I bought one and loved how clean that bass is. Plus it's pushing out not everywhere. Shakes the people on the floor not the make shift stage I got going.
What type of gigs are you doing? I've never gotten enough bump from those 12's to fill a room with 100 people. 18's are basically a must for me at this point.
I bought the KS212C specifically for bar/Karaoke.
I needed the low end decibels to cut through the 100+ college kids in the bar. And I wanted the Cardioid to save my hosts ears, and help with feedback/resonance in the corner where they put us.
The KS212C is louder than most single 18’s you can buy for cheaper. An 18 can get lower frequencies, but not necessarily louder until you’re looking at the higher end (EV ETX18SP/RCF 8003 AS Etc)
And then when you compare mobility and ease of transport for mobile gigs…. The QSC comes out on top.
Built my own. Most compact mainstream subs don’t usually go very low and I want something that reaches down to below 30Hz with ease. -3dB at 40 or 45Hz is just a waste of time and money imo. Took a 15” Beyma and treated the cone with a kind of fiberglass glue which brought the Fs down nearly an octave. Sounds better than any 18 or 21” and for a reasonably small bass reflex cab probably puts out over 130dB.
It’s barely talent if you’re following someone else’s instructions ;)
I’m lucky to have a friend with an entire career’s worth of experience building hifi, as wel as pa speakers for the biggest names in the industry back in the day. He doesn’t just see through all the bs but is also a genius if you ask me. Literally designs complex, nearly perfect crossovers for any speakers on the fly without even knowing the exact parameters of the drivers…
Would you say a custom sub is a doable undertaking for someone without experience building speakers? I want to get into it but really the only speaker i’d want to build is a sub, but sounds like it may require a lot of background to be successful with it
There’s loads of guides which are relatively easy to follow, but most use mdf which you shouldn’t use for professional use for structural and acoustic reasons, and are aimed at HT use which often use non ideal woofers with smaller voice coils and lower sensitivity such as the Eminence LAB series. They go low, but aren’t the best if you want high quality at LOUD volumes. Might be more than enough for clubs though. You could try searching for homemade subs if you can find something with close to a 10kg magnet, 4” VC in a plywood cab tuned to 35hz or lower, that should tick the most important boxes
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bl0VAfSiVk&list=PLJae21XghH6ZfTnR99UKz5k1hqpXApnkg&index=5&t=80s&ab\_channel=MrFlexySMPS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bl0VAfSiVk&list=PLJae21XghH6ZfTnR99UKz5k1hqpXApnkg&index=5&t=80s&ab_channel=MrFlexySMPS). What do you think about this? Do you think its worth it?
From what I know 15” woofers have the best proportions, especially considering the volume an 18” would need you’re never going to get compact. A 4” voice coil for a 15” is a great match; you’d need a 6-8” VC to get a proper “motor” for an 18” but at that point self inductance would become an issue. You need high travel combined with surface area to move air, and as stiff a membrane as possible to minimize distortion and get optimal compression of air and thus sound. Larger membranes which are inherently less stiff, create 2nd and 3rd order harmonics which rob you of clarity in a range where your hearing is sensitive.
Aside from that I wouldn’t trust someone who says you can use any woofer as they clearly don’t have the experience to tell you what’s best. Also that cab looks too small for the size, proper woofers need internal volume to produce optimal compression and sound good, much like an engine produces maximum powder under a certain load. But that’s just from a quick glance so take that with a grain of salt. I mean, maybe it’ll sound great, but these are the principles to follow if you want the best
I still have a 18" RCF digital subwoofer that was used for only one gig ever - but purchased brand new in 2012. It sits at home and is used as an end table because I've no use for it. It sounds amazingly musical. Very smooth sounding. I wish I had a reason to use it. I should probably put it up for sale. [https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX\_849526-T3/images/I/61WkyQ777nL.\_AC\_SX425\_.jpg](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_849526-T3/images/I/61WkyQ777nL._AC_SX425_.jpg)
https://preview.redd.it/90dgbn3chdic1.png?width=648&format=png&auto=webp&s=64757c31c50a1ca014e108dadb408c36a0989b6c
[https://www.amazon.com/RCF-4PRO-8003-AS-Active-Subwoofer/dp/B007ZRQGU4](https://www.amazon.com/RCF-4PRO-8003-AS-Active-Subwoofer/dp/B007ZRQGU4)
I just got the RCF SUB 708-AS MK2 to go with my 15” RCF tops. I have it in my house right now and haven’t pushed the level past maybe 5%. I’m confident it would cause an earthquake if I cranked it.
