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Author Topic: EV ELX118p real world review?  (Read 30171 times)

Andrew Watts

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EV ELX118p real world review?
« on: September 02, 2011, 05:44:20 PM »

Has anyone had any significant real experience with these subs. They look excellent on paper for the price amd are a lot cheaper than the QSCKW118. Please let me know.
Andrew
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Loren Aguey

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2011, 12:23:04 AM »

Has anyone had any significant real experience with these subs. They look excellent on paper for the price amd are a lot cheaper than the QSCKW118. Please let me know.
Andrew

Check the product reviews I posted a review there a couple months ago. I'd pass on them. They do look great on paper...but yeah that doesn't always translate to real world performance.

They're definitely not a replacement for the QSC sub. I'd take one Yorkville LS800p over two of the EV ELX subs.

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Jesse Balfour

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2011, 07:12:21 AM »

Check the product reviews I posted a review there a couple months ago. I'd pass on them. They do look great on paper...but yeah that doesn't always translate to real world performance.

They're definitely not a replacement for the QSC sub. I'd take one Yorkville LS800p over two of the EV ELX subs.

With all due respect , I would try them out for yourself..:) I have had fantastic results with these subs. For the coin/weight/size I really don't think there is anything out there that can touch Them.
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James Howard

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2011, 01:56:21 PM »

Has anyone had any significant real experience with these subs. They look excellent on paper for the price amd are a lot cheaper than the QSCKW118. Please let me know.
Andrew

I own some of the powered live x gear.  I sent back the subs because they would go into thermal shutdown when slightly pushed for 15 to 30 minutes.  If you just want some slight low end fill, these will be fine for the price.  If you want punchy low end, then look elsewhere.  I would look into JBL MRX or SRX subs.  It's very difficult to get a good result for low end with a powered version.  I use the SRX 718s and 728s now, powered with an Itech 8000 and couldnt be happier.
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Jay Barracato

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2011, 02:00:31 PM »



 It's very difficult to get a good result for low end with a powered version.  I use the SRX 718s and 728s now, powered with an Itech 8000 and couldnt be happier.

And when you are tired of SRX, you can step up to a really great sub like the ADR JD21, and yes, it is powered.
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Jay Barracato

Jay Barracato

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2011, 02:21:38 PM »

And when you are tired of SRX, you can step up to a really great sub like the ADR JD21, and yes, it is powered.

Or maybe a Meyer 700-HP, that would be another lousy powered sub to have to use.
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Jay Barracato

Pat Latimer

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2011, 07:57:50 PM »

Or maybe a Meyer 700-HP, that would be another lousy powered sub to have to use.

Very funny, Jay! :)

Pat

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Nathan DePaulo

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2011, 10:47:58 PM »

Has anyone had any significant real experience with these subs. They look excellent on paper for the price amd are a lot cheaper than the QSCKW118. Please let me know.
Andrew

Well, I only have two gigs with it under my belt but I'd be glad to share my experience so far.  Before the gig I tested it out in my living room, in that environment it was decently loud and got acceptably low.  I left it on for several hours giving it low volume duty and noticed the back plate got warm, even with out much being asked of it. A little concern worthy, but I decided to give it a gig test anyway.

First gig, outdoors for a couple hundred people at a restaurant venue.  This place does live music every weekend and is used to enthusiastic rock and pop bands.  The band that hired me wanted a "large system" (dual 18s on each side, with dual 15s on top) but those systems were already booked so I told them little rig or someone else would have to do it.  So I show up with a single ELX118P under a pair of ELX112p.  I did the sound check before leaving for my other gig.  The sound was full and ample, but the required level was not exceptional.  It was very easy to mix on the rig.  The first couple of songs I felt the bass could come up a little and adjusted the gain on the sub until I saw the limit light.  The venue manager then asked me to turn down... repeatedly... until the bass guitar was no longer in the mix.  Limit lights were no longer a concern at that point.  I left the gig to another tech who by the end of the night said he "was a fan" of the EVs.  2nd & 3rd sets at this venue usually allowed for more volume.  I hope he didn't drive them to limit, but it wasn't me so no way to know for sure. No thermal or shut down issues at all.

