Test Driving RCF tomorrow. Talk me out of it.

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jtnichol

jtnichol

KCDJ
Oct 25, 2006
4,963
208
50
Leavenworth KS
www.jfproductions.biz
Hey ya'll. It's been a long time. I've not upgraded gear in years but I'm very close to dumping everything on the market and starting fresh with 2x RCF Evox 12 systems. I'm getting them at cost from a friend who I work with a lot. He's been handling my big shows over the years for large school events. He sold off all his JBL SR-X gear...he had 8 dual 18's and 8 tops....anyway he became an RCF dealer and I got to go through his pro line array stuff. It was AWESOME sounding stuff. Really nice.

He's raving on the EVOX 12's and is loaning me the system tomorrow for a wedding. I'm pretty stoked.

I'm not getting younger and this system will eliminate a lot of rack stuff. Only drawback is I can't tune the tops...but hell...we didn't do nothing but a little EQ on the big RCF stuff so I think I'll be fine.

I've never owned any of these stick systems.

How bout you guys? Any RCF fanboys wanna chime in.
Actually, I'm open to just learn about these systems. Seem like they are getting more common.

The reason I'm upgrading is I want to get rid of my current subs. They are about 20 years old and they've me well...they were EV iSubs that I threw a Peavey Low Rider Black Widow and powered by IPR2 5000 amp.

Amp giving me troubles so I gotta make a move. I'll get the amp repaired but I'm going to help a younger DJ out by getting him into this setup for cheap.

On a side note, I do have 2 JBL PRX 12's that I love. I could just get the RF 15" Sub 905-AS II

I know I know...don't mix match brands.....Bah...whatever. I know the PRX's can keep up with that sub and it's like 70 lbs. PLUS I get the benefit of actually using a drive rack.

Technically I could negate the driverack but I find the onboard EQ with the Soundcraft U16 WiFi mixer just isn't as expressive or extensive.

So..... Get the stick system, or just get the subs?

Either way...I like the weight/pack size of the EVOX 12 and it will allow me to greatly lighten my load an other signaling gear.

 
I'm using RCF EVOX-8's. Only had 'em for 6 months, but I really like 'em. They're perfect for the types of gigs I do, and they're super simple to setup and use. My previous speakers were not terribly heavy, but with the RCF's I eliminated two speaker bags (for 10 or 12 inch speakers), and the EVOX-8 is still smaller and lighter than my old 12" subs. They sound great too... more bass than you'd expect from a box as small as these are. You say they're becoming more common, but I haven't seen many DJ's using them around here. However, now that Guitar Center is selling them, perhaps other DJ's around here will check them out. I hope not.[emoji1] I like having a little different setup than the other DJ's.[emoji4]


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ittigger said:
Quite a few here have the Evox 8 - and seem to be happy with it.
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Awesome that's great to hear. Good to see you again. Been a while. I've been off in other endeavors with crypto lately running EthTrader on Reddit among other things. This room was always great to participate in. Good to see you are still here. Hard to believe I've been here with an account for almost 12 years!


DJ Bobcat said:
I'm using RCF EVOX-8's. Only had for 6 months, but I really like 'em. They're perfect for the types of gigs I do, and they're super simple to setup and use. My previous speakers were not terribly heavy, but with the RCF's I eliminated two speaker bags (for 10 or 12 inch speakers), and the EVOX-8 is still smaller and lighter than my old 12" subs. They sound great too... more bass than you'd expect from a box as small as these are. You say they're becoming more common, but I haven't seen many DJ's using them around here. However, now that Guitar Center is selling them, perhaps other DJ's around here will check them out. I hope not.[emoji1] I like having a little different setup than the other DJ's.[emoji4]


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Excellent thanks for the feedback!
 
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I've had the EVOX 8 longer than any here .. was one of the first in the states. I love them .. pack small .. light .. and can cover any of my events. The EVOX 12 ( @Albatross has them ) are better for larger crowds (> 200). My events are almost always less than 150, so my back appreciates the weight savings.

I like the sound of all the RCF boxes .. one set I keep eyeing is a pair of RCF HD32A over a pair of 705ASII subs.
 
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steve149 said:
I've had the EVOX 8 longer than any here .. was one of the first in the states. I love them .. pack small .. light .. and can cover any of my events. The EVOX 12 ( @Albatross has them ) are better for larger crowds (> 200). My events are almost always less than 150, so my back appreciates the weight savings.

