Looking to purchase an additional sound system for school dances (200-500 students)

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SnowConeGuy

New DJ
Jan 26, 2009
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Norman, OK
www.nexusproductionsinc.com
Looking to purchase an additional sound system for Prom season. I currently use 2 EV ZXA5's w/ 2 Yorkville LS801p's for most bigger events. I also have 2 RCF 315a's w/ a RCF Art 905as sub I use for smaller dances. I also have a pair of JBL EonG2's , Bose L1's, & 2 EV ZX1's w/ 2 SB2A's I'll bring in for more sound if needed for certain events.

I want to purchase an entirely new system to handle another school during Prom season.

The biggest schools we do are 700-800 students and I usually use the EV ZXA5 w/ Yorville LS801's for those. We also do a lot of 250 - 500 person proms and a few 150 & less proms.

I need another system for the 250 - 500 person dances. Any recommendations on another sound system? I've been eyeing a QSC rig. Maybe QSC K12's w/ the K Subs or step up to the KW122's w/ the K181's.

Thanks for any recommendations!
 
I completely agree with Steve. If you have something that you like, buy a duplicate of it. You then have the ability to use 4 subs outdoors or in a big room and you have redundancy of equipment. A zxa5 & ls801p seems like a great combo if you want all active and if you later want to upgrade I would expect both to have a decent resale value to those who aren't swayed by massive marketing agencies who pretend to be pro audio manufacturers.
 
You will not find anything that will perform at a school dance like the yorkville subs will without increasing your number of drivers. QSC are great subs and even though I run yorkvilles i'll still say the QSC might sound better but 2 QSC 18's at a school dance will not perform nearly as well as 2 yorkies. I also agree with scott above, if you get 2 more of the same sub you now have the ability to run 4 together at a really big show. As for top cabinets, I like my brands of tops to match my subs but I also suffer from OCD. At this point I would match your current tops if you are happy with them for the same reason I'd match the subs.
 
Scottie B other than hearing the QSCs what other subs have you heard. Your comparing the Yorkies to what?
 
For Subs, have you looked at or heard the JBL SRX 728, deployed with the Vertec Line arrays as tops? Add the Crown ITech amps to the mix and it will be hard to beat. You may also want to take a look at the Folded Horns such as Cerwin Vegas. They are made for events such as you describe. Try not to mix and match Tops/Mains as they tend to cancel themselves. As others mention, duplicate the same models if you are adding more tops. A hodge podge of different types of speakers can be a recipe for distortion. More power vs quantity is what is needed.

Lastly there are the KLA Series made by QSC. They sound good too.
 
+1 on staying with EV/Yorkville if it meets your need. It's really tough to dial things in when you have too much of a hodge-podge of equipment. BTW, if you like the QSC, I would go with the KW line for school setups ... better horn (same drivers) and more options.
 
ahoustondj said:
For Subs, have you looked at or heard the JBL SRX 728, deployed with the Vertec Line arrays as tops? Add the Crown ITech amps to the mix and it will be hard to beat. You may also want to take a look at the Folded Horns such as Cerwin Vegas. They are made for events such as you describe. Try not to mix and match Tops/Mains as they tend to cancel themselves. As others mention, duplicate the same models if you are adding more tops. A hodge podge of different types of speakers can be a recipe for distortion. More power vs quantity is what is needed.

Lastly there are the KLA Series made by QSC. They sound good too.
Click to expand...

There goes that obssion with Line Arrays again.... for that small of a crowd, It would be way more work than its worth...and besides a properly deployed SRX rig with regular stacks...(tops on subs) will sound better and cost alot less. VRX tiny "line arrays" sound like chit to me. I'll take my normal rig any day over them
 
Precisionpower said:
There goes that obssion with Line Arrays again.... for that small of a crowd, It would be way more work than its worth...and besides a properly deployed SRX rig with regular stacks...(tops on subs) will sound better and cost alot less. VRX tiny "line arrays" sound like chit to me. I'll take my normal rig any day over them
Click to expand...
Are you saying that these sound like chit? http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/general/Product.aspx?PId=303&MId=4 My friend I have heard these on top of a pair of SRX 728s and they were awesome. They were loud, clean and clear! I was NOT referring to the little compacts.
 
Honestly for 250 to 500 person school events I run 2 - JBL SRX722 and 2 JBL SRX728S. (Mainly because it is the rig I have access to rent)You would need 10 K-12s to fill a room for a 500 kid school dance.

