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Thread: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

  1. #1

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    Default Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    In a never ending quest to simplify my band’s set-up (or at least make things lighter and more compact), I pulled the trigger last week on a new PA system. After months of research and contemplation, I ended up with a Turbosound iP2000 column array and a Yamaha MG20XU digital mixer. The goal (hope?) is to be able to play 95% of our gigs using as simple of a setup as possible. We typically only mic our vocals and run guitars straight out of the amps. On rare occasion, I’ll mic my kick and hang one mic overhead to pick up the toms. Since most of our gigs are venues of 100 people or less, we’ve never had the need for mic’ing all the instruments.
    Our current PA consists of a cheap 2x400W powered mixer with one channel running a pair of 12” mains and the other running (3) 10” monitors. For being a cheap Behringer mixer, it has performed above expectations for 4 years.
    The concept behind the column array is 120 degree horizontal and only 30 degree vertical sound projection. The claim is the projection naturally resists feedback and enables the column to be placed on stage, thereby eliminating the need for monitors. You hear exactly what the audience hears. In addition, the forward projection provides much less reduction in sound level over distance. They claim that the sound is the same regardless of where you are in the room.

    THE iP2000 initial review;
    When I first received it....it sounded terrible, LOL. Almost no low-end. After messing around, I determined that the sub-woofer module was not working. I shipped it back (just the sub) on Wednesday, and today I received the replacement. I tested it out by streaming music from my iPhone via Bluetooth directly to the column. WOW. Just WOW. I expected a lot, but it still blew me away. The unit has its own intuitive sound processor, and the clarity and balance was fantastic. The Bluetooth feature to stream music direct is awesome...but you can also control the mix from anywhere via your phone. Sweet. At 1000W and 123Db, it’s more than enough for anything we do. If you have 2 of them, you can link them together via Bluetooth as well. It’s light...like 60Lbs, and takes all of 30 seconds to assemble and you’re ready to plug & play. It has 2 input channels (one of which we’ll plug our board into.

    In the next few weeks, I’ll try it out with full microphones and test the feedback resistance. Even if I end up needing monitors, I don’t care. It sounds so much better than our current system and would eliminate (2) heavy 12” mains, speaker stands and cords. If it doesn’t feedback (and I can go without monitors or even just one monitor), I’ll be ecstatic. I may even run the acoustic instruments through the board and eliminate having to haul 2 other guitar amps.
    I’ll keep you all updated.
    67328FC6-5639-49AF-BAF6-D6736E42773C.jpg
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    We hot wired our singers butts and we played a little louder. Worked great. We did have to be careful because rain and/or a puddle and we had sopranos.

    2 car batteries and we were good.
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    Looks a little like the Bose system PA.................................we used to play through the Bose at a local club and, as long as you kept the sound at a reasonable level, it all worked well.
    I can't say many good things about the club-owner so we don't play there anymore -- although his wife will call and ask to play every few months.................answer is still no.

    Our band just bought some PA gear and we went the opposite route -- 2 big 18 sub cabinets and 4 full-range 12s/horns........................a conventional 24 channel board.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  4. #4

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    Default Re: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    It’s basically one of the new competitors of the Bose systems. The main difference is it’s double the power and 1/2 the price. Streaming music in the warehouse at my work and running sound at a gig are two different things, so we’ll see how it does. We’ve never had to really push our old 800W system at any gig, so I’m confident this will be adequate for what we do.
    I do have a Carvin 1200W, 18” powered sub that I can run if needed.
    I’m also looking forward to trying out the 20 channel Yamaha board. I’ll have enough XLR inputs to mic everything if we need to, and the Yamaha pre-amps should be much cleaner than the cheap mixer we have now.
    I’m glad we don’t require the large sound system for the gigs we play. I can haul everything we need in my Aerostar mini-van....PA, drums, amps...everything.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    UPDATE-