I like the sound of all the RCF boxes .. one set I keep eyeing is a pair of RCF HD32A over a pair of 705ASII subs.
Click to expand...

Awesome Steve. Thanks for the reply. Very helpful. WOW so many RCF folks here. Interesting. Why not get the 905ASII sub? Few more watts for 3 more lbs...but yeah 150 people don't need too much more bass than the 705.

Interesting to hear what @Albatross has to say. Some of my weddings get to around the 350 mark.

On a side note my buddy is bringing the RCF system we are using for a 5000+ fireworks show to a wedding with 600 guests in a field in the country....This bride wanted a full tilt production...can't wait.

But yeah I have a feeling these 2 EVOX 12 systems would do a 350 crowd in an appropriate sized room with no sweat. Plus I can always rent the big boy stuff from my dude....
 
I'm a down-sizer too...from Yorkville Tops and 18" Subwoofer (all Active) to RCV Evox 8. I really like their portability. At 50 lbs. (all included top and sub) they are easy on the back and storage. Had RCF ART series 200 Tops (12") and series 800 Subs (15") prior to getting my Yorkville system, so I've been a fan of RCF since 1999. Unfortunately, I had to sell those off also.
I was able to compare (sound test) both the Evox 8 and 12 at the warehouse in Edison, New Jersey before purchasing the Evox 8. The Evox 12 put out some awesome sound, but was more than I would need in the future. I was re-locating and semi-retiring; hence, the reason for downsizing.
The subwoofer part of the system does very well. Agreed, they will serve events of 150 or less, but could do 200 people in the right size space.

You'll like them!!!
 
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TwinSpinDJ said:
Agreed, they will serve events of 150 or less, but could do 200 people in the right size space.

You'll like them!!!
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The 8's will do 150 or less and the 12's you think will do up to 400 at a wedding?

I'm assuming no way they'd do a teen dance justice with just 2 of either system.

Thanks for replying either way man! WOW. I'm glad so many people in the biz are happy with the 8's.
 
jtnichol said:
I'm assuming no way they'd do a teen dance justice with just 2 of either system.
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You would definitely need some additional low end. I believe that another user of RCF gear (sticks) has a larger system. Can't recall the model. I'll be back to edit in a few minutes.
Check out RCF NX45A tops, but you'll need subs with them! See DJTasso's posts.
 
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jtnichol said:
Interesting to hear what @Albatross has to say. Some of my weddings get to around the 350 mark.
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My initial response to them was pretty negative. I was surprised at how much low end it felt like I was losing coming from an 18" sub to a pair of 15s. Since then, I've either gotten over it, or used to it for the most part.

I've used my Evox-12s at almost every wedding since September, and they're a very good utility player. Would I use them for 350 guests? No.

If I hit 200+ I'd want to add a supplemental sub or a totally different system. I've heard people say you can do 300 with them... but I've felt like I was driving them pretty hard for a group of 150. They still sounded good, but I don't like feeling like I don't have head room.

For what it's worth, on a 450 student school dance this year, I had a partner bring in 2 dual-18 BassBoss subs to crush. So maybe my ear just wants more bass, but I wouldn't do a school event with the Evox system either.

In short... I think it depends what you demand from your system, and what you plan to do with it. The Evox-12 is a really great set up for a lot of reasons, but don't ask it for miracles.
 
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I haven't heard the RCFs but have heard JBLs and EVs. That format is probably the most perfect sound system you could ask for for weddings. I'm really interested to hear your take on it after you get to use them. One thing I'm especially interested in is, how much "hammer" will you have with those subs? I'm kinda a junkie on being able to feel the power in my hands and when it's not there, it's just lacking. Good luck on your gig today.
 
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If I was younger and starting over, I might get the EVOX 12 (or pieces similar to Taso's) and then an EVOX J8 and JMix8 pair. The J series are similar to our EVOX 8s, but use plastic cabs for the pieces to save $$s and are fine for a small group or ceremony type system. The JMix even has a full mixer panel to really go small if needed. I think one would be set with a pair of each, with the 12s doing main duty and the 8s doing ceremony/cocktail/small system/delay speaker duties.

I also have a pair of JBL PRX612m tops and use them all the time. Here's a video I posted a while ago comparing them to the EVOX ..

