I think these are as pointless as the qsc ksub. If it is designed anything like the ev 118p, you be wanting more out of the sub.

I'm curious how their "All weather" speakers sound

The ZX Class is a step or two above the LiveX series. For smaller gigs, this would seem like a nice system. The emphasis here is on quality, not mega-volume. The subs won't shake the walls but will really fill out the sound. I won't play out anywhere without a sub, no matter how much a pain it may be to carry, because I feel the quality of the sound (even just voice) suffers too much without it. I could see using this for background music events & small parties in small rooms.

i use two of these, & they do shake walls----> www.electrovoice.com

man i wish ev would make a sub to match the zxa5's this way my hole rig can be ev

I had the powered version of these for 3 days. Didn't do much wall shaking.

the powered version is not the same, the amp only puts out 350 watts, it's a 400 watt speaker, i drove them with a qsc plx 3402 more than 700 watts, i've felt the stage shaking under my feet with two sb122's, granted they don't thump like a 18 inch, but they do the job nice

Yes, this is true; however, if you look very closely, you'll see the close resemblance to the LiveX series in this sub. If you look even harder, you'll see those infamous words... Made in China. All former ZX and ZXa series stuff was Made in USA. That was the reason I purchased my QRX 212/75 and ZXa5 cabinets. As longs as it's the USA made stuff, I'll continue to buy it. EV seems to be building their newer consumer minded products overseas now.


True... emphasis on smaller to very small. These may not be a good fit for any tops louder than a ZXa1, which isn't very loud at all, just super small, good sounding and lightweight.

img94.imageshack.us

longs = long (nm)

made in china, i didn't see that one, in that case, there is no way the zxa1 sub witch is really a live x 12 inch sub will sound better that the ev sb122 paired with a qsc plx

+1... If EV built a sub with the performance factor of the ZXa5, they'd be Danleys, LOL.

In truth, EV would need to build an 18" version of their SBa760. That 15" powered sub was a beast! It thumped very hard but needed the size of an 18" driver to hit lower. People seem to steer to the JBL VRX or Yorkville LS80xP powered stuff when it comes to mating up subs to the ZXa5's

From what I've always read in forums, EV track record in tops is world reknown but they don't have a stellar track record when it comes to the subwoofer department.

this speaker is said to be a match for the zxa5, but it's to big and heavy for my taste witch is why i went with the jbl vrx

www.ebdj.com

www.electrovoice.com

I forgot about that Plasma sub. When I first saw it back in the day, I thought that price was astronomical (until I purchased the Danleys). I bet that Plasma is a beast of a sub. You have to consider that that sub is tall and has the convenience of castors, pole mounts + the ability of tilting it onto the tailgate of an SUV for loading... a low height VRX doesn't offer that. The VRX is much lighter at only 85lbs and it appears to realistically go about 6Hz lower but the EV's max SPL appears to be 6dB higher at 132dB SPL vs. 126dB SPL for the JBL.

I'm not sure how EV's max SPL is measured but it appears as though JBL's measurement was conservative as it's 'free field' so no extra boundaries are used to boost the bass response. That VRX seems like a winner based on it's lighter weight. What's been your opinion so far of it, especially when used with your ZXa5's?

cut and pasted from ev's website specs for the zxa5

----> Max. SPL/1m (calc); half space 133 dB

the sound is awesome, not what i want it to be, but i only have one at the moment i know i need two for a pair of zxa5's

do you think this new sub would be okay with jbl prx 612's for weddings under 80 people? just one sub with a pair of 612s...

i hate mix n matching now but jbl only has 18" subs and i want something for my small parties.

what's gonna be street price?

it should be fine for that small of a event

map price is $599

I'd say no just guessing. This new ZXa1 only does 126dB max SPL. It only hits down to 53Hz which is BS for a sub's response. Each of your 612's have the same size driver and would probably overdrive a single ZXa1 sub. I'd think this sub only suits the ZXa1 speakers or their equivalents. Two of these subs would probably suit a pair of PRX612's but you might as well get the PRX618-XLF at that point.

i have sb122's, i think there meant to be paired with zx1's, i also use them with sx300's, they work well with the sx300's also

Naw... the SB122's and SB2a's were around way before the ZXa1's. They would work well together though.

still, the zxa1 sub should go nice with the jbl's 80 people how loud does it really need to get, was it you or pdidy that uses two ev sb2a's with two zxa5's, & said they worked well togther at low levels of course at higher levers no way,

but at $1,000 for two ev zxa1 sub's, why would you want to buy them to pair with to 12 prx tops, you can get the prx 18 sub for less than $1000

I was thinking about 2 SB2a's for use with the ZXa5's until I heard them at Sam Ash. They weren't deep or loud enough.

