After careful consideration of quality, sound, reliability and overall sales (Popularity), we have come up with what we think are the best DJ & PA speakers available under $500.
Being on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t get great quality speakers. If you’re curious about the best DJ or PA speakers under $500, today we are taking a look at some of the best options.
QSC CP12 & CP8 POWERED LOUDSPEAKER with 12″ or 8″ woofer.
The right sound “tool” for the job! For under $500!
In 2019 QSC introduced the world to the little sibling of its legendary K series, the CP series. When first announced the industry was extremely excited (And I think caught a little off guard). This was the first entry into this class for such a well-known and respected speaker brand. This post should help you to understand why it is one of the best powered speakers under $500!
Let’s start out with the basic specifications direct from QSC that everyone wants to know. “The first thing you will notice about the CP Series is its compact design – every line, angle, and curve working harmoniously to present a stylish, yet rugged, appearance. Inside, CP is equipped with a highly-efficient, 1000-watt power amplifier, matching transducers, and advanced DSP, delivering performance beyond expectations for a loudspeaker of this size.”
What do we think?
These are fantastic powered speakers! They can be used by DJs, musicians or anyone who needs portable sound with uncompromising reliability and performance. Some applications that they are perfect for?
- Small to medium-sized events (say, up to about 120 people).
- Musicians or bands for small to medium-sized gigs.
- Houses of worship, retail, or lounges/bars where larger systems may not be necessary.
For example, we had a high-end nightclub with an outdoor patio where they needed to leave speakers during the warmer months. The catch? They didn’t want it as loud as inside. They were already using the K series for their mains inside. It only made sense for them to wall mount 2 CP8s and then leave outdoor covers on them to protect them from the elements. This solved their issue for less money. It also met their needs, and they were still able to purchase a brand name that they trusted.
Another key area of importance is the weight of the CP series compared to the K series. CP8 is a mere 20lbs and the CP12 is only 30lbs. This is a big difference from the 27lbs of the K8.2 & 39lbs on the K12.2. That’s a 20-25% decrease in weight! When you don’t need all that power, why kill your back? For someone who gigs 2+ times a week, that’s 4 trips with less weight each time. These are important things to consider when choosing a new set of speakers. For the aging DJ, it’s that much more important!
Choosing the right tool
The QSC CP series is a great example of having the right “Tool” for the job. If you were a carpenter would you only have 1 saw? Then why only have 1 sound system? It hurts my heart when I see a DJ roll up to a ninety person communion with a pair of 15″ tops and 18″ bottoms. Why kill yourself when the acoustics in the room just don’t call for it? Why take the chance of blasting out your crowd or having them be unhappy with the sound? Just food for thought for people who have “One size fits all” systems for every event. While it may work to get you started, a true professional company will have several options. Then you can choose what best fits the sound of the room they are in.
All in all, the customer feedback on the QSC CP series has been overwhelmingly positive and the applications in which they can be used are still expanding every day. Just know that if you’re purchasing a QSC CP series speaker from idjnow.com that you’re purchasing a quality item with an amazing warranty (Up to 6 years) and backed by a great team of people and dealers like us. It is highly recommended and no doubt is one of the top DJ, PA, or live sound powered speakers for under $500 today!
Mackie Thump15A & Thump12a
Booming bass and smart design make Mackie a real contender! All for under $500!
2019 was also the first year for the newest (and best ever) version of a staple in this category, the Mackie Thump series, now boasting a 1300 watt peak amplifier rating. From Mackie direct here’s their overview: “Delivering proven, chest-thumping low-end in an extremely affordable package; the 1300W Thump15A 15″ Powered Loudspeaker has been redesigned from the ground up to sound better than ever. Thump features an all-new amplifier design with Dynamic Bass Response for chest-thumping low end. Plus, the flexible built-in 2-channel mixer features Vita preamps with Wide-Z technology that handle mic, instrument or line signals with ease. Application-specific speaker modes let you dial in the system at the push of a button. And with an all-new professional enclosure and robust system protection, you can walk into your next gig with confidence.”
When I first saw these in person, I was immediately impressed by the “Look”. The older versions had started to look dated with a rounder, less attractive design. These new “A” versions have a sleek, aggressive wedge style. This is more modern and desired by today’s consumers and their clients. The new wedge-style design also allows for more flexibility. They can be easily floor mounted and used as a monitor for live sound applications. This makes them more enticing to bands, musicians, and theatrical environments. This broadens their value with just a change in the cabinet design. Also, if you’re a DJ, now you’ve got a set of speakers that can be used for something other than “doing a party”. Get a 2nd set and now you’ve got a small PA system to rent out for live shows!
Going more in-depth
I then of course turned the speaker around to check out the back and what was going on there. Again I was pretty impressed by what I saw. 4 built-in speaker modes allow for easy “Dialing in” equalizer settings based on application. The built-in mixer was pretty slick too allowing for 2 XLR or 1/4 inputs and 1 of the same for output. Considering this is an entry-level pro speaker, I wasn’t expecting to see all of those features. I’m fairly skeptical by nature I figured “OK, where’s the catch?” I have heard so many speakers not live up to their “specs”. Instead, I just want to hear it and let my ears tell me what I need to know.
