Mudloop Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 Hi, I'm looking for an active speaker to use with my Helix. The intended uses are : - Playing at home, and also use for monitoring while recording (useful because my studio monitors are not attached to my Helix) - Rehearsals (loud enough to compete with drums) - Small bar gigs (again, if it's audible with live drums, it should be good) - Monitors for slightly larger gigs Optional use : it would be nice if another instrument could be plugged in directly, mostly for jamming... but this is not essential. I don't care too much about sound quality, I mean it has to sound nice, but I'm on a budget here... Thomann has some nicely priced speakers, I was looking at these : The Box Pro DSP 110 : https://www.thomann.de/gb/the_box_pro_dsp_110.htm I think one of those should do the trick, but if it's not enough, there are some slightly more powerful (and more expensive) versions in that series, using 12 and 15 inch speakers... I was wondering if I could go even lower in price... Like these : https://www.thomann.de/gb/the_box_pro_tp_105_ma.htm Or even these : https://www.thomann.de/gb/the_box_pro_achat_104_a.htm These last two are tiny, but they do get good pretty reviews, and their max SPL (dB) might still be enough for most of my needs? I'm an absolute noob when it comes to volume stuff. Maybe they just have less low-end, but maybe that's good enough for guitars? I could go for the cheapest option for now, as I currently mostly need it for home and rehearsal use, and if it's not powerful enough for using with the Helix at gigs, I could repurpose them for something else later (like, maybe they're good enough for the keyboard player's monitoring needs). I'm open for other suggestions too of course. Edit : I just found this one, which looks interesting despite not having any reviews (yet... I think it's a new product, but Kustom speakers overall seem to get decent reviews on most sites) : https://www.thomann.de/gb/kustom_kpx12a.htm Slightly cheaper than that DSP110, and it has a 12 inch speaker, which is probably beneficial for guitar. I also like the design more, because it fits in a corner and can be placed in a tilted position (like a wedge monitor)... So this looks like a good contender, at least to my noob-eye. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvroberts Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 If you want to keep up with drums and you want to do a small to middle sized venue with sound mostly from the stage, only the first set will cut it. They are sound reinforcement and will have both level and projection - i would expect the others to get totally lost in any room much bigger than a lounge room. I use 2 x Berhinger eurolive b112s and at about half power I can keep up with a loud drummer and fill a small to mid sized room direct from the stage. They are rated at the same power (1000W) and the 12inch bottom end doesn't make that much difference seeing I'm cutting the bottom a lot anyhow. 100 transistor watts (50 RMS I'd bet) doesn't sound as loud as a Vox AC15 which just about keeps up maybe with a loud drummer. and they aren't designed to have much throw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 What seems to be the most popular budget speaker here is the Alto TX10 or the TS210. They are powered 10" two way speaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricstudioc Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 The Alto's - can't go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudloop Posted November 15, 2017 Author Share Posted November 15, 2017 Thanks for the responses. I am really confused though... The Alto TX10 has 280W and 116dB. The Kustom KPX12A only has 100W, but 119dB. So it seems to me that the Kustom has higher volume, for less power. Does that mean it's more efficient? I also don't understand how for a guitar amp, 15W can be enough for this purpose (if barely), but for a powered speaker, 100W wouldn't cut it from what I read here. I'm guessing that this is because the powered speakers have a broader frequency range (I know bass amps need higher W than guitar amps), but all this makes it really difficult to shop for a speaker online :) To quote ICP, f'ing magnets, how do they work??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbuhajla Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 Different types of amplifiers so it's trying to compare apples to oranges. Some also have separate amplifiers for each driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudloop Posted November 15, 2017 Author Share Posted November 15, 2017 Different types of amplifiers so it's trying to compare apples to oranges. Some also have separate amplifiers for each driver. Not really... If you were to look up the specs (nutritional contents) of apples and oranges, at least the numbers would be on the same scales :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudloop Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 So I bit the bullet and went with that DSP 110. It's relatively cheap, and will probably do the trick. I can always send it back if it doesn't work out. I'll report once I've had a chance to use it, might be useful information for other people with similar needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Thanks for the responses. I am really confused though... The Alto TX10 has 280W and 116dB. The Kustom KPX12A only has 100W, but 119dB. Spec sheets lie. What's usually reported is peak wattage, not RMS. Besides, the pain threshold is around 120 dB...what are you actually gonna do with that extra 3 dB anyway? I also don't understand how for a guitar amp, 15W can be enough for this purpose (if barely), but for a powered speaker, 100W wouldn't cut it from what I read here. I recorded an entire album with a 7 watt Orange Dark Terror head. https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DarkTerror That thing can melt concrete. Wattage does not equal volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFrance Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 What is used for the singer ? In my band, i use to plug directly my helix into the mix table and it goes through 2 x Berhinger eurolive b112s. You could do so for your rehearsals and bar gigs. So to work on your sound, it's better to have the same speaker. Personnally, I don't and i hear the difference between home and rehearsals.... The alto seem to be appreciated.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudloop Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 So I just received my DSP110 speaker. First impressions : It sounds great to me. It will definitely serve it’s purpose for practicing at home and for monitoring while recording. Is it loud enough? Don’t really know yet. I can’t crank it in my home, I went as loud until things in my house started rattling, but can’t push it to its limits here. My instincts say that it will be fine, but I’ll know when we use it at rehearsal. I like that it has EQ built in. Tried it with a Roland VDrums set too, sounds great. So, so far so good! What is used for the singer ? In my band, i use to plug directly my helix into the mix table and it goes through 2 x Berhinger eurolive b112s. You could do so for your rehearsals and bar gigs. So to work on your sound, it's better to have the same speaker. Personnally, I don't and i hear the difference between home and rehearsals.... The alto seem to be appreciated.... Nothing for the singer yet, that’s one of the next things I’ll have to tackle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mileskb Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Spec sheets lie. Sad but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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