... plus, you're talking about only 1 sub. I don't think that'll cut it. You'll have to high-pass your tops at 100Hz, losing out on all that low-end bass and replacing it with a single 12" driver.

one won't cut it for sure, i was thinking that he wanted two zxa1 sub for his two jbl tops, but like i said that would make no sense ,for two prx sub's he could get this-----> www.idjnow.com

i'm really looking at getting just a single mini sub.

my average party size is 40 people. 80+ is on the larger side. destination weddings.

i did a gig once where i carried a single eon g2 as a back up (prx's were acting weird) and my partner hooked it up as a "sub". used the aux thru and using the eq's and gain on the eon. it definitely made it sound fuller, compared to what they normally sound like without a sub. heck, i even started looking at a 12" home theater sub which sounded pretty impressive in a garage (shook the garage!). I figure that a pro-audio sub would blend in much better....and has those nifty xlr jacks everyone is so keen on.

for my larger events or school gigs, i bring my pair of kv2 ex2.2 subs. yeah, i couldn't afford the tops back then and didn't care much about mixing and matching. now, i do want matching tops and stuff, but it just wouldn't be cost-efficient. i'd either have to get kv2 tops which are expensive, or jbl subs, which are big (but lighter)...and my kv2's are still running fine. and i was planning on more prx 612 tops for larger events too....

but oh, those tiny ev tops are so cute and lightweight too...don't wanna buy a whole new sound system.

at the rate i'm going, i'm never gonna get matching gear. damn.

kv2's NICE!
ok i know you want one sub for small gig's, what are you looking for, a 12,15 or 18 inch sub?

small, lightweight, a lotta boom for the buck. the kv2 at over 100 lbs can be a pain, literally. but it was the best choice at the time when i was looking for subs for my main rig. nowadays, closest thing would probably be the qsc kw(?) 18" sub for what i want.

dammit, why did i have to choose the prx =P (i am happy with them tho).

www.rcf.it

www.rcf.it

take a look at these they might fit the bill

i really like dynacord also-------> www.dynacord.com

60 lbs

i'll go for the ev.

but other than that, looks great.

what do you think would be better? two of the ev zxa1-subs or one of the rcfs? im kind of in the same boat looking for something really compact that'll fit in my car along with a flight case and two ev sxa100+s

for a paie of sx 100's, this is what you want to go with, one is active the other is passive, but it's powered by the active one

www.americanmusical.com

you want something less than 60lbs to pair with 12 inch prx's, i don't know, 60lbs is light for a sub

see if you can find one of these----> www.jblpro.com

i don't like them but it's only 40lbs

im hoping this new sub will have more umph to it, i demo'd the sb2a when sam ash wanted $1099 for it or whatever full price was and was really dissapointed

I guess we'll have to wait untill they start making it to some local stores to demo

one by it self, ehhh, but two you may like

IMO, 12" subs just don't cut it - especially for the mobile market, if you want quality sub bass. 12" subs can reach a higher SPL but you will need (many) more of them to do so but regardless of SPL, a smaller sub just won't hit the lower frequencies like an 18" I agree with Gaffle on the SBa760 - a great sub for it's size (15"), if you can find any pick them up. Myself, I decided that having good low bass is a very important factor to my overall sound quality so I go through the hassle of bringing 1-2 Yorkie LS800ps to my gigs. When I have the funding, I will be upgrading to the Danley's (and a trailer with a ramp). I have never had an issue of the big subs being overkill at any gig - even ones where I was providing P.A. for speaking. As for the Yorkie, very loud & deep but a bit boomy. Most of my gigs only require one of these - I usually center load my subs anyways, which keeps the strongest bass on the dance floor.

