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Topic: Need help with subwoofer decision and microphone? - Page: 1

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Alight guys I'm stuck on choseing a new sub for my set up right now I just do mobile gigs. My set up consist of two mackie tha15 400 watts and a old school Samson 15 inch woofer at 500 watts. I've been debating on the qsc dual k12's 1000 watts or the mackie hd 1501 at 1200 watts. The only thing I have to keep in mind I have to be able to fit this in a suv along with my truss and lights with my NS6 in a case along with my back up RMX in a case. So for those of you that have either one can you give me the pro's and con's!!!!!

Thanks in advance!!!!!! By the way i'm only looking at getting just one sub for now until business pickes up.

Also a good microphone I like the reviews on the Shure sm58 mics but it's out of my price range right now anything close to that but cheaper?

Much appreciated
Dj MEDEK
 
Posted Mon 09 Apr 12 @ 3:29 am
If you want a cheap mic that's decent, check out the berhinger xm8-500 http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/XM8500.aspx it's basically their answer to the sm58. I'm sure if you're an audiophile the response isn't quite the same, but for DJ use it's great, good feedback rejection, nice and clear sound, made of metal- very solid! I have one as my backup mic.

And at the risk of sounding like a berhinger spokesperson, it's worth a good look at the berhinger sub http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-B1800D-PRO-High-Performance-1400-Watt-Subwoofer/product-reviews/B003E19BAC/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Me personally, I've just bought a JBL PRX618-XLF sub, but they're rather expensive! The berhinger one kept coming up when I was doing my research though as a good sub in terms of "bang for your buck". The compromise is that they're pretty heavy, but you can't have loud, decent sound AND light weight for such a low price. Haven't heard it myself- just read good reviews on the net.

Btw, before anyone gets there first, I should say berhinger has a pretty bad rep in terms of DJs because they've made some pretty crappy DJ mixers, but the amps and signal processors have been pretty solid from day one. With berhinger you just have to take each product on it's own merits.
 
Thanks for the info!!! I've tried the QSC ksub at a little bar which was the house sound it was bangin but when I went to guitar center to check it out more the sales guy either had it adjust wrong cuz it sounded like sh@t then he turned on the mackie hd 18 and had that place rockin. But the thing is that the 18 is to big to pull along with my set up. I would be able to fit the 15 but I don't know if the 15 will sound just as good!!! And yes I ask if they are able to demo one but they don't stock the 15..

I'll look into the jbl and those mic's
 
island sjoa wrote :
Thanks for the info!!! I've tried the QSC ksub at a little bar which was the house sound it was bangin but when I went to guitar center to check it out more the sales guy either had it adjust wrong cuz it sounded like sh@t then he turned on the mackie hd 18 and had that place rockin. But the thing is that the 18 is to big to pull along with my set up. I would be able to fit the 15 but I don't know if the 15 will sound just as good!!! And yes I ask if they are able to demo one but they don't stock the 15..

I'll look into the jbl and those mic's


Never trust Guitar Center's setup. Sometimes they'll have a guy who really knows how to properly set up stuff, but 90% of the time, it is some kid who thinks they know it all.

That being said, I've heard the QSC sub and it really sounds amazing, not only with hip hop but with trance as well. (Don't know what they sound like for anything over 140bpms though)
 
i have loaded 2 k12's and a ksub a NS7 in ATA case Stands and lights and S30 truss all in the back of a buick rondevu
Aslo a SMG pilot DMX controller

And just too say the Ksub is sweet
 
thegreenapple wrote :
i have loaded 2 k12's and a ksub a NS7 in ATA case Stands and lights and S30 truss all in the back of a buick rondevu
Aslo a SMG pilot DMX controller

And just too say the Ksub is sweet


I agree with the ksub!!!! I think guitar center didn't have it properly tuned. I'm loading all my gear in a Nissan exttera the bad thing I have a sound set up in it, and my amp rack is mounted to the back of the seats which makes it hard for me to
Lay the seats down. That's why my space kinda limited.

Would you say 1 ksub is enough for now I'm
Just doing mobile gigs right now? I'm almost about to say screw it and get the QSC 181 if I'm going to spend that much mine as well get the big dog and be done for now...
 
Why not just buy a sennheiser for what they cost, you can get a e825s extremely cheaply.
 
Charlie Wilson wrote :
Why not just buy a sennheiser for what they cost, you can get a e825s extremely cheaply.


Thanks Charlie I'll look into that..
 
