In your opinion Is 2 12 inch subs better than a single 18?

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DJ Ricky B

DJ Ricky B

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Mar 9, 2015
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Generally speaking if we are comparing subs from the same model line up:

1. Will 2 12 inch Subs provide more sound/volume than a single 18 inch Sub?
2. If paired with a pair of 12 inch loud speakers, will the 2 12 inch subs be a better set up than bringing a single 18?
 
Not usually, though it will be "punchier", and some people prefer that sound.

As for better, that's relative .. lighter and smaller .. usually. I've run the past few years with 2 sets of 12" subs .. the ones in the EVOX 8, and a pair of Yamaha DXS-12s. Sound great for my needs, just not as low as 15s, which is why I'm selling the Yamahas. If interested, $750 for the pair .. great shape.
 
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Well I am debating what I want to do for this wedding season...

A. Upgrade to the TS212S and purchase 2 of them to use with my TS212s or my TS110s
-Only use the Alto TS215s at wedding mansions where there are only stairs for load in
B. Keep my current Alto TSSUB12 to continue to use with the 212s and 110s, but buy larger sub (Looking at the TS218S) for larger events to use with the 15s.

I like the sound and build quality of those Yamaha DXS12s. If light weight subs had not entered the market I would have ended up purchasing one....But man...72.8 lbs out of a 12 inch Sub...I'm just not thrilled enough to want to use them when there are many 12 inch subs on the market now that weigh under 50 lbs, and I can get an 18 inch sub with the same weight or less now.

I was also looking at this Carvin 18 inh Sub...69 lbs, and rated at 700 watts RMS.
SCX1118A 18 Inch 1400W Powered Subwoofer
 
I have run DXR12 tops with EV 12" subs coupled and not, and with an 18" ev ETX.
The DXR's are 1100w so they say, the 12" subs 700w each. With a go rack 'subsonic' or whatever it's called, the little 12" subs do very nicely. I love their sound.

the 18" is a lot bigger and heavier, cost is similar for one vs 2 'cheap' 12" subs (the lowest model..can't recall the letters at the moment). You can feel it's output much more htan the 12's of course, but it takes up space - fine at a school dance, a bit a PITA at many weddings. The gorack does nothing for it.

The little ev subs are 45lbs each I think. and they will hold a 12" top on a pole very well. the 18" sub is 114lbs..much easier to move than that weight would make you think. But i can put the 2 12" subs on my dolly with everything and make one trip - the big sub means a second trip.

googled the little sub - ZXA1-Sub 12-inch powered subwoofer
 
IceBurghDJ said:
I have run DXR12 tops with EV 12" subs coupled and not, and with an 18" ev ETX.
The DXR's are 1100w so they say, the 12" subs 700w each. With a go rack 'subsonic' or whatever it's called, the little 12" subs do very nicely. I love their sound.

the 18" is a lot bigger and heavier, cost is similar for one vs 2 'cheap' 12" subs (the lowest model..can't recall the letters at the moment). You can feel it's output much more htan the 12's of course, but it takes up space - fine at a school dance, a bit a PITA at many weddings. The gorack does nothing for it.

The little ev subs are 45lbs each I think. and they will hold a 12" top on a pole very well. the 18" sub is 114lbs..much easier to move than that weight would make you think. But i can put the 2 12" subs on my dolly with everything and make one trip - the big sub means a second trip.

googled the little sub - ZXA1-Sub 12-inch powered subwoofer
Click to expand...

Ah...you have used both set ups recently. Do you think overall that 2 12 inch subs with 2 12s sound better, or does a single 18 sub with 2 12s sound better for larger events?

If I buy a 18, it's only getting used at some larger weddings and if I happen to book more school dances. ...I can't use it for many of the wedding venues I frequently am in.
 
Looks always count too, that's why I and others here like two subs with pole mounts for the tops vs tripods.
 
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DJ Ricky B said:
Ah...you have used both set ups recently. Do you think overall that 2 12 inch subs with 2 12s sound better, or does a single 18 sub with 2 12s sound better for larger events?

