The Eliminator speakers and subs offer big-system sound in a relatively compact size.

AS A SOUNDMAN, I'm very particular about the kind of gear I buy. For me, an ideal club P.A. is affordable, offers large-system performance and flexibility, yet is small enough to fit in my van. With its Eliminator speakers and subs, as well as the PSX1000 mixer, Electro-Voice offers the ingredients for just such a system. And although the speakers and mixer are not marketed as a package, in combination they create a formidable system that can rock the walls off a small-to-midsize club.

As you would expect from EV, these products are well built and roadworthy. Both the mixer and speakers are flexible, easy to set up, and capable of reproducing all kinds of music, including thumping rock 'n' roll. Let's take a closer look, starting with the Eliminators.

SPEAK NOW

You may remember a previous incarnation of the Eliminators from 20 years ago, but EV has totally updated the latest models. They consist of a three-way, concert-style system designed for both DJs and working musicians. The full-range top box has a 15-inch driver and a 60-by-40-degree CD (constant directivity) horn, and the single 18-inch subwoofer has an integral crossover and a pole mount. (EV also offers a double cabinet monitor and a power amp in the Eliminator series.)

I received the E version, which comes with Neutrik Speakon jacks. (Another version has ¼-inch connectors, but neither version has both. Because of their superior reliability, I highly recommend the Speakons for any cabinet in the 300W-and-over category.) The subwoofer cabinet has a loop-through connector that lets you plug in a single Speakon cable from the power amp and extend it to the top box with a short jumper.

The sub's integral crossover only uses the bass frequencies below 160 Hz and passes on the full-range signal to the top cabinets. This gives you biamp flexibility without the cost of an external crossover and separate power amp. An included set of short mounting poles raises the top cabinets above ear level when you mount them on the subs. The only gripe I have about the pole mounts — at least the ones I tested — is that they tended to stick in the cabinets, requiring a bit of pulling and twisting to remove. Wiping the ends with some silicon lube solved the problem. Over time, however, some use might smooth out the sockets and loosen the tight fit.

Both the top boxes and the subwoofers have a unique four-way carrying handle. Instead of using the typical pocket with a crossbar, or the flip-out knuckle-buster, the manufacturer has designed a square pocket with a handgrip on each of the four sides. This makes it possible for you to grab the equipment easily no matter what the speakers' orientation. Combined with a sensible weight of 66 pounds for the top box and 74 pounds for the subwoofer, this feature makes for a very portable package.

Another attractive feature is the shape of the cabinets. EV put most of the volume (as in cubic feet) into the unit's depth rather than its width. As a result, you get a narrow package that leaves more room on a small stage.

The top cabinets are rated at 350W long-term (1,400W short-term peak), and the sub is rated at 400W long-term (1,600W short-term peak), so you can safely use them with most large amplifiers without fear of frying. Since each cabinet is 8Ω, this combines for a total load of 4Ω per pair, matching perfectly with most stereo power amplifiers. I tried out the Eliminator system with both the PSX1000 powered mixer rated at 570W per channel into 4Ω, and a Crown CE-4000 amplifier with some 1,200W per channel into 4Ω. The cabinets were plenty beefy for club use with the powered mixer, but they really opened up on the top end with the big amp. Of course, you must take care not to overpower speakers with such a large amplifier, but there's nothing like amplifier headroom to make a system really sing.

MIX ME UP

The PSX1000 (see Fig. 1) offers a total of ten mic inputs, with the first four channels usable as either mic or stereo line inputs. Each side has 570W of power. The PSX series offers four different models, ranging from the 10-input PSX600 to the 22-input (760W per channel) PSX2200. Channel capabilities and power specs aside, the mixers share a common feature set, so although I reviewed the PSX1000, what I say here applies to the other mixers in the series as well.

The first thing you notice about the PSX1000 is how solidly it's built. Weighing in at 44 pounds, it combines an all-steel chassis with a unique, removable steel faceplate that protects the mixer's knobs and switches during transport. Both sides integrate carrying handles, and all the I/O jacks (with the exception of the speaker and AC connections) are located on the top panel for easy hookup.

Each input channel includes many features you might expect on a much larger dedicated console. The first six channels are mono mic/line inputs with both XLR and ¼-inch inputs. Equalization is 3-band and features sweepable mids, a voicing filter that adds extra upper-midrange presence to help the vocals cut through the mix, and a low-cut 80 Hz filter to get rid of stage boom from the mics. Each channel includes three aux sends: two internally patched to the dual-effects processor and the third sent to a separate fader for monitors. Channels 7 through 10 are mic or stereo line inputs, with a fixed-frequency 3-band equalizer and separate stereo line and mic input trims. All other channel strip controls are the same as on the first six mono inputs.

The PSX1000 is equipped with a stereo effects processor that offers 100 programs, ranging from plate and room reverbs to echo effects, choruses, and delays. The sound quality is quite good, approaching that of a dedicated effects processor, but unfortunately it lacks the ability to tweak all the parameters (you can't have everything). There's more than enough variation for club work, though, and in any case the vast majority of musicians will pick a few programs for their musical style and stick with them. Having an onboard processor saves the cost and hassle of carrying and patching in a separate effects box.