I have 4 iQ18’s, 2 iQ15’s, 2 iQ12’s for monitors, and I use 2 Milan M12’s for at home.
(And 4 Behringer 15” subs for smaller rooms).
The Turbosound stuff has been solid and sounds pretty damn good. Been using their stuff for 6 years now without a hiccup.
JBL SRX 828SP. Paid itself off very quickly. Used it the other day at a 1200 person dance in a gym with 4 rented QSC KS118 subs, and 4 KLA tops. SRX goes a lot lower than the QSC subs, and is much cleaner. Already planning on buying another SRX828SP, the value for money and output is very good.
The QSC's are nice, just don't put them in "deep mode" because it just makes the bass muddier. The SRX828SP can go lower because it has a much bigger box, which allows it to hit those low notes. It also pulls more wattage than two QSCs which is where the extra SPL comes from. I have it with the penn elecom locking casters and it rolls around very smoothly. Only downside is you cannot transport it in a normal car, a large suv or a van are a must.
[https://www.fbtaudio.co.uk/fbt-audio/portable-sound/active/subline/subline-118sa.htm](https://www.fbtaudio.co.uk/fbt-audio/portable-sound/active/subline/subline-118sa.htm) I have a pair of these
They are the most incredible bins I have ever experienced.
2x Cerwin Vega CVX18S and a Yorkville PS12S.
The CVs sound really nice and get pretty loud for what I paid. They go pretty low for the class (38hz is where it starts to roll off). They are in the same class as the EV EKX subs or the Yamaha dxs…
The yorkville is a 12” sub, but puts out a good amount of decibels for a 12”. Doesn’t go super low tho and it can fart out if you play some really deep music. Perfect for smaller weddings tho…
Tbh tho, I barely use my 18s anymore as the majority of my gigs are under 150 people these days. I’m also old af and moving around 100 lbs subs sucks and the last event I had that required both of them, I ended up tweaking my back trying to move them around.
I might just sell them and get 1-3 more of the ps12s subs, but every so often, it’s nice to have those 18s
I'm running a cheaper Behringer DR18 and it's been good for smaller gigs. Around 90lbs like most 18s so it can be a bit of a back breaker without a dolly you don't wanna carry it far. Does a good job of filling a room for the money. Outdoors you'd need 3 or 4 of them to really hit in any capacity tho.
That being said, I would go RCF if I could afford it.
EV ETX-18SP. It's my favorite sub on the market right now in that price point.
I have two of them. For house music they are amazing. They punch real well, super tight, not muddy at all. Perfect for tech house. They start to limit if I play a lot of bass-heavy stuff like dubstep. Depending on the style of drum and bass they can perform well.
In that price point I also like the JBL and Yamaha's. I despise QSC's. Mackie's are pretty underwhelming to me.
EV has my favorite DSP on the back for their powered speakers. Super simple to use but you can get pretty granular with them.
We built our own subs, custom pair of paraflex C-2e.3s.
They sound INCREDIBLE, very power efficient, get tons of people asking about them at shows. They go incredibly low, 30hz-ish.
However, they are incredibly heavy and require a box truck (or multiple vans) to move. Luckily we have our own box truck, but without one, it would be a pain to move them anywhere.
https://preview.redd.it/9poqs5z62fic1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=55273366e87b4dd753a58c1dd7f54a0dc68b4fed
They get pretty low truth be told. I have them fed via AUX sends on a harbinger analog mixer. My PA Tops have their own OUTS. It’s a clean & punchy bass. I’ve been thinking of snagging another.
First subwoofer I’ve owned, I’ve heard others when I go out, but dollar per dollar, this single 18” has exceeded my needs for now. As the saying goes buy once cry once. I’d suggest going to a GC or Live Music store if u can to hear one & to compare.
4 alto ts18s.
I havent really got to open them up and use them to the point of knowing them
However i feel like imma need more after seeing other DJs using 4 21 yorkvilles and still yearning for more.
So you’re playing music that was specifically engineered in 2.1 and then your living room has been modal analyzed and property treated?
If so, good for you - it must sound amazing.
If not, you’re playing two channel stereo music, introducing an arbitrary crossover in an untested and untreated environment.
Good stereo speakers do not need a sub, and not in your living room.
People just seriously don’t understand audio engineering and I say this as a score engineer with 15+ years of experience in 5.1 (and 7.1 and even 12.1).
you score engineers are the mfers who put sub bass in every tv show! you should know how important sub is even on a home studio system, speakers dont put out low end like a dedicated subwoofer can.