2nd gig, wedding for 250 people.  The band is a 4 piece with tracks, they don't have a "quiet dinner set" and play up tempo motown and pop music.  The sub was satisfactory for this event as well.  Considering there was no live bass player, and all bass for the night came from that sub it was easy to appraise.  No clip lights all night with the band except one song (Crazy in Love - Beyonce) and I was asked a couple times to turn the band down.  I don't mix that loud, really... At the end of the night I put on some dance music while the band broke down (by using the handy RCA inputs, so I could pack up my mixer!) and on some of the dance music I was hitting limit occasionally.  Still no thermal or shut down issues.  The back plates were warm, but I think these guys just run hot.

My appraisal... for a powered speaker, at its price, it's a great value. I own an LS800p and the ELX does not come close to the SPL that Yorkville speaker can produce, but the ELX118p does sound better at medium volumes, less boomy. These relatively low volume gigs were a perfect match to the single sub Live X rig I used. I think for ROCK AND ROLL!tm gigs you'd need more subs to really keep up, so using them in appropriate numbers for the gig would be important. I would also not choose them for Hip Hop night club environment unless in great numbers or for very few people.  But I would be willing to endorse the sub to anyone looking for a subwoofer aimed for the portable "medium volume" gigs.
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James Howard

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2011, 10:10:32 AM »

Very funny, Jay! :)

Pat

Jay,

I'm not familiar with the ADR, but I have had some experience with the Meyer 700hp, and obviously it is a very nice sub.  However, I was using a little bit of logic when reading his post, and safely assuming if he is considering an ELX118p, that he is not going to be interested in a $7,000 subwoofer.  There is a fairly large gap between affordable powered subs and tour level powered subs like the Meyer in regards to price.  Hence, why I recommended stepping up a little bit to a passive SRX or the like.
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Jay Barracato

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2011, 11:16:30 AM »

Jay,

I'm not familiar with the ADR, but I have had some experience with the Meyer 700hp, and obviously it is a very nice sub.  However, I was using a little bit of logic when reading his post, and safely assuming if he is considering an ELX118p, that he is not going to be interested in a $7,000 subwoofer.  There is a fairly large gap between affordable powered subs and tour level powered subs like the Meyer in regards to price.  Hence, why I recommended stepping up a little bit to a passive SRX or the like.

Just a little hyperbole poking fun at an overly general sweeping statement. By the same logic, if he is considering an ELX118p, he is not really in the same market as SRX + appropriate power. I went to the extreme, but even JBL has a couple of powered boxes that perform at the same levels as SRX.

My advice for these SOS shows remains the same, grab a pair of something and learn to make them work. I still think over 80% of the sound quality is operator skill and the decisions about how to set up in a space. The other 20% is the box itself. Once the operator has learned to milk what the box can do, and overcome it's compromises, then they might be in a position to spend bigger dollars and actually effectively use the advantages of a higher dollar box.

All of these low end boxes are a series of compromises, where the power amp is placed is just one of many, and not one that I think makes nearly the difference.
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Jay Barracato

Jim Muenchow

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #10 on: October 19, 2011, 02:44:51 PM »

"I still think over 80% of the sound quality is operator skill and the decisions about how to set up in a space. The other 20% is the box itself. All of these low end boxes are a series of compromises, where the power amp is placed is just one of many, and not one that I think makes nearly the difference."

