Hierarchy of Speakers

A while ago there was a post asking about a hierarchy of speakers

https://www.reddit.com/hmo75zu?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=2

now I've taken the top response and updated it, however I may have missed something so if you have any updates let me know in the comments

So low-end they’re a joke:

• Rockville
• Alto TX
• Harbinger
• Samson
• Seismic Audio
• Peavey
• Anything from Behringer
• Mackie Thrash

MI-grade super-low-end:

• JBL JRX
• JBL IRX
• Yamaha BR, CBR
• Alto TS
• Mackie Thump
• LD Systems

In this category but way too expensive

• Any of the PreSonus shit
• dB Tech

MI-grade low-end (Use for Monitors but be grumpy about it)

• Most from Yorkville
• Mackie SRM, SRT
• JBL EON
• Yamaha Club Series

MI-grade low-end but actually worth buying

• EV ZLX
• Turbosound Milan
• Yamaha DBR
• RCF ART 300
• EV SX
• QSC CP

JBL EONs and EV ZLX are pretty common as throw-around speakers for small to medium size sound companies.

MI-grade Mid-Level:

• QSC E
• EV ZX
• EV ELX
• Mackie DLM/DRM (they’re priced in this category but nobody who’s actually a pro buys them)
• Turbosound iX
• Yamaha CHR/DHR
• Yamaha DXR
• RCF ART 700 - these don't really make sense now that ART 900 exists (although I'm on UK pricing)
• RCF HD
• EV EKX
• QSC K - common throw around speaker for larger companies
• JBL PRX
• Turbosound iQ

MI-grade “Pro Level”:

• Yamaha DZR
• RCF ART 900
• JBL SRX
• QSC KW
• EV ETX

MI-grade mid or “pro” level stuff is likely to be in the rental stock of medium and large sound companies for simple rentals or small shows.

There’s a price point here where you can order it online without going through a dealer, but it probably makes sense to get it through a dealer:

• JBL VRX
• QSC KLA
• EV TX/QRX
• RCF NX

This is small sound company territory, or the C rig for a larger company.

Above MI-grade (AKA you need to buy through a dealer) but not quite top of the line pro touring:

• Renkus-Heinz (meh)
• Fulcrum Acoustics
• FBT
• RCF HDL
• WorxAudio (now PreSonus Commercial Division)
• EV has some line array products in this tier
• EAW
• Clair Bros
• Community
• Danley
• Nexo
• TT+ audio (RCF new high end)

Small to medium sound company, or B rig for a larger regional sound company. Higher end Nexo and Martin rigs do end up out on tours, Nexo is bigger outside the US

Pro Touring:

• JBL VTX
• Adamson
• Clair
• Martin
• L-Acoustics
• d&b audiotechnik
• Meyer Sound

Large regional providers, touring companies, high-end venues, etc. L-A, d&b, and Meyer are the “big three”.

A few things I left out:

• DAS Audio have various product lines that fit in somewhere throughout these categories, but I’m not familiar enough with their product lines
• Many manufacturers have installation-specific product lines that I’ve excluded (EV EVH for example)
• Nobody gives a shit about column arrays so I left them out
• Leaving out Funktion-One and Void for obvious reasons