Tapco

[Beaver]

Just been looking at buying a new pair of active speakers and the Tapco TH 15 meet my requirements at fit my my price range pretty well. However not from experiance but through word of mouth a few years ago I heard of people having problems with tapco build quality and a quick forum search confirms that. With Tapco's big new image have these problems been solved or is it purely clever marketing shifting the same rubbish.

 

PS main reason for me looking at these speakers is the big spiel about the electronic protection as I do have a habit of using the red LED's on my mixer

also have used the mackie srm active speakers and the passive equivalants alot because they are seemingly everywere and I do like using them

[Pyramid]

main reason for me looking at these speakers is the big spiel about the electronic protection as I do have a habit of using the red LED's on my mixer

 

Easiest and best solution is not to use the red lights on your mixer. They are there to warn you when clipping is or is likely to be occuring. 'Using the red lights', apart from potentially wrecking speakers will cause your music being played to sound crap.

 

Best advice: Only let the first red light light up very occasionally in the loudest passages. If you are going into the red to gain more volume you need a more powerful system.

 

Andy

[Beaver]

main reason for me looking at these speakers is the big spiel about the electronic protection as I do have a habit of using the red LED's on my mixer

 

Easiest and best solution is not to use the red lights on your mixer. They are there to warn you when clipping is or is likely to be occuring. 'Using the red lights', apart from potentially wrecking speakers will cause your music being played to sound crap.

 

Best advice: Only let the first red light light up very occasionally in the loudest passages. If you are going into the red to gain more volume you need a more powerful system.

 

Andy

 

Wow red lights are bad You heard it here first everyone, don't peak your mixers: it can be bad for your speakers. You should get that published, you will make millions!

 

I was saying that I push speakers hard, and usually hard for long periods of time, what I want to know is: does the thermal protection circuitary work or is it a gimmick?

[mervaka]

1. stop being so facetious. Andy was making a perfectly valid point. judging from the "I have a habit of" part of your first post, I think you should take his advice.

 

2. yes, thermal protection does work, generally.

[Rob_Beech]

It does work but it's not a miracle worker.

 

Remember to double the perceived volume you can need as much as 10 times the power.

 

All I can say is I'm pleased you're wanting to BUY. One thing is for sure, you've just limited your hiring options.

[Killyp]

Thermal protection generally stops you from burning out voice coils/amplifiers during a gig, but don't rely on it to stop you damaging the speakers. If you're clipping the system consistently, it's not going to last very long no matter what fancy DSPs or protection you put in place.

[Beaver]

Thanks guys I think I get the message the protection works and will help but if you act stupid they're going to brake but I think that will always be the case.

Anybody know anything about the actuall tapco range at the moment?

[SoLiEn]

Tapco's Mackie Value isnt it? You get what you pay for, although I have been rather intrigued by the Tapco loudspeaker range to see if they are anygood. OT but the Name Tapco Thump, is quite amusing.

 

The Tapco USB sound card is a good little thing for the price...not a speaker, but the reliability might extend to the other products hopefully.

[Rob_Beech]

Having looked at some specs. The SPL looks appalling. If you are used to thrashing and damaging speakers then 113dB from a 15inch box isn't going to get you very far.

[Dmills]

To put Robs comment in some context, an efficient modern box will get the same volume with less then 10W input!

 

Regards, Dan.

[cedd]

Stock answer;

Have a look at the studiospares fortissimo range and the Thomann "The Box" range. Both are in a similar price band and both have been spoken about on here before, mostly with good things said.

If you're pushing speakers hard and are relying on the internal protection as often as it sounds like you're doing, you need a bigger box.

 

You very nearly didn't get an answer after your reply to pyramid further up the page, but I'm feeling charitable today.

[intyra]

Don't go there - I'm having problems with my pair at the moment - they're hideously unreliable and don't make much noise for a box of their size.

 

At low volumes they also have a tendency to distort (clearly designed for applications with loud volumes).

 

Personally, I'd avoid them unless you're going to look after them very carefully - they don't take kindly to being knocked about very much, and I'd imagine the quality of the internal components isn't amazing by any means.

[Beaver]

Wow well that looks like a definate no then Thanks for that sounds like you help me dodge a bullet there

[Sound In Gloucestershire]

if these were mackie quality, they would say Mackie on them

 

this is their cheap crap, they are keen to associated themselves with Tapco when selling them, but quickly distance themselves when they go wrong

 

Oh, they do go wrong, good luck getting the parts for them as well, as Mackie do not stock ANY tapco parts in the UK, so youve got a long wait ahead of you