I’m going to have a look into the Mackie HD series, but I’m mostly looking to get some 15″ subs, not 18s. Personal preference with the sound that comes from 12″ vs 15″ tops and 15′ vs 18″ subs. I’ll have a listen to some more the next time I can make it to a store. That is something I would highly recommend the OP do, listen to some and do A/B/C comparisons.
I’ve been using a pair of EV ZLX 12″ powered tops, and a single ZXA1 Sub. The sub is small and portable, and still adds nice fullness to the low end while leaving more headroom for the tops. The DSP features built in are nice on the ZLX series. For the price I would suggest looking into the ZLX line. Mine will eventually be monitors/fills, and I’m looking into what I’ll use for FOH(live sound situation).
The next time I go to town I’m hoping to have a listen to some higher end speakers, such as Mackie HD, QSC KW , EV ELX and ETX, etc. Just out of curiosity I’ll probably listen to the new Thump speakers, I didn’t really like the older Thumps, sounded muddy, but they have redone that series now, and it might be worth looking into.
I wouldn’t really buy speakers that are cheaper than Thumps or ZLX. One nice thing about getting GOOD PA speakers, if you decide the mobile gigs aren’t for you, you’ll have a much easier time selling them than with off-brand stuff. Renting wasn’t really an option in my area, but if that is an option for you that would be a good idea, make sure the client is paying for the gear, and for your services as well. Renting, if you could get a few different setups to try, would be a great way to compare. If you do have that option, check with as many rental outfits as you have nearby, and see what different speakers are available. This would also be a good indicator of what gear is a good buy, even without renting anything. Those companies don’t buy gear that isn’t good, or they wouldn’t make it through too many rentals and still be working.
Keep us posted, and best of luck….
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