Pyle-Pro PPHP103MU Powered PA Speaker Review

Howdy!

I have plenty of big and powerful PA equipment, but it is expensive and is not exactly the kind of stuff I want to be loaning out or letting out of my sight. Recently I got a few Pyle-Pro PPHP103MU powered PA speakers, and for the money they seem to be pretty capable and easy to use.

You may remember Pyle as the company that made those mediocre yet big, thumpy, and cheap car speakers back in the 1980s. Well, it turns out that nowadays they crank out mediocre yet amazingly low priced pro audio equipment that is generally good enough to get the job done.

The Pyle speakers we are looking at today are reasonably-sized and easy enough to tote around. They have blow-molded ABS plastic cabinets that measure around 12 x 22 x 15 inches, and they only weigh about 22 pounds each. There are also handles molded into the sides and top that make it a little easier to hoist them onto speaker stands, and there is a 35mm socket in the bottom of the cabinet. Also, they are shaped so that the speakers can be laid on their side to use as floor monitors.

These are powered speakers, so there is no external amplification needed, but how much power they actually put out is kind of a mystery. Pyle rates them at 800 watts peak / 400 watts RMS, and Amazon rates them at 600 watts peak / 300 watts RMS. I am more inclined to believe the lower numbers, as these things are not deafeningly loud. This power is routed through a 10-inch woofer and a 1-inch titanium driver tweeter. Depending where you look, the frequency spec number are almost as murky, with lows down to either 40 or 45 Hz and highs up to 20kHz, with a crossover at 2.0 kHz.

There is plenty of stuff going on around the back side of these speakers, and a casual user could easily get away without having to use a separate mixing board. There is a channel with an XLR input and a ¼-inch jack, and another with an XLR and RCA inputs. Both of these have their own level controls, but no dedicated EQ or gain knobs. Master controls are treble and bass cut knobs, and a master volume knob. There is also a ¼-inch line out for your other speaker, a power switch, the 110V/220V selector switch, and an IEC power cable socket.

Then there is a completely separate third channel for all kinds of electrical junk. There is a 1/8-inch input jack, an SD card slot and a USB port with an LCD display and controls so that MP3 files can be played back. This channel has its own level control, too. The USB port acts as a charger port, and it is possible to use this unit to record your performance directly onto a flash drive or SD card as a .wav file. I have not tried that feature, so I do not know how well that actually works.

But the rest of the features on the Pyle PPHP103MU speakers work fine. They are light and easy to set-up, and I was able to (over the phone) walk a friend through getting everything plugged in and it worked fine when she was done. They have reasonable power output, and a pair of these would do fine for karaoke or a small house party. Anything more than that (big room or loud band), and the these cabs would have to strain to keep up. The XLR inputs do not seem to have phantom power, so condenser mics will be a no-go here.

They seem to have about the same build quality as all of the other plastic entry-level speakers on the market, so they should be durable enough for casual use, but you would not want to take them on tour. I have loaned them out a few times and they came back no worse for wear, so that is a good sign.

The best thing about the Pyle-Pro PPHP103MU powered PA speakers is that they are dirt cheap. They have a list price of $420.99, and nobody on the internet is charging more than $150 each for them. At that price, if you get a dozen gigs or parties out of them you have gotten more than your money’s worth.

Mahalo!

Alesis TransActive Wireless Portable Powered Bluetooth Speaker Review

Howdy!

Sometimes you do not need a full-blown PA system when doing a small gig, such as in a coffee shop, classroom, or a small party. Unfortunately, a lot of the all-in-one speaker options end up being little more than a toy that are suitable for little mote than something for kids to mess around with for their karaoke. The Alesis TransActive Wireless speaker is a pretty good options that falls somewhere in between these two extremes.

You probably remember Alesis as the company that brought us the Qudraverb and other cool live sound electronics back in the 1980s. They have expanded their live considerably to include all kinds of products, including powered speakers. The TransActive Wireless is one of these, and it has just about everything under the kitchen sink crammed into it.

For starters, it is very portable, as it is a little smaller than a carry-on suitcase (15” x 11” x 17”), and it only weighs around 28 pounds. The similarities do not end there, as there are recessed wheels and a telescoping handle so it is really easy to drag to gigs. The cabinet seems fairly sturdy, so it will probably hold up well over time. There is a 35mm socket in the bottom of the cabinet in case you want to put it on a standard speaker stand.

