I own two BassBoss SSP218 subwoofers. I pair them with Fulcrum Acoustic FA22ac's on top. In my drummer's words, "It's the best loud sound I've ever heard". I have heard EDM played through this system - DJ's are blown away. They have never heard their tracks sound this good.
But that is not why I bought it. I bought this system purely for the sound quality. I have heard much larger systems designed to cover much larger area and with greater SPL. I have never heard a PA sound this good. It is like studio monitors - only louder. Much louder. It is capable of playing louder than I need it to (also a goal). In fact, deployed as I intend it produces sound effortlessly, fully linear, and with vanishingly small distortion. When I first ran the system up, a friend who owns a recording studio started putting up reference tracks on it... all the details were there. It really doesn't matter what you put in it. It sounds great, provided the music is good and the mix is great. Put average or mediocre stuff in, and you hear just how small and tiny the mix is. The transient response of the FA22ac's is truly impressive. Put that with bottomless and effortless bass from the SSP218s and it is quite a treat.
But I wrote in to respond regarding the BassBoss gear. I haven't heard their tops. But the subs absolutely deliver what is on the spec sheet. I also have a Danley TH-112. The pair of BassBoss subs is easily putting out "felt bass" 100-125ft away outdoors without turning it all the way up. With a knob that goes from about 8 o'clock to 5 o'clock, putting it at "noon" keeps up with the pair of FA22ac's just touching their max easily. Putting it at 3 o'clock kept up with (4) QSC KW tops (I don't recall which ones - tall 3-way units - 153's?) that another PA owner brought. Four of those played louder than my Fulcrum pair, but at the sacrifice of loads of sound quality.
Ignore the marketing. I did. I wanted performance, and these fully deliver what they claim. Of course, there are other "big 2x18" subs" that may well perform similarly. I didn't want an amp rack. I am a firm believer in the value of designers using DSP to optimize and protect their products. I did want pole sockets on both top and side for mounting options - not many do that.
The BassBoss gear sits in an interesting space. It is substantially more capable acoustically than JBL SRX/PRX stuff. It isn't even close. And yet it has features that work for a small owner/operator/band. Features that similar boxes from manufacturers that normally sell these by the dozen don't typically have. It is self-contained. Can't blow it up. Sounds great. Fully delivers the spec - even on 15A circuits. Having a system that can do the low B string on a bass guitar effortlessly and fully is quite impressive for speaker-on-a-stick territory.
Setup could not have been easier. I set the sub to cross over at 80Hz. It is a default preset in the FA22ac's. I had SMAART out to align the system. It just worked. Superlative sound. I closed SMAART and we just started playing music. All genres.
They are standard sized (and weighted) dual 18 subs. They are ~200lbs a piece. But they do the business, and are well worth it. On the dolly boards, they move easily with one hand. With two people, they are actually less awkward than SRX818's. I put that down to the size - the 818's put two people two close for easy walking. The extra size makes it easier, strangely. But you do need two people. (I've never been someplace that needed a PA, but didn't have another person around to help with subs...."
I would be very unconcerned about what anyone else does with BassBoss gear. All the faceplate stuff is optional, and can be ordered in plain black boxes. That's what I did. Their three-way tops are priced like my Fulcrum FA22ac's. Interestingly, they use the same drivers as in the FA22ac's, and use DSP also. I would find it very believable that they sound great. Top quality drivers + engineers that know how to get the best out of DSP and something very good happens.
What I took from the EDM people is that if it satisfies their need to blow out the low end and not fry amps and drivers, it was going to laugh at what I did with it. I made my own judgements of sound quality, but this is well-made, high-quality equipment made by people who deeply care about sound quality. That they have found a ready market for DJ's looking to distinguish their sound from the sea of JBL stuff is neither here nor there for me. I'm just glad I could add it to my rig. Interestingly, they are better for my purpose than the Fulcrum stuff is, or I'd have bought those instead. But I would consider BassBoss seriously if they make a box that does on paper what you need it to. Go listen - call them up - they will help you.
