Please help choosing amplifiers: Acesonic, RSQ, or BMB?

vuanh79 · Post by **vuanh79** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 2:50 am

I'm kinda newbie in this field, I have chosen 3 Mixing Amplifier that I do not know which brand is better, Please tell me which brand is more reliable. Thanks a lot everyone.

Acesonic Amplifier:

Acesonic AM-825 600 Watt Karaoke Mixing Amplifier with USB
http://www.acekaraoke.com/acesonic-am-8 ... r-usb.html

BMB:

Better Music Builder DX-388 G2 800Watts
http://www.soundtekmusic.com/Better-Mus ... 16461.html

RSQ Amplifier:

RSQ DA 200 EQ Karaoke Mixing Amplifier 600 Watts
http://cheapkaraoke.com/Merchant2/merch ... y_Code=RSQ

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:38 am

First you need to answer a bunch of questions.

Professional or home unit?

Is size and weight a factor?

Karaoke or DJ or both?

What is you budget?

What size and wattage are your speakers?

What other equipment do you plan on using? Computer or disc players?

How many microphones will you be using?

mnementh · Post by **mnementh** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:28 am

While waiting for answers to Bigdogs very pertinent questions, I had a quick look at all three of your choices and came to the following conclusions;

Units 1 & 2 appear to be so similar in appearance that I'd bet my own money

that they were made by the same Chinese manufacturer and have been badged.

Unit 3 "looks" very basic and the specification information given on your link is pitiful compared to units 1 & 2.

At this point, I would remove unit 3 from any choice "I" would make. If they ain't prepared to give you details of what the thing can actually do, then it's probably not that good.

Units 1 & 2 possibly being made in China should NOT bother you too much, unless you're a rabid "must be built in the U.S. of A." type. I bought a Karaoke mixer amp from China 5 years ago for a local Pub and it's been used and abused ever since and hasn't missed a beat (no pun intended). I'm actually shiocked it's lested the way it has, given the dreadful mistreatment it's had!!!

O.K., having read through the specifications on your two links for units 1 & 2, I'm even more convinced these are units made by the same manufacturer as the specs are so similar. Both blurbs mentions 2 rear mounted inputs "especially for radio mikes". Coincidence? I don't think so!

I think, realistically, it comes down to whether or not the extra 200 watts is worth the extra $200 to you, or not.

Quality wise, with modern electronics, there won't be the slightest difference between the 2 units.

Personally, I believe you can always turn the volume down at a gig but if you don't HAVE enough poke, basically you're screwed.

For that reason alone, out of your 3 units, I'd opt for the DX-388 G2 from Better Music Builder.

Also, I'd recommend finding downloads of the Manuals for units 1 & 2 and comparing them.

Have fun,
Sandy

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:40 am

Reading through the specs of the BMB tells me that the wattage is the reverse. You only get 800 watts if you hook up four speakers to it. The other you get 300 a speaker. The acesonic in my opinion is the better choice for your dollar because of that and the usb if you are hooking up a computer to the amp. That said the BMB brand has been around longer than acesonic.

vuanh79 · Post by **vuanh79** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:51 am

DanG2006 wrote:Reading through the specs of the BMB tells me that the wattage is the reverse. You only get 800 watts if you hook up four speakers to it. The other you get 300 a speaker. The acesonic in my opinion is the better choice for your dollar because of that and the usb if you are hooking up a computer to the amp. That said the BMB brand has been around longer than acesonic.

At first I really appreciate for all your answers. I personally choose option 1 and 2 also but I torn between them too, I do not know which one is more reliable than the other. BMB is out there for a while and they claim that the amplifier is made in Japan. Acesonic is a brand of AceKaraoke and I do not know how reliable are they; it is a really big concern.

Here are the answer for Bigdog's questions:

Professional or home unit? -- > Home but using very often

Is size and weight a factor? --> No

Karaoke or DJ or both? --> Both

What is you budget? --> No matter

What size and wattage are your speakers? --> 300w

What other equipment do you plan on using? Computer or disc players? --> Disc player and Midi.

How many microphones will you be using? - 2-4

Once again I really appreciate for your help.

