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kipperj
05-02-2012, 03:22 PM
Hello DJF!

I'm currently in the process of upgrading my entire mobile setup (speakers first). Currently, I have 1 Peavey IPR 3000 powering 2 PV115 tops and 2 PV900s powering two PV118s. I'd like to replace the speakers, and there's a good chance that I'll be adding a second IPR3000 in place of the the PV900s. I've always been a fan of Peavey, but I'm becoming more willing to open up my mind about speakers. Any thoughts on which way I should go with this? I'm looking for something that will run with my current amp setup. I don't need top of the line, but something a little louder with good quality will do. Money isn't so much an issue either since it's going to be a while before I buy, however I'm not looking to spend $1000 a speaker. Thanks for the help in advance!

windspeed36
05-02-2012, 04:24 PM
Seeing as you already have an amp, perhaps something like the JBL MRX or PRX400 series.

kipperj
05-02-2012, 05:37 PM
Any idea where I could find reasonable prices online?

BillESC
05-02-2012, 10:00 PM
Do you want to stay passive or would you consider Active speakers?

Incognito
05-03-2012, 01:35 AM
How about a more detailed budget & what you're over all expectations of the system (such as, is over all SPL more important or is SQ higher on your exptations?), Bill brings up a good point in questioning if you're open to letting go of your power amps & go with powered speakers as an option. What size venue, how many people are you looking to cover, what type of gigs do you cover?

kipperj
05-03-2012, 07:12 AM
I want to stay passive. It's what I've used since I started and I already have amps. I'll be looking at smaller parties like bars, grad parties, class reunions, birthday parties <200. Sound Quality is very important to me and I obviously need something that is going to be loud enough. I may get into smaller weddings where SQ will be important. Venues range in size, so it's hard to say exactly how big. Looking to spend under $700 a speaker, maybe less if possible. I'll pay for quality, though.

windspeed36
05-03-2012, 08:01 AM
You're not going to get high quality passive speakers for that price. Active RCF 312A's are 800-1k per pair and sound pretty damn good for their price tag. Otherwise for passive, your looking at low to mid range equipment such as the JBL MRX512 for around $400 per cabinet at GC.

kipperj
05-03-2012, 08:09 AM
I'm looking for anything that would be a step up from the PV series I have now. Mid range might be where I want to be until I really get into doing more jobs. Do you think I can slide by with mid range for these types of gigs? I guess the reason I'm really pushing new equipment is so I can have spares in case something would happen.

kipperj
05-03-2012, 08:15 AM
I was looking at the JBL MRX515s and MRX518s that you recommended above. Found the 515s on Musician's Friend for $479 each and $469 each respectively. Are these decent speakers? Or are they about the same as the PV Series?

SummitAudioDJ
05-03-2012, 08:51 AM
I have a pair of EV ELX115's for sale that have less than 20 hours on them. I used to be a passive guy but recently went all powered and will never look back so I am selling all of my passive gear. Looking to get $550 shipped anywhere in the US. I paid $800 for the pair a few months ago. I had the Peavy PR15's pretty much the plastic cab version of your speakers and these EV's sound much much better with more bottom end.
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I looked into the JBL MRX series before buying my EV's and thought that they were a little pricey for what you get. If you plan on dropping a grand on a pair, just do yoursefl the favor and buy a pair of RCF 312A powered speakers. You can keep the IPR amp for your Peavey speakers and build a smaller rack for your powered rig. Having your speaker components perfectly matched with power and phase makes them sound so much better than a passive single input cab. This is obviously different with a biampable passive cab.

jayhwk
05-03-2012, 10:24 AM
I'd have to disagree with some of the sentiment here against passive loudspeakers. Yes, loudspeakers with built in amplifiers are great. I like them a lot because I don't have to carry an amp rack, I carry less cable, and I don't have to worry (as much) about damage. The lower end cabs weigh the same as passive versions because passive crossovers are heavy. If I was buying a new rig in the lower end of the market, I'd go with built in amplifiers in a heartbeat.

That's not to say that passive loudspeakers should be totally discounted. There's a lot of excellent passive equipment available on the market. If that's what you're comfortable with, you can build an excellent rig, especially with modern DSP. I've priced out a lot of different combinations, too, and I find that passive + amplifiers + DSP tends to be about equal in cost to loudspeakers with built in amplifiers.

In the higher end market (above EV QRX/JBL SRX level), built in amplifiers start to lose some of their advantages. There are still a lot of good ones (Meyer comes to mind) that I would consider, but since cabs at this level don't usually have passive crossovers, weight starts to pile up. If you're building a big array, it's difficult to get power to every loudspeaker up in the air. In fact, at this level, I see the industry trending towards manufacturer designed processing built into the amplifiers.

To the OP: How comfortable are you with sound systems? Do you have a DSP already? Do you have four conductor cable? The reason I ask is that there's a pair of Electro-Voice X-Array Xi-1152s on eBay right now in your price range, but they're biamp only. These guys would be real pro loudspeakers - I think they're one of the best sounding pole mounted loudspeakers out there. You do need a bit of sound knowledge to get the processing dialed in if you don't have an EV processor, and you'd need to add an IPR1600. They'd be a major, major jump up but I think they might work out to be at the very top of your price range if you've got some of the required back-end gear.

