Looking for lightweight active 10" speakers

R

Richard Penrose

Freshman
Jan 3, 2015
17
0
1
Hi,

I run sound for a number of different sized events from a single mic on stand for speech to full bands for audiences for around 400 people outdoors. I own a few different systems from three Alto TS210's - pair of FBT X-Lite 12a's - pair of Yamaha DXR15's + pair of QSC KW181 subs.

Over the past year or so I've been moving away from the larger events and mainly do sound for small acoustic acts and for speeches at corporate events etc. I haven't used the QSC KW181's for around 18 months and only used the DXR15's three times. For around 90% of my work I have just been using the Alto TS210's. These have been surprisingly good and I've used them for jazz trios and vocal ensembles where I've run piano, bass and 4 vocals through them at events with up to 100 people. One thing I've always been surprised at is how well these budget 10" speakers handle bass guitar. However, as more and more of my work just only requires 10" tops I am looking to upgrade and build a system where I can take out just the 10" tops for some events or add a pair of small lightweight subs if needed.
If possible I'd like this system (10" tops + small subs) to at least match the audio quality, output and depth of bass of the single pair of DXR15's.

Due to a back injury I have a specific set of requirements for these speakers. I need them to be very lightweight as I will be using these in some venues where I have to carry these long distances with lots of steps. I also need at least one side handle with a vertical hand grip. Finally I need something that is going to be a step up from the Alto TS210's regarding audio quality, output and depth of bass whilst still having very low self noise.

I've been doing a little browsing online and have made this shortlist :-

Alto TS410
RCF HD10mkV
FBT Promaxx 110a
RCF 910AX (new upcoming model with built in digital mixer)
QSC K10.2

Are there any other models I've missed that you would recommend? I willing to spend roughly £800 per speaker.

Has anyone had any experience with more than just one of these options?

What would you recommend?
 
My experience has been that thanks to modern processing, there isn't a whole lot of performance difference between self-powered boxes within a given size/price class. But you will find voicing differences - RCF tends to put a bit of a "smile" curve on their lower-end boxes, and that's not always helpful. But aside from that, I've found the RCF kit to be decent performers, and the QSC K series is another industry standard. Personally, I'd give the edge to QSC for general utility use, as I find I prefer their voicing and they have more I/O than the RCF HD10

Also, if your goal is weight savings and you plan on adding small subs, have you considered dropping down to an 8" box?
 
Thanks Rob. Yes I hear what you’re saying about these boxes sounding similar.
From what I’ve heard, the new RCF ART9/HDmkV series appear to have noticeably less of a smiley curve to other products in their price range.
An 8” box wouldn’t work for my purposes as I often run bass guitar through the TS210’s.
The QSC K10.2 do look like good options but I’ve read there has been several reliability issues with the amp module? Also, some users have reported they have quite high hiss levels? The three Alto TS210’s i use have been 100% reliable despite being used 4+ times a week most of the year. They have been driven pretty hard on some occasions as well. They also have commendably low noise which is an important factor for me as they get used for wedding ceremonies and I don’t want any audio hiss during these.
 
Hi
I use the QSC K10.2s regularly and have had them for a long time (got them as soon as .2 came out)
Super reliable, good sounding, lots of I/O options, surprising amount of low end, light and loud for their size

I have not experienced hiss issues, just gain stage correctly, don't run them wide open unless you need to.
I have never had any problems with them at all and am not aware of any broad reliability issues with K .2 models.

I also have the sub which is a great complement - so light that I can carry it with one hand and respectable output too.
 
Last edited:
Richard Penrose said:
Hi,

I run sound for a number of different sized events from a single mic on stand for speech to full bands for audiences for around 400 people outdoors. I own a few different systems from three Alto TS210's - pair of FBT X-Lite 12a's - pair of Yamaha DXR15's + pair of QSC KW181 subs.

