Members Valibal Posted April 23, 2004 Members Share Posted April 23, 2004 Hi there, i just got on my first step towards my first PA system, i was able to get a nice used peavey 300 watt power mixer for pretty cheap, got a shre sm58 from light and sound for a GREAT price and now i'm looking for speakers to go along with the mixer... i've been looking into Yamaha as312, apparently they're great for vocals and have a very warm sound which is appealing to me, at 200 a piece it might be pushing a bit on the wallet but i'd be willing to dish out the cash if they're really as good as the description says... i also saw the yamaha 112e... i'm hoping to get some newsuggestions or some input into any of these two thanks a bunch Manny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted April 23, 2004 Members Share Posted April 23, 2004 Originally posted by Valibal Hi there, i just got on my first step towards my first PA system, i was able to get a nice used peavey 300 watt power mixer for pretty cheap, got a shre sm58 from light and sound for a GREAT price and now i'm looking for speakers to go along with the mixer... i've been looking into Yamaha as312, apparently they're great for vocals and have a very warm sound which is appealing to me, at 200 a piece it might be pushing a bit on the wallet but i'd be willing to dish out the cash if they're really as good as the description says... i also saw the yamaha 112e... i'm hoping to get some newsuggestions or some input into any of these twothanks a bunchManny Correct me if I'm wrong,but isn't the AS312 the three way acoustic suspension model with really low efficiency? If so,why would you want them? They really aren't very good for live sound. The other Yams are not very good either. The Club IV's aren't too bad and some places still have a few at closeout. Better choices than the two you mentioned would be the Peavey PR models and even better yet,the American Audio APX152. Of course used is an even better deal if you know what to look for. Look for some used Sonics on Ebay. Usually pretty good components,very well built boxes(much better than the Yams)and they don't have very good resale value due to the non-Musicians Friend factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Preacher Will Posted April 23, 2004 Members Share Posted April 23, 2004 I would suggest you look at the JBL Sound Factors. They aren't the fair-haired child of low cost boxes but I think they've got a lot to recommend them--especially now that JBL has discontinued them and you can get them at reduced price. IMO they are crisper and cleaner than comparable speakers from Peavey and Yamaha and will perform well off your powered mixer (is it an XR series?). They are made of MDF so they aren't quite as durable as some of their competition but if you pay attention to them they'll hold up well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted April 24, 2004 Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 JBL SF also have pretty cheap, plastic jack plates and 1/4" connectors. OK for sparse gigging or basement duty, but wouldn't trust for several years of playing out. The clearance Yamaha Club IV would be your best, low cost, new option, IMO. As has been stated the American Audio APX-152 are acceptable as well. These even have speakon connectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tremendo Posted April 24, 2004 Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 My JBL SF15's have 1/4" and Speakon connectors. They've held up pretty well, but we're not moving them continually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted April 24, 2004 Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 Come to think of it, maybe I'm thinking of the Caberet. One of my friends has a pair and everything about the box is cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tremendo Posted April 24, 2004 Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 The JBL SF series is carpeted and "looks" pretty tough. Nice thick metal grill, etc. It might not take much road abuse though. It's not a crystal clear sounding cabinet, but it carries some punch for a 1x15" 2 way. I know a lot of people here don't believe in them, but for a reasonable sounding low priced cabinet, I've always liked it. Oh yeah, and we definitely fall into the "sparse gigging" category. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted April 24, 2004 Members Share Posted April 24, 2004 Originally posted by abzurd Come to think of it, maybe I'm thinking of the Caberet. One of my friends has a pair and everything about the box is cheap. I thought those are the older "real" JBL's. If so,nothing cheap about them. Do you mean the TR series,which came before the Soundfactors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted April 25, 2004 Members Share Posted April 25, 2004 I just know the drummer in my band has a relatively new pair of JBL 2 x 15's that are pretty cheap. I recall the jackplate and jack itself being entirely made of plastic and there are no speakons. I assumed SF, but guessing it's whatever MI line that came before it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members btb&dr=tone Posted April 25, 2004 Members Share Posted April 25, 2004 I have a set of SoundFactors. They work well, but not built for the long haul. I think they have discontinued the SoundFactor line. The new line is just named different with a few minor changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted April 26, 2004 Members Share Posted April 26, 2004 Originally posted by abzurd I just know the drummer in my band has a relatively new pair of JBL 2 x 15's that are pretty cheap. I recall the jackplate and jack itself being entirely made of plastic and there are no speakons. I assumed SF, but guessing it's whatever MI line that came before it. Are they non-trap shaped with vinyl covering? If so,they are the TR series,a far cry from the old Caberet's,IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RainsongDR1000 Posted April 26, 2004 Members Share Posted April 26, 2004 Sorry, I just have to chime in on this one. I am usually the one asking the stupid questions but I'm going to throw in my 2 cents anyway. I own a pair af AS312's. I'd venture to guess most people on this forum have never even heard these speakers. They come to the conclusion that they are "useless for live sound" without asking what situation they'll be used in. If you are in a band with drums and electric guitars and you are trying to cut through the mix, these arent' the speakers for you. I'd venture to guess your PV 300 watt amp isn't going to cut it too well either. But, if you are thinking of using these for an acoustic solo/duo situation, don't discount them too quickly. I'll tell you a story that happened recently. I posted a similar thread asking if a higher watt amp (i have a 200 watt now) would make these speakers sound better. In all fairness, I may have given the impression I didn't like the way they sounded in the first place. Actually I thought they sounded pretty good, I just was wondering if a higher watt amp would make them sound better. Most everyone told me not to waste money on an amp til I replaced my speakers. Somebody recommended the PV Pr12's. I was skeptical that a 2-way speaker encased in plastic that was 2/3 the price of the ones I had would sound better but I ordered them anyway. Yes, they were twice as loud as the A312's... and twice as harsh! I only had to turn my volume to 2 instead of 4.I then borrowed a pair of Yamaha clubs form a friend (I didn't want to make another speaker mistake). I though that at the volumes we play and being an acoustic act with heavy emphasize on vocals, the AS312's sounded better than the Yamaha clubs. 