Which PA Speakers Are Best?

E

EVHalen

Inspired
I've been looking at some 12" models. Does anyone know the pros and cons of any of these?

Yamaha DSR112
Yamaha DXR12
QSC K12

Also, in your opinion, are 12" or 15" speakers more suited for the Axe FX II?
 
Please qualify your selections and why you limited the choice to these three. Price range? Also, please let us know how you plan on using these speakers, what type of music, etc. Have you ventured over the Amps & Cabs section of the forum? Virtually everything you could ever wish to know about full range speakers is covered in numerous posts in that section of the forum.

Amps and Cabs

And, the search engine for this forum can be a bit dicey, so feel free to do a google search on the speakers you'd like to find out about, such as this:

https://www.google.com/search?q=axe...=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=&rlz=

Cheers, and best of luck!
 
dxr over the dsr hands down.

i'd pick the dxr over the qsc as well. 15's usually have too much low end if the speakers are used solely for guitar.
 
I have experience with the K12s. I had a pair and found them to be very directional and boomy; deafening and annoying to turn on and off. Sold them for the Matrix CFR12s and Q12s which are worlds apart in clarity. If the above are your only option, A/B them at GC or order one of each and return the ones you don't like.
 
jimfist: The situation I'm looking to use the speaker for is in a live cover band. Classic rock, top 40/dance, and country. Price range would ideally be under $900. Thanks for the Amps and Cabs link, by the way. I'll have to check that out.

Chris: Thanks for the input. Is there a specific reason why you'd choose the DXR over the DSR?

maschoff: What kind of advantages do the Matrix speakers have over the typical powered speakers you'd find in Guitar Center or Musician's Friend?
 
You are going to get a lot of different answers to this question. Here are some videos that might help you decide.

Axe Fx 2 Testing out some speakers - YouTube

AXE FX 2 Speaker Test - YouTube

I tried the QSC K12 and loved them. Dweezil Zappa uses them.

Rig Rundown - Dweezil Zappa - YouTube

I tried the JBL PRX612M and loved them also.

Even the EV ZLX 12P sounded pretty good.

If you watch these videos you will see that all of the powered PA speakers sound different from each other. Pick the one with sound and features you like best, in the price range that makes most sense for you. They are all pretty good.
 
I plug direct to PA, but lately have been using a floor monitor just for extra sustain etc in front of me, and it's a JBL PRX615M (it has a 15' speaker) I like it much better then when I used the QSC K12, and many other small monitors I've used before, I'm listening mainly on IE system, but at soundcheck etc, I listen to the speaker just for fun and i like these speakers, they seem to sound similar to what's coming out of the PA.
 
I use the DXR15s myself, love them. I originally intended to get the DXR12s, but my local shop didn't have them on stock and I'm impatient by nature, so I went with the 15s. True, they are a bit bassy, but that's very easy to fix with the onboard HPF which can be set to cut at 100Hz or 120Hz.
 
I got a EV ZLX 15P and Ive been very happy with the sound . I had a friend play my guitar through the axe fx / EV zlx and I listened from all different angles and the dispersion was really very good. Plenty of volume and does not overemphasize any freqencies .
 
Just to clarify -- Are you looking to upgrade your Band's PA speakers that will be used for vocals, and instruments?
 
I just heard a CLR with a QSC sub used in PA mode. Best PA I've ever heard, just sweet to the ears and smoother than (fill in your favorite expression here). At $1,000 each, they are price competitive with the QSC K12 and maybe the others.
 
Wildwind said:
I just heard a CLR with a QSC sub used in PA mode. Best PA I've ever heard, just sweet to the ears and smoother than (fill in your favorite expression here). At $1,000 each, they are price competitive with the QSC K12 and maybe the others.
Click to expand...

was it pole mounted on a KW181 or K-sub?
 
Wildwind said:
I just heard a CLR with a QSC sub used in PA mode. Best PA I've ever heard, just sweet to the ears and smoother than (fill in your favorite expression here). At $1,000 each, they are price competitive with the QSC K12 and maybe the others.
Click to expand...

+1
I've been using the CLR all summer on a pole for PA and it is fantastically clear. I also love the wide dispersion. Just got feedback from a drummer today on how this speaker doesn't have a sweet spot. You could walk from one side to the other and the sound did not change. Loud too. Way better sounding than my RCF 12SMA.
 
I play the axe through a DXR12, and it's awesome. Two of my electrics have the Graph-Tech ghost system, so they do electric, acoustic or MIDI. The three inputs on the DX allow me to use it as a monitor or a backline amp (with separate ins for the peizo pickup, the Axe Fx and the gr-55).

I also do solo gigs with an acoustic and a keyboard, and it works great as a PA for that. Thinking of buying a second one. After the Axe-FX II, maybe the best gear purchase I've made.
 
I played Mackie powered 15" speakers on the Axe when I first got it and they sounded pretty good. Most people here will swear by Atomic CLR, Matrix or XiTone. I sold a couple guitars to buy the powered CLR (mainly based on feedback from this forum) and it'll arrive tomorrow. Don't think you could go wrong and at your $900 price range, you're already pretty close to getting a "one-and-done" solution to your suit your Axe for a long time. This is my plan at least...
 
JBL has a new PRX700 series to replace the now discontinued 600 series. I just ordered a PRX718XLF sub that I should receive in the middle of August. I plan to use my QSC K12's as tops and or the Atomic CLR. I will probably order another Atomic and use the QSC as wedge monitors for stage or vice/verse :)
 
boogieman75 said:
JBL has a new PRX700 series to replace the now discontinued 600 series.
Click to expand...

JBL's web site still shows the PRX600 Series. I couldn't find anything on their web site for a PRX700 Series.
I did find a place in Europe advertising the PRX700 series. It said the PRX712 is 1500 watts and weighs 42.5 lbs.
The PRX612M is 1000 watts and weighs 35.5 lbs.

I tried out the JBL-PRX612M against everything they had in it's class at Guitar Center today, and it sounded better than all of them to me. Louder, punchier, and didn't distort when you cranked them way up. Only 35.5 lbs also. If they are discontinuing these I'm going to buy a pair of them before they do. They were plenty loud and sounded great.
 
trancegodz said:
JBL's web site still shows the PRX600 Series. I couldn't find anything on their web site for a PRX700 Series.
I did find a place in Europe advertising the PRX700 series. It said the PRX712 is 1500 watts and weighs 42.5 lbs.
The PRX612M is 1000 watts and weighs 35.5 lbs.

I tried out the JBL-PRX612M against everything they had in it's class at Guitar Center today, and it sounded better than all of them to me. Louder, punchier, and didn't distort when you cranked them way up. Only 35.5 lbs also. If they are discontinuing these I'm going to buy a pair of them before they do. They were plenty loud and sounded great.
Click to expand...

I tried to order a couple PRX618s-xlf a few weeks ago and my JBL rep told me they were no longer available directly from JBL. We had a smokin deal too. As far as the sub goes, it appears the weight is close to the same. Also, I think the 700 series are no longer equipped with the Neodymium drivers... A buddy of mine has the 618, a VRX and we plan to do a side by side comparison when the 700 comes in.
 
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