Electro-Voice has been in the industry for almost a hundred years, coming out of the economy’s greatest and darkest eras. They started when radio waves were the newer and more accurate way of spreading news and other forms of entertainment. Electro-Voice was born out of necessity, as many of the greater inventions of that time. The name came from a remark by a football coach for whom the earlier version of the company serviced in 1930. Since then, it has been producing top of the line speakers with a fair amount of good reviews and outstanding performance.
Electro-voice ELX118P Reviewed
First of all, here are the specifications of the particular speaker we have. This speaker is 26.02 inches in height, 19.98 inches wide, and has a depth of 22.6 inches. It weighs 68.9 pounds. Its low-frequency transducer is an 18-inch woofer, which I learned is a fancy way to call a bass-focused speaker. It has an omnidirectional coverage. It runs on 700 watts, which easily makes it one of the coolest (pun intended) speakers in the market.
It is enclosed in a 9-ply plywood case that is 15 mm thick. It is internally braced and has textured paint. The steel grille is colored black and powder coated. It has one handle on either side for easier transportation and handling. The back panel is not complicated, with only three sets of controls and the main power source and power switch. These sets are labeled Input, Link Output, and controls for the subwoofer and the speaker itself. Every purchase comes with a subwoofer and a stand.
Care and Maintenance
The speaker isn’t waterproof. The manual specifically said only to use a soft, dry cloth when cleaning. It is also not advised to use the speaker in a wet environment and near heat sources. Since it will only be used in a building, I guess it’ll be fine.
I do an extra step when it comes to cleaning the speakers, though. I don’t let dust accumulate on the inside of the grille. I regularly take off the steel grille, maybe once a month, and vacuum the inside part of the grille. I also brush off any dust that might have been stuck to the grille. Otherwise, the speaker is very much low maintenance, and I am thankful for that.
Review
Our auditorium can pack two hundred people sitting side by side. The ELX 118P is perfect for this particular setting. Even with just one speaker, someone sitting in the back row can hear through the speaker clearly. Feedback is less frequent as well. The audio is clear.
We tried using it while it is on the floor. However, it didn’t sound as great as it was on the stand. Now it is a permanent fixture on the accompanying stand with the purchase. The sound doesn’t shatter upon conveyance of the speaker. It also does not overheat as promised.
The ELX 118P is very much at home in our auditorium. It provides excellent acoustics and delivery of messages. The design fits in as well. Having white walls can be a little bland, so a black speaker that breaks the monotonous façade is a good touch.
We did have to purchase another speaker so that the sound can be balanced on all sides of the room. A huge speaker in the middle of the room does not look nice at all, especially for promotional photos and actual use. I also don’t like how it looks on a stand, so we are looking for ways to perch it atop a shelf. We have to take its weight and performance into consideration. It is more of a preference for how the speaker looks in conjunction with the room’s aesthetic.
All facts considered, the speaker is a masterpiece. I don’t know how the performance will be in the long run, but so far, I am loving what the EV ELX118P brings to our meetings and seminars.
Pros and Cons
The pros are that it can cover a large area thanks to its omnidirectional coverage. The sounds are not just blasted out of the speaker but instead spilled out smoothly. The audio is pleasant to the ears.
I just have to work around the aesthetics of the speaker within the auditorium. As I said, it is a personal preference. It is in no way an impediment to the speaker’s performance, except when it is placed in only one corner of the room. That is one con that I have to overcome.
Conclusion
I recently found out that having a long history does not guarantee a satisfactory product. However, that is not the case with Electro-Voice. It isn’t one of those run-off-the-mill speakers with all focus on quantity and no regard for quality. This is truly a worthy purchase and even more deserving of high praise. I highly recommend it.
FAQ: Frequent questions
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Electro-voice ELX118P
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