Karaoke Forums

Any thoughts on using big monitors like the one below for karaoke?
http://www.emotivapro.com/products/stealth-8

I think they can go very loud, but I'm not sure if the drivers are designed to handle vocal like the PA speakers especially for non-compressed sound? The main reason I prefer the speakers above vs PA speakers because I like the look of the Stealth 8 and I also plan them for home theater.

I don't think they are made for singing live If you want something that you can use for live, studio monitors and home theater, why not consider these

http://www.electrovoice.com/product.php?id=1004

These are very smooth sounding and I can assure you that they will be able to do everything you're looking for!

Studio monitors are usually tuned very flat. Home theater speakers are tuned to optimize home theater content. PA speakers are tuned for live music sound. You can certainly use PA type speakers for home theater use but they might not sound as good as the real thing. Of course many systems have different EQ setting options so you could probably get a sound you like.

I plan to equip my basement with dual use speakers myself, even though I just said it isn't optimal. I plan to go with 6 (total) of these plus a sub.
http://www.carvinguitars.com/products/PM5-B-2

I am already doing this at my lake house. I have four of them mounted at the ceiling angled out. Everyone loves the sound both from karaoke and from the tv. Note that I am not using a home theater system there. Just two left, two right.

Thanks for the replies. Would I be better off using one PA speaker (e.g., EV ZXA1-90) for vocal and take advantage of hi-fi speakers for background music?

Of course they are made for singing, they are studio monitors, when in a studio, singer sing and get projected through monitors like these.
However they are not made to be PA monitors for any kind of sustained volume. Also like said they are tuned to be as flat in the frequencies to be as accurate sounding as possible, whereas regular PA speakers will usually have some color added in the frequency lines to hide some imperfections and give a little added kick usually in the bass & treble.

You could certainly use 1 PA powered speaker (and add another at a later date if needed), i'd personally run all through it however, I was never a fan of separating the vocal init's own speaker & the music by itself - it doesn't sound 'mixed' that way.

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I wouldn't personnally for the same reason Lon described... You could go with one ZXA1 but you'll find that they sound so great that you'll get yourself another one in no time

Obviously I understand the intent of the verbage here, but, technically, aren't speakers "tuned" by equipment operators? I know that certain speakers may be optimized for certain frequency response, but even that can be augmented...

I use 2 Mackie HR824 reference monitors in my book case at home. I have a compressor on the vocals and it has been running with out a problem for almost 20 years ( I bought the monitors in 1994). The sound is very flat and needs a little EQ but that is all. I wouldn't suggest studio monitors without a compressor. On the plus side they are small and powerful and attractive.

Yes and no. Tuned as in studio monitor speakers are specifically designed to reproduce the flattest frequncy possible naturally (without any added eq'ing), giving a very sterile sound without any coloration - which is what you want in a studio setting. PA speakers typically are designed to have a little more curve in the bass & treble frequencies without adding eq.
Yes one could add eq to a studio monitor to sound more like the familiar sound that most of us typically are used to, however again, they aren't made to be used as full on PA speakers.

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I am sure the detailed response may be appreciated, but I suppose I should use more and when making a rhetorical question or statement...

I went ahead and bought 1 EV ZXA1-90 and try it out. If I like it enough, I'll get another one for stereo. Are these speakers good for rock music?

Good on every type of music Good choice!

Are you adding a sub? 8" speakers are usually a little light in the low end. It would probably be fine for a living room or basement but don't expect or try to get that thump. Going strictly on typical specs and not this specific speaker. It is a better choice for live voice re-enforcement.

Would it still sound good if I cross over with home theater subs (e.g., SVS)?

A drop would probably end your home subs. Just go with it first and see what you think! It's easier to add later than to subtract (return\resell)

A friend asks me to recommend a decent pair that cost around $500 for home use. This is the only brand I can think of that would be fairly decent (I think). I’ve used passive carvins years ago but these are powered. Thoughts?

http://www.carvinguitars.com/products/PM10A-2

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

Carvin makes decent stuff for the money, they are still made in USA & have very good customer service!

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Hard to beat for $500. They will be loud in the mids and up. A little soft in the lows. the 12s would be the better choice for in home full range. But the 10's won't miss that much.

One more con about studio monitors is that they are designed with near-field dispersion. Instead of a horn design where the dispertion pattern is controlled to a certain sound field area, they spit out mids and highs in all directions to ensure full range sound in the immediate field, but that makes those frequencies lose energy very quickly. If you aren't about 20 feet away or closer on most of them, you are going to be missing some frequencies. They are designed this way so the listener gets the raw sound without the interference of frequencies bouncing off walls and ceilings. The output is designed to "die" before it ever has a chance to bounce off a wall.

Most studio speakers are also low SPLs, so you can't crank them up in a noisy bar. They are designed for near-field quality, not "volume."

Studio monitors actually make great home theater speakers for the same reasons they make lousy PA speakers!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Thanks for the recommendations Lon & MrBoo. I called him this morning & he’s going to get it today. He lives in Irvine, 7 miles from carvin branch store in santa ana, ca.

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!