I know what you are saying. I wanted to add another set of EX-2.2 and EX-12s to my rig but the new pricing is through the roof. I was debating about selling them but there is nothing out that really keeps up with their sound quality without stepping up to Meyer or EAW.

eon. eew.

never did like those eon subs. and after hearing my prx next to my eon g2 before i got rid of it, i'm never going back. and a big reason i don't like the eons, is that they're damn ugly. which also results in making difficult loads on a cart.

chris - i believe entsyscorp got dealership with kv2 again. not sure if pricing is lower or anything to what it was before, but you could give them a try.

i think the reason prices went up is because production is in czech and it's the shipping from there that kills.

now i'm debating on selling my pair of bose l1's for the bose compacts. quite sure the highs will be enough and coupled with the ev subs (ugh! mix n match again!) will be alright for weddings of 300 (local weddings). pretty sure for background it will be okay and for dancing, well, i doubt all 300 people would hit the floor here at a wedding (esp. for local crowds). but at 300 ppl, i would probably use the jbl/kv2 anyways....unless the bose did prove more beneficial.

i use my jbls more than bose because i'm over the "look" of the bose now, but some coordinators still prefer it so i gotta keep em around.

I understand where you're coming from. I wouldn't think of those Bose w/o a decent sounding sub backing them up. I'd do my best to place the sub out of view and have the Bose exposed. Laypeople see the brand Bose and are suddenly amazed by the sound quality.

I am actually probably going to pick up a pair of the zxa1 subs. You guys need to have flexibility in your rigs. For larger gigs up to about 200 people I use 2 zx5s with a cp4000s and 2 tx2181 with a cp4000s and a drive rack for all. Unfortunately this takes up a ton of space and I have to bring my trailer. But here and there I do the small sweet 16, wedding etc. 2 zx1a and two of the matching subs would be perfect and I can just throw them in my car. No amps etc. I go as large as 6 dual 18s and 10 zx5s for larger parties that require some thump all night. The zxa1 subs are not designed to shake the walls in a larger venue. But the sound quality is quite amazing and is nothing to be ashamed of showing up to a gig with. I think my favorite small speaker story is..... Showed up to a sweet 16 for another company and my zx5s were all out. I brought 2 martin ms218t dual 18 subs and 2 zx1a evs. LOL The DJ in the room next to me came in and laughed at the small speakers on the poles, shook his head and left. He came back in about an hour and a half later and was chewing my ear off, asking every question in the book about how great it sounded. :) Just my 2 cents but. Different rigs for different situations. Versatility will set you apart and make your life much easier and your work day more enjoyable.

J

True... if you can afford to have different rigs for different gigs. I've got my RCF Art 312's for the small stuff and looking to get an adequate RCF 15" or 18" sub for the low end. The sub will easily fit in my SUV or in the back seat of a regular car.


WHen did you hear the ZXa1 subs?

BTW: The EV CP3000s and 4000s amp are great! They seem to have that oldschool terroidal amplifier sound and power. I'm getting extra one as soon as I can find a deal to drive my other pair of full-range speakers.

yo gaff, what do you think of those rcf's i to was thinking of getting a pair, but don't know that i need the since i have zx1's & sb122's for small gigs

LOL... don't spend that money unnecessarily. I know how it is wanting new toys but you've got a nice small-sized speaker setup. Although your speakers aren't powered, you have the advantage of less signal cabling + you get to see your amps levels and settings near you, unlike powered speakers.

LOL.......but there sooo cheap now, your a cool guy man, i think i will save my money, but you know how it is, It's NEVER about what we need and ALWAYS about what we want....lol

Vegas baby!

JK.... namm

+1

Right now I WANT to grab a pair of Denon 3700s and a new mixer and get rid of my dual Denon CD setup that I currently use, but I certainly dont NEED to! lol

Personally, I am dying for them to release the new 3900s that have been leaked all over the Net - hoping to add to my collection of HS5500s

^^ Not to mention the EV ZXa5/Danley system I've been saving to get...

Maybe when the 3900 drops I can get some 3700s real cheap :)

Which Danley?

Ahhh yes... I did a gig of about 740 college kids with this setup. 2 ZXa5's and 2 Danley TH-118's. Recommended...no. THe ZXa5's were on the edge of panic. I needed another pair of tops (any tops) for that many people. I had them elevated really high to prevent bodies from blocking the sound. The bass (TH-118's) filled that ballroom VERY nicely... I was smiling ear-to-ear. I flickered the clip lights once in a while throughout the night and would have been a little more comfortable with at least 3 clustered subs. You should never run your system on the brink, if you do, you need more system.