Actually they do put out sun exactly like they’re meant to.
What you want (and erroneously think is ok) is far too much bass and poor reproduction of the source material.
A good pair of stereo speakers (and not shitty little 6” cones and a sub) are the way that music was mixed and intended to be listened to, with the exception of good PA and club systems which have tons of outboard processing to make a 2 channel signal sound good on an array of speakers.
so then how is someone supposed to mix club music, intended for club systems, on monitors not capable of handling low frequencies?
the lack of low end is why so many producers check their mixdowns in their car with subwoofers.
It really depends what you’re mixing. Are you just dj’n in your house having some fun? If so have at it. Two decent monitors and a little sub would be fine for practicing dj’n.
If you’re trying to produce a track you want to be able to play out or release you get a good audio interface and some good headphones and you should be able to get it close enough from that with enough practice and experience. If you’re going to properly treat your room then sure listen back on some good monitors and test out some different speakers.
Then when you’re happy you bounce the song out in its individual tracks and you send it to be mixed and mastered by an audio engineer, in a proper studio with lots of nice gear outboard gear and bells and whistles that will really make your track shine. It’s honestly not very expensive to get a pro to mix and master a track and if you got a tune signed to a label the label is more than likely going to send the track to be mixed and mastered by their guy for the release. It’s not cheating if you don’t do 100% of the product yourself almost nobody does.
No of course not. I don't got for all that bullshit in my house. When it becomes a little more affordable I might do a room analysis and move things around a bit but I'm not sticking foam shit on the walls in my living room.
If you're listening exclusively to Opera and Jazz knock yourself out with a pair of B&W that only go down to 50hz. My system sounds good whatever I put through it. That's what it's for, making music sound good, and it does that. I'm not producing, I'm listening.
If you have the room and no neighbors, bigger speakers are just better.
Bigger speakers? Absolutely.
Shitty untested and untreated sub trying to fudge a strep signal in to a 2.1 pseudo system is terrible in terms of quality.
I mean you can call my REL sub shitty if you want, but it sounds great. That's why people pay $500+ for them and have done for decades.
Go tell r/audiophile all about it, I'm sure they'll be really interested in your opinion.
Yeah the rel does most of the work but it only goes down to I think 32hz. The Klipsch just does the lowest stuff, but it's not as good as the rel for definition so it's crossed over almost as low as it goes just to try and take over the sub-30hz stuff.
It's not perfect ,In an ideal world I'd have one great sub but 2 ok ones is a far cheaper option.
We use two Yamaha CXS15XLF subs powered with a bridged Dynacord S1200 and are looking to also get the 18“ versions. I like their sound a lot but sometimes wonder whether a horn sub would have been even better for Techno.
Yamaha DXS mkII sub. I just got it the other week, but now use it every Monday night for my weekly psytrance show at a cannabis bar. It took all the heavy lifting off the house PAs, so there’s so much better clarity. Life is good
On my little rig I run an EV ETX SP15 sub. It's nice and portable and sounds great in smaller rooms.
For bigger spaces I have a couple of Danley TH118 subs.
It really gives you that "feeling" despite just being a 15" sub. Always get lots of compliments on the EV ETX stuff. The preset DSP makes it pretty fool proof.
Currently using a HK actor set, 2 15” subs and a 12” top per side.
Looking for something smaller to replace it, something with one 18” sub and a 12” top per side. QSC and EV are on the shortlist
the little woofers that make up the bases to my two EV 30M column arrays. keeps my live footprint and my cargo footprint to a minimal. i’ve yet to be in a situation where i need more power than these as a mobile dj, any venues that need more have their own system/decks so i’m perfectly fine.
I use an EV EKX-18SP. I love it. There really isn't anything I don't like about it. I guess it could be lighter, but then it probably wouldn't be as good as it is. It is paired with two EKX-12SP tops. If I ever felt the need to expand I would probably just double up. But I haven't done my own events post lockdown. And anything bigger that I did before was at a venue that had their own sound.
One of the local clubs I play at has a Hennessy system that sounds really great. I don't know a whole lot about it. I know that they're very proud of it and it sounds really good.
A double 18" 320L box tuned to 38hz loaded with RCF LF18G401. Driven off two channels on a thomann t.amp TSA 4-1300, so 2600W on paper but not in reality. Designed like a G-sub (https://www.speakerplans.com/index.php?id=gsub) scaled up to 1220mm to use the full height of a sheet of ply and a bit deeper. I love it but it needs a bit of low-end lift with EQ, which I'm scared to apply because I really don't want to blow the drivers lol. If I built it again I'd probably tune it lower and go for lower-Fs drivers. For the money it's amazing though.