Inside, there is an 8-inch driver with a 1-inch tweeter, and the amplifier is rated at 25 watts continuous/50 watts peak. Also, there is a built-in rechargeable battery, which Alesis says is good for up to 50 hours of performance time. I have never run it that long, but it is definitely good for a 3 or 4-hour gig or party. Of course it will run forever if you leave it plugged in with the included detachable IEC 110 volts cable. By the way, it takes about 6 hours to charge the battery.

The control panel is located on top of the cabinet which is fine if you have it sitting on the ground, and not so great if you have it stuck on a speaker stand. The inputs and controls are simple yet versatile, with a master volume and two channels: one with an XLR input and one with a ¼-inch input. They each have their own level controls. Also, there is a third input/level control for a 1/8-inch jack or Bluetooth. You heard that right – there is built-in Bluetooth so you can sing along to music from your phone, tablet, or laptop. Pairing it is super easy, as it is always looking for a device to connect to.

Also on top of the unit is a dock that you can set your device into and a USB charger (5 watts/2.1 amps), which is really handy. On the side of the TransActive is the power switch, an IEC power cable socket, and an LED battery indicator.

What does it not have? There are no EQ controls or vocal effects included, and there is no aux out so you will not be able to connect it to another speaker.

So, this Alesis unit has almost everything on it, and it works surprisingly well. It puts out decent volume, and if you want to do some vocals along with tracks, or maybe with a guitar or keyboard you will be in good shape for small gigs or practice out in the garage. It would be perfect for a large conference room or a small meeting room so a presenter can be heard well. It would not be appropriate for use with a band or in a room that sucks up a lot of sound. 25 watts is not that much, you know.

The big question remains unanswered, and that is, “How well will this hold up over the long run?” This is not a very expensive speaker and it has a ton of features, so chances are they did not use high-quality components for any of it. You can replace a blown speaker easily enough, but if you have an amplifier goes out, the rechargeable battery go bad, or the Bluetooth electronics crap out,this thing might end up in the trash. If you add up parts and labor, you are going to go over the purchase price of this speaker very quickly. I think these come with a one-year warranty, but I cannot find anything in writing, so buyer beware.

And the purchase price is the most alluring thing about the Alesis TransActive Wireless. This unit has a list price of $299 and a street price of $199, which is dirt cheap. I think it is worth taking a chance on if you really need all of its features. But keep in mind there are a lot of powered speakers out there in this price range. They might not have Bluetooth, wheels, or a rechargeable battery, but they do have multiple inputs and gobs more power – 400 watts is the norm. So, figure out exactly what you need before you buy!

Mahalo!

Technical Pro DVB80 Professional CD / DVD / Karaoke Player Review

Greetings!

In the digital world, audio equipment keeps progressing so quickly that formats drop by the wayside pretty frequently. If you had told me 10 years ago that I would never use any of my CDs anymore I would have thought you were a nutjob. Well, it has happened, and nowadays my entire music library is on my computer, and shared with my phone, iPad and iPods.

Despite these advances, I still need to bring a CD player to my shows as people always seem to bring along a CD that they want to play a track from, or if somebody requests karaoke (shudder). I am still stuck in the dinosaur days of CD+G for my karaoke library, BTW.

Well, my Numark dual disk player recently pooped the bed and I was loathe to spend much on a replacement, and decided to try the Technical Pro DVB80. It met my format requirements, came with rack mount tabs (1U) and was dirt cheap.

The DVB80 will play back a dizzying array of formats, including DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, VCD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3, Kodak CD and CD+G. So you can watch movies, play music, view photos, or do karaoke with onscreen playback. By the way, this is a region-free DVD player (PAL/ NTSC), so it will play discs from other countries too. It is not Blueray compatible, though, but what do you expect for 90 bucks? As an added bonus you will find an SD card slot and a USB port on the front, so you can use these as music or photo sources too.

On the back you will find two microphone inputs (1/4-inch TRS) that can be used for karaoke or if the DJ is too cheap to buy a mixer. There are two RCA audio outs and a 5.1 RCA set-up that goes along with a Dolby AC-3 decoder so you can use your surround sound system. Oodles of video output jacks are also available, including YCbCr/YUV, RF DIN, Coax, CVBS, VGA, digital signal fiber optic.

All of these features are crammed into a normal-sized package and the DVB80 player measures (19" w/brackets) x 2.5" x 10" and comes in at around 6 pounds. It is capable of running on 110 or 220V systems, so it will work in pretty much any civilized country as long as you have the correct power cable (this player uses a removable IEC cord). A full-function remote control is included, which makes cuing up tracks a lot easier.