Jay and Pat, my first post here...and enjoyed your responses as we've recently purchased this box to go w/ 2-elx112P boxes.  Completely agree on the 80/20...  Further, here and w/ other posts on this box, I've seen a trend where users attempt to fill a 150-300 ppl venue w/ one of these boxes, sometimes outside...  to me, that's entirely insufficient...even for modest volume levels...  I'm old school...over 30 yr. in the band business...built cabs, bought cabs, BURNED cabs... I prescribe to the ol' general 2-1 ration of bottom to top...no?  If you have two tops say even at 500W, and are drillin' 'em, ...there's no reasonable way one 700w bottom is going to suffice proportion wise...  spose you could trim the tops....but you kill your headroom...if you really had any at all...  I also wondered w/ some of the posts elsewhere if there weren't those trying to get 20-30Hz from a 32Hz box at best...  Anyhoo, I appreciate your comments and look forward to more...  Jim Muenchow, WI
« Last Edit: October 19, 2011, 02:47:52 PM by Cthrufaded »
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Mac Kerr

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« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2011, 07:46:31 PM »

Jay and Pat, my first post here...

Please go to your profile and change the "Name" field to your real full name as required by the posting rules clearly displayed in the header at the top of the section, and in the Site Rules and Suggestions in the Forum Announcements section, and on the registration page when you registered.

Mac
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David Hoover

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« Reply #12 on: October 20, 2011, 11:33:17 PM »

Sorry, this isn't much help with the ELX's, but I've heard these subs next to a few others in a music store.  They just don't go low enough for me and the output is a little weak. 

If you can go passive, the QRx 218s's are just awesome subs.  I've used 2 of them for 3+ years.  They are powerful, clean, and will hit down to 30Hz like nobody's business.  The only downside is that with these subs, they like to be crossed over low.  I cross them over at 75Hz because their midbass region is definitely slow and unclear if I had to describe it.  The tops take care of the midbass though, so no biggie.  They do what subs are supposed to I think.  They are just awesome.  These are very durable, too.  I can touch red on my powerlite PL380 all day long and not hear a wine from them.  Highly recommend these subs.  They are more efficient coming in at 102dB (@40Hz) 1w/m as well.
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Scott Bolt

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #13 on: November 02, 2011, 10:55:50 AM »

It was my understanding that the PRX618 XLF was based off of the SRX driver.  If that is true, then the list price of $1300.00 is the best bargain on the market IMHO.

I wouldn't put 2 tops over a single powered sub for many reasons; certainly not an ELX sub (perhaps an LS801p?).  This is doubly true for an outdoor venue.

My favorite (in this price category ..... ie Meyer is out as is SRX), would be clearly the PRX618 XLF by a mile.
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Benji J Koshy

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Re: EV ELX118p real world review?
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2013, 04:44:48 AM »

I have the subs and just got them, and debating whether to keep or return them.  Like them cos they're light and can handle regular indoor gigs. Using one sub per two tops, currently, although at 700watts, it is probably not sufficient.

Dislikes: they have an eq bump around 90hz, probably from the cabinet.  When pushing them louder, they have distortion from the ports from pushing air, as well as body vibration.

Like another poster said, the 80-20% is sort of true.  You have to know the gear and work around its capabilities (to an extent.)  I do EQ out the bump, but not much you can do about port noise, unless you physically modify it.  I haven't run into overheating or cutting out issues, but that's cos I haven't driven them hard yet.  Compared to a QSC kw181 sub, it did feel like the QSC had a more open sound and was able to go lower without a noticeable bump at any particular frequency.  But at the same time, it did feel like the QSC sub lacked punch and was pushing a lot of air.  Many will disagree with me probably, I'm not saying its a bad sub, just saying that sometimes a little frequency bump from the cabinet does create a certain oomph to the sound when tuned correctly.
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Mac Kerr

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« Reply #15 on: December 28, 2013, 11:16:45 AM »

Like another poster said, the 80-20% is sort of true.

Please go to your profile and change the "Name" field to your real first and last name as required by the posting rules displayed in the header at the top of the section, and in the Site Rules and Suggestions in the Forum Announcements section, and on the registration page when you registered.

Mac
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« Reply #15 on: December 28, 2013, 11:16:45 AM »


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