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What would you replace RCF710a's with?


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Following up on my last thread...

 

So it looks like I can not get my RCF 710a's repaired due to no more parts available (for the first version.) I still have two of the Mk II version of the 710a and I really love them. I've been using these as PA for a small wedding band and also as a keyboard amp for solo keyboard gigs.

 

I'd really like to buy two more of the MK II's to replace the originals that failed, but the fact that no local techs will service RCF (or can't get either schematics or parts from RCF) leaves me worried about another investment in the brand.

 

Things I love about these speakers are their size/weight/clarity/utility and the fact that the 10" puts out a very nice amount of bass for the size.

 

What should I be looking at that would compare price-wise/quality wise? These list quite high, $1200 MSRP IIRC, but shopping around via eBay etc. leads to deals in the $600 range. I'm willing to spend more if needed.

 

Thanks!

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I think it would be beneficial to know if you are using subs of any type...but for all around use SRX812P... little on the heavy side yes, But a 3" horn. 2nd would be Yamaha DSR line as mentioned already, but they are rumored to need subs to accompany them for best performance.

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I'm usually using them without subs. I love the warm sound, weight, and size, as well as the sound field and they put out a surprising amount of bass. I can play a cocktail party on keyboard through one and fill a small restaurant with one speaker. I've considered adding subs for some more dance-oriented gigs, and likely will soon.

 

I'm particularly interested in options that are comparable in terms of those features.

 

Some friends on Facebook have suggested the Line6 StageSource and the latest JBL PRX series as well. Any experience with and/or thoughts on those?

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If you like the sound of RCF boxes, you may not care for the PRX line (though I've not heard the latest line). My PRX712s have more aggressive mids, without the sheen in the highs that you can get with pretty much all my RCF stuff. I mean the JBL's are fine and you can get acceptable results for sure, but they are "just OK". I even prefer my RCF 310As as mains over subs to the 712's, FWIW, I like my JBL 718XLF subs a lot.

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Yeah, that's kind of what I'm afraid of. The RCF's just sound so warm and clear, no matter the volume, and in pretty much any room I've used them in. I've heard harsh results in similar venues from the QSC K series and others. Somehow, for me, RCF hits the sweet spot more consistently. We've done some larger shows, where the house system/stage monitors were Meyer and those were fantastic, but obviously a whole different league price-wise and they are heavy too...

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RCF doesn't have repair parts or new replacement modules that are backwards compatible? I find that hard to believe.

 

Have you talked directly with RCF USA to see what your options might be?

 

Forget local repair shops, most don't have the technical chops or the factory contacts to get into this kind of product.

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Yup, hard as it is to believe, that's what RCF USA told me. I just confirmed it again this past week. I made arrangements to bring it in (the 2nd speaker which has the 10" speaker working intermittently) for them to look at and see if it's something they can fix without parts. If it needs parts, I'm out of luck.

 

They told me the speakers are out of production for 8 years, and all the parts they had are gone. They suggested listing it as is for parts because there's apparently a lot of demand for parts for these.

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I don't know for sure, because the local places wouldn't touch anything by RCF. I *think* the issue with the first speaker is electronics. It produces a very faint high-pitched noise when on (almost like a dog whistle). It's often not really noticeable, but it's definitely there.

 

The second speaker just started acting up. What's happening is that the 10" is intermittent, so I'll occasionally only get sound from the tweeter. I imagine that's a wiring issue, but I don't know. I'm going to bring the speaker in (both actually) to RCF and they're going to look at it for me on the spot. They told me that if I need parts, I'm out of luck.

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Just to update... I took the speakers into RCF. They were super helpful in checking them out to see if they could fix them. The one with the woofer cutting out turned out to have a blown resistor which they were able to replace. On the other speaker with the high-pitched ringing sound, they traced the issue to the power supply for the DigiPro 100 board inside. They don't have the part, so can't do anything for that one.

 

I am very satisfied with RCF's customer care on this. When I called to speak to them, I was invited to bring the speakers in and they'd look at them right away. They did so with super quick turnaround and the repair fee was very reasonable, too. All in all, I'm appreciative of the effort they put into solving my issues with these speakers.

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That sucks. My experiences with RCF going way back have been pretty good.

 

Maybe you can find a matching replacement, or possibly just sell the drivers as they are pretty desirable ones. Check on eBay to see what kind of $$$ they are fetching, or maybe sell the speaker as is. There are some folks out there that are really good at troubleshooting this kind of stuff and can make good money turning around unrepairable gear if their yields (success rate) is high enough.

 

I would guess that it would be a 50%-50% odds if I were to try, but that's not the business I'm in anymore.

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