is there a way to determine how may watts I have per channel?

Bushy

Inspired
I have a pair of Electro-Voice ZLX-12P. Each has 2 channels. It's marketed as 1000 W class D, but the RMS was said to be 500 W. So my guess here is since it's 2 channels and has 500 W RMS, does that mean each channel has 250 W or it doesn't work that way?
 
Doesn't work that way. The input channels basically constitute a small mixer. The wattage numbers represent the peak/RMS output of the amp & speakers as a system.

Now, how that wattage number is calculated and whether it's accurate or not a whole 'nother story.
 
There is 500 watts RMS. Which means, the pawer amp has 500 watts available to the speakers all day long without melting the voice coil, probably divvied up something like 400 to the LF driver and 100 to the tweeter depending on how efficient the speakers are.

It has nothing to do with channels, that is in reference to the number of (inputs) you have available to the speaker.


Electro-Voice ZLX 12" Powered PA Loudspeaker Features:
  • Powerful loudspeaker system for touring acts and venue installs
  • Splits 1000 watts between a powerful two-way speaker system
  • 12" woofer packs a serious punch with impressive low end down to 50Hz
  • 1.5" titanium HF driver keeps vocals crisp and instruments lifelike
  • 2 mic/line combo inputs for microphones, instruments, or a board feed
  • 3.5mm aux input lets you play music from your phone or laptop
  • Parallel XLR output for speaker chaining
  • 3 Location settings: Pole, Monitor, and Bracket
  • 4 Mode Application presets: Music, Live, Speech, and Club
  • Configurable sub crossover lets you pair your loudspeaker with a powered sub
  • Large and small clip indicators on back LCD warn of overs from distance
  • Front LED customization: On, Off, or Limit (flashes when limiter engages)
  • Top and side handles for portability
  • Sold individually
Additional Media
PA Speaker Buying Guide
Best DJ Speakers
Tech Specs
  • Powered:Yes
  • Power Configuration:Bi-amped
  • LF Driver Size:12" EVS-12K
  • HF Driver Size:1.5" titanium compression driver
  • Total Power:1000W Class D
  • Inputs:2 x XLR-1/4" combo, 1 x 1/8" (aux in)
  • Outputs:1 x XLR
  • Signal Processing:3-band EQ, limiter, Mode and Location presets, Crossover presets
  • Frequency Range:50Hz-20kHz (-10dB)
  • Frequency Response:65Hz-18kHz (-3dB)
  • Crossover Frequency:1.7kHz
  • Maximum Peak SPL:126 dB SPL
  • Horizontal Coverage Angle:90°
  • Vertical Coverage Angle:60°
  • Enclosure Material:polypropylene composite with black powder coat finish
  • Mounting Options:Tripod Mount, Pole Mount, Floor Wedge
  • Power Source:Standard IEC AC cable
  • Height:24"
  • Width:14"
  • Depth:14"
  • Weight:34.3 lbs.
 
Glad to see you bought these EV's instead of some of the other options you were looking at. The EVs are very good for the price.

And Watts does not really tell you how loud a speaker is going to be. There are other factors (specifically speaker sensitivity) that will determine that.

These are the most useful specs (which tell you...full range and pretty loud)
  • Frequency Range:50Hz-20kHz (-10dB)
  • Frequency Response:65Hz-18kHz (-3dB)
  • Maximum Peak SPL:126 dB SPL
 
I was trying to determine how much volume I'd have if I were to plug a guitar synth on one channel and mic (for vocals) on the other channel. I'd assume 500 watts RMS for both would be enough power?

I'm not sure why they market these speakers as 1000 watts, maybe because it CAN possibly go up to 1000 watts at times, depending on other factors?

There is 500 watts RMS. Which means, the pawer amp has 500 watts available to the speakers all day long without melting the voice coil, probably divvied up something like 400 to the LF driver and 100 to the tweeter depending on how efficient the speakers are.

It has nothing to do with channels, that is in reference to the number of (inputs) you have available to the speaker.


Electro-Voice ZLX 12" Powered PA Loudspeaker Features:
  • Powerful loudspeaker system for touring acts and venue installs
  • Splits 1000 watts between a powerful two-way speaker system
  • 12" woofer packs a serious punch with impressive low end down to 50Hz
  • 1.5" titanium HF driver keeps vocals crisp and instruments lifelike
  • 2 mic/line combo inputs for microphones, instruments, or a board feed
  • 3.5mm aux input lets you play music from your phone or laptop
  • Parallel XLR output for speaker chaining
  • 3 Location settings: Pole, Monitor, and Bracket
  • 4 Mode Application presets: Music, Live, Speech, and Club
  • Configurable sub crossover lets you pair your loudspeaker with a powered sub
  • Large and small clip indicators on back LCD warn of overs from distance
  • Front LED customization: On, Off, or Limit (flashes when limiter engages)
  • Top and side handles for portability
  • Sold individually
Additional Media
PA Speaker Buying Guide
Best DJ Speakers
Tech Specs
  • Powered:Yes
  • Power Configuration:Bi-amped
  • LF Driver Size:12" EVS-12K
  • HF Driver Size:1.5" titanium compression driver
  • Total Power:1000W Class D
  • Inputs:2 x XLR-1/4" combo, 1 x 1/8" (aux in)
  • Outputs:1 x XLR
  • Signal Processing:3-band EQ, limiter, Mode and Location presets, Crossover presets
  • Frequency Range:50Hz-20kHz (-10dB)
  • Frequency Response:65Hz-18kHz (-3dB)
  • Crossover Frequency:1.7kHz
  • Maximum Peak SPL:126 dB SPL
  • Horizontal Coverage Angle:90°
  • Vertical Coverage Angle:60°
  • Enclosure Material:polypropylene composite with black powder coat finish
  • Mounting Options:Tripod Mount, Pole Mount, Floor Wedge
  • Power Source:Standard IEC AC cable
  • Height:24"
  • Width:14"
  • Depth:14"
  • Weight:34.3 lbs.
 