Same as Gaffle has, the TH-118s

Yeah I had talked with Bill already. $3200 ea for the EX-12s now. Yikes.

Are you sure?

search.store.yahoo.net

If $3200 was the case, they would price themselves right out the market. You just don't add $1000 to your price just because... they'd need to retool the line to show people what the extra $1k gets them.

man i wanted them kv2's to pair with my zxa5's, but they were just to heavy for me

That's what he quoted me on the phone recently. Maybe he hasn't updated his site.

That's crazy high. The only powered cabinets I've seen that high were Turbosound TQ, Meyer, JBL VP and EAW NT series stuff. I had a chance to buy a pair of KV2 10"s from GC a while back for a ridiculously low price but I didn't like their heavy weight either.

i still want a pair of the 2.2 subs with zxa5....... just because.

You gotta listen to them in person. I could never understand what the fuss was about when I listened to them at GC. The 2.2 sub honestly sounded like a QSC K-sub on steroids. I hear you have to apply XLR signals in a different manner than other powered subs and if you don't set it up correctly, you won't get the best sound. I don't think I was hearing the best sound on both listening occasions.

ive heard that quite often that people would connect it improperly an play only 1 of the 2 woofers.

ev's on sale------> serato.com

what's up guys. Im looking into purchasing a pair of the EV ZXa5. They look like a great pair of speakers. However, can anyone compare them to the RCF ART725a? Both seem like great speakers although the RCF aren't exactly the most appealing looking cabinet. Does anyone know if they make a grill I would be able to snap on the front of these?

i haven't heard them, but from my understanding it a good sounding speaker.........but you can't go wrong with a pair of zxa5's

I remember seeing a video of the RCF's saying that they don't have a full grill option. unfortunatly b/c I think that is the biggest downside with the RCF tops is their appeal.

I actually like the look of the RCF 7-series and 4-series line of speakers. In comparison, I've heard that they don't get as loud as the ZXa5's (of course). They supposedly have a more bass sound than the other RCF 3 and 5-series lines did. Not sure about how they compare sound-quality wise to the ZXa5's.

Thanks guys...so in terms of the zxa5, has anyone found a sub that seems to compliment these speakers really well, that's reasonably sized/weighted?

I would answer this but it's been discussed so many times.

... and people seem to ignore the recommendations and go for the cheapest and lightest sub anyway.

Gaffle, im looking for something more so in terms of a smaller size, rather than weight - if this is even an option. And correct me if i'm wrong, but from what i've gathered from reading this thread, most people like the prxxlf? Only reason i'm asking is because there are a lot of subs referenced in this thread...

+ 1.....Gaffle, i totally agree...
But i will try to answer anyway....lol
I currently own a pair of ev-zxa5s.....In my honest opinion, there is NO SUCH THING as a single sub of "reasonably sized/weighted" that can keep up with a zxa5 1 to 1.
To my knowledge it just does not exist yet. It would require approximately
2-3 quality subs (JBL - PRX 618S-XLF) to keep up with 1 ev-zxa5.

Thanks pdidy, I'll keep that in mind...these zxa5's must be pretty freaking loud! Do you think one of the PRX618XLF would round out the speakers enough to give them a full enough sound for lets say 250 people?

Bet you didnt no they were that loud...lol
To fix this mismatch, most djs will simply turn down the zxa5 to a level that the sub can keep up to. A BIG sub and big money is required to match a zxa5 1 to 1.

^^^^^^^ what he said

me and pdiddy use zxa5's, & we use the same sub also, www.jblpro.com <------i think pdiddy will agree that even this sub DOES NOT match the output of the zxa5

you just won't find i small light weight sub that will macth it the vrx does however round out the sound very nicely

i shoot my self in the foot here.....the reason i got the zxa5's is they are light small & sound great.......but to get a good sub to pair with them will be Big & Heavy.......

Depends on the type of party and what YOU would consider enough bass. For a wedding I would say yes. For a loud teen party, no.....you will need 2 subs.

Lol no to be honest I had no clue. Then again for $2,300 for the pair, they better be!

