Looking to get some speakers. Right now using an amazing 4ton vaccuum tube amp but with some pretty crappy speakers in my bedroom. Hoping to hook it up to some nicer speakers my buddy has in the living room. So I'm thinkin my own powered speakers would be the way to go, and make things easier for when I play small house parties and stuff.

So, powered speakers. Talk to me. Who's got what, what's the best and should I dream of getting, what should I realistically get for my needs, and what should I avoid.

Cheers.

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mackie srm 450 ...go to ebay and get version 1 (the grey ones, the italian ones.) Verson 2 (V2) are japanese made and have a digital amp and they're not nearly as good as the older italian ones.

for the price, nothing in that range touches the mackie srm 450.

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I second that^^ the SRM450's are the best sound Ive ever heard out of powered speakers. Hell i think they're the best sound I ve heard out of speakers period!. You can crank them for big parties or keep them low key, and the quality is always primo.

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Hmm, can't seem to find any 450v1's floating around my neighbourhood, but the local music shop has some 350 v1s on clearance for $500 a pop.... big difference between the 350s and 450s?

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size of speaker, size of amp is your difference. And you might wanna try Craigslist as they have sections for every part of the world and you can find all kinds of great deals on there.

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Syrincs ;) [URL]http://www.syrincs.de/new/index.htm?m3sw.htm[/URL]

I can only recommend

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Don't buy the Mackies. Period. Version 1's were better than the Chinese made version 2's but if you hold off get the new QSC K-series powered speakers. They blow away both the Mackies and the JBL EON series, even the new ones. I've heard them side by side and the QSC K10's killed the 12 and 15 versions of the Mackie and JBL. If you can afford the 12's, get them, it won't hurt but the 10's should do you fine. You should have the seen the demo room when the QSC K's were turned on, every face in the room was stunned and every jaw dropped with "Wow" written on everyone's faces. Then everyone asked "What size were those?". QSC rep said the 8's and everyone was stunned, then the 10's and 12's followed. . The QSC K-series dual 12" is also a killer addition, you got to have some good low end as well. I believe they are also offering package deals with rebates through various stores like Guitar Center and others. Google for the reviews and read for yourself. As a person whose been in the commercial pro audio, video and lighting business for a decade or so, please heed my advice. Good luck and happy shopping.

PS - I've owned both Mackie and JBL powered speakers BUT you will be blown away by the new QSC K-series... you can't beat the 1000 watt power per speaker and the 6 year warranty.

[img]http://www.qscaudio.com/images/products/k_series/KGroupStack_lo.jpg[/img]

[url]http://www.qscaudio.com/products/speakers/k%5Fseries/[/url]

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FYI - I wouldn't recommend buying anything from Mackie or EAW. Since they were purchased by LOUD Technologies both brands and their product lines have suffered greatly in both quality and consistency.

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if i were getting PA speakers. I'd go with Carvin equipment. Made in America of High Quality parts and road ready heavy duty-ness. And WAY cheaper in price than any other products.

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I didn't know Carvin made speakers and how do they compare side by side. Where can you go to listen to them? And the person who started this thread lives in Switzerland, like realistically he could even have a fraction of chance hearing them at all. I would never buy speaker unless I heard the ones that I were buying. Even the ones that are brand new out of box, I would pull out and hear for myself.

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FYI - ProSoundWeb compare them to JBL EONs.

[url]http://srforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/m/335167/0/[/url]

Not much to brag about there. EONs sound hollow and somewhat empty in version 1. The newer version 2's sound quite a bit dynamic and crisper BUT don't come close to the QSC's. We used for the Dieselboy show over the weekend and different even have to use the house sound JBL passive system.

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QSC K-series prices that I found...

(1) 8” powered 2-way $759 Retail $649.99 MAP (Internet Price) $579, shipped Our Credit Card Price (Google Checkout) $559, shipped Our Cash Price (Check, Money Order, Wire Transfer)

(1) 10” powered 2-way $899 Retail $699.99 MAP (Internet Price) $609, shipped Our Credit Card Price (Google Checkout) $589, shipped Our Cash Price (Check, Money Order, Wire Transfer)

(1) 12” powered 2-way $999 Retail $799 MAP (Internet Price) $699, shipped Our Credit Card Price (Google Checkout) $679, shipped Our Cash Price (Check, Money Order, Wire Transfer)

(1) Dual 12” subwoofer $1,199 Retail $1,049.99 MAP (Internet Price) $939, shipped Our Credit Card Price (Google Checkout) $909, shipped Our Cash Price (Check, Money Order, Wire Transfer)

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qsc ftw.

