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New powered tops worth looking at

BassikLee

BassikLee

Commercial User
Feb 13, 2004
3,972
3,578
59
Starke, FL
#1
OK, so here's my issue:

My band has way too much gear. Between the guitar player and myself, we could have four different PA systems set up at any given point in time. Tough problem to have, right? Anyway, the smallest tops I own are the QSC HPR-122s. I have six of them. Great boxes, if a tad heavy. What I'm looking for are boxes that are as loud, sound as good or better, weigh enough less to matter (they're 60lbs), and don't cost a zillion dollars. What say you?
The logical side of my brain says "shut up and use those", while the GAS sufferer says otherwise. Fwiw, these tops will always be run with subs. Full band, electronic drums, no amps on stage, etc.
 
#4
K series stuff has been easy for me to live with. I might be inclined to look at the Yamaha DXS... there are some rabid fans over at the psw forum.

Just curious, what do you have that ins bigger than the QSC's ?
 
#5
Yorkville EF-500P, with the matching LS-800P subs, then the Carvin 3903 column system. All the self powered stuff is mine. The guitar player owns the Carvin rig. Four columns, two single 18 subs. Really nice stuff.

As for the K12, they are not as smooth sounding as the HPR, and fairly costly. I'll likely just stick with them. I'm a big boy. I used to twirl 100 pound cabinets around like they were nothing. Heavy amp racks, analog consoles and racks of processing. We have it SO good these days.
 
#8
SubNoizeRat3691 said:
How does the Carvin rig compare to your QSC gear?
Click to expand...

Those Carvin boxes are pretty cool. Things I like about them include the "almost line array" behavior they exhibit, where the spl is more even front to back. I also like the fact that, since they have no HF drivers, they are very smooth sounding. Things I don't like include that the columns only go down to 160hz, and that means more upper bass stuff in the subs than ideal. Carvin has a new box that deals with this issue by using a similar small driver (not the same faital one in the 3903 though) in a box with two 10" drivers handling 80-400Hz.

As for a direct comparison, all our various rigs are just different flavors of good.

HPR122 atop Yorkville NX720S subs, XR18 mixer is a club worthy rig that fits in my car.

Yorkville EF-500P atop LS800P with whatever mixer we use (three to choose from) is bigger/louder, doesn't fit in my car.

The Carvin rig, with two 3903 atop one single 18" sub per side, Behringer DSP and iNuke amps, with a presonus 32ch rack mixer is what we use most often. We've also supplemented that rig with my LS-800P subs, by running the Carvin 18s just from where the columns drop off, down to 80ish, and the Yorkie subs doing the heavy lifting below that, for larger outdoor stuff.
 
#9
Yamaha DSR112 is the best speaker at the best price. It takes a lot more money to get a louder, better sounding top.

How much better than your HPRs? Hard to say. If you push them hard, they'll get louder and sound better. 10-12lbs lighter.
 
#10
Thats the thing tho, any louder than the HPR will comfortably do, and we'll just use one of the other systems. That rig is for smaller rooms, and/or places where the band is more background than the main event. We play lots of outdoor dock bar/resturaunt stuff, where face melting SPL equals a pink slip.

I'll look at the Yamaha boxes, but a few pounds isn't going to blow my skirt up.
 
#11
If you're wanting something smaller, look at the DXR 8. A lot smaller, half the weight, and sound about as good as the QSC speakers. They get really loud for their size, but don't have a ton of low end. It's all a trade off.

I'm not really sure any of this is a worthwhile upgrade, though. You'd really have to be trying to find differences between any of them at lower levels.
 
#13
I totally get the K-12 push from most, but after critical listening we opted for the Yammy DXR12's and couldn't be happier. A bit more smooth and warmer than the QSC's. It's all subjective and depends on your ear and the sound you're trying to achieve.
Good hunting!
 
#14
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#15
Yep, "now with MORE power*"

In order to compete with other inflated power ratings, we're stating peak power.

Bob, the trouble with you guys is that the stuff you build is just too damn good. My heavy HPR-122s are still kicking, and with a meager 400 honestly rated watts into the celestion neo 12, they do all that I expect from a box that size. That, and they've been paid for now for about eight years.
 
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#16
I have the original K12s. I haven't found them to lack power and tone. 41lbs. I'm glad they're paid for. When I need to I rent K-Subs and the system kills. I'd say if the existing speakers you have sound good to you, keep them. I don't think you're going to find anything that sounds as good without spending the long dollar.
 

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