DXR or ETX

[dickiefunk]

Thanks dickie. With being a solo act I would not get 15s with 18 subs. If I was to get subs they would be the 12 inch variety with 10 inch tops. The 15 inch tops option is without any subs. I was wondering Would I still get the same SPL

And frequency response from a 12 inch sub and 10 inch top than I would from a equivalent 15 inch top of the same range without a sub.

 

I've tried two 12" subs from very different price brackets - the Alto TS Sub12 and the KV2 Audio KX1.2. Whilst the Alto actually sounded nice a low volumes, there was a lot of port noise when you turned them up past 40-50%! The KV2 KX1.2's had a LOT more output than the Alto's and sounded very impressive at moderate volumes but I found they distorted at higher volumes.

 

I don't believe I have ever seen a solo artist run the gas out of a DXR15.

 

What kind of music are you playing, and what kind of venue floor space are you attempting to cover?

 

Yes the DXR15's have a lot of output. We use a single pair of these for venues of around 100 people and put 4 vocals, keys, electric bass and Roland V-Drums through the pa. We're able to get a surprisingly deep punchy sound with great clarity.

[Boltonguy]

Well I'm a solo artist doing party music. The main problem is one night I can be in the corner of a pub where the 2 DXR15s can be too big for the space but the next night I can be doing a 200 seat club where they can run out of gas a little. With the dxr10 and dxs12 package I was thinking I could use 2 tops and one sub for the pub then 2 tops and two subs for the larger venue. I'm just curious as to weather the 10 tops with the 12 subs will put out as much SPL and low frequencies as the 15 tops.

[sam.spoons]

If you do a lot of the club gigs you mention just buy a singlet PRX718XLF and charge enough to bring a mate along to help with the load in/out for those (£50 should do it and he might ride levels for you FOH). On the basis that the cheapest gear is always what you already have that is the most economic solution. Next step would be to change the DXR15s for DXS12s, still with the single PRX718XLS, I can't see you going louder without spending a lot more even if you go for much bigger cabs.

[Boltonguy]

sorry Sam I'm not quite understanding. The dxs12 is a sub. I was going for 2 dxs12 subs with 2 dxr10 tops. Forgive me if I'm getting the wrong end of the stick here.

[OneEng]

I think Sam meant DXR12. So a pair of DXR12's with a single PRX718XLF. This would indeed be much more potent than a pair of DXR15's as well as being much more potent that your current pair of DXS12's. But lets be clear here. Guitar and vocals should not need a sub.

 

I still have a hard time seeing how a solo act can run out of gas with a pair of DXR15's unless you are playing backing tracks with drums, keys and bass in it at essentially rock club levels.

 

For a guitar and a vocalist, a pair of DXR15's should cover 200 easily I would think. Is this all you are doing, or is there more to it?

 

 

[sam.spoons]

Sorry, I actually meant DSR12s http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif (dyslexia rules KO).

 

OneEng makes a good point, do your tracks have that much low end as to benefit from a sub? Next step if it was me would be to hire a sub for the next big gig and see if it makes a useful difference.

[dickiefunk]

Yep I echo what OneEng and Sam.Spoons say. If it's just vocals and guitar I'm not sure why you would need subs? The Yamaha DXR15's or RCF 745's should be plenty for this!

[Boltonguy]

Maybe I should clarify myself here. apologies. I am a singer and the backing tracks I use are 70's to 00's everything from soul & motown to The Killers.

 

The venues I am doing now are getting lager. This weekend I had a 2 night stint doing the xmas party nights for a hotel with a 300 capacity room and had to borrow reinforcements for the 2nd night as the 2 DXR15 tops where struggling to carry the volume to fill the room.

 

However, Sunday I was doing a pub gig.

 

This weekend I am again performing for an audience of 300 but then a pub gig on a sunday.

 

Therefore, I am after a versatile system that will perform well for 300 but will fit snuggly in a pub corner when doing a gig for 50 people.

 

My idea was, for the large gigs I would use 2 X DXR10s and 2 X DXS12 subs, and for the smaller gigs I would use 2 DXR10s and 1 DXS12 sub.

 

But if 2 X ETX15 tops (or any other 15 inch top. e.g. RCF745a) will put out bigger sound over a bigger space than 2 X DXR10's with 2 X DXS12's then I will go with that option.

 

My budget is probably just over £2,000 maybe pushing up to £2,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Brian]

...I am a singer...or any other 15 inch top...

 

Sorry but IMHO those two things just don't go together. 15" LF tops with a 1" or 1.5" HF driver ALWAYS sound appalling on vocals. The 15" runs out of steam before you get to the vocal range and the HF units doesn't go down low enough. You end up with the vocals smeared between the two drivers. The best driver size for vocals is an 8" unit with 10" a good runner-up.

 

Why not run two systems? One for your vocals and one for your backing tracks. There's no rule that all your sound has to come from one set of boxes.

[Boltonguy]

Thanks Brian. That issue had also been in my head. Better sound quality with small tops with subs rather than 15 tops on their own. I can't really see using 2 systems as a solution though due to space, weight and set up time.

 

In all honesty I am leaning towards the dxs/dxr rig but just wanted to see if there was any significantly better solution for the same budget.

[sam.spoons]

I'm fairly confident that 2 x DXR110s over 2 x DXS12s will not be any louder than your DXR115s (never had chance to do the comparison though, so it's quite possible I could be wrong). I would definitely want to try them side by side before splashing out. OTOH, they will be more manageable for a one man band which may be enough to justify the change and, as Bobsy says, 10's almost invariably sound nicer for vocals than 15's. I think our local large retailers would be able to help out, if HW Audio in your hometown can't then I'm pretty sure PMT in Salford will be able to demo them (and loud too, it's a very big room).

[dickiefunk]

I would echo Sam's suggestion in a/b'ing the DXR10/DXS12 system to the DXR15's before buying as I'm not sure you would get more output with the system you're considering.

 

FBT make some systems that may be worth auditioning such as the Promaxx 14a's and Promaxx 15SA sub. I would still audition before buying if possible.

[Boltonguy]

Thanks for your comments. I will have a listen and let you know how I get on. Just read an indepth review which said that 2xDXR8's with 1xDXS12 gives the same performance as 2xDXR15's. So hopefully the 2 subs with the 10 inch tops will be more powerful.

 

http://www.soundlightup.com/news/yamaha-dxr-series.html?lang=en

[Simon Lewis]

Just read an indepth review which said that 2xDXR8's with 1xDXS12 gives the same performance as 2xDXR15's. So hopefully the 2 subs with the 10 inch tops will be more powerful.

 

We have recently bought 2 x DXR8s and 2 x DXS12s. I have to say that I am turning the bass cabs down a bit to balance them with the tops. The overall package is good sounding and very powerful for its size.

 

[Boltonguy]

Thanks for your input guys. I'm going to push the button in the 2 DXS12 and 2 DXR10 tomorrow. I can't find a shop that has the etx15p tops to test them out.