K12 vs DXR12 vs ELX vs EKX
- Thread starter IceBurghDJ
- Start date
there are sources available here that with the Yamaha rebate the DXR w / cover is under $500 each. Hard to beat that.
From what I read the top Yamaha, dsr, is better for live sound..whatever that means to you, if anything.
I chose the eTx sub for more output, more watts, with the idea that I could get away with one (for 250-300+ weddings, non-prom school dances) rather than two eKx subs - less cost, less space needed for transport.
If I always wanted to use a sub 10" tops would have been sufficient I suppose, but I have a smaller 10" system (bought mainly for ceremony and backup) so I went with 12" tops so I can use just them for some things.
I was at a wedding where the dj had ekx or etx (not sure which, 12's though)) and they sounded great. No sub, 250 people at the wedding. Most reviews put the DXR ahead of the eKx..but again, it's opinion and to you only yours counts in the end.
From what I read the top Yamaha, dsr, is better for live sound..whatever that means to you, if anything.
I chose the eTx sub for more output, more watts, with the idea that I could get away with one (for 250-300+ weddings, non-prom school dances) rather than two eKx subs - less cost, less space needed for transport.
If I always wanted to use a sub 10" tops would have been sufficient I suppose, but I have a smaller 10" system (bought mainly for ceremony and backup) so I went with 12" tops so I can use just them for some things.
I was at a wedding where the dj had ekx or etx (not sure which, 12's though)) and they sounded great. No sub, 250 people at the wedding. Most reviews put the DXR ahead of the eKx..but again, it's opinion and to you only yours counts in the end.
The reality is with today's DSPs, most systems sound at least good enough. There are differences in build quality, warranty and there are usually big differences when systems are pushed to their limits, but it's tough to find a new system that sounds like junk (assuming you are buying above the speaker equivalent of the Mendoza Line, because there are still junk boxes out there).
Ok, I have no idea the reference to the Mendoza line lol
Ive been spending a ton of time researching the various speakers I have considered purchasing, bugging a few people on this forum via PM, and that is what my conclusion is (what has posted in this thread) that unless you are getting junk, you really cant go wrong.
If your near Chicago I would be interested in your Evox 8 I just bought 4 speakers of the Evox 5 I like them I also have k12 set kw152 set and kw181 set plus all my lights etc tvs trama moving heads 33 uplights
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True, mid range or better and a name brand and you probably can't go wrong.
Warranties don't influence me much..I may have used an electronic warranty 4 times in my life - two more if you count my kids ( a cheap phone and ipod).
Even my two newest cars are 99% or better trouble free - neither have been back to the dealer for anything (2013 Silverado 43kmiles and 2014 outback 21k miles).
I didn't lose much sleep over the tops. I shopped for a ceremony system and was steered to the Yamaha over the fender (which i'd heard locally). Te reviews online were outstanding - perhaps the best reviews i'd ever seen for anything. I love it so that influenced my top choice a bit, the ev was a second choice, but the Yamaha rebate sealed the deal.
A sub...they don't make what I really want so I had to choose from what they do make...and had to compromise on size/weight to get the 'results' I wanted. Fewer reviews for subs and those that exist seem very biased. I hear a lot about the yorkie 801 as 'the beast' of subs but it's an older design..so the ev etx has similar output from what little I could find comparo wise, includes casters, and it 'matches' my 12" ev subs in many ways so now I'm consistent - yam tops, ev bottoms.
As good a reason as any, right?
From all I've been reading a key to good sound is headroom. the dxr's have it and then some. We'll see how the sub is, since there's only one it probably won't have as much asI'd like.
Warranties don't influence me much..I may have used an electronic warranty 4 times in my life - two more if you count my kids ( a cheap phone and ipod).
Even my two newest cars are 99% or better trouble free - neither have been back to the dealer for anything (2013 Silverado 43kmiles and 2014 outback 21k miles).
I didn't lose much sleep over the tops. I shopped for a ceremony system and was steered to the Yamaha over the fender (which i'd heard locally). Te reviews online were outstanding - perhaps the best reviews i'd ever seen for anything. I love it so that influenced my top choice a bit, the ev was a second choice, but the Yamaha rebate sealed the deal.
A sub...they don't make what I really want so I had to choose from what they do make...and had to compromise on size/weight to get the 'results' I wanted. Fewer reviews for subs and those that exist seem very biased. I hear a lot about the yorkie 801 as 'the beast' of subs but it's an older design..so the ev etx has similar output from what little I could find comparo wise, includes casters, and it 'matches' my 12" ev subs in many ways so now I'm consistent - yam tops, ev bottoms.