I'm still not sure what I want to do. Its a toss up between getting two K12's and most likely one of the PRX618 XLF right away. Or getting two of the EV xa5's right now and waiting a few months before purchasing a sub... The problem is if I get the 2 K12's and the PRX618 XLF its going to be a bitch trying to lug that thing around in my Chrysler Cirrus. At least with the EV's I can get away without a sub for anything smaller than say 175 maybe 200 ppl?

and yea most of my gigs are weddings and sweet 16's.

You may then want to reconsider you mode of transportation if you want to "properly" cover a 200 person party.....lol

yea its on the list of things to purchase lol. Its not the best of cars, but she's lugged around a good amount of my DJ shit for the last 5 years, so i guess i can't complain too much.

lol......i fit my gear in a 5 series bmw

spiker6750 i was on the hunt for a sub to pair up with my zxa5 for a long time, i also wanted something small, this was the best thing i could find--> www.jblpro.com , it can be found for $1,600 or lower

spiker6750 i was on the hunt for a sub to pair up with my zxa5 for a long time, i also wanted something small, this was the best thing i could find--> www.jblpro.com , it can be found for $1,600 or lower

Damn Joee, your able to fit that sub in your bmw? If thats the case, I might be able to get away with that sub.

in the back seat i have to turn it sideways so that the sides are the top & bottom , it's a tight fit but it works

i use to use the-----> www.jblpro.com , it went in the front seat of my 98 honda accord coupe-----> www.google.com

hmm nice to know. i'll keep that in mind.

btw, with all this talk about the EVZX5, has anyone had the chance to hear the EVZX3? How do these two speakers compare? Would you recommend the ZX3 over the k12? Thanks guys!

has anyone actually heard this sub? i wouldnt expect much out of a 12" but how does it compare to the sb122a or whatever the previous model was

Spicaly, the ZX3 is just 12in version of the ZX5

comparing loudness... would this match up?

c804221.r21.cf2.rackcdn.com

And with the wattage that the ZXA5 has... how would you describe the bass it has alone? Would you use a sub even for a wedding?

Oh, think this could keep up??

www.aventador.com

The ZX3 is passive. The ZXa5 is a powered speaker. EV dropped the ball on creating a powered ZXa3.

no i was asking about the zxa1 subwoofer, what the topic was orginally created about lol

I've not heard the ZXa1 sub. If it's anything like the ZXa1 top, then it doesn't have a lot of output. The ZXa1's tops are only useful for wedding ceremonies in small rooms IMO. The QSC K8 gets noticeably louder than the EV ZXa1 and sounds more tingly (clarity).

The EV ZXa1 sub = Made in China
The EV SB2a sub = Made in USA
The EV ZXa1 tops = Made in USA

The SB2a's do not pound. They provide a more full sound for smallish sized speakers and they are very light and convenient to carry.

Let me ask you guys a question...As Ive pretty much relagated myself to having to buy a trailer and just bite the bullet...where are you storing these speakers?

Indoors? Out?

Always thought my speakers sounded different and not as much dynamics after being left outside.

about the zxa1 sub


i got back to the zx sub's.........i will not be using them for any kind of kid dance were the music has to be loud, it's just no there, the box doesn't rock, i put the elx112p on top it rounded out the sound really nice no thump but good sound

i will be using that setup for 50+ years birthday partys etc. were we need good but not loud sound

Zxa1 tops... how much did you guys pay? I see $1000a online bit a local place quoted me $1600to today...

The JBL 728 will run out of gas before the zxa5 but its an ok match. A better match would be 2 zxa5 vs 3 jbl 728s for bass heavy music at club volumes.
The zxa5 has excellent bass an YES you can get away with no sub, but this question is really all about personal preference. I personally prefer to always use a small sub.

True story.....I was hired to do sound in a large venue and I used 2 zxa5s an 2 large subs. I did a sound check with just the tops in full range....The person that hired me said "WOW, that sounds perfect......So im laughing to myself, wait I didnt turn the subs on yet...lol

So, I wat thinking about getting a Bose L1... You have me leaning toward the Zxa5. The guy at the audio place sait that MSRP is $1800. what would you say is the going rate?

With the rite connection an a lil haggling zxa5s can be had for approximately. $1350 each. Btw...they are far superior to the Bose. Simply no competition but i like the bose for limited use.

so tossing a Zxa5 on a pole, and raising it to not be in anyone's ear, why would someone want a Bose? sounds like the EV would have better sound and bass than the subs you'd get with the L1.