Over the past year or so I've been moving away from the larger events and mainly do sound for small acoustic acts and for speeches at corporate events etc. I haven't used the QSC KW181's for around 18 months and only used the DXR15's three times. For around 90% of my work I have just been using the Alto TS210's. These have been surprisingly good and I've used them for jazz trios and vocal ensembles where I've run piano, bass and 4 vocals through them at events with up to 100 people. One thing I've always been surprised at is how well these budget 10" speakers handle bass guitar. However, as more and more of my work just only requires 10" tops I am looking to upgrade and build a system where I can take out just the 10" tops for some events or add a pair of small lightweight subs if needed.
If possible I'd like this system (10" tops + small subs) to at least match the audio quality, output and depth of bass of the single pair of DXR15's.

Due to a back injury I have a specific set of requirements for these speakers. I need them to be very lightweight as I will be using these in some venues where I have to carry these long distances with lots of steps. I also need at least one side handle with a vertical hand grip. Finally I need something that is going to be a step up from the Alto TS210's regarding audio quality, output and depth of bass whilst still having very low self noise.

I've been doing a little browsing online and have made this shortlist :-

Alto TS410
RCF HD10mkV
FBT Promaxx 110a
RCF 910AX (new upcoming model with built in digital mixer)
QSC K10.2

Are there any other models I've missed that you would recommend? I willing to spend roughly £800 per speaker.

Has anyone had any experience with more than just one of these options?

What would you recommend?
Click to expand...
The Altos are not going to really cut it certainly for 400 people. The Yamahas you mentioned earlier are possibly your best bet, they make a lot of noise for their size without sounding bad, but with a band (assuming some bass instruments, drums, etc) and 400 people you will need subs. In reality you are going to need to get a hand. outdoors, a capable pair of 12 + horns are really the minimum, and I’d be looking KV2, secondhand pair of D&B Q7’s, maybe RCF TT Series, though I think these may be discontinued. These are all much higher than your budget, but are far more realistic for what you are trying to achieve.
 
I have four Yamaha DZR-10 and have been super happy with them. They meet your criteria: 37 lbs, side and top handle, high quality sound. I have used them with subs and can’t say enough good things about them. Worthy of a look.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys.
I think I've conceded to keep my DXR15's for the moment for the bigger gigs and probably keep hold of the KW181's for a while longer. I don't think I'm going to find a small system within my budget and weight requirements that can match these for bigger gigs. I’ve tried KV2 systems (ex6, ex10, ex12, ex1.2 and ex2.2) and these sounded stunning and would be capable of handling what I need. However even just a pair of the EX6’s (6” woofer) cost around £3000-£3500 per pair and I wouldn’t run bass through these without a sub.
I don’t need the Alto’s to cover audiences of 400 people. These will be used for small acoustic gigs of generally up to 100 people at fairly low volume. As the TS210's are are my most used speakers and just about handle the small acoustic gigs I'm doing I would like to concentrate on upgrading these for something better.
I often have to carry these speakers a long way and up lots of steps regularly so I want something lighter than the Yamaha DZR10's. Also, if I was opening my options to something of that weight, the RCF 932’s would been a strong consideration with the larger compression driver and better handles for carrying. I've narrowed my list down to :-

RCF HD10a mkV
FBT Promaxx 110a
QSC K10.2
 
Last edited:
Richard Penrose said:
Hi,

I run sound for a number of different sized events from a single mic on stand for speech to full bands for audiences for around 400 people outdoors. I own a few different systems from three Alto TS210's - pair of FBT X-Lite 12a's - pair of Yamaha DXR15's + pair of QSC KW181 subs.

Over the past year or so I've been moving away from the larger events and mainly do sound for small acoustic acts and for speeches at corporate events etc. I haven't used the QSC KW181's for around 18 months and only used the DXR15's three times. For around 90% of my work I have just been using the Alto TS210's. These have been surprisingly good and I've used them for jazz trios and vocal ensembles where I've run piano, bass and 4 vocals through them at events with up to 100 people. One thing I've always been surprised at is how well these budget 10" speakers handle bass guitar. However, as more and more of my work just only requires 10" tops I am looking to upgrade and build a system where I can take out just the 10" tops for some events or add a pair of small lightweight subs if needed.
If possible I'd like this system (10" tops + small subs) to at least match the audio quality, output and depth of bass of the single pair of DXR15's.

