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For your main set of speakers.... passive or powered?
- Thread starter Papa Deuce
- Start date
what do you POWER your passive speakers with then? Do you mean you now have POWERED or active speakers, and is that just an extra wide belt around your waist (girdle)?
Ooops! Typo! Thanks Jon!
POWERED all the way!!!!!
Passive - Like Fred, I'm old school. The usual set-up is a bi-amped system, next step-up is a tri-amped system.
For those incredibly rare instances when I have to pull out the fairgrounds system, this is what it consists of:
(2) Peavey 4-C amps
(1) Peavey 8.5 C amp
(2) Yamaha P2000 amps
(2) E.V. Sb-180 folded subs
(2) Elliot cabs loaded with Eminence 18" subs
(2) E.V. SX-500's (for mains use)
(2) Yamaha S115's (Mid highs)
(2) Yamaha S112's (highs)
or
(2) long throw E.V horns for highs
and when the extreme rare instance calls for it -
(2) Altec Voice of Theatre cabs replace the 4 Yamaha units (and these haven't seen the light of day for 4 years - damn things weigh a ton)
For those incredibly rare instances when I have to pull out the fairgrounds system, this is what it consists of:
(2) Peavey 4-C amps
(1) Peavey 8.5 C amp
(2) Yamaha P2000 amps
(2) E.V. Sb-180 folded subs
(2) Elliot cabs loaded with Eminence 18" subs
(2) E.V. SX-500's (for mains use)
(2) Yamaha S115's (Mid highs)
(2) Yamaha S112's (highs)
or
(2) long throw E.V horns for highs
and when the extreme rare instance calls for it -
(2) Altec Voice of Theatre cabs replace the 4 Yamaha units (and these haven't seen the light of day for 4 years - damn things weigh a ton)
Do you know the specs on these Greg? I heard a pair of these years back at a carnival I thought they were awesome looking and great sound. The guy who owned them knew nothing about them he won them in a poker game
Not right off hand Jeff. I do know this much though - they seem to be able to handle an enormous amount of power without even breathing hard.
John Daniels had a pair years ago and swore by them. He ran his with separate tops. The pair I have has the largest slotted flared horn (with a huge throat design) I have ever seen on any speaker.
I'll see if I can get the specs for you over the next couple days. I'll have to pull the backs off of them - the last time I looked inside them, the specs sheet was glued to the inside of the back board.
These things are ancient too - they came out of a church santuary several years ago. They measure somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 feet across the front, 3 feet tall bottom to top, and close to 2 1/2 feet wide front to back.
I am attaching a crude drawing of what they look like from the front I made in Paint.
Thanks Greg
I did a quick search and didn't find anything on specs for them but I do remember the thump coming from them when I heard them would tear the hell out of my Earthquakes and the quakes ain't no lightweight
I did a quick search and didn't find anything on specs for them but I do remember the thump coming from them when I heard them would tear the hell out of my Earthquakes and the quakes ain't no lightweight
Powered!
Someone mentioned KISs, and use passive, I could say the same with powered. I really don't know how much simpler it could be. I've used both powered and passive, and powered fits me better, and IMO, is much easier to setup in it's current configuration.
Power cords to wall, mount recievers, power up, and play! I don't even have to hide cables back to the main rig, cause there isn't any to hide.
Someone mentioned KISs, and use passive, I could say the same with powered. I really don't know how much simpler it could be. I've used both powered and passive, and powered fits me better, and IMO, is much easier to setup in it's current configuration.
Power cords to wall, mount recievers, power up, and play! I don't even have to hide cables back to the main rig, cause there isn't any to hide.
PASSIVE
I've heard too many bad things happen with powered speakers, whether they're Mackies or JBLs. I think that too many DJs rely solely upon the internal amps and EQs of these speakers. A common problem I have heard is that all of a sudden, the bottom drops out. Of course, all that DJ can do (and typically does) is jack up the volume. Even if they have a woofer, the change is very noticeable and the sound becomes very top-heavy.