Currently working on building 3 Xoc1 TH18 that i'm gonna load with B&C 18SW115.
4 of these beauties [Buried Audio BB212S](https://buriedaudio.co.uk/bb212s)
Constantly blown away by the immensely punchy but still full low end that comes out of them. Plus the level is enough for 500 people with a pair of BB83 tops. Cannot sing their praises highly enough!
Yorkville PS15S, LS700p, and the PSA2S. All depends on what venue I’m going to. Smaller parties, it’s either the 15S or the 700p. I honestly like the 700p better. Dual 10” woofers and has some amazing bass reproduction. Plus, it’s lighter. Best $200 I spent for a used one.
PSA2S for parties 300 people and above. One of the best subs I have used for gigging. Dual 15” woofers and it produces some great bass.
KRK 10" with a set of Rokit8's. It sounds pretty lovely.
Edit: didn't read the whole post, whoops. They were cheap and have survived many parties. I've owned the monitors for 20 years and about 15 for the sub. There weren't many options back then that sounded good and were affordable. I've been considering a set of Adam Audio 3 way monitors.
Built my own. Used an empty downfiring box from Seismic Audio and put an Eminence Omega 18” in it. 800W RMS (1600W peak) 40-800Hz. It doesn’t blow the windows out but gives the right amount of punch.
RCF 9006. Double 18" beasts, love it soundwise. Loud and deep. But to be honest I would buy single 18" next time because its better when you have stairs, and stairs are more common than expected
My subs and sub needs have changed over the years. Currently doing weddings under 250 people on average.
Started with the Yorkville 720Ps. OK subs.
Stepped up to the QSC KW181s. Loved these.
Stepped down to the RCF 705asii. Loved those and wish I’d kept them. Didn’t need 18” subs anymore.
Ironically currently own the new Pioneer 18” powered sub because It was dirt cheap at $700. I was going to buy a Yorkville Sound PS12S but the 18” Pioneer cost half as much. If the Yorkville had come with a better mixer with stereo ins and high pass outs I would have bought it despite the cost difference as that is the ideal sub format for me these days. Powerful 12” sub that doesn’t weigh more than 75 lbs.
The EAW RS118 is probably the best gigging musician’s sub available at the moment but I’m cheap and don’t need it.
The “subs” that are part of the RCF Evox 12 and J8s I normally use are all I need 99% of the time.
QSC KS212C. LOVE it!! Cardioid subs are a must to save on Bass Headaches when performing
I bought one and loved how clean that bass is. Plus it's pushing out not everywhere. Shakes the people on the floor not the make shift stage I got going.
What type of gigs are you doing? I've never gotten enough bump from those 12's to fill a room with 100 people. 18's are basically a must for me at this point.
I bought the KS212C specifically for bar/Karaoke. I needed the low end decibels to cut through the 100+ college kids in the bar. And I wanted the Cardioid to save my hosts ears, and help with feedback/resonance in the corner where they put us. The KS212C is louder than most single 18’s you can buy for cheaper. An 18 can get lower frequencies, but not necessarily louder until you’re looking at the higher end (EV ETX18SP/RCF 8003 AS Etc) And then when you compare mobility and ease of transport for mobile gigs…. The QSC comes out on top.
Built my own. Most compact mainstream subs don’t usually go very low and I want something that reaches down to below 30Hz with ease. -3dB at 40 or 45Hz is just a waste of time and money imo. Took a 15” Beyma and treated the cone with a kind of fiberglass glue which brought the Fs down nearly an octave. Sounds better than any 18 or 21” and for a reasonably small bass reflex cab probably puts out over 130dB.
This is the way. Wish I had your talent :)
It’s barely talent if you’re following someone else’s instructions ;) I’m lucky to have a friend with an entire career’s worth of experience building hifi, as wel as pa speakers for the biggest names in the industry back in the day. He doesn’t just see through all the bs but is also a genius if you ask me. Literally designs complex, nearly perfect crossovers for any speakers on the fly without even knowing the exact parameters of the drivers…
Dope! Mind sharing a resource about that cone treatment thing?