As good a reason as any, right?
From all I've been reading a key to good sound is headroom. the dxr's have it and then some. We'll see how the sub is, since there's only one it probably won't have as much asI'd like.
Buy what you can afford without over extending yourself you don't want to be doing gigs paying for what you just bought that's not smart business expand as time progresses
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And here I thought the Mendoza line was from a McBain movie, LOL!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOk4hQXbGDs
Yes and no.,
It's nice if you could work first and save up and then buy gear. BUT you need the gear first to get the work.
There's nothing wrong with debt - leverage - OPM (other people's money).
the key is to use is intelligently. And to do that you need a business plan. How many gigs you gonna do? At what price? What gear is needed, cost, how long will it last?
So you're doing 20 gigs a year, the gear will last 5 years, that's 100 gigs.
You need $5k in gear (should get you 2 laptops, speakers, sub, wires/cables, mixer, etc). That works out to a gear cost per gig of $50. You should be able to avg $400 a gig, hopefully more. So that's what, 12% equipment cost.
If you have $1500 now you'll need to borrow $3500, over 2 years that's 40 gigs, or less than $100 a gig in debt payment. And you get the new, good gear now. You'll have some interest charges to figure in there.
the alternative is get used cheap gear ($1500) and use it for a year saving up the same $100/gig. This time next year youll have 2k save up. You can upgrade some stuff and have a mixed system..been there and it sucks...so you sell your old gear for $1000 if you're lucky and have 3k to buy...not the best gear but ok gear. But you lost $500 churning the used gear. Might have been better off to spend that on the interest and have the better gear now - and have better sound, more reliable gear (in theory), warranty, etc.
If you don't think you'll get the work to make the debt payment then you've just admitted your business plan isn't a good one.
See, if YOU won't take a risk on your business, on your self, then your odds of success are not good.
It's nice if you could work first and save up and then buy gear. BUT you need the gear first to get the work.
There's nothing wrong with debt - leverage - OPM (other people's money).
the key is to use is intelligently. And to do that you need a business plan. How many gigs you gonna do? At what price? What gear is needed, cost, how long will it last?
So you're doing 20 gigs a year, the gear will last 5 years, that's 100 gigs.
You need $5k in gear (should get you 2 laptops, speakers, sub, wires/cables, mixer, etc). That works out to a gear cost per gig of $50. You should be able to avg $400 a gig, hopefully more. So that's what, 12% equipment cost.
If you have $1500 now you'll need to borrow $3500, over 2 years that's 40 gigs, or less than $100 a gig in debt payment. And you get the new, good gear now. You'll have some interest charges to figure in there.
the alternative is get used cheap gear ($1500) and use it for a year saving up the same $100/gig. This time next year youll have 2k save up. You can upgrade some stuff and have a mixed system..been there and it sucks...so you sell your old gear for $1000 if you're lucky and have 3k to buy...not the best gear but ok gear. But you lost $500 churning the used gear. Might have been better off to spend that on the interest and have the better gear now - and have better sound, more reliable gear (in theory), warranty, etc.
If you don't think you'll get the work to make the debt payment then you've just admitted your business plan isn't a good one.
See, if YOU won't take a risk on your business, on your self, then your odds of success are not good.
Lucky for me, I can afford to buy the speakers and subs to go with them and not go into debt over it.
One still needs to have 'the plan' and stick to it, update it as time goes on.
If you plan is to be high end, low priced, have gear for multiops, etc the investment should be planned and appropriate.
It's way too easy to buy toys and lose profitability.
I started with gear from a retiring dj..old heavy gear. Good stuff, worked for him, his 'business plan'. I quickly found out moving old heavy gear sucks, is more work that it needs to be.
but it was a low risk, low cost way to get into the biz.
I've filled needs (ceremony system) and recently upgraded my main system...the impetus was better look, more volume - my 'product', my 'image', needed to be upgraded so that I can up my price. I can now deliver a better product to a larger audience. And there is some marketing benefit to new gear - sure, the client couldn't care less but if you say 'i'm successful enough to buy new gear, all my gear is less than 2 years old so it's reliable, etc" it does help set one apart. It's not so much that I say it, but if it's part of my conversation and if my competition ignores it the prospect has to wonder why.
just like when we shop for gear - does the LED on the front of the speaker mean a damned thing? No, but if A has it and B don't, maybe you choose A because why not get all you can? (yes it blinks at the limit but you're not out front to see it blink anyway!)