If I was going to buy a system I would buy an EV QRx 212 and EV QRx 218s. There is a local sound guy that uses this setup and it kicks major butt.
 
ahoustondj said:
Are you saying that these sound like chit? http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/general/Product.aspx?PId=303&MId=4 My friend I have heard these on top of a pair of SRX 728s and they were awesome. They were loud, clean and clear! I was NOT referring to the little compacts.
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Once again Canute....your suggesting that someone go buy something "crazy" and not appropriate for dj work! Did you see the PRICE for 1 Ver-Tec VT4886??

$2,699! And add to the fact that there designed to work in multiples of 10 or more prob..just makes no sense as to why someone would use these over SRX or even EV QRX boxes.... you would get way better coverage with (4) SRX or QRX tops and better sound.

And add to the fact of your beloved "Processing" for Ver-tecs i'm sure would add more to the cost...As you'd need at least a Drive Rack 260 for better to even have the presets for Ver-Tec
 
Hey what happened to the Op? Folks are offering right and left and no response or acknowledgment. I guess I have nothing further.
 
Scott Harris said:
I completely agree with Steve. If you have something that you like, buy a duplicate of it. You then have the ability to use 4 subs outdoors or in a big room and you have redundancy of equipment. A zxa5 & ls801p seems like a great combo if you want all active and if you later want to upgrade I would expect both to have a decent resale value to those who aren't swayed by massive marketing agencies who pretend to be pro audio manufacturers.
Click to expand...
This seems like the best advice in the OP's situation. I know you'd want to buy some 'new' toys but to have redundancy with your equipment + being able to cluster/run them ALL for an all out assaultingly loud system can't be beat.
 
SnowConeGuy said:
Looking to purchase an additional sound system for Prom season. I currently use 2 EV ZXA5's w/ 2 Yorkville LS801p's for most bigger events. I also have 2 RCF 315a's w/ a RCF Art 905as sub I use for smaller dances. I also have a pair of JBL EonG2's , Bose L1's, & 2 EV ZX1's w/ 2 SB2A's I'll bring in for more sound if needed for certain events.

I want to purchase an entirely new system to handle another school during Prom season.

The biggest schools we do are 700-800 students and I usually use the EV ZXA5 w/ Yorville LS801's for those. We also do a lot of 250 - 500 person proms and a few 150 & less proms.

I need another system for the 250 - 500 person dances. Any recommendations on another sound system? I've been eyeing a QSC rig. Maybe QSC K12's w/ the K Subs or step up to the KW122's w/ the K181's.

Thanks for any recommendations!
Click to expand...

LOL ... this is the exact system my friend suggested I purchase for my school dances (2 x ZXA5 + 2 LS801P). How do you set-up these speakers? Do you pole-mount the tops? or use separate stands and leave the subs side-by-side in the middle? Do you have any processing or just straight out from the mixer? How much power do these speakers require? (1 circuit per 1-top / 1-sub)?
 
steve149 said:
+1 on staying with EV/Yorkville if it meets your need. It's really tough to dial things in when you have too much of a hodge-podge of equipment. BTW, if you like the QSC, I would go with the KW line for school setups ... better horn (same drivers) and more options.
Click to expand...

I was looking at the QSC KW series....KW122 top / KW152 top / KW181 sub ... what would you suggest for school dances for up to 500 kids?
 
When you start to get to that level, you're almost moving into a different tier. My recommendation would be (2) JBL SRX722 per side over a JBL SRX728 (or even 2) plus amps. The QSC powered will work, but 500 bodies soak up a lot of highs, plus 500 people cover a fairly large area. A pair of QSC KW153s per side would also be pretty good, but the KW line doesn't have large enough subs to use .. you'd end up stacking a bunch. Mind you the KW line is great, but just not designed for that large of a coverage.
 
steve149 said:
When you start to get to that level, you're almost moving into a different tier. My recommendation would be (2) JBL SRX722 per side over a JBL SRX728 (or even 2) plus amps. The QSC powered will work, but 500 bodies soak up a lot of highs, plus 500 people cover a fairly large area. A pair of QSC KW153s per side would also be pretty good, but the KW line doesn't have large enough subs to use .. you'd end up stacking a bunch. Mind you the KW line is great, but just not designed for that large of a coverage.
Click to expand...

My second choice (because I would like to go active) is 2 x ZXA5's + 2 x LS801P ... would this handle the 500 kids?

I should mention, when I say 500 kids (they are between the ages of 7-13) ... NOT High-School kids :)

I would not want to "scare" them with too much sound...lol
 
They will certainly work, as will the QSCs for that age group. Grade school kids don't seem to like it as loud as high schoolers anyway. I have no experience with the EVs, so I'll let one of the others comment. The Yorkville subs are nice either with the EVs or the QSCs.
 
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