speakers and amps

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 12:06 pm

Hello!
I cannot currently make a search engine do its thing...
I wish to purchase some speakers, in cabinets that I can drive with an amp.
Specifically, I am looking at these products.

Behringer 900W 2X 15" Cab * two
Behringer B1800X
Maybe something with horns in it? (seriously I can't find anything apart from home cinema stuff.)
How do I get loud mid and highs?
I know Behringer are cheap, looks tough though and I intend to abuse it playing open air rock gigs. Loud. I don't even know who else makes these kinds of speakers.
Can I buy cabinets and drivers separately cheaper than I can buy tough reasonable ones? I understand the electronics (i can rtfm) behind wiring speakers and making crossovers.

An amp(s) soloution.

Yamaha p series? Can I get similar power cheaper, considering the cheapness of my speakers.
I don't want to buy the amp until I know what speakers I want/need/can afford.

Who sells these kinds of things anyway? I wouldn't mind talking with a salesperson. What heading do they come under in the yellow pages?
I just rang a huge music shop in NYC and asked if they sold speaker cabinets for power amps, he said they sold only guitar amps. I asked if he knew who I should talk to for some information. He hung up on me.

Oh,

Thanks in advance to all who reply.

Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 9:44 am

The salesman hung up on you because you were, in essence, telling him that you wanted to buy the absolute cheapest crap on the market. And you NEVER ask a salesman of ANY product, whether it's a car, a chainsaw, or a loudspeaker. They'll always steer you to the easy profit margin product, marking you as a "sucker". And I mean no disrespect to you in that regard, it's just a matter of fact. You need to do your own homework, and the INTERNET is a great tool for that. The "better" manufacturers (Yamaha, JBL, E-V, Mackie, and Peavey come to mind) offer various resources to help you make an informed decision.
Furthermore, outdoor sound for a live rock band is not an easy gig because the sound tends to " disappear into thin air". You need a lot more "horsepower" to be effective outdoors over what you might need in an indoor club or hall. Frankly, if this is a one-shot deal, I'd suggest that
you consider a professional to do the gig...There's a good deal more involved than just stringing up a couple of boxes and cranking up the volume.

Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 9:52 am

Thank you!
"(Yamaha, JBL, E-V, Mackie, and Peavey come to mind)"
Now I have a place to start looking.
Btw, I never mentioned what brand i wanted to buy, just that it wasn't a "guitar amp" but just the speaker. Then he hung up on me.
I've worked almost entirely in sales in my short working career so I know about sales people Razz

But yeah, thanks for that list of brands. *is looking for stockists* *will be harassing some poor salesman soon*

Smile

Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 10:26 am

NYC sales people are so polite and patient, aren't they...LOL!
Something to consider when shopping for live sound speakers. Those plastic boxes look tough, but some are, some aren't. The cheaper ones tend to fall apart from hard use, and the little plastic parts aren't always replaceable.
Most importantly, you want the cone driver (the "woofer") to be a CAST FRAME type, not a "stamped frame". This adds weight to the box, but a cast frame driver will hold up under the abuse of slamming the box around. With a stamped-frame driver, the magnet can shift if the box is dropped. This KILLS the driver, it cannot be repaired. Besides that, the all of the better component manufacturers offer cast frame models as their better lines.
Finally, if you are interested in building your own, go to the PARTS EXPRESS website. You will find TONS of speaker-building components, accessories, design software for the DIY'er. And if you end up making these yourself, for God's sake, please use a decent 3/4" PLYWODD, NOT MDF or particle board. Plywood holds up better and won't fall apart when it gets wet or knocked around, plus, it's lighter in weight.

Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 11:42 am

That's the pay dirt.
Thanks Moonbaby I owe you one.

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