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:24 pm

One more question what brand are the speakers and are they pro audio or home stereo. If home stereo you are going to be disappointed in the quality of the sound as home speakers are not made to handle Live Vocals. You can really do a lot of harm if you don't have tools like a compressor which none of those amplifiers have.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:37 pm

Personally I wouldn't put any faith in anything that says it's a "karaoke" amp or speaker or system. That's an advertising gimmick to make you think it is specifically made for karaoke. Which in actuality I wouldn't use in my living room.

I would rather see you go with something like the links below. These are PA speakers that can handle live vocals as Dan says. They have smaller speaker systems too. Depends on the room you want to fill.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/pr ... sku=630201

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/pr ... sku=630208

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:43 pm

Those are good items but I wonder if they are in his price range.

for a lower budgeted home use I would go with:
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/pr ... sku=630489

vuanh79 · Post by **vuanh79** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:13 pm

My speaker is Definitive with built-in subpower. It is for home entertainment speakers.

Here are the specs:

Driver Complement :Two 1" pure aluminum dome tweeters; Two 5-1/4" high definition upper bass/midrange drivers; One 10" long-throw subwoofer coupled to two 10" Low Bass radiators.
Frequency Response :17 Hz - 30 kHz
Impedance :Compatible with 8 Ohms outputs
Sensitivity :92 dB
Recommended Associated Amplifier Power :20 - 300 watts
A/V Receiver Crossover Setting :Large; Full Bandwidth
Internal Amplifier Power :300 watts
Auto On / Off :Signal Sensing (US) | Signal Sensing and Switched (International)
Inputs :One pair of 5 way binding posts; One LFE input (optional)
Fuse :3.2 amp 250 volt Slo Blo (US) | 2.5 amp 250 volt Slo Blo (International)
Available Finishes

iano-Gloss Black

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:21 pm

You're gonna blow these if you use too much power whichever choice you make. You would be better off chosing one of the three packages that bigdog and I have suggested.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 3:40 am

Under powering a speaker is just as harmful as over powering.

If you have 2-300 watt speakers then you need to have 600 watts of power. Using a stereo amp with at least 350 watts per side.

Home theater speakers are not made for live vocals. They are made for totally recorded music and voice.

Live vocals can be piercing and over powered by strong singers with powerful voices.

I have many singers that over drive my microphones to the point of distortion. I have to make gain adjustments to lower the input to reduce the distortion. I can hear the distortion in my speakers when this happens. 2" horns and 15" speakers with 18" subs. No speaker can handle distortion for long.

If you insist on using the home theater speakers then you need to buy a compressor for each microphone you use. 4 microphones, 4 compressors.

The compressors can keep the sound waves from going square. Square waves are distortion. Actually you should use compressors no matter what. They act like a fuse to protect the speakers from blowing.

I used Boss Surround sound speakers in my living room and they started to sound bad from the vocals abusing them. They can't take it.

That's why I don't believe the Boss Stack (tower) Speaker PAs are any good for karaoke use. Maybe for a DJ without live vocals but I would never waste my money on them for karaoke even in my house. I heard what happened to my Boss speakers. Trust me.

Bands play with PA systems not home theater systems. When you do karaoke you are closer to being a live band than a DJ.

vuanh79 · Post by **vuanh79** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 12:41 pm

Bigdog wrote:Under powering a speaker is just as harmful as over powering.

If you have 2-300 watt speakers then you need to have 600 watts of power. Using a stereo amp with at least 350 watts per side.

--> is the Acesonic AM-825 OK with the statement above (it is 600W total)

...

If you insist on using the home theater speakers then you need to buy a compressor for each microphone you use. 4 microphones, 4 compressors.

The compressors can keep the sound waves from going square. Square waves are distortion. Actually you should use compressors no matter what. They act like a fuse to protect the speakers from blowing.

-->The microphones are wireless. At the time, I did not know so I bought the Vocopro UHF-5800:

http://www.vocopro.com/products/product_info.php?ID=461

I only use the Mixed Output option (see picture below) to connect the Microphone to Amp. (which it only use one 1/4 input jack cable for 4 microphone) so can I still use the compressor?

