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McChickenMonkey
09-08-2015, 02:09 PM
I have been looking at threads on here but can't seem to find exactly what I am looking for and I don't really know much about speakers. I am just starting out as a DJ and I am having a difficult time finding a good quality and affordable speaker system. I have a numark mixtrack pro and I want to play some small house parties (maybe 50-75 people). I play dance music, mostly progressive house and my budget is around $250-300. I can't justify paying too much more than that because they may get wrecked at house parties. I am assuming I would need a loudspeaker of some kind and I have been doing some research on here and it seems like 15" would sound better? Would something like a Harbinger be something worth spending money on? I'd rather pay for something that is higher quality that will last me rather than something cheap that will break.

akswun
09-08-2015, 02:59 PM
What about renting? I own studio monitors(KRKs) but I rent speakers for larger gigs. It's cheaper for me personally because I don't gig that often. Like once a quarter but renting is fairly cheap.

McChickenMonkey
09-08-2015, 03:33 PM
That's a good idea but I think I would rather own speakers so I can do a gig on the fly

drzinc
09-08-2015, 04:10 PM
At your budget you are better off buying used good speakers.

conanski
09-08-2015, 04:49 PM
Reliable and decent sounding powered speakers start with the EV ZLX series, and the bonus with these is they are super light and therefore easy to move. I'd suggest renting until you collect enough money to buy a pair of these. You could probably find some used Behringers within your budget but they will be heavy and sound pretty bad. Anything you find in a new powered speaker for $250-300 a pair will be complete junk, they will sound bad and probably won't last through the first gig.

mitchiemasha
09-08-2015, 06:44 PM
Go 12" or 10"... Second hand... Add a sub later on, if you move on to venues instead of houses... Save for a little bit longer... The better the brand you buy now, the higher the resale value it will have if you pack in. If you buy cheap, you'll have to burn it to get rid.

Don't confuse light cheap speakers with light good speaker. Drivers with Neo magnets cost lots and weigh little. Other speakers are light because they have poor magnets, rubbish, if it's cheap and light it's bad. Avoid designs with loads of tweeters etc.

I prefer unpowered, separate amp and speakers but I don't want to start that war off here. Keeps the amps with the DJ, not the crowd. No need to run power to speakers as well as signal, meaning you can get your speakers where you want them. If amp dies you don't lose the speaker.

Look at the sensitivity rating and SPL's rather than wattage. A high wattage rated speaker with low SPL's means you'll need a bigger more expensive amp to get the same amount of volume.

McChickenMonkey
09-08-2015, 10:18 PM
I'm ok with used, would you recommend a specific one?

McChickenMonkey
09-08-2015, 10:42 PM
Okay. Thanks for the advice. So like this one for $400 would be ok? http://www.amazon.com/Electro-Voice-ZLX12P-Two-Way-Powered-Loudspeaker/dp/B00CE0VLXO
Or would you recommend something else.

fueledbymusic
09-08-2015, 10:57 PM
Those are excellent speakers for the price. I have those. They sound really good too! If you look around, you should be able to pick those up for about $700 for the pair. I bought my pair for $700 earlier this year at Guitar center

wapples
09-09-2015, 06:44 AM
Stick with names you know on the second hand circuit. Take some comfort from ev Jbl qsc rcf Yamaha mackie even behringer at least these have been built for the job as opposed to skytek, soundmax, sorny etc

McChickenMonkey
09-09-2015, 08:54 AM
Sweet! Do I need a pair, is that necessary you think or would one be enough? The reviews do seem really good for the price.

McChickenMonkey
09-09-2015, 08:55 AM
The thing is I don't really know much. I was recommended QSC by a pretty reliable source and then there was also the EV that I linked above. Which do you think I'm better off with?

caverunner17
09-29-2015, 10:28 AM
The thing is I don't really know much. I was recommended QSC by a pretty reliable source and then there was also the EV that I linked above. Which do you think I'm better off with?

You can't afford QSC. A single K10/K12 will run you $6-700 at a minimum.

You need to define: House Party. Are we talking about a bunch of college kids at a frat house? Or are we talking middle/upper class guy having a birthday party or labor day party for the block?

Adzm00
09-29-2015, 10:53 AM
If it is a houseparty, of 50 people, you don't need to worry THAT much about sound quality. Of course don't get total trash, but don't dwell on it. Unless you want to save a bit more money up and get something good.

Also is that $250 per speaker, or for both, because I notice people are now suggesting $700 setups which is obviously three times your budget.

You might be able to pick up something like Mackie SRM450 used from ebay for $500 ish.... it really depends. Keep in mind $300 really isn't very much at all.

Unknown DJ
09-29-2015, 04:44 PM
Here you go:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/ele/5235788588.html

http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/msg/5221511743.html

SamuelBlondell
10-01-2015, 03:41 PM
i went for KRK Rocket 6's and i love them, can't go wrong