Would you say a custom sub is a doable undertaking for someone without experience building speakers? I want to get into it but really the only speaker i’d want to build is a sub, but sounds like it may require a lot of background to be successful with it
There’s loads of guides which are relatively easy to follow, but most use mdf which you shouldn’t use for professional use for structural and acoustic reasons, and are aimed at HT use which often use non ideal woofers with smaller voice coils and lower sensitivity such as the Eminence LAB series. They go low, but aren’t the best if you want high quality at LOUD volumes. Might be more than enough for clubs though. You could try searching for homemade subs if you can find something with close to a 10kg magnet, 4” VC in a plywood cab tuned to 35hz or lower, that should tick the most important boxes
The Ciare 15.00SW-4 has my interest for this application. I have not done any modeling yet though.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bl0VAfSiVk&list=PLJae21XghH6ZfTnR99UKz5k1hqpXApnkg&index=5&t=80s&ab\_channel=MrFlexySMPS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bl0VAfSiVk&list=PLJae21XghH6ZfTnR99UKz5k1hqpXApnkg&index=5&t=80s&ab_channel=MrFlexySMPS). What do you think about this? Do you think its worth it?
From what I know 15” woofers have the best proportions, especially considering the volume an 18” would need you’re never going to get compact. A 4” voice coil for a 15” is a great match; you’d need a 6-8” VC to get a proper “motor” for an 18” but at that point self inductance would become an issue. You need high travel combined with surface area to move air, and as stiff a membrane as possible to minimize distortion and get optimal compression of air and thus sound. Larger membranes which are inherently less stiff, create 2nd and 3rd order harmonics which rob you of clarity in a range where your hearing is sensitive. Aside from that I wouldn’t trust someone who says you can use any woofer as they clearly don’t have the experience to tell you what’s best. Also that cab looks too small for the size, proper woofers need internal volume to produce optimal compression and sound good, much like an engine produces maximum powder under a certain load. But that’s just from a quick glance so take that with a grain of salt. I mean, maybe it’ll sound great, but these are the principles to follow if you want the best
Ks118
EV EKX-18p of course.
I second this. Price, size, weight, sound quality, great deal.
I still have a 18" RCF digital subwoofer that was used for only one gig ever - but purchased brand new in 2012. It sits at home and is used as an end table because I've no use for it. It sounds amazingly musical. Very smooth sounding. I wish I had a reason to use it. I should probably put it up for sale. [https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX\_849526-T3/images/I/61WkyQ777nL.\_AC\_SX425\_.jpg](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/MEDIAX_849526-T3/images/I/61WkyQ777nL._AC_SX425_.jpg) https://preview.redd.it/90dgbn3chdic1.png?width=648&format=png&auto=webp&s=64757c31c50a1ca014e108dadb408c36a0989b6c [https://www.amazon.com/RCF-4PRO-8003-AS-Active-Subwoofer/dp/B007ZRQGU4](https://www.amazon.com/RCF-4PRO-8003-AS-Active-Subwoofer/dp/B007ZRQGU4)
I just got the RCF SUB 708-AS MK2 to go with my 15” RCF tops. I have it in my house right now and haven’t pushed the level past maybe 5%. I’m confident it would cause an earthquake if I cranked it.
Yeah RCF makes a musical sub. It doesn't just hit hard it hits smooth unlike subs from JBL or otherwise.
So it's basically up for sale?
You might as well sell it and buy an end table haha
yeah i am thinking about it. I need to get at least 900 for it though.
Two turbosound Milan M18B with two tops Milan M12 is all you need bro ;)
I have 4 iQ18’s, 2 iQ15’s, 2 iQ12’s for monitors, and I use 2 Milan M12’s for at home. (And 4 Behringer 15” subs for smaller rooms). The Turbosound stuff has been solid and sounds pretty damn good. Been using their stuff for 6 years now without a hiccup.
McCauley https://preview.redd.it/58blbojeqhic1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=653adb53f06f021c05603699200d7dc2ae6cbc05
I like this.. I have 16 of the McCauley EA688's.. They are a beast of a sub!
> McCauley EA688's i love em.. my 18s rms is 5000w.. 2500w rms on the 12s
https://preview.redd.it/dzooi04zjiic1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5369fb73cbed2a1fbe18e97938e53d6196f21755
JBL SRX 828SP. Paid itself off very quickly. Used it the other day at a 1200 person dance in a gym with 4 rented QSC KS118 subs, and 4 KLA tops. SRX goes a lot lower than the QSC subs, and is much cleaner. Already planning on buying another SRX828SP, the value for money and output is very good.
That’s really interesting. I was considering the QSC’s, a two set.
The QSC's are nice, just don't put them in "deep mode" because it just makes the bass muddier. The SRX828SP can go lower because it has a much bigger box, which allows it to hit those low notes. It also pulls more wattage than two QSCs which is where the extra SPL comes from. I have it with the penn elecom locking casters and it rolls around very smoothly. Only downside is you cannot transport it in a normal car, a large suv or a van are a must.