Prior to getting this player I had no experience with Technical Pro’s products, but they have not disappointed me. The players works well and cues up tracks nicely. There is no added noise to the audio output, and the picture quality is as good as non-Blueray players get. Overall it is a nice piece of equipment, and I hope it holds up better than my Numark player did.

My only gripe is that I do not think this player was originally designed to be a rack-mounted unit. The tabs are flimsy, and the metal that makes up the chassis is thin, so the whole thing sags quite a bit when it is bolted into place. I put shims between mine and rack units above and below it so it cannot flop around.

I think the Technical Pro DVB80 is a good deal, with a list price of $159.00 and a smoking hot street price of $88.95. This includes the remote, rack mount tabs and a 1-year warranty. It is a lot of player for the money!

Mahalo!

Yamaha MG 102C Mixer

Greetings!

A while back I was looking for a new mixing board to use with my QSC powered PA speakers. I needed something that I would use mostly for DJ situations, and maybe a little band use. The decision to get the Yamaha MG 102C was easy.

My requirements are not exactly over-the-top. I need at least 4 microphone/XLR channels (with switchable phantom power), as well as RCA inputs, speaker out, recording out, and a headphone jack. That is about it, really. No fancy effects or flashing lights.

Well, the MG 102 C has all of that stuff. Some bonuses are a usable compression feature (on two channels), an effects loop, and separate monitor and stereo outputs.

Looking at the specs on this mixer, I have one little gripe. Yamaha calls this a 10-channel mixer, which is technically true, but take a closer look at those inputs and controls. They are counting the 4 stereo inputs as 8 channels, but they are only controlled in pairs. Sounds like six channels to me. It is a cheesy way to market it, but I knew that when I bought it.

So far I have used it for 2 DJ gigs and for the band at my house party. The sound output is clear without added hum or noise. I have not had any problems with it yet, or found that it will not do anything that I ask of it. Sliding faders would have been nice but at this price point, I am happy enough with the knobs.

Oh, and the price point is the best feature, which I have saved for last. The Yamaha MG 102C is incredibly cheap with a list price is $129.99, and a street price of $99.99. Wow!

It also comes with a 1 year limited warranty, and Yamaha customer service is great. If you do not need a powered mixer with a metric ton of channels or effects, this board is a great buy.

Mahalo!

QSC KSub Powered Subwoofer

You probably figured from my last review that I am pretty happy with the performance of QSC’s K8 loudspeakers. With their small size, it is not surprising that they are a little light on bass performance, which is where the QSC Ksub subwoofer unit comes into the game.

The Ksub is also a powered speaker assembly, using a built-in 1000-watt (2x500 watt) power amp. This class D amplifier powers two 12-inch drivers. The amplifier is cooled by an on-board variable-speed fan. The speaker uses a variable power supply (100 to 240 volts), and US and Euro spec connectors are both included.

Of course, the Ksub is the biggest and heaviest part of the PA system. The enclosure is 26-inches tall by 114-inches wide by 28-inches deep. It is made of birch plywood with a textured black finish. To ease transport, it has non-removable casters and nice recessed aluminum handles. This is important, as it weighs in at 74 pounds, or 33.6 kilograms (but the metric system will never catch on).

The Ksub has a 2 combination XLR/1/4” socket inputs. Also, there are a few controls, including a gain potentiometer, and a digital signal processing option switch for normal or deep modes. There is a polarity switch, in case you run into some noisy voltage. And lastly, there is a connector where you can attach a remote gain control. I could see cases where this would come in pretty handy, particularly when trying to get the speakers to blend in with each other.

The QSC folks came up with a nifty threaded socket on top of the enclosure where a speaker pole (included) can be attached. This makes for a tidy PA package, and eliminates the need for carrying around more bulky speaker stands.

As with the other QSC K-Series loudspeakers, the warranty for the Ksub is 6 years, which provides plenty of peace of mind.

The Ksub completes the package when coupled with the K8 speakers, and really kicks this mother out. It has a frequency range of 44 Hz to 148 Hz, and a peak output of 130 dB. With the separate gain contol, you can blend it well with the output of the main speakers.

The list price for the Ksub is $1199, with a street price of $1049. This is not much of a discount, and seems a little like price-fixing to me. Regardless, these are a great addition to the K8 (or K10 or K12) speakers, and it is worth your time to check one out.

QSC K8 Powered Loudspeakers

Remember the good old days, when you wanted the largest speakers you could find, because bigger was better? QSC’s K8 loudspeakers prove that this theory is as dead as Chief Gates.

