Powered speakers

[funkymook 0]

Just used my new (secondhand) pair of Opera 215's at my NYE gig.....really impressed with them.....My usual speakers are RCF ART 300's powered by a QSC amp, so my comparisons are to these.....first of all these are 15 inch speakers (ART 300's are 12") and very lightweight (16k ) which is light for any speakers let alone 15" powered ones. Setting up is a real doddle, xlr lead straight out of my cdmix2 into the speakers (as you can see I'm trying to get the most portable space saving set up possible, live in a flat and have to carry everything up and down two flights of stairs before I even get to the gig, and storage space is also at a premium) - I set the speaker volume at full and controlled master volume throughout the night from my mixer, there was no discernable background noise from the speakers doing this. The sound quality was excellent, and could definitely hear the difference in bass response from the Opera's 15" speaker compared to the ART 300's 12", overall the sound seemed to have more space and air, were less boxy (due to the 15" I'm guessing).....Throughout the night I kept checking the backs of the cabs for heat levels (especially as they were 2nd hand) and they only got slightly warm (played non stop from 6pm to 3am, everything from clubby to easy listening). Now the really amazing thing is that these speakers are rated 120 & 40 RMS (but they do have a high SPL) and they were easily as loud if not louder than my 300 RMS ART 300's - I didn't have to run them anywhere near maximum to cover a busy (150'sh) pub NYE party.....so all in all very impressed, lightweight, loud, good sound quality and reasonably priced (especially as paid £300 for them 2nd hand, think that's a bit less than 1/2 retail) - If I were buying new I would've probably gone for the more powerful 415's but the 215's compare if not surpass my passive set up for convenience volume and quality - do not be put off by what looks like a low RMS on the Opera Lyric range of speakers, do a side by side test with others and you'll be very surprised.

[dj-chennells 0]

rcf of couse own both db technologies who make all of the stage opera series aswell as the basic powered cabs and they also own mackie, rumor has it a merge is on the cards but nothing has been confirmed to my knowledge, you would think the speakers would all compare like for like since their owned by the same company but infact ive had mixed views in my search for 12" and compresion horn cabs, gonna go for the mackie srm 350s i think or possibly go 15" with the 450's really dont need the power for the application tho

 

 

nice review http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

tom

[OK KARAOKE 1]

Might you now be on the verge of off-loading your ART300s then ??? (hint hint) http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

[funkymook 0]

Selling the RCF's - it did cross my mind, but now I have a spare set of speakers,amp and cd player which gives me complete backup system, also if I need to play a really big hall I can use the RCF's as well.....but if I ever decide to I'll advertise them here first......