Mine is a more traditional setup. For each pair of passive speakers I use, I dedicate one amp. Of course, the signal is processed further...I have an amazing techie working with me.
I've heard too many bad things happen with powered speakers, whether they're Mackies or JBLs. I think that too many DJs rely solely upon the internal amps and EQs of these speakers. A common problem I have heard is that all of a sudden, the bottom drops out. Of course, all that DJ can do (and typically does) is jack up the volume. Even if they have a woofer, the change is very noticeable and the sound becomes very top-heavy.
Mine is a more traditional setup. For each pair of passive speakers I use, I dedicate one amp. Of course, the signal is processed further...I have an amazing techie working with me.
Powered!!! NX750P's and LS800P subs.
I couldn't handle carrying my 13lb QSC PLX2 1804 amps, LOL!!!!
I couldn't handle carrying my 13lb QSC PLX2 1804 amps, LOL!!!!
I run both passive and active. My mains are active QSC 153i which are tri amped. The QSC HPR speakers are loaded with QSC RMX amps. No cheap crappy amps here. My subs are passive. I'm using a Peavey CS 3000 amp on them. This amp can dump 2000 watts into one of my Yorkville LS 808 subs. If I daisy chain two subs. My bass can hit peaks of 140 db. I have had people tell me to turn it down because their chest was hurting from all of the hard hitting bass.
I run both passive and active. My mains are active QSC 153i which are tri amped. The QSC HPR speakers are loaded with QSC RMX amps. No cheap crappy amps here. My subs are passive. I'm using a Peavey CS 3000 amp on them. This amp can dump 2000 watts into one of my Yorkville LS 808 subs. If I daisy chain two subs. My bass can hit peaks of 140 db. I have had people tell me to turn it down because their chest was hurting from all of the hard hitting bass.
Just be careful. I know a guy who used to roadie for large concerts and had to give it up because he twice had a lung colapse as a result of heavy, hard hitting bass.
If someone local sold the active Turbosunds and I could demo them I would consider going 100% active but it seems that I will remain passive for a long time to come.
Go passive...woohoo! If you can control them correctly, no powered speaker rig can touch a passive rig in terms of quality, flexibility of sound and adjusting to your venue and crowd.
I used passive speakers for 30 years. I always feared having an amp failure in a powered speaker, and then not being able to use the speaker to complete the gig.
I now run two SRM 450 Mackies and an 1801 Mackie Sub.
All I can say is I wish I switched to active years ago. They work well for me.
The sound is very good, and I am very pleased with them.
My old passive system with amplifier is out in the trailer as back-up if I should need it.
I now run two SRM 450 Mackies and an 1801 Mackie Sub.
All I can say is I wish I switched to active years ago. They work well for me.
The sound is very good, and I am very pleased with them.
My old passive system with amplifier is out in the trailer as back-up if I should need it.
Let's look at a little history on these things (passive speaker systems).
In the early years, some of 'em were junk right out of the box. A few bad experiences tainted the concept for many. In all honesty, the bugs have been worked out and these cabs can do a fine job when used for what they are designed to do.
That being said, nothing ~ and I mean nothing can substitute for basic PA fundamentals. For instance, a 300 watt active cabinet can't be expected to do the job when a 700 watt active cabinet is needed.
Whether passive or active, everything has a limit. Push any system beyond its limit and it's gonna break.
In the early years, some of 'em were junk right out of the box. A few bad experiences tainted the concept for many. In all honesty, the bugs have been worked out and these cabs can do a fine job when used for what they are designed to do.
That being said, nothing ~ and I mean nothing can substitute for basic PA fundamentals. For instance, a 300 watt active cabinet can't be expected to do the job when a 700 watt active cabinet is needed.
Whether passive or active, everything has a limit. Push any system beyond its limit and it's gonna break.