Correct me if i am wrong... but didnt you say that for some gigs you only take one of the EV speakers? if so, what kind of gigs were you talking about?

free man----> www.proaudiostar.com

the ev will put out better bass at higher levels. at lower levels, the bose will probably sound better....and yes, that's with the bass bins.

This ratio and scenario would be very much on point.

Are you all saying 6 subs for only 2 tops. If so, those zxa5 must be the loudest shits ever.

The key words here that PDidy spoke was "bass heavy music at club volumes..."

And yeah... no powered 2-way speaker south of $2000 beats the ZXa5 in terms of loudness. I might even say any powered 2-way less than $2500-$3000 each.

damn... that is in the VRX price range... how would you compare those?? I hear they need a sub

every proper setup should have a sub, with that said if you don't have a sub & all your running is two 15's on sticks, the zxa5's sound awesome on there own the bass that they put out is amazing for such a smal box

How do the vrx918sp sound with the ev zxa5s?

they sound good, i'm using only one, i need to get another.......it's not as loud as the zxa5 even two won't be loud enough

Joee have you heard the jbl prx 618xlf? If so how does it compare to the vrx918sp?

How do the vrx918sp sound with the ev zxa5s?

So now I need a little help in the decision department guys. I can get a great deal on the K12's at $650 a piece. I can also get the Zxa5 for $1,350. In all the QSC's would cost me $1,300 not including tax and the Zxa5 would cost me $2,700. Am I really going to see a $1,400 difference thats worth spending that much extra money?

Essentially I can get 4 of the k12's for the same price as I would 2 of the EVzxa5's.

in two words, HELL YES!

zxa5's will blow qsc k12's out the water

Yes, and honestly it would take about 4 K12's to equal the volume level of 2 EV ZXa5's. Most people go the K12 route. THey can't see spending that EV $1400 each price.

Enjoy and make sure you get covers for your K12's...

this made my day.....i'm bummed out about the hole smashvidz thing :(

but this made me laugh ....;)

Man... this club owner guy I know in my hometown opened a club where me and my boy consulted and recommended his club's sound system. He ended up with 17 EV ZXa5's and several dual 21" EAW subs. Talk about sound quality, resale and loud volumes for days. I need to go down there to fine tune his system but if that spot should ever close down, I'll be a vulture hovering over those speakers.

DAMMM....i can only imagine the smile on my face as i hear that system

but why did you go with zxa5's why not passive zx5's for a instal, yes it's easy to setup & maybe less expensive, but i think passive is much better for instals

I think not depending on a bunch of amps is nice too though. One amp on one speaker goes out and all of the others will keep working. I've seen clubs that have a blanket of dust covering the vents on the amps.

THis reason + we didn't want to be bothered with bi-amping for the best sound. The subs are passive though.

old thread..but worth an update as i still see folks asking about my lil ZXA subs when I'm out and about...usually it starts with a grin of amazment at how much is coming out of such a small box...but last night I did a private event (Indian Diwali celebration - think Indian DJ music) and no, I'm just an old white guy...anyway...only about 150 attendance in what doubles as a corporate cafe - 150ft square but 50ft high ceiling.

several of the attendees were so anxious to help me load in and cable up and then I handed the mix over to their DJ volunteer and his laptop.
the system I brought was a bose L1compact perched on top of the ZXA sub..one on each side of the room...the bose really do a great job of sending music throughout the space and they did just that...I was very pleased with the little EV sub signal as well..plenty of low end..no, not chest crushing...but you got that 60hz thump...it wasn't til later in the evening I realized that the help had not even connected the sub on the far end of the room and I hadn't spent any time checking behind them (my bad)...it was just a relaxed and fun setting and I was hearing plenty of sub in the room so I didnt' think twice about it....I continue to be impressed with this small system that matches up the Bose L1c with the EV...the bose looks good sitting atop the EV and it just works...does it compare to my larger rigs...no..don't expect it to..but given the nice appearance and that fact that the little EV12s are pumping the 700 watts...they are giving me darn near as much as the old old Mackie SW1501s did..now, mind you, I still have those 15s and 18s and love them...but for a smallish party, even at fun (not club) dj levels..yeah...did me proud last night..and that was withonly one EV pumping (LOL)