The QSC K8 speakers are a miracle of modern engineering and technology. The come in at a mere 27 pounds each, including an integrated 1000-watt (2000 watt peak) power amp. An on-board variable-speed cooling fan is included as well.

The amplifier is a class D (lightweight!) unit, with 500 watts going to the 8-inch driver, and 500 watts to the 1 ¾-inch driver. It has a variable power supply from 100 to 240 volts, and US and Euro spec connectors are both included.

The enclosure is small: only 17-inches tall by 11-inches wide by 10-inches deep. It is made of ABS plastic, and there is a heavy-duty steel speaker grill. A recessed aluminum handle is built into the top.

There are plenty of input options, including combination XLR/1/4” sockets, as well as RCA jacks, in case you would like to hook up an iPod or CD player without using a mixing board. There are also line and mix level XL outputs if you wish to hook up more speakers or a subwoofer. There is a great subwoofer option, the Ksub, which I will be writing about in my next blog post.

There are also quite a few controls on the back of these speakers. You get two gain controls, as well as two digital signal processing options for low frequency (Ext Sub/Norm/DEEP) and high frequency (Flat and Vocal Boost).

For mounting the speakers, there are a couple of cool options. The standard-size speaker stand socket in the bottom actually tilts up to 7.5-degrees so you can adjust the speaker angle. Also, there are threaded sockets on the top and sides of the speakers so they are easier to mount with cables, should you decide to hand them from the ceiling (or a truss, or a tree...).

QSC stand behind their products with a 6-year warranty, which is the best I have seen on any power speakers. Just make sure that you register them with QSC, or you are S.O.L.

So, on paper these speakers look like the best thing since canned beer. They have a frequency range of 61 Hz to 20 kHz, and a peak output of 127 dB. And the real world it all comes together and these things actually work. They have small drivers, so they are little light on bass performance, but they are clear and punchy, and can be as loud as a steel foundry that is stamping out the gates of Hell. They are very even across the frequency range, and I have not found any hot spots. They are the real deal.

The list price for the QSC K8 is $759 each, with a street price of $649. But, with their sound, size, weight, power capability and warranty, they are worth every penny.

Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 PA System

Everybody needs a PA system, right? Well, almost everybody I know needs one. Today I am writing about the Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 system, which is the PA that I own and am very happy with.

The STAGE PAS 500 system is slick. It includes a pair of passive speakers with a built-in powered mixer. The mixer fits into the back of one of the speakers, and can be easily removed if you want to set it up on a table with the rest of your equipment. The other speaker has a storage compartment in the back so you have a convenient place to store your speaker cables and the power cord for the mixer. By the way, speaker cables are included.

The mixer has two 250-watt class-D power amplifiers with plenty of power for medium-sized room or outdoor gigs. The amplifiers have been reliable thus far, and I have had no problems with overheating or cutting out.

There are 10 input channels: four mono microphone/line inputs (switchable for phantom power) and three stereo line inputs. For output, it has two main speaker jacks, as well as line outputs for additional powered speakers, RCA jacks for recording.

The STAGEPAS 500 mixer has 2-band equalizers for each channel, as well as REVERB switches on channels 1 through 4. A separate REVERB level control adjusts the reverb mix. Channels 1 and 2 have LIMIT/COMP switches. You will need the compression and limiters for those drunken karaoke folks.

The two speakers the system comes with are very rugged. They have 10" woofers and 1" tweeters. The speakers will fit standard 35mm speaker stand tubes.

How well does it work? Pretty darned good, if you’re asking me. I mostly use the STAGEPAS 500 for DJ and karaoke events, and as the bad mother of all garage stereo systems. I have run up to 3 microphones, a dual-deck CD player and my laptop music library through it with no trouble at all. Transporting and setting up the system is a breeze due to its relatively light weight and compact size. I went ahead and sprung for some wall mounts for the speakers to keep them up high and out of my way when they are not in use.

As a bassist, I would not recommend this system to a band that heavily relies on running the bass through the PA at high volume levels. It does not have enough headroom for that. Of course, additional powered speakers can be added to the system if necessary.

The MSRP for the Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 is $1249, and the street price is $899. I found it quite a bit cheaper from a music store that was clearing out all of their Yamaha equipment at blow-out prices.

If you are on more of a budget and don’t need as much presence, the STAGEPAS 300 can be had for a street price of around $600. Of course, it is cheaper so it has fewer channels (8), smaller speakers (8-inch woofers) and less power output (300 watts).

Either way, you cannot go wrong with the STAGEPAS systems. Yamaha has a well-justified reputation for providing reliable products that are an exceptional value.