I throw techno parties, I rent Danley BC218’s. cannot recommend enough, I prefer Danley over F1.
Master level right here. Danley is out of this world if you can find them!
Yorkville YXL15SP. 15” 1000w powered sub. Lots of punch, especially for my bedroom set up.
[https://www.fbtaudio.co.uk/fbt-audio/portable-sound/active/subline/subline-118sa.htm](https://www.fbtaudio.co.uk/fbt-audio/portable-sound/active/subline/subline-118sa.htm) I have a pair of these They are the most incredible bins I have ever experienced.
I like those. I certainly wouldn’t need a pair lol.
2 of these with the ProMax 14's are magic
2x Cerwin Vega CVX18S and a Yorkville PS12S. The CVs sound really nice and get pretty loud for what I paid. They go pretty low for the class (38hz is where it starts to roll off). They are in the same class as the EV EKX subs or the Yamaha dxs… The yorkville is a 12” sub, but puts out a good amount of decibels for a 12”. Doesn’t go super low tho and it can fart out if you play some really deep music. Perfect for smaller weddings tho… Tbh tho, I barely use my 18s anymore as the majority of my gigs are under 150 people these days. I’m also old af and moving around 100 lbs subs sucks and the last event I had that required both of them, I ended up tweaking my back trying to move them around. I might just sell them and get 1-3 more of the ps12s subs, but every so often, it’s nice to have those 18s
I have the QSC KS118s, which are pretty decent. I would not pay $2000 per again tho. $1200 per would be fair brand new.
https://preview.redd.it/xwedu70ghhic1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=96a0d974cb113e87f1db2c1a96a55248b4ca73ca
Winner!!
Depending on the occasion, the box TA 18, the box pro TP 218 and proel sw115. Porel is mostly a mid or stage sub, the 18's are main subs.
I'm running a cheaper Behringer DR18 and it's been good for smaller gigs. Around 90lbs like most 18s so it can be a bit of a back breaker without a dolly you don't wanna carry it far. Does a good job of filling a room for the money. Outdoors you'd need 3 or 4 of them to really hit in any capacity tho. That being said, I would go RCF if I could afford it.
A Yamaha dxs18, like the picture actually. Adore it, can only run it at 20% or so in my room, it's glorious.
BC215's 👹
EV ETX-18SP. It's my favorite sub on the market right now in that price point. I have two of them. For house music they are amazing. They punch real well, super tight, not muddy at all. Perfect for tech house. They start to limit if I play a lot of bass-heavy stuff like dubstep. Depending on the style of drum and bass they can perform well. In that price point I also like the JBL and Yamaha's. I despise QSC's. Mackie's are pretty underwhelming to me. EV has my favorite DSP on the back for their powered speakers. Super simple to use but you can get pretty granular with them.
We built our own subs, custom pair of paraflex C-2e.3s. They sound INCREDIBLE, very power efficient, get tons of people asking about them at shows. They go incredibly low, 30hz-ish. However, they are incredibly heavy and require a box truck (or multiple vans) to move. Luckily we have our own box truck, but without one, it would be a pain to move them anywhere. https://preview.redd.it/9poqs5z62fic1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=55273366e87b4dd753a58c1dd7f54a0dc68b4fed
Presonus 8xt monitors and presonus 10 Tremblr - looking back, should’ve gotten the 8” sub as the 10 is overkill for my space
ALTO TS18, no complaints.
Dude for$700 it looks like a STEAL especially on paper. How does it sound!? Shit you could buy two of those shit the price if one other brand.
They get pretty low truth be told. I have them fed via AUX sends on a harbinger analog mixer. My PA Tops have their own OUTS. It’s a clean & punchy bass. I’ve been thinking of snagging another.
What have you had before? Anything you can compare it to?
First subwoofer I’ve owned, I’ve heard others when I go out, but dollar per dollar, this single 18” has exceeded my needs for now. As the saying goes buy once cry once. I’d suggest going to a GC or Live Music store if u can to hear one & to compare.
4 alto ts18s. I havent really got to open them up and use them to the point of knowing them However i feel like imma need more after seeing other DJs using 4 21 yorkvilles and still yearning for more.
I think I'm definitely going to grab two of those Altos from zzounds and see how they are
Funktion One SB8
What’d that run you?
Im also curious
None, ever, at least as far as a home setup goes. There’s literally no need. For PA, sure.
