Fun Speaker Dilemma - Which ones??

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Jan 23, 2020
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Hello Everyone.

Sorry to barge in with a topic like this out of the blue, but I need to decide.

Long story short, IDJnow.com has a sale and I want speakers!

Likely uses in order would include continued family karaoke madness at full volume, me playing solo acoustic gigs, potentially doing vocals for a metal type band, and maybe even some DJ work ones of these days. I also just love good equipment soooooooo much.

I'm narrowed down to this:

(2) QSC K8.2 with a QSC KS112 12" Sub

(2) RCF HD10a MK3 with a RCF 708 AS II 18" Sub

(2) RCF HD32a MK3 and wait a while to pair up a sub..the only logical choice being the damn expensive RCF SUB 8003-AS 2200 watt 18"

All three options are about $2,000 right now. What do you think? Great problem to wrestle with here, I know.
 
I would go to a place where you can listen to each one of those and decide. All of those are great choices. It's up to you what you like. Bottom line you can't go wrong with any of those choices. Also check out KPODJ and see what their VIP prices are. Just compare prices.
 
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I would go to a place where you can listen to each one of those and decide.

He makes a good point.
Other people's opinion in words, will never replace what your own ears tell you.
If you buy speakers that come highly recommended....and don't like the way they sound...
you will never be happy with them.
Even if the price was a steal!
 
The HD32a were some of the nicest sounding small speakers I've heard (along with the QSC KW112). I like the K series, but think a 10" set is better with a sub .. the 8s are a little too wide in dispersion, but would be ideal only if you have listeners/dancers within 12 feet or so.

I like the HD10 as well (they're all good speakers), but would match it with a 705ASII instead of the 708 (otherwise you need to crossover a bit high for an 18).

Also, for around the same dollars, you could get a pair of RCF EVOX J8, which also sound great. Could also get 1 J8 and 1 JMix8 for a little more if you need the full mixer section at times.
 
Also, for around the same dollars, you could get a pair of RCF EVOX J8, which also sound great. Could also get 1 J8 and 1 JMix8 for a little more if you need the full mixer section at times.

I have a JMIX8+J8 set that I'm selling... used them a few times but I have regular EVOX 8's that suit my needs better. Great speakers... I just have too many.

Steve's right - these are awesome. They're shippable, if anybody's interested. $1800 for the set with covers, plus shipping (approx. $30-50 per speaker).

All of the other options you're considering require speaker stands, which I'm trying to get away from...stands are always getting dinged up, they take up too much space, and they just look outdated.
 
If you're supplying speakers for a band, you're going to need something more like 12's / 15's and 18's.

Note: you said vocals for a metal type band - not sure if these means just vocals at home or what.
 
I have a JMIX8+J8 set that I'm selling... used them a few times but I have regular EVOX 8's that suit my needs better. Great speakers... I just have too many.

Steve's right - these are awesome. They're shippable, if anybody's interested. $1800 for the set with covers, plus shipping (approx. $30-50 per speaker).

All of the other options you're considering require speaker stands, which I'm trying to get away from...stands are always getting dinged up, they take up too much space, and they just look outdated.
I don't know about speaker stands getting dinged up. You must be slamming them against a wall or a floor. Lol.
 
I don't know about speaker stands getting dinged up. You must be slamming them against a wall or a floor. Lol.

You're kidding right? You probably buy more stands in a year than I've bought in the last 10.
 
No I'm not. We've had the same stands for years and never need to replace them.

I'm not going to argue with you about stands. This discussion is about speakers, and you're trying to take it off-topic.

Way to show the new guy how this group works. Welcome, Normonster!
 
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I would go to a place where you can listen to each one of those and decide. All of those are great choices. It's up to you what you like. Bottom line you can't go wrong with any of those choices. Also check out KPODJ and see what their VIP prices are. Just compare prices.

Hey thanks Mix! I wish there was a place to demo all this stuff. I don't know of one.

I am going to end up relying on the bottom line comment there I think. I always go quality with everything and it usually works out and at the least always retains some resale value.

I'll check out KPODJ for sure.

The HD32a were some of the nicest sounding small speakers I've heard (along with the QSC KW112). I like the K series, but think a 10" set is better with a sub .. the 8s are a little too wide in dispersion, but would be ideal only if you have listeners/dancers within 12 feet or so.

I like the HD10 as well (they're all good speakers), but would match it with a 705ASII instead of the 708 (otherwise you need to crossover a bit high for an 18).