3-way speakers just sound smoother than 2-way's in the vocal dept (in comparative price ranges). Also, the acoustic bass we run through them sounded tighter and punchier than either the PR's or the clubs. I'm not trying to slam anyone here, I know they were trying to help and are alot more knowledgable than I. Luckily I was able to unload the PV's to a band who was looking for some monitors and didn't loss 2 much. I'm back with the AS312's and will stick with them as long as I don't need anymore volume. If we start playing to bigger crowds, I'll probably look at some more efficient 3-ways. BTW, the 300 watt amp you have is a perfect match for the AS312's. Acoustic suspension speakers aren't new, they've been around longer than ported bass reflex design. Yamaha must have felt there was a market for them to have come out with them. Acoustic acts are that market, as long as you're not looking for volume but clean, smooth sound and tight bass response I don't know of any I've heard in the $200 range that sound better. They aren't what I would call "road worthy" but if you just load them in and out of the back of your SUV and are a weekend warrior that's careful with you equipment, they shoud last OK. I play in an acoustic duo for the last couple of years 1-2 times a week in various small bars. Run our own sound from stage. I never have to turn the individual channels or main volume above 4 (out of 10) the get the volume we need.Recently, a sound man from the classic rock band we were warmer up for came over and was checking out the A312's. I asked him how we sounded and he said pretty damn good, that's why he was checking out the speakers. When I told him they were $200 acoustic suspensions with an efficiency rating of 92dbl and program watt rating of 90 watts, RMS of 180 and peak of 360, the smile left his face and he just said "oh". All right, let me have it, I can take it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ricklaww Posted July 23, 2004 Members Share Posted July 23, 2004 Originally posted by RainsongDR1000 Sorry, I just have to chime in on this one. I am usually the one asking the stupid questions but I'm going to throw in my 2 cents anyway. I own a pair af AS312's. I'd venture to guess most people on this forum have never even heard these speakers. They come to the conclusion that they are "useless for live sound" without asking what situation they'll be used in. If you are in a band with drums and electric guitars and you are trying to cut through the mix, these arent' the speakers for you. I'd venture to guess your PV 300 watt amp isn't going to cut it too well either. But, if you are thinking of using these for an acoustic solo/duo situation, don't discount them too quickly. I'll tell you a story that happened recently. I posted a similar thread asking if a higher watt amp (i have a 200 watt now) would make these speakers sound better. In all fairness, I may have given the impression I didn't like the way they sounded in the first place. Actually I thought they sounded pretty good, I just was wondering if a higher watt amp would make them sound better. Most everyone told me not to waste money on an amp til I replaced my speakers. Somebody recommended the PV Pr12's. I was skeptical that a 2-way speaker encased in plastic that was 2/3 the price of the ones I had would sound better but I ordered them anyway. Yes, they were twice as loud as the A312's... and twice as harsh! I only had to turn my volume to 2 instead of 4.I then borrowed a pair of Yamaha clubs form a friend (I didn't want to make another speaker mistake). I though that at the volumes we play and being an acoustic act with heavy emphasize on vocals, the AS312's sounded better than the Yamaha clubs. 3-way speakers just sound smoother than 2-way's in the vocal dept (in comparative price ranges). Also, the acoustic bass we run through them sounded tighter and punchier than either the PR's or the clubs. I'm not trying to slam anyone here, I know they were trying to help and are alot more knowledgable than I. Luckily I was able to unload the PV's to a band who was looking for some monitors and didn't loss 2 much. I'm back with the AS312's and will stick with them as long as I don't need anymore volume. If we start playing to bigger crowds, I'll probably look at some more efficient 3-ways. BTW, the 300 watt amp you have is a perfect match for the AS312's. Acoustic suspension speakers aren't new, they've been around longer than ported bass reflex design. Yamaha must have felt there was a market for them to have come out with them. Acoustic acts are that market, as long as you're not looking for volume but clean, smooth sound and tight bass response I don't know of any I've heard in the $200 range that sound better. They aren't what I would call "road worthy" but if you just load them in and out of the back of your SUV and are a weekend warrior that's careful with you equipment, they shoud last OK. I play in an acoustic duo for the last couple of years 1-2 times a week in various small bars. Run our own sound from stage. I never have to turn the individual channels or main volume above 4 (out of 10) the get the volume we need.Recently, a sound man from the classic rock band we were warmer up for came over and was checking out the A312's. I asked him how we sounded and he said pretty damn good, that's why he was checking out the speakers. When I told him they were $200 acoustic suspensions with an efficiency rating of 92dbl and program watt rating of 90 watts, RMS of 180 and peak of 360, the smile left his face and he just said "oh". All right, let me have it, I can take it! good post rainsong.thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted July 23, 2004 Members Share Posted July 23, 2004 Originally posted by ricklaww good post rainsong.thanks. That's funny,but it looks like you found your one person that likes them. Got your question answered anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted July 23, 2004 Members Share Posted July 23, 2004 I actually like the AS312's for light duty stuff. Thing is that most fols don't need light duty when they say they do. Those speakers are quite pleasant sounding but do take a lot more juice for shear volume than the clubs or the SF's. If you really want an akward speaker try the AS108's: 8" and a mylar tweet made for home stereo but yamaha marketed to the pro audio just so they could sell more in the hifi shops (best I could tell). p find some EV SX100's used or S200's. pretty cheap and well worth the bread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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