Good Lightweight PA speakers?

Brooks Montgomery · Post by **Brooks Montgomery** » 29 Mar 2023 12:50 pm

Any suggestions for lightweight passive PA speakers for small venues (micro-brew pubs, small bars etc)?

I’ve a Yamaha EMX512sc powered mixer. It is 500 watts x 2. The mixer works great and is very lightweight with 12 inputs.

However, the carpeted thick plywood mains and plywood monitors weigh a ton.

Any suggestions on smaller, lighter, plastic passive speakers that sound good?

Brad Richard · Post by **Brad Richard** » 29 Mar 2023 1:25 pm

In my gigging days I used a pair of EV ZX1 speakers. They're 8" and hands down the finest speakers I've used. Not cheap, but worth it. I once found a used pair, but that's rare.

Brooks Montgomery · Post by **Brooks Montgomery** » 29 Mar 2023 5:18 pm

Brad, thanks. I looked them up, and they might work great. 18.5 pounds each (vs. 65 lbs ea. for the mains I’ m using now).

They do have very mixed reviews—but it’s hard to judge by product reviews these days.

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 29 Mar 2023 8:34 pm

Peavey PR12. Light weight neo 12 heavey duty woofers plus horn. We've been using them for several years with tripod mount. Good bang for the buck.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 29 Mar 2023 11:33 pm

The Yamaha SM12V are as good as it gets, and not too expensive. Same high quality drivers used in Meyers Sound cabinets, nearly flat frequency response and 300+ watts power handling, great for mains or monitors. After 40 years in business I sold or gave away my entire sound company but kept four of these for my own use.

Brooks Montgomery · Post by **Brooks Montgomery** » 30 Mar 2023 5:39 am

Thanks Dave. I’ve got two Yamaha SM12V‘s , that I use as monitors, and have used as mains for small gigs. I’m wondering if there is anything new out there passive and ultralight (that still sounds good).

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 30 Mar 2023 8:03 am

Brooks Montgomery wrote:Thanks Dave. I’ve got two Yamaha SM12V‘s , that I use as monitors, and have used as mains for small gigs. I’m wondering if there is anything new out there passive and ultralight (that still sounds good).

From an audio design perspective there is nothing comparable. Premium drivers, well designed horn and cabinet, and a 1.6" HORN THROAT - not voice coil - that provides max fidelity at high SPL and a flatter response curve than the powered and processed QSC 12.2K.

Neo magnets have more recently brought significant weight reduction to individual drivers, but none are currently offered in boxes of any type with large-throat horns or comprehensive tuning.

With a pair of subs under them I used them as mains for several years supporting an outdoor concert series with weekly crowds of 1500-3500 patrons featuring artists of the most discriminating sort. My current romp Sons of Hudson commonly uses two up (mains) and two down (mons) for our smaller venues, and at this time we know of no passive product that performs as well or better at any price or we would be using it instead.