EV ZXA1SUB vs EV EKX 15sp

To many ads? Support ODJT and see no ads!

rickryan.com

DJ Extraordinaire
ODJT Supporter
Dec 9, 2009
19,237
17,323
59
Hendersonville, TN
www.rickryan.com
I'm really gearing this towards Mike, but anyone with first-hand knowledge on these units, feel free to chime in.

For typical wedding events, 100-150 guests, small to medium scale productions, how would you rate a single ZX sub? Is it up to the task or is it going to be over-driving? There's a lot to like about the Z. Small enough to fit on my existing cart (one trip in/out) and 20 lbs lighter than the EKX. Keep in mind, I'm matching up with a pair of QSC K10s. The idea is to put a small sub under the DJ table, then stand-mounts the K10s. I still have my big Yorkie subs, but am looking to add something smaller/lighter for probably 90% of my gigs. The K10s will do in a pinch, but I'd really feel better about having some kind of actual sub in the mix. BTW, I'm still kicking myself for being slow and missing that ZX on craigslist for $285. What a crying shame on my part.
 
Last edited:
You will want a pair of ZX subs to put under the table. They are OK.

I use a F1 Sub under the table and it fits really nicely with it's rectangle shape.
 
My yahama stage pas 600 system is 10" tops and a pair of zx 12" subs really sounds great.

I've used them at a prom (stacked for coupling, gorack for compression/subsyynth) and again at the ms dance. Prom had 70 kids, low ceiling in a banquet facility, great sound but the kids did prefer to cluster in front of the subs. The school dance was 130ish kids in a cafeterior, hard space and they did very well again.

Sounds nice - kept up well with teh yamaha dxr12 tops. not thump you feel, but no annoying 'boom' either (as I can get in the cafe with twin etx18's)

15"s would be a nice in between perhaps. The 12's are so small and light...i like them, and got both used for what, $700 total.
 
If by "Mike"...you mean me....
I would think that a pair is better.
I almost always have crowds in the 100 to 150 range,
and I have never had to push my pair of ZXA's.
With two, I usually run them at 75% max.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ittigger
If by "Mike"...you mean me....
I would think that a pair is better.
I almost always have crowds in the 100 to 150 range,
and I have never had to push my pair of ZXA's.
With two, I usually run them at 75% max.

Yea, I meant you. I was thinking you had a pair. I guess I may look some more at the 15. I'd like to be able to get away with just 1 sub, under the table.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ittigger
Having to haul in a pair of 12s doesn't help me on load issues. It sounds like a single 12 isn't going to cut it on a typical wedding gig.

Depends on the size of the room, and crowd size. Honestly, I have had people ask me to turn the bass down on my system with a pair of 12 inch speakers and a 12 inch Sub at weddings before. If you want to ensure a lower signal capability, then go with a 15. However, loudness wise, I think a 12 vs a 15 is going to be very compareable to each other. The 15 can go deeper, both will have a punchy sound, but the 12 will have more of that punchy note.

The 12 will take up less room in your vehicle, and can be carried up stairs when needed fairly easily. A 15 is going to be enough weight, and bulky enough that you won't want to carry it up stairs whwn you encounter them.
 
Depends on the size of the room, and crowd size. Honestly, I have had people ask me to turn the bass down on my system with a pair of 12 inch speakers and a 12 inch Sub at weddings before. If you want to ensure a lower signal capability, then go with a 15. However, loudness wise, I think a 12 vs a 15 is going to be very compareable to each other. The 15 can go deeper, both will have a punchy sound, but the 12 will have more of that punchy note.

The 12 will take up less room in your vehicle, and can be carried up stairs when needed fairly easily. A 15 is going to be enough weight, and bulky enough that you won't want to carry it up stairs whwn you encounter them.
Not if you get the right 15 ... RCF - SUB 705-AS II
 
  • Like
Reactions: ittigger
Depends on the size of the room, and crowd size. Honestly, I have had people ask me to turn the bass down on my system with a pair of 12 inch speakers and a 12 inch Sub at weddings before. If you want to ensure a lower signal capability, then go with a 15. However, loudness wise, I think a 12 vs a 15 is going to be very compareable to each other. The 15 can go deeper, both will have a punchy sound, but the 12 will have more of that punchy note.

The 12 will take up less room in your vehicle, and can be carried up stairs when needed fairly easily. A 15 is going to be enough weight, and bulky enough that you won't want to carry it up stairs whwn you encounter them.

We have different hauling arrangements. I virtually never hand carry anything. Rather, I have everything pre-loaded onto a 4'X2' flatbed with 4" wheels, which gets rolled into the venue. At the end of the night the cart gets re-loaded, then rolled into the van and secured. I'm 99% sure the EV EKX15sp is going to be more than enough for 90% of my gigs, but it's probably going to crowd my cart more than I wanted. At present, I have my DJ cart loaded as such;

3 QSC K10s
6X4 DJ capsule/rack
4 space rack (ceremony mixer/wireless)
1 - 17-gallon tote (connectors/cables/extra mixer)
1 - 17-gallon tote (extension cords)
speaker stands
colorstrip

I'm planning to ditch the extension cord tote and replace it with a small sub. I can put a couple of large extension cords on the cart, which should suffice for most power needs.
 
