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[Rob Spence]

I have DXR10s and am in MA.

They have 3 inputs on the back. 2 are stereo.
I run my phone through a Radial SB-5 and into the TRS inputs. That will drive the speaker to its limits.

You might find a dealer here that can beat Guitar center.

Where in MA are you? I am near Westford.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Nick Martini]

That explains how passive speakers are connected, and that is correct.

What are you using for the source?  Phone or iPod?  DJ mixer?  How much output comes from the source and the sensitivity of the amplifier will play a large part in how loud it goes and was the basis of the question.

Most of the better mid-range powered speakers like the Yamahas will have a pair of RCA jacks that would let you directly connect a phone or iPod.  Most basic stereo power amplifiers as found in a PA need a signal level boost from a phone to deliver full level.

You probably don't need stereo for this application.  In fact music mixed with things to one side or the other won't sound as good to the people nearby.  Given the noise floor of a gym, weights and machines clanking, and the probable desire for energy in the form of pumping bass, I would look into the best powered 15" two way from a name brand that you can afford.

BTW, Bose is not a name brand.  Most sound professionals consider them to be overprice and poorly performing.  As mentioned the low end would be Alto progressing up though the lower level EVs like the ZLX, the Yamahas and then off beyond your price range.

Rather than the local Guitar Center, which will try very hard to sell you whatever they have in stock, where are you located?  Many folks on this forum are also representatives or dealers and one in your region can probably get you a better deal on something better suited to your application.

Hi Stephen,

So I have a rca to Bluetooth adapter and have my phone hooked up to it. I have also used rca to aux. No matter what I can't get this system to play loud. I have an extremely base boosted song that I tried and even that wasn't loud.

The reason I have it set to stereo is because the customer service person from Rockville suggested I do that, but these guys seem to know just about as much as I do about audio (near nothing).

Good to know about the Bose. I know they're definitely overpriced, but I always thought they made top of the line products. I guess not. Good to know.

I'm from Bristol County Mass, so if anyone has any suggestions they would be highly appreciated.

[Nick Martini]

I have DXR10s and am in MA.

They have 3 inputs on the back. 2 are stereo.
I run my phone through a Radial SB-5 and into the TRS inputs. That will drive the speaker to its limits.

You might find a dealer here that can beat Guitar center.

Where in MA are you? I am near Westford.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Hi Rob,

Thank you for the reply. I am located in Bristol County, but am in the Westford area every now and then.

Thank you,
Nick

[Tim McCulloch]

Hi Nick-

Oh are you in for a world of hurt.  At the levels your "muscle Marys" will want this to run at, an "extremely bass boosted" track will end up destroying your speakers, no matter what they are.

Preventing system destruction by end users is a lot of what makes installed sound systems - in places where you'd not think of such problems - very expensive.

A "business class hotel" I was working in had to replace all the ballroom ceiling speakers, cones partly shredded, burned voice coils, etc.  Not a run away feedback problem from a lectern mic but the *bus boys and housemen* playing hip hop from their phones.  They saw what the in-house AV company used to interface phones and laptops (a Rapco "BLOX" product) and bought one on Amazon.  They played their streaming play lists at full level, even boosting lows on their phones trying to get _car stereo_ sound.

While replacing the speakers was expensive the hotel had to pony up some big $$ to have their control & processing updated (and the Crestron stuff programmed again) to keep their lowest paid help from destroying the system *again*.

End users, in general, are not savvy and they don't care (they'll beat it like it owes them money).  They're so used to hearing lots of distortion that they don't associate it with a system on the road to destruction.  And they don't care (did I say that already?), but when it ceases to work at all, the equipment was defective because "if it wasn't meant to go louder why can I turn the knob further?" 

In the end you'll need a subwoofer (or 2) to take the low end load off the main loudspeaker...

But see if you can find a used Yamaha DXR15.  It has a surprising amount of low end and reasonably good protective limiting.  Defeat any bass-boosting processing on the internal amplifier (DSP & HPF both "off").  Use the RCA inputs (Input 3, IIRC) for your Bluetooth adapter and set the Input 3 knob around 12 o'clock (0dB).

Amp and speaker in one package, about 50 lbs.

Price should be $500-600.  You can get mounting brackets and suspension hardware from any Yamaha dealer, has built in speaker stand cup on the botton.

[Dave Garoutte]

+1 for DXR15.
Ebay has several used ones from dealers for around $630 now.

[Steve Loewenthal]

End users, in general, are not savvy and they don't care (they'll beat it like it owes them money).
...
In the end you'll need a subwoofer (or 2) to take the low end load off the main loudspeaker...

If you can increase the budget and also get a decent subwoofer, you can also get away with a much smaller top. 1 good sub + a DXR10 will probably do better for your application than just about any 15 inch main by itself.

