subs recommendation

[CRAZY K]

Hi guys, just back from a Thailand Holiday so feeling a bit weary:D

Bit of advice needed on powered subs. I have used powered tops with no worries.

I may need to increase overall power to my existing set up of either Peavey Powered Mixer 500w RMS per channel or Yamaha Box Amp nominal 500 watts per channel playing through 2 x Peavey UL15s.

Now I know Peter will tell me to use a bigger amp, Peavey 2600 quite rightly, however thats a fairly heavy beast and in any case will simply increase existing sound but not overall.

It strikes me that adding a powered sub will obviously give improved bottom end and a better all round sound, also allowing me to reduce the bass slightly on the mixer which in turn probably allows a bit more middle and top end through the UL 15s. without red lights!

Presumably powered subs have some form of bass tone control?

Im thinking of a 15inch probably as not needing massive power and secondhand as reliability wont matter, if it flakes out never mind--who will notice apart from me:rolleyes:[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]

Any thoughts and recommendations appreciated.

I think Peter said he had an LD bass bin that was effective with two tops.

thanks in advance

[Excalibur]

I think Peter said he had an LD bass bin that was effective with two tops.


Close. (http://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Alto-Truesonic-Sub-15-Active-PA-Subwoofer/G40) It's an Alto. :) Under 12" tops, it's just fine. It's easy enough to move, but whether it would keep up with your tops, well I don't know.

Bearing in mind what Juski said in the Coalville thread, this 18" (http://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Alto-Truesonic-Sub-18-Active-PA-Subwoofer/G41) ought to be a better choice. Around 9Kg heavier, and I haven't tried to shift one.

The budget LD offering (http://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/LD-Systems-GTSUB15A-15-Active-PA-Subwoofer/12A4#full-des) wasn't available when I got mine. I haven't heard it, nor have I picked it up.

The RCF 705 get good reviews, but the older models are a :Censored:to shift on your own. The Yamaha is an option, also.

What would I recommend? I have no idea. :confused: Sorry.

[Nakatomi]

I played out on a band's RCF rig the other week & for all of my first slot I was in agony. The bass was just [b]awful[b]. The band came on, I took my leave (this was before earplugs in my life & being 3 feet away from a drum kit isn't my idea of fun).. and for my second set the sound was much more agreeable. Not great, just not the mess it previously was. Had the sound man tweaked the EQ? Crossover points? Que? I dunno. I didn't want to go to the sound guy & say "hey, it sounded well :Censored: early on but later you'd sorted it all out - what did you do?". I'd still give the 705AS another go, but I'd had to give it a serious listening to... a couple of hours should crack it.

Bose 302 subs = bandpass. Blech. Boomy as hell without very careful EQing.
RCF705 = bandpass. Not struck. Yet. Might've been a bad setup..

Every sub I've heard that I liked the sound/feel of has been a bass reflex or scoop bin up to now as far as I know. Or just a mahoosive box big enough to fit a big woofer in without needing any ports :) There's no point in having really loud bass if it's not able to produce all the bass notes in music.

If the LD Systems Stinger 15" sub is anything like the sub in the 15" Dave system, I'd give that a crack of the whip. It's got a built-in stereo crossover, and it's continuously variable too - meaning you can tune the crossover point - you're not just restricted to presets.

The Alto Black 15" sub is still on my 'to hear' list.. teamed with 15" tops at Coalville it was very meh but I have a feeling it'd be better in different circumstances.

A lot of active subs have built in crossovers. Yay. So you feed the mixer outputs into the bin inputs then feed the 'high pass' outputs from the bin into your tops. That means the tops get less bass - and the sub decides the crossover point. Some subs let you tune the crossover frequency (some continuously variable (LD Systems), some with presets(FBT)), some don't (Yamaha, EV).

[Nakatomi]

Now just wait a minute. RCF updated the 705AS. The MkII is now bass reflex whereas the older one is a bandpass design. The band whose bin I didn't much like the sound of had the older one. Damnit.

[AndyMD]

Currently using this http://www.dbtechnologies.com/EN/Products/discontinued_products/sub_15d.aspx
with Mackie tops. Never been happier with the sound.

HOWEVER, the Mackies are usually more than enough for most venues. But i'm currently supporting a band in a very large hotel ballroom. They have a Yamaha DXR's without a sub and I must say that mine are sounding better. Even got a sound engineer in and he agrees. I played the same venue last year with my Mackies and they were starting to clip, one of the reasons why i got the sub, tonight no where near, I've even reduced the gain on VDJ so I'm not even touching the red

[Excalibur]

Now just wait a minute. RCF updated the 705AS. The MkII is now bass reflex whereas the older one is a bandpass design. The band whose bin I didn't much like the sound of had the older one. Damnit.

The goalposts have officially moved. This ticks a lot of boxes.