If you'd rather avoid that, I'd look for a pair of used Electro-Voice QRX112s. They're two levels up from the Peavey SPs, but should be available used for a good price. I wouldn't pay more than $400-$500 a loudspeaker.

kipperj
05-03-2012, 11:31 AM
To the OP: How comfortable are you with sound systems? Do you have a DSP already? Do you have four conductor cable? The reason I ask is that there's a pair of Electro-Voice X-Array Xi-1152s on eBay right now in your price range, but they're biamp only. These guys would be real pro loudspeakers - I think they're one of the best sounding pole mounted loudspeakers out there. You do need a bit of sound knowledge to get the processing dialed in if you don't have an EV processor, and you'd need to add an IPR1600. They'd be a major, major jump up but I think they might work out to be at the very top of your price range if you've got some of the required back-end gear.

If you'd rather avoid that, I'd look for a pair of used Electro-Voice QRX112s. They're two levels up from the Peavey SPs, but should be available used for a good price. I wouldn't pay more than $400-$500 a loudspeaker.

No, I don't have a DSP. I'm looking into EV right now. I see that the ELX series is in my price range. Assuming I won't be able to find the QRXs, how do you feel about the ELXs? How much better would they be? I know someone already commented about them. More opinions never hurt!

jayhwk
05-03-2012, 11:49 AM
They may sound better a bit, but they're still an intro level loudspeaker. I wouldn't consider them a big (or even medium) step up from the SPs. TourX is the EV line that sort of equals JBL MRX.

$700 a loudspeaker is a pretty good budget for passive used cabs. I'd sit for a while until something comes up - I've bought almost all my rig used and paid less than half the cost of what it would cost new. It did take a while, though, to find those deals.

BillESC
05-03-2012, 12:44 PM
Stretch your budget a bit and look at EV's ZX3 cabinets. A big step up from where you are now for around $ 800.00 a box.

audiopyle
05-03-2012, 01:17 PM
Where are you located? I have an EV TX system in stock I can discount considerably. Ordered for a customer who changed their mind. 2 - TX1122 tops and 2 - TX1181 subs.

GaFFLe
05-03-2012, 01:20 PM
No, I don't have a DSP. I'm looking into EV right now. I see that the ELX series is in my price range. Assuming I won't be able to find the QRXs, how do you feel about the ELXs? How much better would they be? I know someone already commented about them. More opinions never hurt!

I see passive QRX 115/75's on Ebay and Craigslist all day long. You'd be on that next level of gear if you go QRX as opposed to the PRX, ELX, KW, etc stuff.

kipperj
05-03-2012, 10:28 PM
Where are you located? I have an EV TX system in stock I can discount considerably. Ordered for a customer who changed their mind. 2 - TX1122 tops and 2 - TX1181 subs.

NE Pennsylvania. I'm not quite ready to buy. I'm still working my budget to see how much I'll need in the end.

SummitAudioDJ
05-04-2012, 09:03 AM
Hey I'm in NE PA as well. If you decide you want those EV's I have for sale and want to meet up for them I can take $100 (cost of shipping) off so they would only be $450 for the pair.

kipperj
05-04-2012, 01:06 PM
Hey I'm in NE PA as well. If you decide you want those EV's I have for sale and want to meet up for them I can take $100 (cost of shipping) off so they would only be $450 for the pair.

I said NE, and I meant to type NE, but I really meant NW, haha. I live in NW PA. However, like I was saying I don't have my budget figured out yet. I'm still going to do a little more digging. Hopefully soon I'll have everything figured out. That doesn't sound like too bad of a deal though.

ampnation
05-04-2012, 02:49 PM
Of the speakers mentioned, the QRx and MRX are one's I would look at. Also, I don't know a lot about the TX that Mike (audiopyle) talked about but I do believe they are a couple of leagues above your Peaveys.

Whatever you get, think about adding a DSP unit and using the manufacturer's suggested settings for the cabinets for best effect.

kipperj
05-04-2012, 05:10 PM
Anyone have info on the TX series? audiopyle? They seem to fit my price range, but where exactly do they fall into all of this?

kipperj
05-06-2012, 05:41 PM
As of now, it looks like I'm deciding between the JBL MRX515s and the EV ELX115. The way I see it, they will both be better than the PV series tops I have. Does anyone think this may be a bad idea? Which ones sound better?

sulabhsethi
11-14-2016, 05:09 AM
hello,
i am a newbie in this forum , but have been making a lot of small amps using tdas and already available amp kits.
i have a lawn of 50mtr by 50mtr, and i have two amplifiers of 350 watts and 500 watts.

i want to make a dj from the same amps , what i have thought is to make woofers for beats and lows to be each of 15" 300 watts each and from 350watt amp i intend to run two towers each having 3*10" 80 watts each for mid and high and tweeters .

if you can pls guide me in setting up a dj system for the laen from the available 350 and 500 watt amplifiers.