Karaoke Forums

I am building a semi-professional Karaoke system and was wondering if powered speakers such as the Vocopro PV-802 are a good way to go. What are the differences...pro-cons of powered speakers with built in amplifier versus speakers that require a separate amplifier?

Any suggestions on speakers, players, and mixers? I plan to use it at small parties (no professional gigs) but I want a system that sounds pretty good. Thanks!

Rarely will anyone here recommend VocoPro anything. They are overpriced and underperforming.

The advantages of powered speakers:

1. Perfect match of amp to speaker.
2. If one speaker or amp blows, you still have one speaker and amp and the show can go on.
3. Easy to site far away because no power loss on wiring run. Can easily daisy-chain mic cords to get extra length of run.

Disadvantages:

1. Require power to run to the speaker, need to carry extension cords in a lot of cases.
2. Heavier to lift.
3. Harder to fix.

For ease of setup, the best (in my opinion) is a simple powered-mixer/passive speaker setup. If I were a mobile KJ doing shows in small places I would buy a Yamaha 5016CF and a pair of lightweight passive speakers. There are many options. To get the same thing with a mixer and powered speakers, you have to have some sort of equalizer in a rack and have a mount for the mixer. Not as clean nor as easy to set up, in my opinion.

But it is hard to beat a pair of powered speakers like the Yorkville NX-55, EV SxA-100 or JBL Eons. If those high-quality speakers are too expensive for you, try the Tapco Thump on the low end.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

What kind of budget are we talking about?
The only different between a powered and a passive speakers is that; powered need two cords, one for the signal and one for the power supply, while a passive speakers need only one cable.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Jian's post over-simplifies the subject. I'll give you my take on powered vs passive.

Powered speakers are less flexible. Why? Because the amps are built into the speakers. You can't upgrade or repair one without the other. Modern powered speakers do have well-matched amps for the drivers, as Micky mentioned; and these days they are starting to come with DSP to give you things like flat frequency response and sophisticated driver protection. Powered subs benefit from a damping factor gain that can't be had with out-board amps at the other end of a long speaker cable, but whether or not this translates into a real benefit in bass output is debatable at best. Finally, powered speakers will save you pack space, which is important if you use a small vehicle to transport your equipment or have limited storage or floor space.

Passive is more flexible, period. I have a messy collection of speakers I've acquired over the past year, but you can bet I have what I need to do the jobs I book. I unload the speakers I want to use, and I use the same amps for basically every job. If I want to upgrade my speakers, I will do so; and I just bridge my small amps and possibly use more of them. If I have a piece of equipment fail, I know I have spares.

I don't buy into the "easy setup" idea people get into their heads with powered speakers. I don't think it's any easier to connect a signal and power cable to the powered box as it is to connect the speaker cord.

It is easier to fit a few powered speakers into your car than passive speakers plus an amp rack. So if you are concerned about that, go for powered units. Otherwise, IMO, passive is a better investment.

Keep in mind that as professional entertainers, we have some specific things we need to do regarding electrical safety to comply with the law. The big thing to watch out for is the cheap extension cords. You are required to use service grade extension cords, which are not the kind sold at Home Depot.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

True.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

I think I'm settling in on the JBL EON 515; but the Yamaha 5016CF seems like a little too much mixer for me. Is there something just a little bit lower end than that which will work for mixing a couple of mike's, music, and vocals?

This will be for fun at small gatherings but I do want it to sound pretty good.

Thanks for the info thus far....it's really helpful.

Well first off if you are using powered speakers, you don't need a powered mixer. You speakers already have the amp built in. So go with a passive mixer.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMMG124CX

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Look at the Yamaha emx512 - POWERED MIXER start there !!

Now you can get yourself 2 passive speakers
Yamaha sv115 if you got the $$$ and don't mind 50+lbs each
Peavey PR15N - cheaper and half the weight

Get yourself a couple of decent mics ( Shure pg58 or the SM58)
and you all set !!!!

And power speakers are not necessarily heavier than passives. Case in point Yorkville Elite 600s passive over 70lbs. Yorkville 520s active about 40lbs.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

That's a fact, the new EON515 only weigh in at 32.5 lbs each and they actually sound really good.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Lonman....

Will I also run the CDG+ player through the Yamaha MG124CX along with the mics? Sorry for my questions but I'm learning...

