Tech 21 Power Engine Users (Unite!)

Yep, all great points I need to dial in. I'm trying to reserve space to give this all a try tomorrow- hopefully some video too for A/B comparisons.
I'd suggest that if possible you A/B your Xitones to any FOH and then compare the Tech21 to FOH. I'm betting that if it sounds boomy or trebley in tbe Xitone it will be similar in the PA.
 
I found a 4x10 PE. It's a funny animal there a lot of sound flying out the back which in some ways is good and yes lots of bass but I haven't jacked too much with the EQ yet. I'm fixin to get deep into this thing but it will carry a medium club. My AX8 is just glorious through it. I've always wanted one and now I'm learning again but it sounds different with different pedals. I have a TIM clone that you could use use all night straight with nothing else. It's a really cool reinforcement speaker. Like everyone says it's not FR but it doesn't color the sound in a bad way.
 
I'd suggest that if possible you A/B your Xitones to any FOH and then compare the Tech21 to FOH. I'm betting that if it sounds boomy or trebley in tbe Xitone it will be similar in the PA.
I sort of did this- at rehearsals anyway- compared to direct into the PA was where the XiTone was way to bass-heavy and boomy but the PA was awesome sounding... but still need to try more. I think using the XiTone I can dial out the bass- it's just that I can do that directly on the PE60 but have to do it within the AX8 on the XiTone- which is more of a PITA...
 
I sort of did this- at rehearsals anyway- compared to direct into the PA was where the XiTone was way to bass-heavy and boomy but the PA was awesome sounding... but still need to try more. I think using the XiTone I can dial out the bass- it's just that I can do that directly on the PE60 but have to do it within the AX8 on the XiTone- which is more of a PITA...
Hmm... That seems suspicious. What are the PA speakers and amp? Was the EQ on the PA mixer set flat? You really want to make sure you are comparing apples to apples as much as possible.
 
Hmm... That seems suspicious. What are the PA speakers and amp? Was the EQ on the PA mixer set flat? You really want to make sure you are comparing apples to apples as much as possible.
- They were Mackie Powered Speakers (I'll look up what kind) through a Mackie mixer- that's it. Everything was set at noon (flat)- I'm going back in a couple of hours to try again- I'll re-post with results.
 
- They were Mackie Powered Speakers (I'll look up what kind) through a Mackie mixer- that's it. Everything was set at noon (flat)- I'm going back in a couple of hours to try again- I'll re-post with results.
Cool... Definitely explore the DSP settings on the Xitones. Also, assuming you are using Output 1 for FOH and Output 2 for cabs, make sure the Global EQ is the same.
 
OK, so I was able to get to the rehearsal space this Sunday and a/b the XiTone and PE60 along with the in studio house PA direct as a FOH sample and take some video. Forgive the long video's- I don't have time to edit them this week- just skip ahead when you get bored (it'll happen fairly quickly) and also- no flaming the playing- I'm noodling the whole time which is never good on my best day. I think the videos' give a fairly good sample of the sound I was hearing in the room- remember though- it is all recoded with an iPhone 7 so at times the mic seems a bit overwhelmed. Otherwise I try to introduce what I'm doing in each video- here is the basic breakdown:
1. Xitone Flat- no eq'ing on the AX8- just plugged straight in- cab modeling still on on AX8
2. PE60 Flat- no eq'ing- Cab modeling still on on AX8
3. Xitone with cable modeling off- then PE60 with Cab modeling off
4. PE60 dialed in with cab modeling turned back on-
5. XiTone Dialed in with Cab modeling turned back on
6. PA Gear for comparison
7. PA not dialed in, straight from the XiTone test
8. PA dialed back in

Finally done- so I'm still struggling with the non-FOH tones from both cabinets- although both sound pretty good- but not nearly as good as the studio PA- Advise away!









 
Hate to sate the obvious, but I'd bet if you got the Xitone up on a stand it would likely compare closer to your PA speakers. That said, the PE60 sounded surprisingly good though clearly more limited bandwidth in the highs and lows and forward in the mids but that's to be expected in a 1X12 open back cab.
 
Yeah, I thought about that too- wondered how much a difference it would make to raise the XiTone up- even if that would help the boomy bass because it's on the floor and the PA's are not- however then I'm bringing more gear along (amp stand) so probably not a good solution for me. There was a chair in the room, maybe I'll do one more sample with it on the chair and see if it cuts the bass more. Certainly could be part of the problem and not necessarily an obvious thing really since I didn't think of it until posting these videos!

And yes, I agree, the PE60 sounds much better then I expected considering it was $250 and change. Thanks for the comment!
 
Haven't watched the videos, but something to keep in mind is that any recorded audio from your iPhone is going to reflect a lot of other factors:

The iPhone mic
The room
The placement of the mic relative to the speakers

:)
 
Haven't watched the videos, but something to keep in mind is that any recorded audio from your iPhone is going to reflect a lot of other factors:

The iPhone mic
The room
The placement of the mic relative to the speakers

:)

Understood- only way to record the sound I'm hearing in the room though- which at this point is what I'm concerned about. Maybe I could use my Zoom stereo recorder for a more accurate representation- or mic's in the room- but it's a quick sample- close enough for government work, as they say... but point taken.
 
Understood- only way to record the sound I'm hearing in the room though- which at this point is what I'm concerned about. Maybe I could use my Zoom stereo recorder for a more accurate representation- or mic's in the room- but it's a quick sample- close enough for government work, as they say... but point taken.
Sure... And I suppose you can judge how well the video represents what you heard while you were there.
 
Exactly- It's pretty close to what I was hearing- maybe a bit more thin then it was in the room, with Fletcher-Munson being considered- but I think it does a fair job of showing how much different the XiTone is then the FOH PA at any rate- it was quite a bit more bass heavy and yet still seemed like a blanket was on the cabinet. Again- I think it's a wonderful product- I'll just have to dial it in for itself and have a different setting for FOH I suppose. Talked to Mick Farlow today to get more insight too- asked him to chime in here to see what he thinks- it may be just that it's not dialed in properly but the strong thing is how different it is to the FOH- but I really should go try it with the XiTone at the same hight- that really might make a difference- it's not like I'm hearing how the PA speakers sound sitting on the floor- they may sound just at boomy and blanket covered too down there- I will say that the PE60 surprised me at how good it sounded- but overall the XiTone sounded much better and more of a full spectrum sound uncolored by anything- where as the PE60 sounded pretty much the same with cabs on and off on the AX8. I did like the flexibility of having on-board EQ on the PE60 though. I should take each one out and gig with them- see which one plays better in a band mix- I'm thinking the XiTone will win that out with a much better fit in the overall mix because it has a much larger range of frequencies it represents. My two cents- it was fun to watch them (minus the cringe-worthyiness of just watching myself play in general) over again and I think they captured what I was hearing in the room fairly well- if I did it again I might position the iPhone more at the same level is all.
 
What are the PA cabs and what is powering them?

My Xitones are very similar sounding to our active QSC KW-series PA speakers.

Not identical... But similar.
 
It's in the Video number 7 above- but Harbinger Vari V2215 600W 15-Inch Two-Way Class D Loudspeakers are what were in that room. I think they're Guitar Center brand for around $250- so nothing high end and most definitely in the -10db consumer range of products- but they sound really good in that room- at least to me. Also- that's a fairly good comparison to what kind to PA I run into at my gigs. Small venues.
 
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