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Selling off my heavy PA-going with powered stuff.

With the folks I play with there are a lot of PA options. I'm in the position of being able to sell my equipment without leaving the group short of equipment. My first purchase will be 15'' powered speakers. I can't get super high end stuff but I'm going higher than Mackie Thumps. My budget will be around $1000.00 for those. What are you using?
Skip the Thumps. I've blown up a lot of those. I'm using the Behringer B612Ds and those are amazing and a pair can be had new for $800
 
Look for a used pair of RCF ART315 or ART312...should be under $1K. Powerful, great sounding speakers. As others have said, the Alto TS215 and TS212 speakers have been getting excellent reviews at budget prices. I purchased the used RCF Art315's because I found a great deal on them. I don't think I would have lost out an much performance, if any, had I gotten the 12's. You'll save a few pounds with 12's.

As for the rest of the PA gear...sell everything and get a Behringer XR18 digital mixer. Game changer. I running my PA at the company meeting today. The XR18 fits in a small duffell bag with all the cables...with room to spare. By comparison, my old mixer and modest effects rack barely fit into my car and was a drag to move.
I second the Behringer X18 recommendation. I got the non rack mount version because I'm cheap and it is so much better than anything else anywhere near its price.
 
I use a pair of EV ELX115P speakers. They are fantastic sounding and loud. Used and B-stock can be found pretty cheap.

+1. They also make phenomenal floor monitors if you need to supply your own.


I sold mine for about $600 in very very good condition. (only reason is that I have access to about 20 of them)

They are the same thing as a K12 to a non-musician audience.

Not sure if anyone said this... the response curve and SPL are the factors to look at with powered.

-----

I use 2 bose L1 (due to the venues I play)... most gigs we're using LiveX...

took tons of homework to come up with the right direction.
 
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Was this in response to the dark matters? Not sure what you mean but if you have experience with them I'd like to know. I've been impressed with new minimega and the IPR's so I was wondering if they're making a good budget powered speaker.

My much lower budget PA speakers that we are using are the Harbinger Vari V2112s. They suffice for what we do, and if you are comparing them to the older Harbingers, NOT a fair comparison, they are MUCH better sounding, and LOUDER than the I think the model was APS12(?).

I had a pair of Alto TS1150As that we got for next to nothing, we gigged with them for about a half dozen gigs before I ran into a need for money now situation in the family. I was able to sell them for way more than I paid for them. The Harbingers were bought to be monitors, but are working for mains.

I know they won't pass the Modulusman approval test, but I couldn't care less. They do what I need them to do...

FWIW, the best sounding band PA I have heard for the type of gigs I do I stumbled across recently.

They were running Electro Voice powered 12s, not sure the model, and of all things, Behringer 15" subs.

They sounded amazing. Lows were clear, no mud at all, mids and highs were crystal clear. I talked with the sound guy about their rig, he said they pieced it together from Craigslist and Musicians Friend Stupid Deal of The Day.

I should mention, I am big on bang for the buck, and honestly, QSC and JBL are way above what my band mates and I can justify, most likely ever... However Electro Voice is strongly on the radar, as is Alto although I personally like the sound from the EVs better...

I am thinking for budget, and performance, long run I think we are going to aim for a pair of Electro Voice ZLX-12Ps ($399.00 each regular, I have seen them as low as $299.00 but that is infrequent). Support that with Electro Voice ELX118P 18" subs, and we are good to go. Keep the Harbingers as monitors until they fail...
 
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I know Behringer doesn't get much love on TB and some of their stuff sucks, but I own 6 of their powered speakers and they have been great for me. I had a friend who worked at Guitar Center and I went in to buy a set of speakers from him. I was ready to fork out for JBL Eons, but he told me to try the Behringer B212D's and if I didn't like them, bring them back and he would exchange for the JBL's. Well, I'm a bass player, not a sound engineer, but they sure as hell sounded loud and clean to me and I got many compliments on the sound. I ended up buying a pair of used B215's later, and then a pair of tiny B208D's for compact monitors. They have been used a lot and not a single problem. I paid $1200 for all of them...hard to beat for the price.
 
I use a pair of EV ELX115P speakers. They are fantastic sounding and loud. Used and B-stock can be found pretty cheap.




I sold mine for about $600 in very very good condition. (only reason is that I have access to about 20 of them)

They are the same thing as a K12 to a non-musician audience.

Not sure if anyone said this... the response curve and SPL are the factors to look at with powered.

-----

I use 2 bose L1 (due to the venues I play)... most gigs we're using LiveX...

took tons of homework to come up with the right direction.

I chose the ZLX 15s since we don't often have the room for subs in the places we gig but often want some kick in the main. Usually not putting the bass thru the PA if we're in a situation without subs (rent as necessary).

Nice response curve down to 42Hz which catches that critical bass drum territory for punch and boom. Not sure if the ZLX 12 go that low, but neither here nor there if you're using subs OR not micing the kick.
 
Congratulations.... been using small powered gear the last year. I bought the Mackie DLM 12 and 12s $2k for a pair of tops and subs because size and weight mattered to me. If had the budget and space you can put together a used QSC K system for about $2500 with K12 and 2 K subs... it will take some patience but they come available. You can sometimes find b stock of EV ELX 112P in your price range... I would stay away from the zlx series. As someone else stated no need for 15 mains when you use a sub...12's give up power but you get more clarity in vocals.
 
With the folks I play with there are a lot of PA options. I'm in the position of being able to sell my equipment without leaving the group short of equipment. My first purchase will be 15'' powered speakers. I can't get super high end stuff but I'm going higher than Mackie Thumps. My budget will be around $1000.00 for those. What are you using?
Jbl prx712 for mains eon 610 for monitors no subs at this time.
 
E/V's ELX or ZLX
It would be nice if you could sink extra money into your investment and go with a powered sub and 12" powered tops. I have used 12's for PA's for years, and IMO vocals sound much better through them. 15's work, but 12's with a sub would blow them away, and give better vocal clarity.

Another good powered 15 would be Yorkville.
I have been using powered Yorkville 15 in subs for years indoor and outdoor and they are a great piece of a small fat sounding PA rig with 12 inch Yorkville tops:
 
I know Behringer doesn't get much love on TB and some of their stuff sucks, but I own 6 of their powered speakers and they have been great for me. I had a friend who worked at Guitar Center and I went in to buy a set of speakers from him. I was ready to fork out for JBL Eons, but he told me to try the Behringer B212D's and if I didn't like them, bring them back and he would exchange for the JBL's. Well, I'm a bass player, not a sound engineer, but they sure as hell sounded loud and clean to me and I got many compliments on the sound. I ended up buying a pair of used B215's later, and then a pair of tiny B208D's for compact monitors. They have been used a lot and not a single problem. I paid $1200 for all of them...hard to beat for the price.

Wow, it's been almost 4.5 hours since you mentioned the B in a positive light and certain budget gear bashers haven't rained their fury down on you yet! Is this place getting civil finally?
 

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