Each effects processor includes an FX-to-Aux 3 control, which allows you to put the reverb and echo into the monitors as desired. A sweepable notch filter on the Aux 3 send reduces feedback. Phantom power (globally switched) is available, and the master section sports a stereo 7-band EQ.

In its out-of-the-box, default configuration, the PSX1000 is a stereo mixer that requires an extra external amplifier to power a monitor system. Read the nicely written manual, though, and you'll discover that it's easy to patch one of the amps to run the main speakers, and the other to run the monitors using the unit's built-in balanced patch bay (which offers numerous patching and configuration options, including connection of external amps and mixers). Each output channel of the PSX-series mixers can easily handle a pair of 8Ω speakers. (As with all amplifiers, don't plug too many speakers into a single amp channel.)

PUT TO THE TEST

I had the opportunity to try out the speakers and subs in two different venues and the mixer in one. The first application for the speakers was in a 450-seat theater for an all-day series of rock band performances. I powered them with a pair of Crown Micro-Tech 1200 amps and let fly. The bottom end sounded very solid in the room, requiring very little additional EQ on the kick-drum mic to make it really thump. Because the subwoofer cabinet passes the full-range signal through to the full-range top cabinets, you have both the 15-inch speakers in the top cabinets and the 18-inch dedicated subwoofers going at it below 150 Hz.

The top boxes are pretty well balanced on their own. Adding in the subs actually made the system feel a little bass heavy. (I'm used to very flat-sounding triamped systems.) However, in many situations, such as rock-'n'-roll or DJ gigs, the extra bottom is actually an advantage.

My next gig was at an outside pavilion, with five bands playing in ten hours. I patched three of the smaller acts into the ten mic input channels of the PSX1000, which worked perfectly for that application. Outside gigs really test a sound system, since you don't have any room reinforcement to get the volume up. From about 75 feet back, I got a nice 100 dB SPL mix going while keeping the vocals up front. Farther back than that, I began to run out of horsepower from the amps. Nevertheless, the volume and quality of the sound from such a small system amazed the bands at this outdoor gig. That 100 dB mix would be more than enough for most small and medium clubs.

LASTING IMPRESSIONS

Separately, both the Eliminator speakers and subwoofers and the PSX1000 mixer are excellent products that stand tall against their competition. Together, they constitute the heart of a solid, roadworthy sound system with enough oomph to handle a loud band in all but the largest clubs.

I should emphasize that although the PSX1000 is one of the most solidly built and fully featured powered mixers I've come across, it does have only ten mic inputs. Bands used to pumping everything through the system might want to opt for the PSX2200 or go for a dedicated board and a separate power amp. (Electro-Voice makes an Eliminator amp, sold in packages with the speakers and the subs.) That said, if you are looking for solid sound reinforcement, these EV products will not disappoint.

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Mike Sokol is an audio engineer, computer geek, and rock musician with 30 years of experience on both sides of the microphone and keyboard.

ELIMINATOR SPECIFICATIONS ELIMINATOR SPEAKERS

Inputs (loop-through) (2) Neutrik Speakon (on E versions only) or (2) ¼" phone

Power Handling 350W long-term average/1,400W short-term peak

Dimensions 30.25" (H) × 16.9" (W) × 24" (D)

Weight 66 lbs.

ELIMINATOR SUBWOOFERS

Inputs (loop-through) (2) Neutrik Speakon (on E versions only) or (2) ¼" phone

Power Handling 400W long-term average/1,600W short-term peak

Dimensions 33.6" (H) × 16.9" (W) × 24" (D)

Weight 74 lbs.

PRODUCT SUMMARY Electro-Voice

Eliminator speakers
E version with Neutrik Speakon
connectors: $714
With ¼-inch connectors: $692

Eliminator subwoofers
E version with Neutrik Speakon
connectors: $714
With ¼-inch connectors: $692

Overall Rating (1 through 5): 4

PROS: Lots of sound in a relatively compact, lightweight package. Integral pole mounts on the subs. Built-in subwoofer crossover gives biamp flexibility without the extra costs of an external crossover and amplifier.

CONS: Versions available with either Speakon or ¼-inch jacks, but not both. Pole mounts tend to get stuck in the cabinet, requiring a little sanding and silicon lube to release freely.

Contact:
Electro-Voice; tel. (800) 392-3497 or (952) 884-4051; Web www.electrovoice.com

PSX1000 SPECIFICATIONS

Inputs (10) XLR mic, (14) ¼" TRS line (channels 1-6 mono, channels 7-10 stereo), (2) ¼" TRS stereo aux returns, (2) ¼" TRS main inserts, (2) ¼" TRS EQ, (2) ¼" TRS power amp, (2) RCA 2-track returns

Outputs (2) ¼" TRS main, (3) ¼" TRS aux sends, (2) ¼" TRS EQ, (2) RCA record sends, (1) ¼" mono phone, (1) ¼" TRS headphone

Power 570W per channel into 4Ω

Effects dual 100-program reverb, echo, and chorus

Dimensions 8.3" (H) × 20" (W) × 18.8" (D)

Weight 44.1 lbs.