Cheap Band Monitor/PA Speaker Tip

[iceman1575]

I did a write up on my site for those interested, but I'll post the basics here. A couple years ago, I purchased a set of Kustom 12" floor monitors. Great little speakers, at only $349 for two speakers & a Phonic Max 1000 amp (sturdy lil' amp for the bundle, great value I must say! Only complaint is no speaker cables...), I purchased a bundle & another pair of speakers ($239). They're tough, good looking little monitors, but they have one downfall: the components. The woofer is fine for general monitor use, but the tweeters are the downfall. (12's, 10's, & 2x10's use piezo screw-in drivers, single 15 & dual 15's use some cheap compression drivers). They get the job done, but they aren't really built to take a whole bunch...

My solution was a set of compression drivers from Parts Express (namely the Eminence ASD1001, was $24, now $29, but any standard 1" exit driver with threading will work. I got these to replace them after using them as monitors for a high school rock band, outdoors, they didn't like it too much...I didn't even have them turned up...Luckily only two blew. After sitting dormant, I decided to replace them (along with a set of 215's my friend traded me for some stuff I had.) to try & sell them (as they weren't seeing any use). I got one changed, hooked it up, and was immediately blown away with the quality. Compared it side by side with a stock driver, and everyone I had them listen to were shocked.

Now, before anyone starts, yes JBL/Peavey/EV/EAW/Mackie/Tapco/etc. are better, they were made from the start to work as intended. These speakers were made for people on a budget, & I found a small mod that gets you a higher-valued speaker that gets the job done just as well for cheap. For $349 for two speakers and an amplifier, it's not a bad combo for whatever you need it for. I plan on buying a set again (I'm getting back into live sound, got a couple bands wanting me to run sound), so they will be nice. As an alternative, if you don't want to lug the amp/amp rack around, they also make the powered versions of all speakers ($169 for the KPC12MP) and they theoretically should work the same.

Just figured I'd throw that interesting story out there for those that may be interested...If you don't like it, go ahead & hit your backspace key & find something else.