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Thread: Sanity check: EV + RCF setup

  1. #1
    Member sephi's Avatar
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    Sanity check: EV + RCF setup

    Sanity check me on this potential setup?
    • 2x RCF ART 912-A
    • 1x Electro-Voice ETX-15SP


    Goal is to have a powered setup for indoors events of about 100 people, with potential to expand up to 300-500 people by adding more subs/tops of the same model(s). Specifically, these would be electronic dance music events in small venues (e.g., hotel conference spaces); DJs would be playing everything from house to hardstyle, and people would want to feel like they're at a "rave". I need everything to fit into limited vehicle space, so I want to maximize/optimize the SPL per cubic foot while not sacrificing sound quality or spending 200% more just to get 5% better sound quality or a few more made-up watts.

    I'd go all out with the following if it didn't seem like complete overkill / not a worthwhile price/performance ratio:
    • 2x RCF NX32-A
    • 1x RCF SUB 8004-AS

    However, this second setup would be over 200% of the price point of the first setup, so this doesn't seem like an optimal choice in terms of price/performance.

    I'm open to alternatives, but mostly focused on feedback regarding the 912A + ETX-15SP setup at the top of this post. Thanks!
    "Real DJs do real things. Real things. Whatever the fuck that is." -oliosky

  2. #2
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    That RCF 9-series is brand new so chances are there aren't many people with hands on yet. One downside to mixing brands is that there may be missing processing. It looks like the RCF912 doesn't include a highpass crossover and the EV subs also don't include one.. EV builds that into each box separately, so this combo would need external processing.
    Any particular reason you haven't considered a complete EV system? I own EKX18sp's and have used the ETX15sp, these two boxes produce the same SPL in use and are almost the exact same size(ETX enslosure is a couple inches deeper and the wheels add about 4" more) but the EKX18 produces more thump, is 20lbs lighter and is less expensive to buy. The ETX15 does go a touch lower but the DJs I work with all prefer the EKX18. And the EKX series include cooling fans while the ETX doesn't, and I have seen the ETX's get into thermal limiting. An all EKX system would be a great starting point IMO but ETX12ps would be a good choice too.
    Paul O'Brien
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  3. #3
    Member sephi's Avatar
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    You're right, I completely missed that important detail. Looks like if I paired ETX tops and subs, their DSP controls have high-pass and low-pass respectively, but if I mixed brands between tops and subs, I'd need to split the frequencies with another piece of hardware.

    How do the EKX 12" tops compare to RCF or QSC 12" tops when used without a sub?

    Ideally I'd pair tops that can either provide sufficient bass for a very small event (like 30-50 people, e.g. a house party) without a sub, or be switched into high-pass only mode for bigger events. I want to avoid having tops that absolutely need a sub in every situation. I think I got spoiled by my QSC K12s...
    "Real DJs do real things. Real things. Whatever the fuck that is." -oliosky

  4. #4
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    Note that all of the EV cabs are designed to work together with presets loaded for all models, I regularly mix and match everything from ETX down to ZLX depending what the event requires.
    These 12's are all very similar, I have done small parties with these EV tops alone with good results. The only 12's that I have heard absolutely need a sub for any size of event are the Yamaha DSR112, but the tradeoff is it takes a pair of 18's to keep up with a single 112 and they do a stellar job when used that way.
    Paul O'Brien
    Old Tech Guy
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  5. #5
    The ETX15sp is a pretty killer sub for its size but just one of them won't make 100 people feel like they're at a rave.
    It'll sound good, but rave.. no.

    Two maybe, three would be better.

    But really if rave is what you want, you want the 18 for deeper bass.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by light-o-matic View Post
    The ETX15sp is a pretty killer sub for its size but just one of them won't make 100 people feel like they're at a rave.
    It'll sound good, but rave.. no.
    A DJ of mine managed to get complaints from hotel occupants several floors up from the ballroom with just a pair of ETX15sp's. But yeah it was just a wedding.. not a rave.

    Quote Originally Posted by light-o-matic View Post
    But you want the 18 for deeper bass.
    Actually no he wants 18s for the dynamic advantage they have, a larger driver delivers those kick dynamics more effectively.
    Last edited by conanski; 11-13-2021 at 07:39 PM.
    Paul O'Brien
    Old Tech Guy
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  7. #7
    Not exactly.. there is a trade-off between efficiency and box size, you can get deep bass from a small sub if you design it for that, but it will produce less output than a larger sub designed to serve the same frequency range.

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