starter sound system

[u/PotentialAware2796]

Hello, i'm very new to sound systems, I wanted to know if art welter's keystone 18" sub would pair well with 2 the box pro Achat 110M, or is it better to make diy tops for a better price, im also not extremely good at woodworking so any more simple suggestions would be highly appreciated. Thank you:)

[u/Brave_Second_4269]

Well-built speakers can last a very long time; we still use boxes pushing 25 years old. Unless you are jumping right into 400+ sized events, I would invest in the best small utility tops you can that are flexible for use as small mains, monitor wedges, fills, or delays. Tour grade construction and high-quality drivers may cost quite a bit more but will pay dividends when you don't need to retire them if your needs grow. If the budget isn't flexible, then I would look to used tour grade gear such as EAW or D&B. Start with small and flexible stand mountable over large bulky boxes.

Regarding subs, having high efficiency is really helpful if you find yourself in venues with limited power or undersized generators. Chasing <40hz will consume a lot of truck space and power. I started off with dual 18" very low frequency drivers trying to deliver 20hz, they only lasted a few years before being swapped out for horn loaded subs and adjusting crossovers from 35-45hz depending on event power. We now have a solar system option, and this same strategy can really extend battery capacity.

[u/Spiritual_Bell → u/Brave_Second_4269]

This is very good advice. I started on some used mains that then turned into monitors. So they were useful till the very end. I found that for tops, buying used was often cheaper than building. And building good tops is relatively difficult. While building subs is relatively easy. And I found that building subs is often cheaper than buying, for comparable performance.

Keystone is a very optimized design for its pass band and very good value for money. And one of the easiest builds for the performance.