Side benefits are slightly faster load in/out and setup, lighter weight, better packaging for transport. the downside is I've spent $2400 on gear that I coulda spent on guns, vacation, r/c planes, even on the wife and kids.
But I've booked more gigs than I'd planned on and as the year goes on it's gotten busier. That gives me the confidence to spend the money.
If you plan is to be high end, low priced, have gear for multiops, etc the investment should be planned and appropriate.
It's way too easy to buy toys and lose profitability.
I started with gear from a retiring dj..old heavy gear. Good stuff, worked for him, his 'business plan'. I quickly found out moving old heavy gear sucks, is more work that it needs to be.
but it was a low risk, low cost way to get into the biz.
I've filled needs (ceremony system) and recently upgraded my main system...the impetus was better look, more volume - my 'product', my 'image', needed to be upgraded so that I can up my price. I can now deliver a better product to a larger audience. And there is some marketing benefit to new gear - sure, the client couldn't care less but if you say 'i'm successful enough to buy new gear, all my gear is less than 2 years old so it's reliable, etc" it does help set one apart. It's not so much that I say it, but if it's part of my conversation and if my competition ignores it the prospect has to wonder why.
just like when we shop for gear - does the LED on the front of the speaker mean a damned thing? No, but if A has it and B don't, maybe you choose A because why not get all you can? (yes it blinks at the limit but you're not out front to see it blink anyway!)
Side benefits are slightly faster load in/out and setup, lighter weight, better packaging for transport. the downside is I've spent $2400 on gear that I coulda spent on guns, vacation, r/c planes, even on the wife and kids.
But I've booked more gigs than I'd planned on and as the year goes on it's gotten busier. That gives me the confidence to spend the money.
Of course, wasnt trying to imply other wise, I do have a rough outline of said plan
I like rough outlines - gives you more flexability (aka deniability).
I planned to get a nice sub- in the spring. For weddings next year. Don't see much reason to get it before I need it...then the school dance gave me an 'excuse' (aka reason) to get it now.
tempted to use it as a 'prop' for a bridal show in January. Put the DXR on a pole on top, acrobat in the middle of the pole and my lightbar above/behind it with the laser running on the ceiling.
For the back wall, instead of a banner or just the wallpaper I have 500 xmas lights, common at weddings..make a light wall out of them. Have to experiment with this a bit.
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I got my 12" ev subs off CL for 1/2 price, one was still new in the box. One a small time part time dj couple got and were disapinted with it's output and the other guy bought one to use a monitor for the drummer in his band (?)
Like any gear, used for it's intended purpose it's great. You gotta buy gear with an eye toward your use and need of it.
I planned to get a nice sub- in the spring. For weddings next year. Don't see much reason to get it before I need it...then the school dance gave me an 'excuse' (aka reason) to get it now.
tempted to use it as a 'prop' for a bridal show in January. Put the DXR on a pole on top, acrobat in the middle of the pole and my lightbar above/behind it with the laser running on the ceiling.
For the back wall, instead of a banner or just the wallpaper I have 500 xmas lights, common at weddings..make a light wall out of them. Have to experiment with this a bit.
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I got my 12" ev subs off CL for 1/2 price, one was still new in the box. One a small time part time dj couple got and were disapinted with it's output and the other guy bought one to use a monitor for the drummer in his band (?)
Like any gear, used for it's intended purpose it's great. You gotta buy gear with an eye toward your use and need of it.
Around here it's common to get 50 cents on the dollar on CL for anything used.
People know - you can sell it on ebay for $100 say, and 25 goes to ebay. So I'll give you $50-60 and save you the hassle of packing, shipping, risk, etc.
it's also been common to be lowballed - a person will actually take the time to come and offer you half or less what you're asking. then call you names/insult you if you don't take it.
And if you're asking 20-30% off new you won't get any responses. none. Not even the lowball ones.
People know - you can sell it on ebay for $100 say, and 25 goes to ebay. So I'll give you $50-60 and save you the hassle of packing, shipping, risk, etc.
it's also been common to be lowballed - a person will actually take the time to come and offer you half or less what you're asking. then call you names/insult you if you don't take it.
And if you're asking 20-30% off new you won't get any responses. none. Not even the lowball ones.
I understand what you're saying .. that said, I was referring to posts online. I have not seen anyone attempting to sell a few month old K12's for 350-500 each. Heck, even used Gator cases are nearly 75% of what a new one cost.