So we plugged in an audio source and pumped through several different styles of music. I have to say that I was VERY impressed with both the output and overall sound quality of this speaker. The “Thump” series has always been designed specifically to produce a great low end, even when placed on speaker poles. The new version is no different. I will always say that a proper sound system consists of tops and bottoms. This gives you the best overall balance, output, and sound quality.
How’s the performance?
If you are someone who just wants 2 speakers then you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how well these perform. Now can they handle the larger rooms all by themselves? I would say no. If you have a crowd size up to about 150 people (Depending on the room) these actually will do well. They are pretty impressive for the price. They are also lightweight, so check that box as well. You wouldn’t think it was so easily portable by listening to it.
The Mackie Thump series was given a sorely-needed overhaul. In our opinion, Mackie did a great job. If you’re looking for your first set of pro speakers or expanding from a solo to multi-operator this is a great set to have for the everyday party. For musicians or bands, it’s a great road-worthy speaker that is flexible. You can’t beat the sub-woofers and flying options available as well! These are easily on my list of one of the best powered speaker series available today. I absolutely think the Mackie Thumps series is one of the best-powered speakers you can buy for under $500!
Electro Voice ZLX15-BT & ZLX12-BT
One of the best sellers, now with Bluetooth! And still for under $500!
Ever since its initial release, the Electro Voice ZLX series has taken the industry by storm offering a tremendous amount of power and features under $500. The newest version which now includes Bluetooth is no different and only enhances what has been done in the past. Here is a quote from EV: “Now with Bluetooth-enabled wireless audio streaming, legendary ZLX performance becomes even more convenient with the ability to connect to any mobile device for streaming your music library. Featuring custom drivers housed in an innovative cabinet design, the two new wireless, compact, and versatile ZLX models make EV’s renowned sound quality and rugged reliability more accessible than ever before.”
If you didn’t already know, Electro Voice is owned by Bosch which is world renowned for their quality control process and only selling the highest quality available at its respective price point. ZLX-BT is the epitome of this spirit, as you get an extremely versatile, great sounding and high quality pro loudspeaker for under $500. I still remember the first time I heard the original prototype way back in the mid 2010s, I honestly couldn’t believe how much sound was coming out of it. It looked kind of like a QSC K12 so before they told us the price, we guessed in the K12 price point range (Although we could tell it was engineered to come in at a lower price point) however we were shocked when they told us “$499”.
A ton of value
I vividly remember this day. From that point forward this speaker series has been a work horse. It has been used and depended on by mobile musicians everywhere! Now, with the addition of the wireless Bluetooth for streaming, ZLX takes it to another level. And all for the same amazing price.
So who is this particular speaker best for? The ZLX-BT series is perfect for the mobile DJ, musician or any other type of situation where you need portable sound to cover a large area. From my own personal experience, I can say you can easily cover 125-150 people with either the 12″ or 15″ models in a medium sized room and you won’t have to worry about clipping or not being heard. My ears always tell me what I need to know about any speaker that I hear and I have always been pleased with the sound quality of Electro Voice speakers and the way they’re tuned.
True to EV quality
The ZLX-BT series is no different with a very crisp, clear sound a good balanced low end. That being said, I personally prefer the 12″ tops paired with the ELX200 18″ sub in larger rooms or the ELX200 12″ sub in smaller rooms so I have the most balanced sound possible, so keep that in mind as you expand. The great thing about the Electro Voice brand of powered speakers is that it can easily be upgraded or expanded in conjunction with their other series of speakers like ELX, EKX & ETX.
Overall The ZLX-BT series from Electro Voice is by far one of the best powered DJ or PA speakers you can buy for under $500! Between the feature set (1000 watt, bluetooth, high quality components, proven reliability) and sound quality this is a great speaker and would be perfect set for anyone looking for portable sound reinforcement for a multitude of applications from DJ to live sound to retail the list goes on but this series can handle it!
Final Thoughts.
When you’re starting as a DJ it’s important to get a sound system that you’ll be able to grow with a bit, that said we don’t recommend purchasing the “Cheapest” speakers you can find. The reason we chose the $500 price threshold? It’s because all of the speakers mentioned above are professional grade and will allow you to start a DJ business and do parties up to around 150 people (depending on room size). If you’re not able to do parties up to that size, you’re really wasting your money on speakers because many events will have that many people or more.
By choosing a great set of speakers like these from QSC, Mackie, or Electro-Voice you’re buying infrastructure for your business that will allow you to scale and grow to the next level. When you get there, you’ll still have a great set of speakers to use for other applications that will last you for years to come.
Questions or comments, please leave them in the comment section below, or feel free to contact us directly. Let us know how we can help and check out our coaching sessions and DJ instructors.