Karaoke Forums

Ok, I'm looking to bite the bullet and get a sub and EQ system. I have decided on the QSC HPR181i for the sub, but that's the easy item for a decision. I am looking for an item that has at least these features:

• Feedback Elimination
• Graphic and Parametric EQ
• Auto-EQ Function
• Crossover
• fulltime RTA

I know the Driverack 260 does all these items. However it's the only one I know of. I am hoping some of you more experienced guys can give me a suggestion or 3 about options. Yes I am price shopping but I'm looking to get the most bang for the buck. I'm prepared to pay the $1K for the drive rack if I have to (well, prepared to budget for it) but if I can find something that does what I need/want without that wallet impact i might just run with it.

So what do you guys say? Is there anything that might suffice or is the 260 the only item?

The DriveRack PA does all that as well. There are two major downsides:

1. Bad power-off pop compared to the 260. If you lose power for whatever reason, you will see it.
2. The delay is limited to 10ms.

Otherwise I think they are relatively comparable. (The 260 has a serial interface and some software to talk to a PC, but for karaoke its use is minimal.)

Does the QSC sub have some processing options? It seems to me it might have some capability there -- at least check into it.

I have seen the 260 on Ebay for as low as $500 or so used.

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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.

Rane, Sabian, Peavey, BBE and a few others have products but none that I know of that offer all the features you are looking for in the same price range. I do know of a company selling off some "C" stock DBX480's for around the same price as the 260, the 480 usually run's about $2,400.

The Driverack PA DOESN'T include the "fulltime" RTA, that is a feature exclusive of the 260 and higher end models. The PA version is only functional in conjunction with the "Set-Up Wizard". Also, the pop mckyj57 is referring to is no more than you would get from shutting off any other piece of equipment up stream from the amps before the amps are shut down. Ten milliseconds is roughly 11.5 feet when equated to sound, that should be enough for most applications

I'm not sure why this would be the easy part of a the decision. The QSC HPR181i, is a good sub but If your looking for the best bang for the buck sub you would be doing yourself a big favor by looking at the Yorkville LS800P. In a head to head, dollar for dollar shootout, the Yorkville will out perform the QSC or any other sub in the same price range.

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Quickness of mind will deceive the eye

Have you looked at the Behringer DCX2496 ? I use one and like it a lot.

It doesn't have the RTA or graphic but it does have parametric filters, adjustable crossover freq for each of it's 6 outputs, 3 inputs (1 can be used for AES/EBU digital input), it also has long delays suitable for delay tower type use as well as auto Hi/Mid alignment for horns /mids etc.

Limiters/Auto freq compression/RS232 interface with free software.....etc etc


My 2 cents

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Gadget's Karaoke : Boldly singing what no one has dared sing before.

Gunghouk when did you buy your DCX2496? The reason I'm asking is that when they first came out, there was an issue called "fried egg syndrome" associated with them. After awhile they would develop this crackling sound. It was reported on a couple of live sound forums a few years ago.

I'm wondering if Behringer fixed it because that box would be a great deal if it was reliable.

They must have fixed it, because a fair number of pros use it and report liking it. (At LAB Lounge, the same place that talks frequently about DriveRack PA "pop".)

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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.

Well I have done a fair bit of looking for evidence that point to one or the other and found nothing that indicates one is clear over the other. I have heard small anecdotal thoughts on one vs. the other but never a nice clear conclusive review of the two of them head to head. The folks who rent them in town don't have a particular preference and hearing them side by side with the same music, source and tops doesn't make me think one is particularly better sounding than the other.

I'll let my bias show and say my QSC amp is *very* clean and provides and excellent experience so I have nothing but good things to say about QSC amplification. Given the fact I could tell no difference between the thump provided by either of them I'll run with the manufacturer I believe is going to be reliable. I'll add that the 4 casters on the back of the sub is going to make moving it much easier.

The decision was easy because I got to listen to them both and decided to go with the brand I am most familiar with that has given me great service. The opinions are here are noted and the only reason I looked at other options to begin with. My initial thought was to get another QSC amp and run the Yamaha passive SW118V sub.

Any information you can provide that has some conclusive head to head data I'm more than open to read. Might even change my mind before I place the order at the beginning of march.

Perhaps that's why I said it wouldn't be an easy decision. About a year ago now I was in the market for new powered subs and had the opportunity to listen to several different subs under real world conditions. I pushed them hard enough to shake the dust out of the rafters(literally) of a very large warehouse. At the end I narrowed it down between the QSC and Yorkville. They both easily out ran Mackie's 1801's and the PRX line of JBL's. So I did some further testing, listening and tweaking to determine which one I was going to go with. I also talked to the professional sound techs that were employed by the place I was testing the speakers to get there input and experiences with them. IMO the Yorkville's just had more punch. The QSC's ran a close second but I bought the Yorkville's and have never looked back. On a side note, totally unrelated to my warehouse experience. I was recently checking out a large bar (roughly 15,000 sq feet,12 foot ceilings, two levels) that I was going to be appearing in to see what I was up against. There was a band playing that was pretty good so doing what people like us do I started to listen to the over all sound. I noted the upper end sounded a little muffled to me but the bottom end was punchy. During the break I went up to talk to the musicians to get their impression of the bar and how the owners were to deal with. I was very surprised when I noticed that they were only using one sub in this big bar, It was a Yorkville LS800P. Bottom line is, you probably can't go wrong with either sub, but in my opinion the Yorkville is just a bit better. Here is a link to a sub shootout, the HPR118 wasn't there, but several other notable subs were. I know spending money is not a lot of fun and of course you want to get the best possible bang for your buck, good luck. http://www.cobrasound.com/shootout06

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Quickness of mind will deceive the eye

I bought my Behringer from Ebay recently so I can't say how old it is, nevertheless it doesn't suffer from the condition you described as 'frying eggs'

GH

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Gadget's Karaoke : Boldly singing what no one has dared sing before.

Fair enough. I say it's an easy decision because I have access to both to decide. Sounds like you and I did roughly the same shakedown and just came to slightly different conclusions. I'm fine with that


Good link and great info. Thanks!