EV elx112p powered speaker - volume problem?

[bourniplus]

Hi everyone,

I just bought a used EV elx112P powered speaker and am now wondering whether there's something wrong with it. I rehearsed with a band last night and had to turn both volume knobs to about 75%, whereas with the 100watt combo keyboard amp I used to have, I never needed more than 30%. I used the same mixer and levels as before.

EV site says this speaker is rated at 1000 watts, I'm puzzled... Both drivers work normally, the sound quality is good, I'm just wondering if this volume level sounds normal. If I plug in a keyboard, MP3 player, whatever, and set the volumes at half, it will be equivalent to normal tv listening volume. Under 50% it is VERY weak. (I don't really know how I would measure that.) At full volume it's pretty loud but not much louder than a 100watt amp as far as I can tell. How could I make sure it's working normally other than trying to find a new one to compare with?

Any advice would be welcome.

[clpete]

Ok, Im no expert, never used the EVs, but I have been using powered speakers.

 

IMOThe level knobs are not like a combo amp. You need to have them set straight up or higher. Straight up, or 50%, is the starting point as it is 0db. These have power amps in them and like any other power amp they are designed to be run best at near max level.

 

Try to get your signal out of your mixer at a higher level. Set the gain to just under overdrive, set the channel level to 0db and the main fader to 0db. I would then try setting the input level on EV to 0bd also and boost the amp level up well beyond 0db. There is no problem turning it up to 75% or even max. If this doesnt give you the volume, boost the input level up either on the EV, mixer or keys. If you send a full, not distorted, signal from your mixer, you should get the level you need.

 

 

[brindle]

The volume through my ELX112P (connected directly to a Nord 4 HP) sounds right at 3/4. I also have the ZXA1, it's the same way. Both of them sound good. With volume set above 3/4 the ELX112P gets loud enough to hang with an over-amped guitarist and super enthusiastic drummer.

[AnotherScott]

I wonder if the expected input level might be a factor... i.e. the combo amp designed for a -10 input and the EV designed for a +4 input?

[Reezekeys]

Try using input 2 set to mic level. Start with the level control all the way down, you might hurt yourself otherwise.

 

On my QSCs I sometimes switch to mic level when I need to make ears bleed. Always have to turn down the master volume when I do this. When set to line level I always have the QSC volume at maximum and control levels at the source.

[wmp]

Something isn't right. It has RCA plugs and a little mixer. Looks like it'll take +4 or -10. The input switch could be set wrong. I'd RTFM just to find out what the logo switch does.

 

I have EV SXA-360s rated at 500w, 350w + 150w. Using four as mains for an outdoor gig I couldn't reasonably turn them up past -10dB, or about 9 o'clock. 0dB is very loud. I'm not sure what's real watts or Sears watts. The SXA 360 says RMS and the ELX112P doesn't say anything at all about that on the rear panel.

 

RTFM for your keyboard and see if it's +4 balanced or -10 unbalanced. The Nord 4 HP is unbalanced 1/4" TS, so a TRS cable won't buy you anything. If I were to plug my PC3x into that with a TRS cable at 3/4 it'd be too loud for most occasions.

[wmp]

Try using input 2 set to mic level. Start with the level control all the way down, you might hurt yourself otherwise.

 

 

+1

[Delaware Dave]

I recently purchased (and more recently sold) my EV ELX112P. I set my keyboard volume to full on, and set the EV's input to 12 oclock and the master to 12 oclock as well. I noticed that it was not any louder than my 150 watt keyboard amp also at the 12 oclock setting. At first I was a little disappointed. Then I moved the input on the EV to 3 oclock on both the channel input and the master volume and the volume increased signficantly. I then moved both to 4 oclock (input and master) and got another gain from the speaker. So I ran mine between 3 and 4 oclock (both the input and the master). It was loud enough to battle two guitar players with Marshall amps. I don't think yours is defective. The Class D amp seems to have alot of gain all the way up to max volume. The old keyboard amps (especially Peavey's) had compression. They get loud very fast and then after about 12 oclock on the volume they start to compress and with the volume between 12 oclock and full on there really isn't much of a loudness increase. I never read the manual to see if they made any recommendations as to how to set the amp from a knob perspective. I believe that is how class D amps work, they are much more linear in volume increase than a keyboard amp. The Sound Pressure Level (SPL) rating on the EV is 132db. The QSC K10 is rated at 129db and I think the K12 is rated at 131db so technically the EV is slightly louder than either a K10 or a K12.

 

BTW, I have a speaker cover for the 112P that came from Lecover.com. PM me if you are interested in it.

[bourniplus]

Thanks guys for all the replies, this forum rocks.

 

It appears that the real volume increase starts at the 3 o'clock setting on both knobs and that my unit functions normally. I guess I was so used to the non-linear volume response from a keyboard amp and expecting way more from "1000 watts", whatever that means.

 

Delaware Dave I'll send you a PM about that speaker cover.