Also, for around the same dollars, you could get a pair of RCF EVOX J8, which also sound great. Could also get 1 J8 and 1 JMix8 for a little more if you need the full mixer section at times.

Yeah, it looks like it is all boiling down to something I've seen you all mention a few times now...no one speaker set is perfect for all situations. The truth is that I probably will listen and play within 12 feet or so, at least for now, basically everyday....just might dance too. :) The Fam-cave is only like 12x18', where we rock at home.

I was actually expecting everyone to say the same thing on this: get the 32A and wait it out for the big sub later. I'm surprised at the range of replies and points to consider.

Maybe it is b/c I'm old school and arrays are new, but I just cannot stomach the look of them, though I did come across a horizontal array that looked pretty mean...was a brand I'd never seen before..like $1,500 for one.

Anyway, thank you Sir for the sub advice too...hadn't considered x-over point.

If you're supplying speakers for a band, you're going to need something more like 12's / 15's and 18's.

Note: you said vocals for a metal type band - not sure if these means just vocals at home or what.

Well, it will probably never happen, but if it did I'm talking about garage band style with just vocals in the PA along side halfstacks and drums, not micing the whole deal. Truth is if I found a sick band like that I'd get whatever was needed. Sucks to be old, but it is nice to have a job and the means to support a gear habit.


Thanks gents! I'll let this thread know what happens. Now I have to read all the K10 vs. K10.2 threads b/c there are some sweet used ones right near me and the originals don't have that screen on the back, which is a hard for me to get over. I'd prefer just one or two combo ins/outs and some gain controls....which is what got RCF on my radar.

What fun!
 
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Anyone ever heard of Altec Lansing?

This looks pretty cool.


The smaller one is $1,500 but this beast is 2500.
Altec hasn't been a relevant audio company for 20+ years, so I would hesitate recommending them. At that price point, there are plenty of better choices.

Other boxes to consider, IMO, are the Yamaha DXR and the new DZR lines, as well as the EV EKX if you like classic style boxes. I think the thinner array boxes are cleaner looking to many customers and most of the better ones sound pretty good (RCF, EV, Bose).
 
OK, looks like Altec is trying hard to become relevant again.

I have heard a few Bose arrays and they were nice (small acoustic performances) but yeah I prefer boxes. My PA when I was gigging back in the day was dual EV 15” Eliminators, Cerwin Vega 15” subs of model long forgotten and some 15” Carvin tops all pushed by 2 2,600 watt Mackie amps. I was competing with two guitar players each pushing full stacks with dual 15” subs on the bottoms. Some part of me will always be comparing PA to that setup, even though obviously things have changed.

Steve what is your take on the 32a used at close up distances for karaoke, acoustic, program music, etc? Overkill sure, but any real downside of using only a fraction of their power in most cases, besides dispersion angle?
 
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OK, looks like Altec is trying hard to become relevant again.

I have heard a few Bose arrays and they were nice (small acoustic performances) but yeah I prefer boxes. My PA when I was gigging back in the day was dual EV 15” Eliminators, Cerwin Vega 15” subs of model long forgotten and some 15” Carvin tops all pushed by 2 2,600 watt Mackie amps. I was competing with two guitar players each pushing full stacks with dual 15” subs on the bottoms. Some part of me will always be comparing PA to that setup, even though obviously things have changed.

Steve what is your take on the 32a used at close up distances for karaoke, acoustic, program music, etc? Overkill sure, but any real downside of using only a fraction of their power in most cases, besides dispersion angle?
The HD32a is just a good box overall. What I liked the best was the large 3" compression driver which allows the horn to go lower than normal (around 700Hz) and therefore keep most vocals on a single driver, so works great for acoustic work. Until I got my RCF EVOX 8, my plan was a pair of the HD32a over a pair of either the 705 or 708 subs. The EVOX is such a good overall speaker and I don't do really large events anymore that I haven't looked at them recently.
 
I have to agree with Steve with regards to the HD 32s. It's such a great box even as a standalone without a sub. I've had mine for a couple of years and I love them. They really provide a nice full sound for about a hundred and fifty people alone. Add a sub and you can definitely do more. I use mine as mains with a 15in powered sub as a small wedding setup. I was always a RCF speaker lover since 2007, but when Steve recommended the HD 32 3 years ago I had to give them a shot. I haven't bought a speaker since.
 
Oah man I couldn't resist and so I ordered a couple subs. 705's on the way. Sprung for the package with the crank up stands b/c these 32's are looking pretty precarious on my cheap speaker stands. Maybe use those for lights or something eventually.

Good times!