Yorkville NX 55 (550) P

This powered speaker can be used as a main (top) or as a monitor. It is a 2-way active speaker, featuring a 12" woofer under a horn. I actually have the older model NX 550P but it is very similiar to the newer NX 55P. the enclousure is a synthetic, helping to keep the weight of the unit down under 50 lbs. I am not going to give these units #10 scores, although in their price range, while there are a few that are similiar, these are as good as the best I think.

These are nice cabinets, and I have some specs to put down, but the main thing that i would tell someone contimplating a purchase, is that these speakers really do sound good. Rich and warm. You can check the yourkville web site for more numbers, but the basics are 450 watts into a 12" speaker and 100 watts into a horn with a 1" driver and a 1" voice coil. The max SPL is 124 DB, with a freq response of 65-17K hz +- 3 Db. (these specs are all from the Yorkville literature... not my own measurments.)

On the back of these is a little mixer deal that can be turned on or off, and that acutually works pretty well. There are two 1/4 line inputs, and one XLR mic input in this section (the mic input offers phantom power (not switchable)if you need it). On the mixer panel is levfel knob for the line inputs, and level knob for the mic input, and knobs for both bass and treble. I have used this with a mic going into the mic input, my guitar going into one of the line inputs, and my harmonica pickup going inot the other line input, and doing so, this unit can stand alone, with no other outboards if you want for a small gig.

If you disengage the mixer, and just use the box as a PA cabinet, then you just have the two inputs (one xlr, one 1/4 trs) and two outputs - for daisy-chaining additional cabinets or other possible purposes (again one xlr, and one 1/4 trs). There is a master volume knob still in effect, as well as a LF rolloff switch at 100hz, and indicator lights for the internal limiter and a clip indicator.

The whole plug in set jup is pretty well though out. the only downside I could comment about is that there does seem to be a lot of air that escapes from here when the unit is in service, which I am not sure that this is intentional.

One downside, is that there are not that many Yorkville dealers... so it is hard to get ahold of one of these, and it is of course hard to drop $700 on something that you hve never even seen actually. My own process was that of A/B ing every cabinet that I could at the music stores, and my own impression was that of those avaiable, the EV SXA 100 (around $ 600) was actually the niceest sounding, so I bought them, but then I ordered one of these from an online dealer, and when it came, it totally sounded better than the EV cabinet totally, and i was able to take the EV cabinets back (all except for one that I got stuck with), and I bought the Yorkville instead. Again, the thing was the warmth. I am mostly interested in folk/ acoustic music, not head banging rock, so I was looking for "pleasant sounding" equipment. And I have been very pleased.

I have used them as stand alone cabinets like I said for acoustic music, as mains and monitors for acoustic groups, and as monitor cabinets for guitar, bass, and drums. I got into trouble one night trying to run my electronic drums through one cabinet on a stage with a couple or other guys, and that was a horrible night, and I ended up with a damaged cabinet, where the highs go out sometimes now... so that one is in the shop, but that is the only trouble I have ever had, and as I say, it was a horrible night...(I ended up denting in the side of my van too...) I would not be surprised at all if I did something wrong.

Again, since I know that there are better sounding units out there (costing a lot more of course), I am not going to give # 10 ratings, but these cabinets sound great for the price point and I have done some testing, although there are others that sound really good too... notable the FB Maxx line.

Cabinet is well designed... the single handle is certainly adequate, and the cabinet over all is well ballanced for carrying... and really does set up well either flat on a floor or up on a pole (pole mounts included), or over on it's side for use as a front monitor.

I have 6 of these cabinets, and I have used them in a variety of ways. Usually when I play it is everything DI'ed to the PA, and using the same cabinet for a front and for a monitor gives me an opportunity to hear pretty close on stage what is going on in the house send anyhow... (usually I just use the same mix for both, and usually mix from stage) I have had no complaints. I have two older Mackie Powered Subs that I use with them when I need to, but I do not often feel the need to. Again, I am not doing chest thumping bone crushing music, nor do I wish to. I have never had any complaint from anyone when using these speakers. Yorkville has bigger ones and they must be totally killer... like moving up into the elite line... but that is for bigger or louder things than I want to do... If I have to use anything bigger than these, I want enough money to pay someone else to carry them.