Column Array

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BlueLineDJ

DJ Extraordinaire
Jan 25, 2015
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Check out the latest from American Audio (ADJ) on their column array system, coming in at $229.00. I've a few unboxing videos and read some reviews. I think it's def you get what you pay for, but I see some DJs buying this for a ceremony system.

 
Check out the latest from American Audio (ADJ) on their column array system, coming in at $229.00. I've a few unboxing videos and read some reviews. I think it's def you get what you pay for, but I see some DJs buying this for a ceremony system.


Yeah I saw that. DJ Brian Redd says it sounds real nice, and "comparable to other column arrays". If that is true, it's a hell of a deal. At $229 it is like $320+ less than just about anything else colum array on the market.

Guitar Center, and Musicians Friend is running a big sale on the Harbinger MLS900 column array system. They dropped the price down to $299 to compete. Pretty sure last time I was at GC, they wanted $549 "on sale" for that speaker just a few months ago. I am not sure if it is twice the speaker the American Audio one is though.


Siesmic Audio has a similiar system that comes with a LED light on it for $300...Outside of these 3, everything else is like $800+ for a column array.

Is the American Audio simply a Hell of a deal, and ADJ brought them out just to sell in mass volume and gain market share, and very low profit margin, or is it simply a junk speaker that looks good at a first glance?
 
I don’t have any experience with these and I hope they work well. But I’ve been very happy with the S1pro‘s which have done many ceremonies for me for the last 4 years. They will be doing ceremonies for me for a while.
Heard plenty of good things about the jbl one compact as well.

The battery aspect has made things much easier. Yes, there are work arounds. But it’s better when it’s not needed.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m all for saving money. It’s just extremely rare to find cheap gear to last long, sound great, and make my life easier. I want gear to do all 3. I’m willing to pay a few hundred dollars more for that. I tell my clients that paying money will be worth it and I take my own advice. I’d much rather buy used good gear than cheap new gear.
 
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Here's the thing...With line array technology the physics are basically the same in any array providing they are setup right inside and out what changes is based on specs and quality of parts. Bose RCF EV etc spec out MUCH better and all are known for using quality parts and having a long life. If you are thinking of this as JUST a ceremony system and throw away if it breaks the AA one would probably do but for the same money the Harbinger is quite a bit better in the spec department but like Taso said if they are going under pressure you will see quickly why the others are 4- 5X the price
 
The thing about line arrays is that you can't cheat physics no matter how much marketing you put behind a product. The goal of a line array is to produce a cylindrical radiation pattern as opposed to a radial point source pattern. This vertically focuses the sound energy so it projects further. The distance you can achieve a cylindrical pattern is directly proportional to the array length. The longer the array, the longer the cylindrical throw. A 6-8 speaker "array" at ear height is not projecting a cylindrical wave front except in a narrow band of frequencies. It doesn't matter who designed it or what components are used. You can't cheat physics.
 
The thing about line arrays is that you can't cheat physics no matter how much marketing you put behind a product. The goal of a line array is to produce a cylindrical radiation pattern as opposed to a radial point source pattern. This vertically focuses the sound energy so it projects further. The distance you can achieve a cylindrical pattern is directly proportional to the array length. The longer the array, the longer the cylindrical throw. A 6-8 speaker "array" at ear height is not projecting a cylindrical wave front except in a narrow band of frequencies. It doesn't matter who designed it or what components are used. You can't cheat physics.
I agree, but for a ceremony, one typically doesn’t need much. The 6 speaker array in the compact was more than enough for 10 years. Even The 3 in the non array S1 has proven to be enough 80% of the time. The few times it hasn’t, adding a 2nd was easy enough.
the 16‘s and the 32’s have worked wonderful for me. The 24 in the model 2’s were great too.
 
Scott, I'm not knocking these small arrays. Many sound great and are more than capable for the common gig. The packaging makes them particularly handy from a transport and aesthetic perspective.