If I buy a 18, it's only getting used at some larger weddings and if I happen to book more school dances. ...I can't use it for many of the wedding venues I frequently am in.
Click to expand...

Why couldn't you use it?

I always use the analogy have you ever seen a 12" kick drum? Honestly what sounds better to you and I quite likely doesn't make a difference to most clients...Especially the MP3 generation
 
A agree about use. the 18 is big. in a gym or hwere you are the center of the gig (like a school dance) it's not an issue. So many venues for weddings stuff you by the entrance door or in a corner, etc. One sub and 2 tops means you still need 2 tripods for the tops (or it looks really odd IMO).
The 18 will also beat you up more if you're behind it (like you put it under the table).

The 12's are much smaller for appearance and won't beat you up as much.

I also think the 12's sound more musical than the 18..so for lots of club/edm/hiphop the 18 is better, but for 2.5 hours of cocktail/dinner/first dances the 12's I think are better.

I doubt I took a sub to 20% of my weddings this year. I rarely see any Dj with a sub (the linear array folks have them of course). Maybe 1 in 8 have them. Nobody asks me if I have them, bring them, etc. Clients don't know, don't care perhaps?


DJ Ricky B said:
Ah...you have used both set ups recently. Do you think overall that 2 12 inch subs with 2 12s sound better, or does a single 18 sub with 2 12s sound better for larger events?

If I buy a 18, it's only getting used at some larger weddings and if I happen to book more school dances. ...I can't use it for many of the wedding venues I frequently am in.
Click to expand...
 
IceBurghDJ said:
A agree about use. the 18 is big. in a gym or hwere you are the center of the gig (like a school dance) it's not an issue. So many venues for weddings stuff you by the entrance door or in a corner, etc. One sub and 2 tops means you still need 2 tripods for the tops (or it looks really odd IMO).
The 18 will also beat you up more if you're behind it (like you put it under the table).

The 12's are much smaller for appearance and won't beat you up as much.

I also think the 12's sound more musical than the 18..so for lots of club/edm/hiphop the 18 is better, but for 2.5 hours of cocktail/dinner/first dances the 12's I think are better.

I doubt I took a sub to 20% of my weddings this year. I rarely see any Dj with a sub (the linear array folks have them of course). Maybe 1 in 8 have them. Nobody asks me if I have them, bring them, etc. Clients don't know, don't care perhaps?
Click to expand...

Yeah...I think you just reaffirmed my reasoning as to why I never bothered to purchase an 18 before. I also prefer to keep every piece of gear I have under 50 lbs...While the 69 lb Carvin, or 70 lb Alto TS218S isn't that bad...I'm likely not going to like lifting it and out of my Traverse...

...It looks like I'm going with 2 new 12 inch Subs this Spring. I'd order them now and put them on CC, but I have 1 wedding next Saturday, and nothing else on my calendar until March 11th....and that one I can just use my TS215s on with no sub. The gig I have on April 8th is going to be a fundraiser for over 300 in a fairly wide ballroom so that will likely be my first gig with the new Subs I get.
 
It's unusual for me to do a gig without an 18" sub. Maybe clients and guests don't realize there's a difference, but I sure do. Yes, it's a Carvin that weighs about 70 lbs, and I'm 63 with back problems.

Today's music is produced with sub frequencies which pretty much demands some kind of subwoofer. And the better your sub is, the better your rig will sound. I also have a 12" sub that sounds OK, but it lacks the power needed at higher volumes. It was the sub I started out with 12 years ago and I don't even use it anymore.
 
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Jas said:
It's unusual for me to do a gig without an 18" sub. Maybe clients and guests don't realize there's a difference, but I sure do. Yes, it's a Carvin that weighs about 70 lbs, and I'm 63 with back problems.
Today's music is produced with sub frequencies which pretty much demands some kind of subwoofer. And the better your sub is, the better your rig will sound.
Click to expand...