We have different hauling arrangements. I virtually never hand carry anything. Rather, I have everything pre-loaded onto a 4'X2' flatbed with 4" wheels, which gets rolled into the venue. At the end of the night the cart gets re-loaded, then rolled into the van and secured. I'm 99% sure the EV EKX15sp is going to be more than enough for 90% of my gigs, but it's probably going to crowd my cart more than I wanted. At present, I have my DJ cart loaded as such;

3 QSC K10s
6X4 DJ capsule/rack
4 space rack (ceremony mixer/wireless)
1 - 17-gallon tote (connectors/cables/extra mixer)
1 - 17-gallon tote (extension cords)
speaker stands
colorstrip

I'm planning to ditch the extension cord tote and replace it with a small sub. I can put a couple of large extension cords on the cart, which should suffice for most power needs.

I don't bring any rack cases any more. Every thing is in either padded Lighting bags, or a Duffle Bag. I find that Reebok Duffle Bags are pretty durable and last long. I encounter stairs way too often. I thought about Totes, but felt a bit weird hauling them in for set up...not sure why.
 
I don't bring any rack cases any more. Every thing is in either padded Lighting bags, or a Duffle Bag. I find that Reebok Duffle Bags are pretty durable and last long. I encounter stairs way too often. I thought about Totes, but felt a bit weird hauling them in for set up...not sure why.

I love totes. I have a 2nd cart configured for lighting. It has 6 of those 17-gallon totes on it.
 
I love totes. I have a 2nd cart configured for lighting. It has 6 of those 17-gallon totes on it.

I keep all of my lights in Dufle Bags. The Starburst is in a large 28 inch Blue one I bought at Wal Mart. I have my basic lighting display in a 28 inch Black one which has a Vertigo, Chauvet DJ Bank, and a ADJ Gobo Laser with C clamps in it. Another bag has 3 more lights. My inno pocket spots are in a accucase, and my moving head wash lights are in a chauvet CHSVP 25 bag. All Up Lights are in carry cases. I looked at the hard cases for up lighting...way too heavy for my taste. My old halogen par 38 cans were in a large tote. I gave that to my sister...She still hasnt used those lights on anything in the year she has had them.
 
If you want more bass while reducing your load in/out - then why not use a pair of 15" tops instead the tiny 10" speakers?
Adding more components in the form of under-performing bass cabs (pair of ZX) might solve one problem but creates another in the form of more gear, more cables, and more setup.

You can eliminate the need for a 15" sub at most weddings by using 15" mains. That's still just two portable speakers and no additional wiring, space, or setup required.

I own a truck and very nice moving dolly but, with two 15" mains I can fit an entire wedding DJ system into the backseat of a compact car if I had to, and easily carry everything in by hand. IMO there are two ways to be over-equipped. The first is obvious but, the other is easy to slip into and it's about building a system that requires too much assembly - too many individual pieces.
 
Last edited:
Personally, I detest 15" tops .. both the sound and the look (on a tripod). I've gone through several sets over the years and only the 3-way Yorkville Unity sounded acceptable to me .. and it was way too bulky looking by itself on a tripod (also a pain in the a$$ to get it on one). I don't care much for the Speaker-on-a-Stick look, preferring to bring a pair of small 12" or 15" subs and pole mounting a 10"-12" top. I find the floor space used to be less .. only downside is the small amount of additional effort .. and the fact that there is now a, convenient for the guest, drink table. I have custom CBI cables with 2 XLR and power, so wiring isn't much different (either single channel to sub - then top, or 2 channels from the DR).

A 12" sub, coupled to the floor, isn't significantly worse off than the 15" up in the air .. and it gives the upper woofer freedom to better reproduce mids/low-mids.
 
My 15 inch Altos weigh 33 lbs each :D They are also smaller than pretty much all older 15 inch speakers so they look like a tall pair of 12s on the stands. They are a good 2.5 inches shorter than the Yamaha Club Series or JBL JRX series were.

15s are sufficient for most weddings, parties, and certainly outdoor events, but the larger ones you really need a Subwoofer on. If we are talking larger school dances, a Sub or 2 is a must otherwise the sound just isn't sufficient for today's standards.

I used 15s with no subs this past weekend. Worked great. I actually used 15s with no sub for years and years on many, many weddings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bobcat
My first speakers were JBL EON 515XT's. They looked OK on stands and are not real heavy, but since I didn't have subs, they provided sufficient bass in a small venue. I've used them only once. After I got my 15" subs and 12" tops, I haven't used them since. Now I rarely use the 12" tops either. 10's with the subs sound best. Everything I did early on was trial and error... lots of error.[emoji1] I'm gonna sell my JBL's soon. They're just taking up space. They look brand new, but aren't likely worth much.[emoji45] Maybe I can convince my wife we need to mount them in the living room and use them as home stereo speakers.[emoji1]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
My first speakers were JBL EON 515XT's. They looked OK on stands and are not real heavy, but since I didn't have subs, they provided sufficient bass in a small venue. I've used them only once. After I got my 15" subs and 12" tops, I haven't used them since. Now I rarely use the 12" tops either. 10's with the subs sound best. Everything I did early on was trial and error... lots of error.[emoji1] I'm gonna sell my JBL's soon. They're just taking up space. They look brand new, but aren't likely worth much.[emoji45] Maybe I can convince my wife we need to mount them in the living room and use them as home stereo speakers.[emoji1]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


HAHA...Would be overkill for Home stereo.

I went to Busch Gardens a couple years ago for vacation. They have JBL 515XT Speakers all around the park playing music. They kept them outside, and was impressed how they did that with no cover from rain. I believe they had a tech walk around and put professional looking covers over them that still had the front open before a rain storm or rainy day. The 515 series sound "OK" but I was never impressed with any of the EON series speakers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bobcat