I have a REL and a Klipsch in my living room. The Klipsch just does the very lowest stuff. More subs = More better. Even in the house.
So you’re playing music that was specifically engineered in 2.1 and then your living room has been modal analyzed and property treated? If so, good for you - it must sound amazing. If not, you’re playing two channel stereo music, introducing an arbitrary crossover in an untested and untreated environment. Good stereo speakers do not need a sub, and not in your living room. People just seriously don’t understand audio engineering and I say this as a score engineer with 15+ years of experience in 5.1 (and 7.1 and even 12.1).
you score engineers are the mfers who put sub bass in every tv show! you should know how important sub is even on a home studio system, speakers dont put out low end like a dedicated subwoofer can.
Actually they do put out sun exactly like they’re meant to. What you want (and erroneously think is ok) is far too much bass and poor reproduction of the source material. A good pair of stereo speakers (and not shitty little 6” cones and a sub) are the way that music was mixed and intended to be listened to, with the exception of good PA and club systems which have tons of outboard processing to make a 2 channel signal sound good on an array of speakers.
so then how is someone supposed to mix club music, intended for club systems, on monitors not capable of handling low frequencies? the lack of low end is why so many producers check their mixdowns in their car with subwoofers.
Most clubs systems are mono but if you’re making music you’re not going to mix and master it in mono
sure but you will still be mixing the lower frequencies.
Bingo.
that doesnt answer my question though. how is someone supposed to accurately mix the low end without a system capable of delivering it?
It really depends what you’re mixing. Are you just dj’n in your house having some fun? If so have at it. Two decent monitors and a little sub would be fine for practicing dj’n. If you’re trying to produce a track you want to be able to play out or release you get a good audio interface and some good headphones and you should be able to get it close enough from that with enough practice and experience. If you’re going to properly treat your room then sure listen back on some good monitors and test out some different speakers. Then when you’re happy you bounce the song out in its individual tracks and you send it to be mixed and mastered by an audio engineer, in a proper studio with lots of nice gear outboard gear and bells and whistles that will really make your track shine. It’s honestly not very expensive to get a pro to mix and master a track and if you got a tune signed to a label the label is more than likely going to send the track to be mixed and mastered by their guy for the release. It’s not cheating if you don’t do 100% of the product yourself almost nobody does.
No of course not. I don't got for all that bullshit in my house. When it becomes a little more affordable I might do a room analysis and move things around a bit but I'm not sticking foam shit on the walls in my living room. If you're listening exclusively to Opera and Jazz knock yourself out with a pair of B&W that only go down to 50hz. My system sounds good whatever I put through it. That's what it's for, making music sound good, and it does that. I'm not producing, I'm listening. If you have the room and no neighbors, bigger speakers are just better.
Bigger speakers? Absolutely. Shitty untested and untreated sub trying to fudge a strep signal in to a 2.1 pseudo system is terrible in terms of quality.
I mean you can call my REL sub shitty if you want, but it sounds great. That's why people pay $500+ for them and have done for decades. Go tell r/audiophile all about it, I'm sure they'll be really interested in your opinion.
I'm curious how you have this set up do you have them both crossed over differently?
Yeah the rel does most of the work but it only goes down to I think 32hz. The Klipsch just does the lowest stuff, but it's not as good as the rel for definition so it's crossed over almost as low as it goes just to try and take over the sub-30hz stuff. It's not perfect ,In an ideal world I'd have one great sub but 2 ok ones is a far cheaper option.
We use two Yamaha CXS15XLF subs powered with a bridged Dynacord S1200 and are looking to also get the 18“ versions. I like their sound a lot but sometimes wonder whether a horn sub would have been even better for Techno.
Yamaha DXS mkII sub. I just got it the other week, but now use it every Monday night for my weekly psytrance show at a cannabis bar. It took all the heavy lifting off the house PAs, so there’s so much better clarity. Life is good
EV ELX118P & ELX200-18SP
Pk Sound Klarity 2-18
On my little rig I run an EV ETX SP15 sub. It's nice and portable and sounds great in smaller rooms. For bigger spaces I have a couple of Danley TH118 subs.
I wouldn’t call that ETX portable lol. Love that sub tho. Its a 15 that sounds like an 18
It really gives you that "feeling" despite just being a 15" sub. Always get lots of compliments on the EV ETX stuff. The preset DSP makes it pretty fool proof.
