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[Canute J. Chiverton]

This question is in reference to the regular Gear used by Mobile DJs.

What in your opinion is the real reason why Manufacturer's started making Powered Speakers?
Was it to reduce Extra Gear in the Rack?
Was it to reduce Weight?
Was it to make sure that the Amps and Transducers were properly matched?
Was it because so many people who did not know what they were doing were constantly mismatching amps and speakers and thus blowing up things?
Was it for another reason, if so, what?

[Paul G. OBrien]

Yes it's all those things and because people want it, packaging the amplifiers and processing(crossover and EQ) in with the speakers maximizes efficiency and has the potential to produce better sound with no additional external equipment, and it's easier to setup and control than a rack of seperates so what's not to like.

[TJ (Tom) Cornish]

This question is in reference to the regular Gear used by Mobile DJs.

What in your opinion is the real reason why Manufacturer's started making Powered Speakers?
Was it to reduce Extra Gear in the Rack?
Was it to reduce Weight?
Was it to make sure that the Amps and Transducers were properly matched?
Was it because so many people who did not know what they were doing were constantly mismatching amps and speakers and thus blowing up things?
Was it for another reason, if so, what?

You seem to be implying that there is some hidden down side to powered speakers - some collusion on the part of speaker manufacturers to take something away from us.  Care to elaborate?  My experience has been that in the hands of the average user, active speakers are the best thing to happen to live audio since the SM58.

[Ara Ayrassian]

You seem to be implying that there is some hidden down side to powered speakers - some collusion on the part of speaker manufacturers to take something away from us.  Care to elaborate?  My experience has been that in the hands of the average user, active speakers are the best thing to happen to live audio since the SM58.

I must agree I just purchased my first active speakers 2 pair of Yamaha DXR12's and they sound great I have them crossed at 100Hz LBP with a pair of Danley TH118's I'm using a Crown iTech6000 to push the subs it's a pretty amazing combo just have to make sure everything is fastened tight on the walls and ceiling as the Danley's put out some serious LF. (:

[Canute J. Chiverton]

You seem to be implying that there is some hidden down side to powered speakers - some collusion on the part of speaker manufacturers to take something away from us.  Care to elaborate?  My experience has been that in the hands of the average user, active speakers are the best thing to happen to live audio since the SM58.

I won't say that there is a hidden down side to this at all.  I think it is because in the past, most people in Pro Audio had some kind of Electronic knowledge about matching Amps to Speakers etc.  With the Advent of Powered speakers, it made the job easier but at the same time, it opened up the flood gates to a lot who felt it was that easier to provide sound especially as a DJ.  If not they would still be blowing up Amps and Speakers more frequently.

[Tim Perry]

I won't say that there is a hidden down side to this at all.  I think it is because in the past, most people in Pro Audio had some kind of Electronic knowledge about matching Amps to Speakers etc.  With the Advent of Powered speakers, it made the job easier but at the same time, it opened up the flood gates to a lot who felt it was that easier to provide sound especially as a DJ.  If not they would still be blowing up Amps and Speakers more frequently.

Dj's can still blow up powered speakers. I know at least one who can and does blow up anything with great frequency.

[paris mcbryde]

But Powered Speakers? Are they not supposed to be like amateur/toy speakers? I jus bought 4 Ekho Powered Speakers from a friends advice and 2 months down the line I am about to put them up for sale. Where they produced for pro sounds? Can they beat the sounds that comes out from Full range and Subs? I doubt it

Ekho speakers are bottom of the barrel speakers marketed to amateurs with little to no money for quality gear. The fact that a speaker is powered or passive does not determine its quality. Powered and passive speakers range from cheap garbage to hi end concert level but unfortunately you were given very bad advise from a friend who may not be your friend.

I would recommended you get your future advise from qualified people, there are many on this forum.   

What is your budget ? Maybe it didn't allow for advise of a quality powered speaker ?

[Jeff Lelko]

I've been using the QSC HPR line of powered speakers for about 5 years now and have no complaints.  As someone who provides small to medium-sized sound systems for DJ and live events, these speakers fit my needs and offer a great bang-to-buck for what I do.  I recall paying around $700-900 a piece for them (new), so not the cheapest or best in the world but still a decent speaker for under 1K/ea and I personally think they sounded the best among the other speakers I listened to in that price and performance range.

Why did I choose powered over non-powered?  Mostly for cost, convenience, and physical appearance.  A lot of the jobs I do are at the wedding or corporate level, and an amp rack was just one less thing I had to worry about hiding.  I also don't have to worry about buying expensive amps, amp racks, and cables needed to support non-powered speakers.  Granted I usually have a FOH rack anyways, it's nice not to have to NEED anything else to make the speaker work.  Would I do a large, 20+ speaker array with these - no - and they're not designed for that.  Sure, there are plenty of powered speakers on the market that are a significant step above what I use, but for what I do their cost/convenience/performance ratio just made sense (and given QSC's success with powered speakers, I'd say I'm not alone).  Hope this helps!

-Jeff

[Babajide Fatinikun]

Ekho speakers are bottom of the barrel speakers marketed to amateurs with little to no money for quality gear. The fact that a speaker is powered or passive does not determine its quality. Powered and passive speakers range from cheap garbage to hi end concert level but unfortunately you were given very bad advise from a friend who may not be your friend.

I would recommended you get your future advise from qualified people, there are many on this forum.   

What is your budget ? Maybe it didn't allow for advise of a quality powered speaker ?

Thanks a million. It was a piece of bad advice. I was new into sounds then, I have done deep research and I realize there are some high end subs exist, I am current digging deep into QSC K series and the Mackie DLM series, any other ones that can guarantee high end quality?

[Tim Perry]

Thanks a million. It was a piece of bad advice. I was new into sounds then, I have done deep research and I realize there are some high end subs exist, I am current digging deep into QSC K series and the Mackie DLM series, any other ones that can guarantee high end quality?

I would suspect all major speaker companies have come out with decent powered speakers. Yamaha, JBL, HK, Yorkville sound, EV, are just a few that come to mind.  Personally I have great experience with QSC. I have 11 of them now.