Dont buy a QSC K12 sub.. Its Not worth the price. It looks nice for the size but, Its Not bass that you can feel subwoofer. Its more like to fill in what the speaker tops can't do. Get a 18 inch sub and you will see the difference. Two 12 inch woofers inside a bandpass box is not going to be good unless you only play at a club thats all wood. You will need at least 2 of them to make them sound good compared to using just one QSC KW 181 sub. I use two Jbl Prx 615 m speakers and one Qsc kw181 sub and its really good. The bass just BANGS.. if you buy a Ksub, You will want to buy another one and thats 2k. The Ksub only sounds good in " some places " and not all ( Halls that have all wood floors, No rug, No marble floors ) Maybe thats why it didnt sound good in guitar center.

This subwoofer by harbinger will blow out the QSC Ksub with bass.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Harbinger-HP118S-Powered-Subwoofer-105471353-i1478660.gc
 
 
One Harbinger will sound louder than a Ksub. They have a very good bass responce. The Qsc kw 181 is more expensive but, Its really good. It thunders. I actually used my two Jbls and one kw 181 sub for a Military event and it was 300 plus in attendance.



 
Caliente123 wrote :
One Harbinger will sound louder than a Ksub. They have a very good bass responce. The Qsc kw 181 is more expensive but, Its really good. It thunders. I actually used my two Jbls and one kw 181 sub for a Military event and it was 300 plus in attendance.





Thanks caliente I think I'm going to go with the qsc181...
 
Caliente is right.

I have two KW181's and THEY ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also have two of the harbingers and they are good but nowhere near as good as the QSC's.

The toss up is price. You can get two of the harbingers for under the price of one QSC but you will be happier with the QSC KW181's.

I use the Harbingers with a pair of behringer 12" tops and the balance between bass and highs is really good. I do a small show every week of about 175 to 200 people where I use only 1 stack. One Harbinger with one Behringer and the place ROCKS. It's perfect for that particular venue. I gotta see if I have pics of the venue so you can see the size.

For larger venues or when I need to really kick people HARD in the chest with the bass, I use either one or two of the QSC KW181's.
 






Hope these pics give you an idea of the size of the room that I use just one Harbinger sub with one Behringer top.
 
djcity wrote :






Hope these pics give you an idea of the size of the room that I use just one Harbinger sub with one Behringer top.


Thanks guys... I'm going to go with the QSC kw181, at this point I don't need two of them so I think one is enough for what I've been doing...
 
 
andytaylor125 wrote :
QSCC 181 is a great sub, but after watching this video I opted for the JBL- it's a bit lighter in weight so that was my deciding factor!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7fIP-_GHeY


I have tested both and came away with the QSC.

1. QSC has CASTERS (wheels)
2. QSC is SMALLER
3. QSC sounds BETTER
4. QSC has a FAN
5. QSC had DEEP MODE
6. QSC comes with threaded SPEAKER POLE in the box
7. QSC has a better WARRANTY.

Those are the reasons I chose the QSC KW181

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@ Island Soja

The QSC KW181 is a great choice. It will do what you need it to and more.
 
andytaylor125 wrote :
QSCC 181 is a great sub, but after watching this video I opted for the JBL- it's a bit lighter in weight so that was my deciding factor!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7fIP-_GHeY


These two are the only guys i respect on youtube making videos on products.
 
djcity wrote :
andytaylor125 wrote :
QSCC 181 is a great sub, but after watching this video I opted for the JBL- it's a bit lighter in weight so that was my deciding factor!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7fIP-_GHeY


I have tested both and came away with the QSC.

1. QSC has CASTERS (wheels)
2. QSC is SMALLER
3. QSC sounds BETTER
4. QSC has a FAN
5. QSC had DEEP MODE
6. QSC comes with threaded SPEAKER POLE in the box
7. QSC has a better WARRANTY.

Those are the reasons I chose the QSC KW181

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



@ Island Soja

The QSC KW181 is a great choice. It will do what you need it to and more.



Thanks DJCITY... I've noticed that lately a lot of topics about the JBLs. I've been around long enough that I know that JBLs is a reliable product and has been around since I got in to car audio systems, but it's not enough to sell me on it!!!! I did have one advantage on the QSC is that my brother in law has the QsC181 and I've heard it but he plays in a band so its two different worlds from djing and playing it in a band. And I did have the chance to plug in on it at one of his gigs and even though I wasn't able to adjust it to my likening cuz of the sound guy controlling the main sound it still turned me on that it was a quality sub that would last for awhile and if I do start to pull more gigs then I'll get the second one but right now in vegas theirs to much competition I'm doing a gig maybe one every three to four months so one is more than I need for now but at least it's going to sound great and last me long enough before the next model comes out.

 
The one disadvantage of the QSC I took away from the comparison video is that the QSC kw181 doesn't have a crossover built in to their sub, where the JBL sub does have a crossover built in, which to me would be a Big deal because I am going to purchase either the new Yamaha 15' or the RCF 15' top's later on this year....so you would be stuck to just buying QSC's expensive top's...limiting your choices... compared to JBL, you at least have those choices....
 
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