Karaoke Forums

Looking for passive PA speaker recos for home use.  Here are the criteria:

I would like to stay under $250 each.

Primary consideration is sound quality for vocals in a home environment.  The music will be handled by separate full-range audio system.  Therefore, I do not need a speaker with super-high SPL capabilities, power handling, and bass.  Again, sound quality at relatively low power and SPL within the price range is the key thing.  However, I might rarely volunteer their services for a friend/family party or small event.

Light weight is not a priority, as these will rarely be moved from my house.

The max size I can use would be a cabinet with a single 10” or 12” woofer.

I know that Peavey, Behringer, and Yamaha have 12” cabinets in this price range

Right now I am using some pretty decent home audio speakers for vocals.  They are Infinity 3-way home speakers - model SS-2005, which are large 3-way monitor/bookshelf speakers with 8” woofer, 4” mid, 1” tweeter that went for $500/pair in around ’94.  Currently, they are standing up to vocals just fine, with no signs of distortion, even with 2 people singing.  However, I know these will not last forever – they have foam surrounds on the woofers and mids, and foam typically only lasts 10-15 years.  Or, I may eventually kill them with live vocals.  That’s why I’m starting the research.

Thanks in advance for any input.

I would actually pick up something like
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=630238
for you home & occasional friends party.  This way you can use it outside as well without having to uproot your entire stereo, run the music & mics through it.

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I already have a mixer and amp, so I’m really only interested in speakers, as I figure the home speakers I’m using won’t hold up forever.  My current vocal equipment is a mixture of PA and home equipment – the Infinity speakers, an Audiosource Amp One (80 watts/ch RMS into 8 Ohms), and a Behringer 1002FX mixer.  Again, this equipment is only used for vocals in my basement, and actually sounds pretty good to my ears, as well as to a couple performing musicians in the family.  My plan is to eventually replace the Infinity speakers with some single 10” or 12” PA speakers (the purpose of my original post), and maybe pick up a PA amp down the road (although the Audiosource amp is plenty clean and powerful for my current needs).  

I use my separate home audio system for the music tracks from Karaoke songs – vocals are not run through the home audio system.  The home audio system is pretty competent equipment, consisting of a Pioneer Elite VSX-45TX receiver (does D-A conversion and pre-amp duties of Karaoke music on PC sent through USB), Polk LS90 tower speakers each powered by separate monobridged Audiosource Amp Three’s at 350 watts RMS each, and an Outlaw LFM-1 sub (single 12”, 350 watts RMS, handles everything below 80 Hz).  I also have a Polk center and surround speakers to complete a 5.1 system, but I do not use these for Karaoke music.

Being picky about sound quality, so I don’t think I’d be happy with an inexpensive PA package system anyway.  Those Phonic cabinets use piezo HF drivers, and I’ve never heard a piezo I could tolerate.

Yeah i'm pretty picky about my sound as well, but was actually surprised when I heard the package.  Just figured it may be something you could use without taking the stereo system apart for friends parties/outdoor parties/etc.. for about the same price as a couple of add on monitors.

Monitors only

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=601200

For vocals only, these should fit your needs.  Real compression drivers.

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Lon, thanks for the continued input.

Since my current (and any future) vocal equipment is not connected to my home audio system, with minimal effort, I can simply transport the mixer, amp, and speakers whenever I want to use it outside my home (which would be very rarely, if ever).

I’ve been thinking of a standard cabinet design, which would sit on top of my Polk towers, the same as the Infinity’s currently do for vocals.  Stage monitors are an interesting option though, and one that I had not put much thought in.  One positive of stage monitors is that I would not have speakers sitting on top of my Polk towers, especially given that any PA cabinets with a 12” woofer would be significantly wider than my Polk towers, and thus might not be very stable.

I know that the drivers are aimed up, but how well do stage monitors project sound, given that they’re sitting on the ground?  In our basement, folks would be sitting or standing about 8-10 feet from the monitors?  I guess I would be concerned that they would sound muffled and directional vs. speakers at ear level.  Are they essentially standard PA speakers in terms of frequency response, efficiency, power handling, but just with a different cabinet shape designed for floor placement?  In other words, could they be used as typical PA speakers if the occasion arose (although the shape could make that tricky)?

A monitor don't necessarily have to be on the floor aiming up, they can be set on their side & aimed like a regular speaker as well - many monitors have pole stands & rubber feet on the sides so they can be set like a main speaker which these do as well.

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