Volume does not equate to watts. More watts generally does provide more volume, but doubling wattage does not double volume. An efficient speaker can sound much, much louder at the same wattage.
 
I was trying to determine how much volume I'd have if I were to plug a guitar synth on one channel and mic (for vocals) on the other channel. I'd assume 500 watts RMS for both would be enough power?

I'm not sure why they market these speakers as 1000 watts, maybe because it CAN possibly go up to 1000 watts at times, depending on other factors?

It's all marketing hype, doesn't 1000 watts sound better than 500? Truth is you probably need to have a peak of 1000 watts to get 500 useable watts. In other words if you want clean undistorted power at volume you need to have head room but they market it as if you had a total of 1000 watts to actually use. Truth is you do for about a second or two before you nuke the voice coil now thats not accounting for thermal limiters and such.
 
And that 500 watts is usually split evenly between the woofer and the tweeter. That leaves 250 watts RMS for the woofer. And I don't know any tweeters in that size that can make use of 250 watts RMS (more like 50 watts). So effectively many of these 1000W speakers are only putting out the sound equivalent of a 300 watt system.
 
And that 500 watts is usually split evenly between the woofer and the tweeter. That leaves 250 watts RMS for the woofer. And I don't know any tweeters in that size that can make use of 250 watts RMS (more like 50 watts). So effectively many of these 1000W speakers are only putting out the sound equivalent of a 300 watt system.

I have never seen a manufacture split wattage between the two drivers evenly, as we have both stated the majority is more than likely going to the LF driver just because of the fact that it requires more energy to reproduce it.

The other thing that most don't consider or even think about is how the measurement is done. Most are done with a test tone at 1kHz! that's not a lot of energy needing to be amplified when compaird to a full bandwidth of information.

As an experiment put a notch filter at 1k using a fairly high Q value and run a playback signal through it to see what it sounds like. It's not going to be very useful right? but I would bet good money you will get a really high SPL playback with minimal distortions.

Chances are the specs are going to be vastly different when you remove notch filter! I could never understand the use of this measurement so at the moment I guess I have more to learn regarding the audio industries testing and procedures it uses to gather information and how that information applies and/or what it means with regard to the product, consumer and marketing.
 
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And that 500 watts is usually split evenly between the woofer and the tweeter.
Nope.

I have never seen a manufacture split wattage between the two drivers
Actually, it's pretty common. For example, these are all from published specs...

Behringer F1320D 200W (160+40)
RCF ART 310A 400W (300+100)
Alto TS110A 300W (235+65)
Yamaha DXR10 700W (600+100)
Yamaha DBR10 700W (600+100)

I'm sure the ZLX-12P is similarly spec'd.

The other thing that most don't consider or even think about is how the measurement is done. Most are done with a test tone at 1kHz! that's not a lot of energy needing to be amplified when compaird to a full bandwidth of information.
Yup... but the real problem is that there isn't a common standard of measurement in use by all manufacturers.
 
Actually, it's pretty common. For example, these are all from published specs...

Behringer F1320D 200W (160+40)
RCF ART 310A 400W (300+100)
Alto TS110A 300W (235+65)
Yamaha DXR10 700W (600+100)
Yamaha DBR10 700W (600+100)

I'm sure the ZLX-12P is similarly spec'd.

Sorry my post wasn't clear enough, I was referring to Randal D's post mentioning that they split power evenly between the two drivers. (Edited)

The EV's aren't spec'd out at least I haven't found any info other than basic info. I actually own a pair and they work pretty good for PA duty but for monitors I don't care for them.
 
Sorry my post wasn't clear enough, I was referring to Randal D's post mentioning that they split power evenly between the two drivers. (Edited)

The EV's aren't spec'd out at least I haven't found any info other than basic info. I actually own a pair and they work pretty good for PA duty but for monitors I don't care for them.

My buddy showed up with one of those EVs and his Axe for a quick fill in gig, and it actually sounded pretty good.
I think they will serve Bushy's needs very well since he seems to be just dipping his toe into the FRFR arena.
 
My buddy showed up with one of those EVs and his Axe for a quick fill in gig, and it actually sounded pretty good.
I think they will serve Bushy's needs very well since he seems to be just dipping his toe into the FRFR arena.

I found that I had to do some EQ'ing to my presets to get them to sound right, coming from the CLR side of things. I felt the mid's weren't as present.
 
I found that I had to do some EQ'ing to my presets to get them to sound right, coming from the CLR side of things. I felt the mid's weren't as present.
I hear you....coming from the CLR, I always hear lots of flaws in other products.
 
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