Electro-voice Force i

Karl Houseknecht

Karl Houseknecht

Power User
http://www.electrovoice.com/products/138.html

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I went to our local Sam Ash with my Axe and QSC GX5 setup and went through a bunch of passive PA speakers. Basically, the ones in my price range and spec were the 12" and 15" versions of Yamaha and EV. The 12" just didn't deliver the goods to me, not when I'm used to a 412 cab. But the 15" Yamaha Club Series and the Electro-voice Force i sounded equally good, with maybe a slight nod more toward the EV. It seemed to have a slightly more focused low end, and also was a bit smaller which made it a better fit in my car. :)

While trying out the speakers, mostly on the Axe's factory "Brown" patch, a guy from the guitar department came over because he "couldn't imagine what amp they sold that sounded like that". LOL! And that was with a factory preset. If I'd had more time, I would have dialed in something more suited to me beforehand because I know I didn't do the unit justice with just that patch. But it was apparently enough to blow away any amp they had on the floor.

Walked out with a pair of the EV's for a nice discount, and a smile on my face. Now I have the cab models from the Axe to add to my tone arsenal and I don't have to hunt for the magic EQ compensation curve to make the Axe work for both my 412 and the FOH. My Avatar 412 cab goes on Craigslist tonight.
 
Quick update. I had some time tonight to do some tweaking at home at gig volume. I am floored. I've duplicated the crunch channel on my JCM2000, which was part of my goal. I also have some incredible 80's Hair type of higher gain tones going on. That CA3+ Lead amp is killer. The JCM2000 cab model seems to be doing it for me with just about everything, and only a smidge of EQ to shave off the extreme lows and a tad at 500hz.

I've never had this good of a tone before, live, on the high gain. Yes, on the Marshall crunch, with an actual Marshall. But the Hair type gain? Not before. Killer sound. Saturation with definition. I've heard that on more expensive all-tube rigs...cranked LOUD enough to cause hearing damage, but not on a modeler before. It also has the "feel" that I've been missing to some extent when I wasn't using the cab models and using my 412 instead. I think part of the secret must be in those.

Anyway, now it's an "everything rig". So glad I went this route. The last shred of regret I was feeling about selling my JCM is gone.
 
Thank you for your report on a reasonably priced speaker. It would be interesting to compare it to the more expensive options.

How are you going to use it? In the backline? Setting on something (stands, etc.)?

Thanks,
John
 
Backline, on the floor, with my rack on top. Works really, really well that way. If I find too much interaction with the floor, I might attach wheeled casters. Might do that anyway. The really cool thing is the lack of directionality and beaming. What I hear off axis is almost identical to what I hear right in front of it, so no tearing people's faces off when I'm on a raised stage. Also, I can roam a little more than before without the sound just dropping off. Very helpful, especially if the monitor mix can't handle me.
 
Not a bad idear. Although for less than half that, for each cab, I can put some wheels on them and that'll kill two birds with one stone.
 
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