Karaoke Forums

It seems to me that powered speakers are actually getting cheaper than passive+amp, which makes sense because the amp becomes cheaper to produce, stock, and ship. If you compare the JBL PRX525 to the MRX525 (which perform similarly) the price difference is not very large and you're not buying an outboard amp. However, as I keep saying, you can't take that amp and use it with a different speaker.

I think powered speakers will eventually become the norm. The low cost of DSPs to make them very flat and protect the drivers from damage will keep getting better. You won't be able to get that without a good outboard processor, configured correctly for the speakers, and an appropriate amp gain/sensitivity setting. Beyond that, powered speakers that once contained an amp and a passive cross-over network are fast becoming dinosaurs, with multi-channel amps and digital cross-overs taking over the powered speaker market.

I still want the passive + amp flexibility until the sophisticated features I mention above are available and cheap enough that it makes sense for me. But, one day soon, I will have to quit defending passive boxes and jump on the wagon with you guys.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

I don't think powered speakers are going to completely replace passive rigs, they do still have their place. When you've got a line array of 14-18 boxes, weight does become a concern. Even adding a mere 20 lbs per box would have significant impact on the structure required to support that fly. Especially in installed systems it would be much easier to replace a failed amp if it's in a rack in the amp room than to pull apart the entire fly to get that one cabinet in the middle out. However, with the audio advantages of powered speakers I suppose we never know.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

Hi,

I got a chance to hear the QSC K-series speakers last night and, to me, they sound better than any other powered speaker I have ever heard.

http://www.qscaudio.com/products/speakers/K_Series/

They are a bit pricey.