With a great mixer in place: Bose or Speakers?

SteveA · #1 03-28-2017, 02:26 PM

So I have the Allen & Heath QU24 which has all the bells & whistles....I will be doing everything from the mixing board. QU24 to my left, PA4X-76 Keyboard in front, dual acoustic guitars on my left....

Need to upgrade speaker system from 2 Harbinger Vari 2115's & the Harbinger MA350 PA.....(relegated to monitor duty)

Budget is 3K...Do I spend the $$$ on top shelf speakers, or do I go Bose even though parts of it may be redundant? L1 Model II with Single B2 Bass T1 Module http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-a...-audio-engine/

Mobilemike · #2 03-28-2017, 02:49 PM

Speakers. QSC K12 are awesome.
-Mike

YamahaGuy · #3 03-28-2017, 02:56 PM

I'd go with a pair of Yamaha DXR12s sitting on top of a pair of Yamaha DXS 15s. Plenty of headroom that way. If you ever need to push it, the Bose would be working harder longer.

Irish Pennant · #4 03-28-2017, 03:03 PM

I'm not familiar with the Allen & Heath QU24 mixer so I read up on it. Nice. For what I do, I'd get a pair of 12" speakers, a subwoofer and a second smaller mixer for solo gigs. For what you plan on doing with your setup, you didn't say.

YamahaGuy · #5 03-28-2017, 03:07 PM

After a quick reread of the post I see you mentioned keyboard. They will appreciate having a good sub or two.

I assume this is for shows or a semi permanent setup?

JWJ915 · #6 03-28-2017, 03:29 PM

Definitely speakers. I tried the Bose thing - the sound is great, but they don't produce the sound that two 10" or 12" tops do. It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

I know a lot of people are using the QSC K Series speakers, so I am not bashing those speakers at all. However, I prefer the EV line of speakers. To my ear, they sound slightly warmer, and suit my needs for the acoustic work that I do. I also like 10" tops over 12" tops, too. You don't really lose any decibels going from 12" down to 10". The 10s are slightly smaller, however they weigh about the same as the 12s in most cases.

Depending on your budget (if you'd like to add subs), there is a mint pair of EV ETX 10p on eBay right now for $1500. Top-of-the-line portable stuff that they make. The EV EKX line is definitely worth a look, as well as the Yamaha DXR series, in my opinion.

Good luck! You really can't go wrong - it's all personal preference and going with what best suits your needs.

SteveA · #7 03-28-2017, 04:40 PM

Sorry...Correct, semi-permanent mostly & to take out to engagements when asked....The semi-permanent is a small Church that seats 100? Engagements vary...

That is why the Bose was interesting, as it would be portable & I have a ton of equipment. but I felt like maybe in my set-up I don't need it.

I am the only musician for the worship & lead. A one man band basically, play keys & acoustic....Either live or play acoustic or additional keys with sequenced tracks. I also play both instruments solo.

I have been noticing everyone leaning toward 12' speakers!!! Why does everyone say 12 inchers???? I have always gone for 15'....

What is the thought process on 12's versus 15's??? Budget is 3k...........

YamahaGuy · #8 03-28-2017, 07:05 PM

15s you could get decent low end and perhaps pass on the sub. If you play anything in drop d tuning, you'll appreciate the 15s. To my ears, 12s and/or 10s reproduce much cleaner vocals than 15s.

jomaynor · #9 03-29-2017, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveA

So I have the Allen & Heath QU24 which has all the bells & whistles....I will be doing everything from the mixing board. QU24 to my left, PA4X-76 Keyboard in front, dual acoustic guitars on my left....

Need to upgrade speaker system from 2 Harbinger Vari 2115's & the Harbinger MA350 PA.....(relegated to monitor duty)

Budget is 3K...Do I spend the $$$ on top shelf speakers, or do I go Bose even though parts of it may be redundant? L1 Model II with Single B2 Bass T1 Module http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-a...-audio-engine/

Since you have a good mixer already, and since you play keyboards as well, I would choose good PA speakers like Line 6. The money you'd spend would be about the same as a Bose system, but the sound quality would be in a different league, especially with keyboard.

gfa · #10 03-29-2017, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWJ915

Definitely speakers. I tried the Bose thing - the sound is great, but they don't produce the sound that two 10" or 12" tops do. It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

I know a lot of people are using the QSC K Series speakers, so I am not bashing those speakers at all. However, I prefer the EV line of speakers. To my ear, they sound slightly warmer, and suit my needs for the acoustic work that I do. I also like 10" tops over 12" tops, too. You don't really lose any decibels going from 12" down to 10". The 10s are slightly smaller, however they weigh about the same as the 12s in most cases.

Depending on your budget (if you'd like to add subs), there is a mint pair of EV ETX 10p on eBay right now for $1500. Top-of-the-line portable stuff that they make. The EV EKX line is definitely worth a look, as well as the Yamaha DXR series, in my opinion.

Good luck! You really can't go wrong - it's all personal preference and going with what best suits your needs.

I recently went speaker shopping. I auditioned the QSCs and the Yamaha DRXs. Those were the only two lines available in that general price/quality range. I much preferred the QSCs. For vocals, the 15s seemed not so good. The 12s certainly have a fuller low end than the 10s, but not by a huge margin. I thought the 10s were a better fit for my application, since we don't have much of a low end presence. With keyboards, I'd probably have chosen the 12s. Have fun!

zhunter · #11 03-29-2017, 10:31 AM

Speakers. Lots of good choices. Modern, compact, relatively lightweight.

I think back to those years we lugged around a couple of Voice of the Theatre speakers and when I listen to modern self powered 10s or 12s and it hurts to remember...

hunter

RustyAxe · #12 03-29-2017, 10:36 AM

I prefer 12's over 15's. The only thing a 15" speaker will give me that 12's won't is more weight and expense. If that much bottom end is needed, then a smallish sub-woofer can be added (but is really nearly useless with acoustic guitar since the lowest freqs of the instrument are usually just slightly below the cross-over threshold anyway). And at reasonable volumes the 12's handle the lower freqs quite well, while doing a better job with vocals and acoustic instruments (IMO).

(As a bass player my rig is two 1x12's, I used to use a 4x10, and for a while used and hated a 1x15. Bigger cones don't necessarily equal better bass).

SteveA · #13 03-29-2017, 11:04 AM

Wow....So far a landslide.....No one here in the BOSE camp huh?

MikeBmusic · #14 03-29-2017, 11:08 AM

No bass guitar? 12" Loved the sound of QSC K12s when I played through them. You may find they have enough low end for your keyboard as is, but if not add a subwoofer (you only really need one until you start playing in larger places).

SteveA · #15 03-30-2017, 09:16 AM

I guess my biggest question, which no one has addressed is "because" I have the mixer, are many of the functions of the BOSE semi-obsolete, thereby 'tossing" away $$$$.....

I WILL be running everything from my mixer rather than the BOSE which makes me think I am literally throwing away 1K in features I will never use....I'm not even sure how to integrate the tonematch in that set-up.

Since I have the mixer & 3 monitors that were formerly FOH, the wrestling I'm having is utilizing all my equipment to the best....

Thoughts on that aspect anyone?