Due to a back injury I have a specific set of requirements for these speakers. I need them to be very lightweight as I will be using these in some venues where I have to carry these long distances with lots of steps. I also need at least one side handle with a vertical hand grip. Finally I need something that is going to be a step up from the Alto TS210's regarding audio quality, output and depth of bass whilst still having very low self noise.

I've been doing a little browsing online and have made this shortlist :-

Alto TS410
RCF HD10mkV
FBT Promaxx 110a
RCF 910AX (new upcoming model with built in digital mixer)
QSC K10.2

Are there any other models I've missed that you would recommend? I willing to spend roughly £800 per speaker.

Has anyone had any experience with more than just one of these options?

What would you recommend?
Click to expand...
Hi Richard , I just want to throw out an awesome ( I think so anyways ) alternative for smaller events . About a year ago I took a chance on something a little different than your standard sub with a stand mount 10or 12 FOH speaker configuration and bought into a H+K Audio ( Hughes and Kettner ) Polar 12 system . At the time I purchased mine they were approx . $1000 canadian per unit ( I bought two ) and are similar to the Bose Line array system in appearance. They are very portable and and I have used them in pubs , halls and outdoor venues . I am very happy with them . They cover all the frequencies nicely and outdoors sound just as loud 200 feet away as they do up close in my experience. I perform as a 4 pce rock band , a duo using tracks and solo . For the solo and duo performances I do not use a sub as they represent the bottom end quite well . For my 4 pce band I add one 15" EV sub for some additional kick thump and bass guitar presence . The Polar 12 's really rock in my books . I am so glad I took the plunge . Bonus is they are light and easy to transport. Easily cover a room up to and probably more than 200 people.
 
Hi Brian. Thanks for the suggestion. Yes, the HK Polar 12 does look like a nice light portable solution for the performance it gives. They also seem reasonably affordable at around £800 each. However, with this system I would be committed to using the sub for upright bass. As I have to carry these long distances by myself, I don't want to have to carry something that heavy every time. Also, for around £200 more I could get the dB Technologies es1203 which would outperform the HK Polar in every respect (though at a higher weight).
The Alto TS210's handle upright bass surprisingly well on these small acoustic gigs so ideally, I would like to go with a better pair of active 10" speakers and potentially add subs like the FBT Subline 112sa or RCF 702as at a later date. This also gives me more flexibility as I can use the 10" tops as a keyboard amp or wedge monitors when using my DXR15 system.
 
Last edited:
I’m narrowing my list down to the following options because weight is a huge factor for me.

RCF HD10a
FBT Promaxx 110a

I may also try the QSC K10.2 but I’m not sure about this one. I’ve read lots of users having reliability issues with the amp module though I don’t know which version of the firmware they were all using. Also, I’m not sure they would give me a noticeable step up in audio performance that would reflect the much higher price over both the RCF and FBT models?
 
Richard Penrose said:
I’m narrowing my list down to the following options because weight is a huge factor for me.

RCF HD10a
FBT Promaxx 110a

I may also try the QSC K10.2 but I’m not sure about this one. I’ve read lots of users having reliability issues with the amp module though I don’t know which version of the firmware they were all using. Also, I’m not sure they would give me a noticeable step up in audio performance that would reflect the much higher price over both the RCF and FBT models?
Click to expand...
One justification would be better resale value. Maybe it is different where you live, but around my area QSC and JBL (and to some degree Yamaha) are the dominant brands in powered speakers. I don't EVER recall seeing FBT in the wild, and I rarely see RCF either.
The K's have better IO than the RCF, though it is comparable to FBT.
 
Thanks Jeff. Those are good points.
Yamaha, QSC, RCF and EV seem to be equally popular where I am. I tend not to see JBL and FBT as often. However, I’m not planning to resell for quite some time. I’m primarily focused on what would give me the best performance out of these models.

Both FBT and RCF have lightweight 12” sub’s. Also, I expect RCF will update their sub range to match the new branding of their most recent releases at some point.
 
Top Bottom