soundgarten Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Hi Everybody, I am looking for suggestions as to what powered speakers people like for P.A. applications. Recently both my JBL 515 Eons went out. One right after the other. I am now looking to replace them. I liked them, they certainly were clean and loud. They were a little heavy and only had one input, which were minus'. Looking to replace them, I am seeing many different brands offering similar models. I would like to find some that are as rugged, but smaller, lighter but still packing a punch. Open to any and all suggestions. Thanks, Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 the current Eon's are lighter than their predecessors... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 I don't own PA gear any more, so when I need something I usually order up Mackie SRM480s. Not light, but very rugged with some very cool features, controls and inputs. I pretty much destroyed the plastic case of one by dropping it from stand-height (long story), and although it looked like it had been in a car wreck if still sounded fine for the rest of the job. philp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 The 10" EON is very light and surprisingly loud for its size. Certainly enough that two would handle most situations. I believe Crew has these, so he might chime in. My first EON515 died too. Power supply blew, I think. Just died without warning. I was in Eastern Europe, so production bought some knock-off old style powered speaker, which was clunky but outlasted the EON with daily abuse. I left both behind, so never found out what happened to the JBL. I have two new 515s, which I think are as light and loud as can be found. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 I like my EON's I have a 10" and 15". They have served me well. I have a 1400 watt Mackie amp and Big JBL's for bigger deals but I don't use them much anymore now that I have the EON's. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Palmer Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 +1 for the Mackie SRM450's. I own 10 of them now. 8 are installed in various sets, and I carry 2 around for VOG and playback when on location. For smaller sets I use JBL EON10's, I carry a pair of these around as well. But the Mackie's are superior for brute force playback and VOG. PWP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Daddyo Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Check out the QSC line. http://www.qscaudio.com/products/products.htm. Many including myself think they sound better than both Mackie and JBL speakers. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whit Norris Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 + 1 for the Mackie SRM 450's. That what I use. Whit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikefilosa Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Mark - Sorry for the sudden bad luck - I have two EON 15s and two EON 10s -- I end up using the 10s more lately (less VOG, more general playback) I bought the JBLs many many years ago, before the others even thought about making powered speakers. And made in America...... The newer generation of EONs are awesome - I demoed them at the last AES and they were fantastic. Mackies are nice, and I've seen some larger powered Behringers that sound perfectly fine too. For your situation and a quick fix, locally in Atlanta there is a SAM ASH store - this is near Cumberland Mall slightly inside 285. I prefer this store over GC and other alternatives - very good guys and straight shooters that actually know what they are selling. Ask for Gary in the Pro Sound Dept - 2999 Cobb Parkway Atlanta, GA 30339 Phone:(770) 818-0042 If you want to consider getting your speakers back in operation for a fair price - there is a great pro repair center right off of N. Druid Hills Rd. and fairly intown -- Wizard Electronics / (404) 325-4891 / Ask for Tristan / 9:30A-6:30A They have quite successfully worked on both of my 15s, which took quite a beating with music videos over the years. MF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 http://www.dbaudio.com My favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crussell Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Smaller, lighter than a JBL EON 15 with multiple inputs... I like the Yamaha MSR 100. It's a better sounding box than the JBLs but lacks much of the low frequency punch that the 15 has (thus the tradeoff in weight). Much easier to carry around, the handle is on top. Probably closer to the EON 10" in output. Also it's $300, less than half the price of the EON http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/global/en/products/speakers/msr100/index.jsp Or if cost is no object Meyer Sound UPJs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 " they sound better than both Mackie and JBL speakers. " these weigh more, and of course cost more... EV, and several others now have similar lines, and yes, for quality SR I prefer them, but for playback/VOG, I consider it is less a sound quality issue than a practicality and convenience business decision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundgarten Posted October 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 I love this website. Thanks everybody for all the great feed back. After reading it, I cancelled my Eon 515 order, and have decided to go tomorrow to the Atlanta Sam Ash that Mike Filosa recommended with my voice of god mic and put it through every powered speaker they have. Whenever I start to think I have too much gear, I read a post from Phil Palmer and I feel much better..... Thanks again, Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Hayes Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 We are using the JBL PRX635 actives.I don't believe you will ever need anything more than this on a movie set.They are hugely loud and clean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Palmer Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Whenever I start to think I have too much gear, I read a post from Phil Palmer and I feel much better..... #facepalm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whit Norris Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Whatever your choice is and an Anchor for when you need the battery powered speaker for the VOG. We have been doing car work this week and it has come in very handy for the director when we have needed more than a SpeakEasy! Whit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Whatever your choice is and an Anchor for when you need the battery powered speaker for the VOG. We have been doing car work this week and it has come in very handy for the director when we have needed more than a SpeakEasy! Whit Bringing up memories of my 450w EON strapped to the back of an insert car, the director barking instructions to the operators and direction to the actors. Crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry long Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 I picked up a 30 watt Roland Cube that works well with all kinds of inputs and 3 channel's, spud adapter on bottom to fit a C stand. When my EON 15 is too much. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Liston Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 QSC K8 is what I use. 1000W, very small. Built in mixer (2 channels!) sounds great and is loud as hell. I recently used it in an NFL stadium for an AD to direct 200 extras and it went great. Way smaller than an EON and sounds like a real speaker rather than a plastic resonating box that the JBLs are. Oh yeah, only 27 lbs. My old EONs were just under 40 lbs each. http://www.fullcompass.com/product/367591.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Liston Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Thinking about my speaker, I have a question for the group about the stand mount. Do any of you have anything that can fly the speaker on like a baby pin rather than the aluminum tube thingie? I don't like dragging around multiple stands, and there is always the grip truck to steal one from. This of course comes at the cost of grousing, but that is a price I am often willing to pay. I have searched many grip and audio sites in search of an adapter and have found none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 My fave current playback speaker: Xmini II. Great for quick playbacks off a recorder in a bag, from a camera HP jack etc, hi fi enough to demo music edits on location with, and loud enough to be playing back for a small group. Not the "Voice of God", but perhaps the "Voice of Your Conscience", and way easy to carry around+keep handy. philp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BudRaymond Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 I'm curious why everyone uses active, powered speakers. I always use passive speakers because it only requires one cable (speaker) instead of two (xlr and power). Also, with powered speakers you open up alternate paths to ground and the possibility of ground loops. I loaded some D.A.S. wedge cabinets with JBL components and they sound far superior to the ubiquitous EONS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 I'm with Bud (and his father) on this, preferring to use passive speakers instead of active (powered amp within the speaker). That said, I have used for many, many years, the amazing BOSE Acoustimass powered speaker for most all of our major PA/VOG work. I have also used Mackie powered speakers and on the very small side of things, several of the RemoteAudio SpeakEasy speakers (powered). Whenever we do playback or PA/VOG setups, I always have some rackmount gear set up on a cart and this cart could easily have a good power amp that would allow for a single speaker cable to be run. This is the way I would like to do it. If I ever put together another PA system I will use BOSE 802s (passive) and an amplifier that sits on the PA/Playback cart so I don't have to run AC to each speaker. Below you can see our BOSE Acoustimass setup on "The Last Samurai" (used almost everyday in New Zealand to talk to the well over 1000 extras in the battle scenes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Liston Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 So Jeff is that a yoke going to a head, or is it a junior pin right to the speakers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 For me, the power amp made the cart too heavy (did this for years and years w/ passive speakers), and the powered Mackies can work many different ways REALLY fast (have their own mic pre, have multiple inputs etc). Power hasn't been an issue for me--the cart is DC so the only AC thing is the speaker.... philp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.