I have found some compressors, which one can I use?

http://www.vocopro.com/products/product_info.php?ID=281

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/pr ... sku=183515 or http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/pr ... sku=183548

I'm sorry to ask many questions. I really appreciate for your time

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:20 pm

The acesonic matches your speakers completely although I would consider new speakers. Both the dbx-266 and the dbx-166 are good compressors.
Are you happy with your uhf-5800. If not I would stay away from the vocopro compressor. Do you have a store near you that you can go into to ask questions. If you get any of the compressors that's not going to be enough, you need to know what settings to set it at to protect your speakers.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 8:46 pm

ftp://ftp.dbxpro.com/pub/PDFs/Manuals/E ... nualA2.pdf

These units are actually 2 compressors. So 2 units can be used with 4 microphones.

Don't be mislead by the word Voco PRO. It's an advertising trap to make you think it's professional grade equipment.

Very few professional KJs use Vocopro anything.

Vocopro and companies that use the word "karaoke equipment" are trying to fool the average home user into thinking this is the best equipment in the world for doing karaoke. Don't fall for it. Even if it's just in your living room.

Professional quality equipment is only a few dollars more.

I feel the same way about units that are amplifiers and mixers and effects and everything else in one unit. Like the ones you originally linked. You get what you pay for.

Good sound comes at a price.

mnementh · Post by **mnementh** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 8:28 am

Bigdog wrote:Under powering a speaker is just as harmful as over powering.

Sorry! The only term I can usefully use as a reply to this statement is "Utter rubbish!". There is no way on God's Earth that an amp having less power than the speaker it's connected to can damage that speaker. Even if it fails with a DC offset, the speaker voice coil might get very hot, but it certainly won't die.

If you have 2-300 watt speakers then you need to have 600 watts of power. Using a stereo amp with at least 350 watts per side.

Again, total drivel! The general concensus of audio perception is that amps should be 60% to 75% the rating of the speaker to which they are attached, in order to ensure the ampd do NOT drive the speaker voice coils to their end stops, i.e. into a no linear displacement area, wher damage WILL happen! 350W into 300W speaker = blown speaker.

Home theater speakers are not made for live vocals. They are made for totally recorded music and voice

Live vocals can be piercing and over powered by strong singers with powerful voices.

Speakers are made to handle "X" amount of power! They don't care how that "X" amount is generated. Obviously, I do NOT include speakers that cost about $10 a pair in this statement. If any manufacturer was daft enough to "design" a speaker is for vocals, then it would be a crap speaker with a restricted frequency range to suit the human vocal range, i.e. 300 to 3500Hz. Decent speakers will range from <=50Hz up to perhaps 20+kHz.

I have many singers that over drive my microphones to the point of distortion. I have to make gain adjustments to lower the input to reduce the distortion. I can hear the distortion in my speakers when this happens. 2" horns and 15" speakers with 18" subs. No speaker can handle distortion for long.

If a singer is singing loud enough to distort the microphone OUTPUT, then NO amount of gain twiddling will remove that distortion as that is past the point of signal error. Basically, if changing the gain prevents distortion, then the only logical conclusionj is that you had the gain set TOO high in the first place.

If you insist on using the home theater speakers then you need to buy a compressor for each microphone you use. 4 microphones, 4 compressors.

The compressors can keep the sound waves from going square. Square waves are distortion. Actually you should use compressors no matter what. They act like a fuse to protect the speakers from blowing.

I used Boss Surround sound speakers in my living room and they started to sound bad from the vocals abusing them. They can't take it.

That's why I don't believe the Boss Stack (tower) Speaker PAs are any good for karaoke use. Maybe for a DJ without live vocals but I would never waste my money on them for karaoke even in my house. I heard what happened to my Boss speakers. Trust me.

Bands play with PA systems not home theater systems. When you do karaoke you are closer to being a live band than a DJ.

Sorry to appear to disagree with you all the time Bigdog but you should really have another look at your statements in this post and check out the logic of some of them. They simply don't make sense.

Sandy