Wurlitzer
Active member
Joined: 11/12/02
Posts: 3341
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Cheaper PA speakers: KAM, Soundlab, RCL?
#27851 - 05/10/04 04:09 PM
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I was passing by a local Disco Supplies shop today and noticed they had a lot of speakers
in the window. As I need to get a PA system for my new band, I went in to have a look.
They were generally a good bit cheaper than PA speakers of equivalent wattage I've
seen on Turnkey, DV etc, but I hadn't heard of any of the brands. The main ones were KAM,
Soundlab and RCL.
Had I not heard of them, and the specialist audio places
don't stock them, because they're all rubbish? Or is there something else to it? Anybody
know if I'd get a decent result putting a 5-8 piece band through a pair of these. We don't
need extreme power, just good decent sound and clarity.
One advantage is that I
can go into the shop and try them out. But I don't know a lot about the subject and
wouldn't be sure what I'm listening for.
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Ben
Joined: 27/06/03
Posts: 1884
Loc: Oxford
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Re: Cheaper PA speakers: KAM, Soundlab, RCL?
[Re: Wurlitzer]
#27882 - 05/10/04 05:08 PM
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In my experiences, it hasn't really been worth buying the budget PA speakers. In a pinch,
they'd do for vocals, but I can't imagine they'd cope with a full band. The cheap, 10/12"
cabs like those that you've mentioned seem to have a pretty honky sound, not much in the
way of low end, and the high frequencies don't get dispersed evenly, which could be why
cheaper systems seem to feed-back easily.
However, the situation would
probably be improved by a decent, powerful amp - I've often heard cheap speakers with
cheap powered mixers.
Have you checked out Smart Sound Direct? They sell at
budget prices but the stuff is factory-direct and seems to be better than other cheaper PA
gear.
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PWGLE
Joined: 04/05/03
Posts: 3439
Loc: UK - Cardiff/Bath
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Re: Cheaper PA speakers: KAM, Soundlab, RCL?
[Re: Ben]
#27906 - 05/10/04 05:38 PM
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It would be a shame to be let down by your gear.
I band I know managed to pick
up some excellent Cabs from the StageElectrics annual auction. I think its later this
year. There are normally some amazing bargains to be had!
Have you thought
about getting some old second hand gear?
I recommend building your own, but you end
up spending far more speaking from experence!!!
regs
--------------------
P.I.G.L.E.T - where is polly?
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iceman
active member
Joined: 17/10/03
Posts: 1053
Loc: Liverpool
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Re: Cheaper PA speakers: KAM, Soundlab, RCL?
[Re: Wurlitzer]
#29316 - 07/10/04 12:40 PM
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the rehearsal studio we use has the red carpeted soundlab speakers for every room there
the ones with a 15" speaker then a row of bullets on them, dunno the model number for them
im afraid, i put my td-6 drums through it and we put both vocals through them as well,
they sound good and loud nothing special tho, but apprently they were only £50 each
--------------------
as metal as your nanna`s new hip
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Wurlitzer
Active member
Joined: 11/12/02
Posts: 3341
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Re: Cheaper PA speakers: KAM, Soundlab, RCL?
[Re: Wurlitzer]
#30812 - 09/10/04 11:29 AM
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Thanks guys. Any more experiences of these brands would be welcome.
It's a bit
of a minefield as I really know very little about this stuff, and decent PA speakers are
not cheap.
I suppose I could go into the shop and have a listen, with a view
particularly to the factors Ben mentioned. But I don't know how loud I'll be able to hear
them, and the feedback thing worries me.
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James Perrett
Joined: 10/09/01
Posts: 9659
Loc: The wilds of Hampshire
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Re: Cheaper PA speakers: KAM, Soundlab, RCL?
[Re: Wurlitzer]
#33460 - 13/10/04 11:00 AM
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RCL were a widely used Italian PA speaker manufacturer who have been bought by Mackie. I
understand that most of the Mackie PA speakers use RCL technology. A properly
designed DJ speaker may have a wider dispersion than a similar PA speaker but at this end
of the market who knows whether these speakers have been properly designed. I've been impressed with the Thomann Box speakers that have been installed in a local
venue - they sound much better than cheap speakers used to. Cheers. James.
-------------------- JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net
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image
Joined: 12/09/04
Posts: 9
Loc: Co. Down
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Re: Cheaper PA speakers: KAM, Soundlab, RCL?
[Re: James Perrett]
#35628 - 15/10/04 12:39 PM
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I think it might be RCF that are the Italian PA manufacturer.
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James Perrett
Joined: 10/09/01
Posts: 9659
Loc: The wilds of Hampshire
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Re: Cheaper PA speakers: KAM, Soundlab, RCL?
[Re: image]
#36963 - 18/10/04 11:31 AM
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Yep - you're right - it was RCF I was thinking about so I don't know anything about RCL
speakers. Cheers. James.
-------------------- JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net
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