Speakers start sounding like crap as they approach their mechanical limits. You see the distortion rise significantly. If you want to achieve a certain volume in a space, you need to move a certain amount of air. Again, you can't cheat physics. Traditional speakers use a single driver per frequency band to move that air. These column speakers spread that job over multiple drivers. You are also spreading the voice-coil heat over a bigger area. This sharing of the load can result in lower distortion for the same volume of air movement. Of course, you never get something for nothing. Multiple radiating surfaces can create lobing effects at frequencies whose wavelength is start approaching the speaker size. That is a lecture for another day though.
 
Scott, I'm not knocking these small arrays. Many sound great and are more than capable for the common gig. The packaging makes them particularly handy from a transport and aesthetic perspective.

Speakers start sounding like crap as they approach their mechanical limits. You see the distortion rise significantly. If you want to achieve a certain volume in a space, you need to move a certain amount of air. Again, you can't cheat physics. Traditional speakers use a single driver per frequency band to move that air. These column speakers spread that job over multiple drivers. You are also spreading the voice-coil heat over a bigger area. This sharing of the load can result in lower distortion for the same volume of air movement. Of course, you never get something for nothing. Multiple radiating surfaces can create lobing effects at frequencies whose wavelength is start approaching the speaker size. That is a lecture for another day though.
I always appreciate your expertise and great explanations, my friend!
 
I thought the price was $2,229 and then I saw it was $229. Now for that price for me I would pass. The way I see it is like this. The company selling those speakers are in business to make money so the store doesn't get closed. For that price their profit margin for that gear can't be a lot. The company making the gear can't put real quality components that will sound great and last a long time. Basically entry level gear for the beginner who doesn't know high quality gear and budget gear. Taso nailed it. I wouldn't push them hard at all.

That reminds me of the time when my partner said I should buy a pair of Mackie Thumps. I call them Mackie junks. I used to play in a bar that had 4 of them and all of them where messed up. I ended up buying a pair of Yamaha DSR 115 speakers and haven't looked back since. At the time one of the Yamaha speakers cost as much as 2 of the Mackie junks. I will be using them this Thursday. Bottom line is most companies will make entry level gear that someone will buy and then those things wouldn't faze a DJ who knows better.

Now yes I have made some bad choices at times. Some times just rushing to buy some stuff and sometimes just buying stuff because that's all I could afford instead of waiting till I can afford to buy something better. At least I didn't buy those Mackie junks to save money. The speakers I bought were a very wise purchase.
 
I thought the price was $2,229 and then I saw it was $229. Now for that price for me I would pass. The way I see it is like this. The company selling those speakers are in business to make money so the store doesn't get closed. For that price their profit margin for that gear can't be a lot. The company making the gear can't put real quality components that will sound great and last a long time. Basically entry level gear for the beginner who doesn't know high quality gear and budget gear. Taso nailed it. I wouldn't push them hard at all.

That reminds me of the time when my partner said I should buy a pair of Mackie Thumps. I call them Mackie junks. I used to play in a bar that had 4 of them and all of them where messed up. I ended up buying a pair of Yamaha DSR 115 speakers and haven't looked back since. At the time one of the Yamaha speakers cost as much as 2 of the Mackie junks. I will be using them this Thursday. Bottom line is most companies will make entry level gear that someone will buy and then those things wouldn't faze a DJ who knows better.

Now yes I have made some bad choices at times. Some times just rushing to buy some stuff and sometimes just buying stuff because that's all I could afford instead of waiting till I can afford to buy something better. At least I didn't buy those Mackie junks to save money. The speakers I bought were a very wise purchase.
I think you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn’t made some poor equipment purchases. Some learn faster than others from these mistakes, while others can’t stop chasing the “Super Deal”. I know it does get tempting.

im also aware that it’s not impossible to find some gear that’s inexpensive that ends up working ok for some people.

Also, everyone has different ideas of what expensive and cheap is. Some will think the equipment I use is overpriced while others probably spend more than me on some gear. The key is find what works for you.