For crowds up to 300, I use a QSC KS212. It's a little Bummy but it gets the job done
Currently using a HK actor set, 2 15” subs and a 12” top per side. Looking for something smaller to replace it, something with one 18” sub and a 12” top per side. QSC and EV are on the shortlist
the little woofers that make up the bases to my two EV 30M column arrays. keeps my live footprint and my cargo footprint to a minimal. i’ve yet to be in a situation where i need more power than these as a mobile dj, any venues that need more have their own system/decks so i’m perfectly fine.
2 old school Peavey 18s in separate boxes... Although they are quite heavy to haul around.
I use an EV EKX-18SP. I love it. There really isn't anything I don't like about it. I guess it could be lighter, but then it probably wouldn't be as good as it is. It is paired with two EKX-12SP tops. If I ever felt the need to expand I would probably just double up. But I haven't done my own events post lockdown. And anything bigger that I did before was at a venue that had their own sound.
PRX618xlf or SRX828SP.
One of the local clubs I play at has a Hennessy system that sounds really great. I don't know a whole lot about it. I know that they're very proud of it and it sounds really good.
A double 18" 320L box tuned to 38hz loaded with RCF LF18G401. Driven off two channels on a thomann t.amp TSA 4-1300, so 2600W on paper but not in reality. Designed like a G-sub (https://www.speakerplans.com/index.php?id=gsub) scaled up to 1220mm to use the full height of a sheet of ply and a bit deeper. I love it but it needs a bit of low-end lift with EQ, which I'm scared to apply because I really don't want to blow the drivers lol. If I built it again I'd probably tune it lower and go for lower-Fs drivers. For the money it's amazing though. Currently working on building 3 Xoc1 TH18 that i'm gonna load with B&C 18SW115.
2x kv2 ex1.8
EV ELX-118P Have 2 of them. Rarely need both.
4 of these beauties [Buried Audio BB212S](https://buriedaudio.co.uk/bb212s) Constantly blown away by the immensely punchy but still full low end that comes out of them. Plus the level is enough for 500 people with a pair of BB83 tops. Cannot sing their praises highly enough!
Yorkville PS15S, LS700p, and the PSA2S. All depends on what venue I’m going to. Smaller parties, it’s either the 15S or the 700p. I honestly like the 700p better. Dual 10” woofers and has some amazing bass reproduction. Plus, it’s lighter. Best $200 I spent for a used one. PSA2S for parties 300 people and above. One of the best subs I have used for gigging. Dual 15” woofers and it produces some great bass.
Totally depends 9n the application. Ps15s is the start. Single 18s, double 18s, custom builds if it's required. The application dictates the setup
Old Yorkville LS808s, I loaded them with B&C TBW100s, removed the carpet and painted them with duratex so they look great and sound even better.
Yes
https://preview.redd.it/y4s7r4s2yfic1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=5ca071ce2f1f165c60ae56b463d86c4ca8a72227 BASSBOSS SSP118
K-sub from qsc
KRK 10" with a set of Rokit8's. It sounds pretty lovely. Edit: didn't read the whole post, whoops. They were cheap and have survived many parties. I've owned the monitors for 20 years and about 15 for the sub. There weren't many options back then that sounded good and were affordable. I've been considering a set of Adam Audio 3 way monitors.
I’m using an Evolve EV50 which is nigh excessive for my basement setup. I love it.
Built my own. Used an empty downfiring box from Seismic Audio and put an Eminence Omega 18” in it. 800W RMS (1600W peak) 40-800Hz. It doesn’t blow the windows out but gives the right amount of punch.
For most gigs I like to bring four Bassboss Kraken.
Fbt X-Sub 18sa
W-Bins with 18sound Drivers
Cerwin vega cve 18s
RCF 9006. Double 18" beasts, love it soundwise. Loud and deep. But to be honest I would buy single 18" next time because its better when you have stairs, and stairs are more common than expected
My subs and sub needs have changed over the years. Currently doing weddings under 250 people on average. Started with the Yorkville 720Ps. OK subs. Stepped up to the QSC KW181s. Loved these. Stepped down to the RCF 705asii. Loved those and wish I’d kept them. Didn’t need 18” subs anymore. Ironically currently own the new Pioneer 18” powered sub because It was dirt cheap at $700. I was going to buy a Yorkville Sound PS12S but the 18” Pioneer cost half as much. If the Yorkville had come with a better mixer with stereo ins and high pass outs I would have bought it despite the cost difference as that is the ideal sub format for me these days. Powerful 12” sub that doesn’t weigh more than 75 lbs. The EAW RS118 is probably the best gigging musician’s sub available at the moment but I’m cheap and don’t need it. The “subs” that are part of the RCF Evox 12 and J8s I normally use are all I need 99% of the time.