Perhaps, getting only a subwoofer now and keeping your current speakers (for now) might be a better use of your money. You will need to remove the low frequencies from your main speakers once you have the sub. Most of the powered subwoofers have a built in crossover to do this. Some amplifiers also have a low cut option.

[Nick Martini]

Hi Nick-

Oh are you in for a world of hurt.  At the levels your "muscle Marys" will want this to run at, an "extremely bass boosted" track will end up destroying your speakers, no matter what they are.

Preventing system destruction by end users is a lot of what makes installed sound systems - in places where you'd not think of such problems - very expensive.

A "business class hotel" I was working in had to replace all the ballroom ceiling speakers, cones partly shredded, burned voice coils, etc.  Not a run away feedback problem from a lectern mic but the *bus boys and housemen* playing hip hop from their phones.  They saw what the in-house AV company used to interface phones and laptops (a Rapco "BLOX" product) and bought one on Amazon.  They played their streaming play lists at full level, even boosting lows on their phones trying to get _car stereo_ sound.

While replacing the speakers was expensive the hotel had to pony up some big $$ to have their control & processing updated (and the Crestron stuff programmed again) to keep their lowest paid help from destroying the system *again*.

End users, in general, are not savvy and they don't care (they'll beat it like it owes them money).  They're so used to hearing lots of distortion that they don't associate it with a system on the road to destruction.  And they don't care (did I say that already?), but when it ceases to work at all, the equipment was defective because "if it wasn't meant to go louder why can I turn the knob further?" 

In the end you'll need a subwoofer (or 2) to take the low end load off the main loudspeaker...

But see if you can find a used Yamaha DXR15.  It has a surprising amount of low end and reasonably good protective limiting.  Defeat any bass-boosting processing on the internal amplifier (DSP & HPF both "off").  Use the RCA inputs (Input 3, IIRC) for your Bluetooth adapter and set the Input 3 knob around 12 o'clock (0dB).

Amp and speaker in one package, about 50 lbs.

Price should be $500-600.  You can get mounting brackets and suspension hardware from any Yamaha dealer, has built in speaker stand cup on the botton.

Hi Tim,

I think you misread my post. the "extremely bass boosted" track was used to test the speakers I have now. It isn't something that I listen to on a daily basis.

Like I said I know near nothing about audio, but I'm not looking to listen to music so loud that it destroys the speaker. As I've stated the speakers I have now at their loudest point is similar to standalone bluetooth speaker. Yes, pathetic. I don't know if the amp isn't powerful enough to run the speakers or if the numbers they have listed are wrong. All I know is this company is sleezy. I was told by the manager to "turn the dB knobs up to make the sound louder" when I tried that the sound would get quieter. I then sent the amp in for RMA. Got the new amp in and same exact thing happen. When I relayed this information to the manager I was told it was the cables. I went out and bought new speakon to speakon cables, but nope that wasn't the issue. I come to find out the manager, manual, amp, and website is wrong. The dB knobs are supposed to have a - next to them and not a +.... Either something is still wrong or these speakers are complete trash.

Now I know with $500 I'm not going to get anything too impressive, but I know I can get something louder than a $200 JBL standalone speaker. I will look for a used DXR15 for now and look to get a sub a littler further down the road.

Thank you for the reply,
Nick

[Nick Martini]

+1 for DXR15.
Ebay has several used ones from dealers for around $630 now.

Hi Dave,

Thank you for the reply, it seems like a lot of people are in favor of the DXR15.

Thank you,
Nick

[Nick Martini]

If you can increase the budget and also get a decent subwoofer, you can also get away with a much smaller top. 1 good sub + a DXR10 will probably do better for your application than just about any 15 inch main by itself.

Perhaps, getting only a subwoofer now and keeping your current speakers (for now) might be a better use of your money. You will need to remove the low frequencies from your main speakers once you have the sub. Most of the powered subwoofers have a built in crossover to do this. Some amplifiers also have a low cut option.

Hi Steve,

That's definitely an option. I think the speakers I have now almost definitely going to be returned. If these speakers (ones I have now) have as much power as they state, they should be louder than they currently are. I think I'll most likely go with one DXR15 or maybe the DXR10 and a sub for now.

Thank you,
Nick

[Steve Loewenthal]

If you can get your money back on the current speakers by all means do so.
In your application (in most really) you will be happier with a sub and a 10 inch top rather than a 15 inch top and no sub.

On another note, in your original post you stated you were "looking for loudness more than sound quality". While I understand your thinking, you should never exceed the limits of whatever you get, otherwise you risk blowing the speakers and end up with no sound at all. Once you start hearing distortion (ie bad sound quality) in the system, it often means you are damaging the speakers. The members of this forum are very unlikely to recommend things that have loudness with bad sound quality.

[ProSoundWeb Community]