This thread may start going in the direction many do about subs - it doesn't matter, the customer doesn't care, subs are banned because last DJ tried to crack plaster, etc.. Jas, I'm in your camp, I never DJ without my pair of 15" subs, but I do not necessarily play music loud. I just love the full, rich sound subs give to the music.
 
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I like the sound of subs also. I try to bring them to every gig, but...so much depends on the gig.

A 70th birthday party? 50th anniversary party? Corp gig? You won't be playing the music that needs it or the volume for it either.
Even a HS grad party they dance maybe 5 songs out of 2-3 hours.
A small wedding, nope, not really needed for 100 or fewer people.

Large events, large spaces, sure, lets your tops go louder as you pass off the sub work to the subs. On my small yamaaha stage pas setup (10" tops) I can barely get 100db out of them before it sounds terrible, but add the two 12" subs and 120db is easy and it sounds much better.
 
I scaled down from 18s to 15" sub's. I rarely bring 2 sub's to an event but I will always bring 1. The 15 is so much easier to transport and the sound is better to me as well. I never had the chance to hear a good 12" sub's so I can't recommend any. At 1 time I did own a yorkville LS 700, which is a dual 10" sub. Still was a heavy little beast.
 
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i have an old old passive 18..not impressed by it, so I went looking and found a used ev 12 for $300. then found a second for 400. for smaller gigs they're great.
I haven't heard a 15..one 15 should be better than one 12, but i never run one 12 - not enough output.

Would 2 15's be an acceptable compromise to 2 12's and 2 18's (what i have now)? Depends on what you do - two 15's wont' do well at a prom, and would be a lot for 150 person wedding, but maybe 1 would be good for that?

Or would it just be a camel trying to the job of two horses?
 
Many newer 15" subs are better than a lot of the 18" subs of a decade ago .. a few of the 12s are close (though generally not quite there). I bring 2 12" subs .. probably similar to a single older 18", but not a newer one like the QSC KW. A pair of good 15" subs, IMO, will outdo almost all 18" single subs and many pairs (depending on quality) and is my reason for replacing the Yamahas with, most likely, a pair of RCF 705-ASII subs.
 
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steve149 said:
A pair of good 15" subs, IMO, will outdo almost all 18" single subs and many pairs (depending on quality) and is my reason for replacing the Yamahas with, most likely, a pair of RCF 705-ASII subs.
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11.54 am Sunday morning and I just had an orgasm!

Don't take much mate - as soon as we started talking about subs, me already be sportin' a woody!!
 
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I'd appreciate it if one of the Admins would remove these immature, childish comments. Someone 70 years old should know better, and this really shouldn't happen unless you are dealing with this -
image_zpsrkjdxosf.jpg
Pair of BassBoss SP118's. Arguably, the most powerful, front firing, 18" sub in the world.


ssp118-powered-subwoofer
 
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IceBurghDJ said:
A 70th birthday party? 50th anniversary party? Corp gig? You won't be playing the music that needs it or the volume for it either.
Even a HS grad party they dance maybe 5 songs out of 2-3 hours.
A small wedding, nope, not really needed for 100 or fewer people.
Click to expand...

I still use a sub for weddings of any size. I also used my sub at a 70th birthday last year and a class reunion. If my sub is in the van I'll be using it. One exception is large rooms with high ceilings that have absolutely terrible acoustics.

Also, it's not about being loud to me, rather it's about feeling and hearing the bass. Ten years ago I was going thru an agency that booked a small club. They sent several DJs there and when I got the gig I brought my little crappy 12" sub. I had the floor packed and got lots of compliments. It turned out that none of the other DJs brought a sub. The owner even noticed it as I was setting up. That little sub along with playing the right songs made a big difference.
 
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My brother has never even owned a Sub...He has been deejaying for 26 years. He has borrowed my sub on a few larger gigs, but that is about it. My sister can't lift anything super heavy...She does not use a sub either. She uses a pair of 12s and a pair of 10s at most of her gigs unless it's a small party. ...So she goes with a 4 speaker set up at weddings.
 
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