Plastic Vs Wood P.A. speakers

[azureblue]

plastic speakers can be molded into acoustically near perfect forms - with internal re-enforcement, curved / non parallel sides, even a ball shape, Time aligned components. And the cabinet doesn't resonate like wood, either.

 

[azureblue]

I'm guessing all the cab has to do is be rigid.

The larger subwoofer boxes might have needed more to be made from wood in order to be rigid.

That's what multi - ply wood is used - the plies reduce wall flex. Solid cabinets use like 9+ ply wood. IIRC, the optimum was 13 ply Maple... And there is a whole science about cross bracing, too. When I first started playing, was when some amp makers went over to high density particle board, which has almost no resonances. And were heavy as heck..

 

[Loring]

Never heard any EONs that I thought sounded good.

In the plastic speaker world the RCF 700 and 900 series with the large
format high frequency drivers are at the top of the list.

Also the similar D lineup and they sound better than most of what’s out there whether it’s wood or plastic…

 

[Mike Caldwell]

That's what multi - ply wood is used - the plies reduce wall flex. Solid cabinets use like 9+ ply wood. IIRC, the optimum was 13 ply Maple... And there is a whole science about cross bracing, too. When I first started playing, was when some amp makers went over to high density particle board, which has almost no resonances. And were heavy as heck..

Side to side, front to back...if at all possible, stringers on the panels, for subs maybe creative use of the ports to also act as bracing.
Mid range cabinets need to be braced as well.
I know the RCF 700 and 900 series at least the ones with the large format drivers have some wood cross bracing in the cabinets.

 

[Mike Caldwell]

Also the similar D lineup and they sound better than most of what’s out there whether it’s wood or plastic…

And I like the full front grill, the 900's are all full front grills.

 

[Cave Puppy]

I have some old “plastic” Carvin PS10s that I still use all time, as well as my old pair of “wood” Carvin 12” 742 boxes I still use all the time. I don’t hear any sound difference. The only difference being the size of the speakers. The PS10s are infinitely more portable than the 12, but both still get used constantly.

 

[Rabidhamster]

I agree wood speakers sound better and they usually have to stay installed at the venue unless you have roadies. it takes like 4 guys and some chain to hang them vs the poopy broken glass tweeter sounding plastic ones I can pop up all by myself in a hurry.

 

[seanm]

I wish I could say I bought my speakers based on sound... but in reality it was weight, price, sound in that order

I bought two Yamaha CBR12s. This was a huge upgrade from the Peavey 15s. For a small bar cover band, they work great.

 

[Jefenator]

I had to check to make sure this wasn't an April Fools thread.

I was assuming it was; hard to tell sometimes.
I concur the old Mackie SRM450s got it done.
I also concur, the QSC K series is pretty nice to work with. For me they're what Mackie used to be: the brand I go to when I want to spend a few extra $$$ to get a unit that will sound good & haul buns without any drama for many a year.
I was going to say there are no plywood enclosed powered speakers that I can think of but then I remembered one winery has these fancier JBLs. They seem heavier than they need to be and one has some technical problems. Frankly, I've been more impressed by the sound and durability of the QSCs.

 

[Spectrum]

I voted wood because wood is from trees and trees are strong like bull.

 

[trevcda]

The original JBL Eons were entry level junk IMHO. I doubt making them from wood would have done anything except make them heavier and more expensive.

I'm pretty sure wood is the only thing that differentiated those from the JRX line.

Almost everything I own is from the SR4700X JBL line, so despite the weight, my experience tells me wood. But I also own some plastic Turbosound powered monitors that I quite like, so I know it can be done. Budget solutions will most likely not get you or your audience there, though.

 

[Mike Caldwell]

I'm pretty sure wood is the only thing that differentiated those from the JRX line.

Almost everything I own is from the SR4700X JBL line, so despite the weight, my experience tells me wood. But I also own some plastic Turbosound powered monitors that I quite like, so I know it can be done. Budget solutions will most likely not get you or your audience there, though.

The HF driver may be same but the woofers are different. In the original EON's the woofer frame is actually part of the front baffle! Not sure what their doing on the current version.

 

[4Mal]

I was assuming it was; hard to tell sometimes.
I concur the old Mackie SRM450s got it done.
I also concur, the QSC K series is pretty nice to work with. For me they're what Mackie used to be: the brand I go to when I want to spend a few extra $$$ to get a unit that will sound good & haul buns without any drama for many a year.
I was going to say there are no plywood enclosed powered speakers that I can think of but then I remembered one winery has these fancier JBLs. They seem heavier than they need to be and one has some technical problems. Frankly, I've been more impressed by the sound and durability of the QSCs.

Yamaha DSR, DHR, DZR series are all wood boxes. Noticably more transparent than the K series stuff I used to own. Not slagging the K series stuff. I ran it hard and put it away wet for several years with zero issues. The Yamahas are much newer and maybe looked at the K series and decided to one up it.

When Yamaha decides to compete there are very few companies in the MI and Pro-Sumer Audio industry that can hang with them.

 

[kittywithabanjo]

I just moved from Turbosound IQ Series (plastic) to DZR wood, the DZR is far superior but is it the enclosure? The drivers? The DSP?

Hard to say you get what you pay for generally.

In the end you have to listen to a lot of stuff and let your ears guide you (and your budget!)

I also did a show with the DZRs where their was a matinee, that was using QSC K12s, I liked the sound of my DZRs more, but its still hard to compare unless they were side by side, Same board, EQ etc.

I just did my first show this weekend with the DZR12s, as well as DXS15XLF subs (I just got the 2nd one last week). I was VERY happy, with the results.

 

[pfschim]

Yamaha DSR, DHR, DZR series are all wood boxes. Noticably more transparent than the K series stuff I used to own. Not slagging the K series stuff. I ran it hard and put it away wet for several years with zero issues. The Yamahas are much newer and maybe looked at the K series and decided to one up it.

When Yamaha decides to compete there are very few companies in the MI and Pro-Sumer Audio industry that can hang with them.

I don't doubt what you say about Yamaha in the MI market, but I think there must certainly be a bit of "you get what you pay for" going on here between the K.2 and DZR.
The current K12.2's are retailing for $999, the DZR12's retail for $1,399 (using Sweetwater as a reference).
I would expect more from a box that cost ~40% more than the other, otherwise what would be the point aside from brand loyalty.

 

[chadds]

I had the first gen Eons they were fine. The next gen are excellent. The 10s are the best. They depend on what’s going through them. A well K&K pickuped vibraphone through a Summit pre sounds real!! through Eons. Gain staging is important too.
A nice Taylor good singer through good DI and mic another score. I think it’s the skills of the operator combined with good instruments and interfaces that make the final product.

 

[seamonkey]

Best for Metal

 

[Snarf]

My vote would be: NO SPEAKERS AT ALL. Make the audience use their imagination.