The JBLs are awesome. I've been using them for 9 months, 5 -6 times a week. They are worth every penny and they sound outstanding... and yes, they only weigh 32.5 each!

Now consider that your rig doesn't have an amp in it either and think about the weight and space savings. For a mobile DJ/ KJ the advantages of the modern active speaker speak for themselves. I was just voted best karaoke in my area and I will credit my system for much of that. People love singing on it. Here's my rig:

http://thekaraokekoyote.com/systeminfo.aspx

If I had it to do over again, though I think I would've gotten the 515s over the 315s for the extra power, but at the time I couldn't afford the extra $400. Who knows, I may pick up a pair yet, but the 315s work for most venues I might play at anywho...

The low impedance connection is great, and its nice to be able to daisy chain right off the speaker to another active one without having to worry about power loss.

There is no doubt that the Yamahas are wonderful... but they weigh 65lbs! Now you still have to have a 2000 watt amp to drive 'em and that ain't light either!

Hey, its your back, your the one that has to move them night after night.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

Awesome! I believe the key to your success is the air guitar.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

Ya know, you may be right. Its a funny thing that. I actually play guitar and enjoy trying to match the licks to the music as accurately as possible. Singers actually hand me the guitar when the come up to sing a rock song... i kid you not. We have a blast doing "rock moves" and jamming.

When I don't put the guitar out, it gets popped, or I forget people are like... "where's your guitar?" too funny.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

Listen to Lonman. You will be very happy with that mixer. We use it, a Yamaha P5000S amp and C115V Speakers. The speakers each weigh 69 lbs though.

You will love the Karaoke setting on the mixer. If you wanted to go cheaper you could even get by with the Yamaha MG82CX mixer but you would be more limited in how much you can run through it.

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Kevin

never have used powered speakers.

Can you just keep adding speakers to your system ?

Say your running a mono set up with 2 powered speakers and decide you want to add 2 more --you can just daisy chain them ??? I assume you don't have to worry about ohms etc cause each speaker has its own amp???
So you can just keep adding on ?

Yep.

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Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.

Yes, and this is what makes them so flexible. You don't have to worry about buying another amp each time you want to add a pair of speakers.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

That's not flexible, since the amp is built into the powered speaker. As I have said numerous times on this forum, it's the opposite of flexible. There are advantages of powered speakers, but flexibility with regard to amps is definitely not among them.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

Hmmm, I must not have received the memo on this, is this some type of official statement issued by the Sound Technicians of America union or perhaps just a personal opinion.

So, you don't think powered speakers are flexible, that's ok, you are entitled, or perhaps you have a different definition of "flexible" than some of us. First off the whole issue just may be more of a personal preference thing. I will say that some of us have been doing live sound longer than some others have even been alive and just might have more practical experience to base an opinion on.
Here's something to contemplate, I've used every type and configuration PA you can think of, including what you are using now. I've used primarily the 2 / 3 / and even 4 way rack and stack approach for over three decades, which means if I chose to continue to use that approach I could. After much research and comparing I chose to switch to "quality" powered speakers about two years ago and couldn't be happier. The sound quality and clarity is outstanding and setup (which includes dialing in) and tear down is quick and easy. Now lets give flexibility some thought. Lets see, most small to medium size rooms, just set the the low pass on the 900 watt each (tri amped) U15P three way upper cabinets to go down to 45hz with no alignment delay and leave the subs at home. Large room, reset the uppers low pass to 90hz, set the time alignment delay for the subs (crap there went two seconds of my time) and throw couple of LS800P 1500 watt each bottoms under them and dust the rafters. Very large room, double up everything or just double the tops if your just in need of more coverage. I can run anywhere between 1800 watts to 9600 watts depending on the situation with ease. I wouldn't even need a crossover if I weren't such a control freak and picky about my sound. If I ever need more, which I don't see ever happening, I just get more and everything is still perfectly matched. I have ran rooms seating over 600 people that were roughly 120 X 200 with 14 foot ceilings with plenty of headroom using just two uppers and two subs. Perhaps powered speakers are more flexible than some might think. You are entitled to use any type system you choose, but that doesn't make it the "best way" or the "only way". I personally have abandoned "old school" and have very happily moved on. Is it the "only" way? No, but it is the way I prefer after many years of experience.

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Quickness of mind will deceive the eye