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This is awesome. Thanks everyone for the info. Gonna do a bit more research, and squirrel away a few more paycheques I guess. Certainly won't be the cheapest purchase I've made all year.

scifi - where did you get those prices from? the local shop i go to is selling the 10s for $877cdn, nowhere near the CC price you've listed.

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Oh, and I'm actually no longer in Switzerland, I suppose I should update that one of these days.

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very interesting... I've been looking for monitor type speakers myself. Been around reading reviews and [ms] posts and it seems that back then (2006+) everyone and anyone was suggesting Mackies. So QSC K-series huh? I'll need to look into this.

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I come from the hifi-world to dj"ing and it's funny to see the differense in speaker-choice.

I own a pair of Sonus Faber Concerto speakers powered by a Aaron no. 3 Millenium amp. If I skipped the hifi world I now for sure I will have now a pair of monitors powered by a Crown amp, but I'm happy I choose the hifi route.

For me the speakers are very important. I've learned that you can put so much extra details in tracks when you can hear the background details (it's just a different level of listening). The first time I heard some really good speakers I mentioned things in music that I never mentioned before, and I was sold.

Sometimes I see people buying 5k of gear, and then it's connected to a hifi set from 1k. It's just a shame for the equipment.

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[QUOTE=MetroSoul;759954]This is awesome. Thanks everyone for the info. Gonna do a bit more research, and squirrel away a few more paycheques I guess. Certainly won't be the cheapest purchase I've made all year.

scifi - where did you get those prices from? the local shop i go to is selling the 10s for $877cdn, nowhere near the CC price you've listed.[/QUOTE]

I have a great source from the QSC rep. 5% above dealer cost. PM for info.

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[QUOTE=dannygroov;760944]very interesting... I've been looking for monitor type speakers myself. Been around reading reviews and [ms] posts and it seems that back then (2006+) everyone and anyone was suggesting Mackies. So QSC K-series huh? I'll need to look into this.[/QUOTE]

3 years ago Mackie SR Powered speakers were the best value for $$ back then but alot has changed since then. Mackie was bought out by LOUD Technologies and the quality of Mackie speakers has gone downhill. Now made in China with lots of issues and reliability and handling quality. Completely night and day. Since then QSC launched their speakers a little over a couple years ago to rave reviews. The QSC K-series is the answer to Mackie's SR series and JBL EON series and then some. Just recently, I heard the K-series right next to the EON's, TurboSound powered and QSC HPR series. HPR's won the side by side audio test but comparing the price to the K-series at more than half the price, the K-series are definitely the way to go. JBL new EON's series were completely killed. Turbosound was mediocre but did not have the mid to high frequency range that the K-series had. The JBL PRX series came close but at double the price. MEYER, JBL powered VRX and DYNACORD Madras were the top dogs but your looking at 4 times more $$$ and those more huge and heavy medium venue boxes.

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love to get others opinions on this as well...

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[url]http://www.musiciansfriend.com/document/qsc/kseries_speakers?doc_id=105042[/url]

[url]http://ccisolutions.com/StoreFront/category/CNQ.cat?Origin=ArticlesBox[/url]

[url]http://start.prodj.com/showthread.php?p=480467[/url]

[url]http://srforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/m/438597/45783/0///0/#msg_438597[/url]

[url]http://start.prodj.com/showthread.php?t=48981[/url]

you can find tons more info. on various forums to "rave" reviews - the K-series rock. If you plan on buying now, better do it soon. The original 50,000 stock the was manufactured is running out fast and the next batch will be available until mid to late August.

Also, tons of thread on the K-series at [url]http://www.prosoundweb.com/[/url] - the most respected Pro Audio website around.

...but don't let words on a screen convince you, go to your local or area Pro Audio store and hear them for yourself. Most Guitar Centers now have them and stock them if they aren't already sold out.