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-2k0EVQAF0
 
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Thanks so much for your reply everyone. Honestly I just warmed up the room with this system and although it was even and nice I feel like it's not going to be great for what I want. I think I will stick with RCF though because I did get a chance to go through some of their higher-end gear. I think I might spend more money and just step up and get the NX stuff. I might stick with that second series 15 they came out with. Looks like it'll be a good match to the NZ..

Damn thing is this evox system is a tight pack indeed. I'm in a room right now with 20 foot ceilings so maybe that's a factor. Also the subs are on the stage and not on the floor.


That Peavey Black Widow retrofit thing I did with this Ev cab with a small form factor box and a low profile 18 I think maybe a big reason then I'm not too nice about this evox system. I might get used to it. But I definitely know with more than 300 people this thing is going to be limiting all night and I think that sucks. There might be two hundred people in here right now. I'm sure it's pretty good sounding to them so I'm not going to write it off just yet. It's the difference between me packing gear in a caravan and packing it in a 15 passenger van like I do now. 90% of my gigs are 300 people or less so maybe I should just get over it and enjoy the easy setup and lightweight.

I blame my hearing loss on my bias. I just like more Headroom by the end of the night.

Lol

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jtnichol said:
Thanks so much for your reply everyone. Honestly I just warmed up the room with this system and although it was even and nice I feel like it's not going to be great for what I want. I think I will stick with RCF though because I did get a chance to go through some of their higher-end gear. I think I might spend more money and just step up and get the NX stuff. I might stick with that second series 15 they came out with. Looks like it'll be a good match to the NZ..

Damn thing is this evox system is a tight pack indeed. I'm in a room right now with 20 foot ceilings so maybe that's a factor. Also the subs are on the stage and not on the floor.


That Peavey Black Widow retrofit thing I did with this Ev cab with a small form factor box and a low profile 18 I think maybe a big reason then I'm not too nice about this evox system. I might get used to it. But I definitely know with more than 300 people this thing is going to be limiting all night and I think that sucks. There might be two hundred people in here right now. I'm sure it's pretty good sounding to them so I'm not going to write it off just yet. It's the difference between me packing gear in a caravan and packing it in a 15 passenger van like I do now. 90% of my gigs are 300 people or less so maybe I should just get over it and enjoy the easy setup and lightweight.

I blame my hearing loss on my bias. I just like more Headroom by the end of the night.

Lol

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Every time I try to do a compact system I am disappointed, while know it sounds good, they never have big sound I am looking for
 
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tunes4046 said:
Every time I try to do a compact system I am disappointed, while know it sounds good, they never have big sound I am looking for
Click to expand...
Everything is a compromise. I'm more a connoisseur of quality over quantity (though I agree quality with quantity would be awesome). If you do big events, then you need to have big gear .. I used to, but 150 is my max these days and the EVOX are perfect for that.
 
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steve149 said:
Everything is a compromise. I'm more a connoisseur of quality over quantity (though I agree quality with quantity would be awesome). If you do big events, then you need to have big gear .. I used to, but 150 is my max these days and the EVOX are perfect for that.
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It’s the typical size of my gigs too, I have an Evon 8 system that makes sense to use however, more often than not the Nexo gear is set up
 
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steve149 said:
Everything is a compromise. I'm more a connoisseur of quality over quantity (though I agree quality with quantity would be awesome). If you do big events, then you need to have big gear .. I used to, but 150 is my max these days and the EVOX are perfect for that.
Click to expand...
I'm going to dedicate my time with two weddings with this system. At the end of the night it's not me that needs to be satisfied.

I used to think every wedding needed 15 lights. I used to think every wedding needed to subs and 2 dual Mains. The reality is I'm the only one that is this critical. I'm going to give it a fair shot for two weddings in two different venues. It might just be perfect for me in the end. Whatever I buy next I need to be able to do easily for the next 10 years.

All my biggest gigs are handled by another company in any way. I can always grab another speaker from them for larger weddings.

I really did like the way my voice sounded through the speakers. It's even all the way across the room. My worry is so will the music. I like a little bit more direction towards the dance floor if possible. I know that's not possible with this system. I know it is possible with the NLX series or whatever that one is.

At the end of the day a bunch of drunk 20-somethings probably are not going to be that critical. Some of the old sound dogs in room will probably appreciate it. I'm just thinking out loud here rambling about first impressions.


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