    Well....the Turbosound colum array didn’t work out. Here’s the play-by-play;
    When it first arrived, the Sub woofer didn’t work. STRIKE ONE. I shipped it back (just the sub) and they sent a new one. It worked well and the system sounded awesome....at least playing recorded music.
    We tried it for a gig and had distortion issues with the tweeter. Mostly when someone really pushed their voice in the mic (all we run through the PA is vocals). In addition, we were trying to use it without monitors (as advertised). Feedback was not a problem at low to medium sound levels, but anywhere past about 50% max volume and it would feed back. It was bad enough that we had to stop after the first song and change it out for the house PA system. STRIKE TWO.
    I wasn’t too worried...I figured it was just that we didn’t have the gain levels set right and we needed to do some experimenting to figure it out. The next weekend, I stopped at GC and bought 2 Harbinger 12” 600W powered speakers to use as monitors. They were on sale for $149 each. Several of us then spent Saturday afternoon doing some testing. We tried multiple different settings and configurations. No matter what we did, we could never eliminate the tweeter distortion completely. We determined that there was something wrong with the tweeter itself. STRIKE THREE.
    Then...we hooked up the crappy $300 pair of 12” Harbingers. Did they sound as good as the hi-tech $1000 Turbosound? No....but pretty darn close. In fact, close enough that everyone’s first thought was “We just wasted $700”. STRIKE FOUR.

    Long story made short; I returned the Turbosound IP2000 for full credit and for the exact same money purchased a pair of these;
    DB52D7F2-4E13-4BC9-8FE9-236266EC00ED.jpg

    We now have a system comprised of a Yamaha MG20XU mixer, (2) Yamaha DBR12 mains and (2) Harbinger V2212’s for monitors. We used this setup for our last gig, and it worked great. The sound out front AND on stage was excellent. We had way more volume at our disposal than we could ever use. There were zero feedback issues. I feel great knowing that the board and mains are Yamaha. That said, I’m extremely impressed with the sound of the super-cheap Harbingers. How long they will last, I don’t know. But..they have a 2yr “no questions asked/no fault” free replacement warranty. As long as GC stays in business, I’m in good shape, LOL.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    Quote Originally Posted by N2Bluz View Post
    UPDATE-

    Well....the Turbosound colum array didn’t work out. Here’s the play-by-play;
    When it first arrived, the Sub woofer didn’t work. STRIKE ONE. I shipped it back (just the sub) and they sent a new one. It worked well and the system sounded awesome....at least playing recorded music.
    We tried it for a gig and had distortion issues with the tweeter. Mostly when someone really pushed their voice in the mic (all we run through the PA is vocals). In addition, we were trying to use it without monitors (as advertised). Feedback was not a problem at low to medium sound levels, but anywhere past about 50% max volume and it would feed back. It was bad enough that we had to stop after the first song and change it out for the house PA system. STRIKE TWO.
    I wasn’t too worried...I figured it was just that we didn’t have the gain levels set right and we needed to do some experimenting to figure it out. The next weekend, I stopped at GC and bought 2 Harbinger 12” 600W powered speakers to use as monitors. They were on sale for $149 each. Several of us then spent Saturday afternoon doing some testing. We tried multiple different settings and configurations. No matter what we did, we could never eliminate the tweeter distortion completely. We determined that there was something wrong with the tweeter itself. STRIKE THREE.
    Then...we hooked up the crappy $300 pair of 12” Harbingers. Did they sound as good as the hi-tech $1000 Turbosound? No....but pretty darn close. In fact, close enough that everyone’s first thought was “We just wasted $700”. STRIKE FOUR.

    Long story made short; I returned the Turbosound IP2000 for full credit and for the exact same money purchased a pair of these;
    DB52D7F2-4E13-4BC9-8FE9-236266EC00ED.jpg

    We now have a system comprised of a Yamaha MG20XU mixer, (2) Yamaha DBR12 mains and (2) Harbinger V2212’s for monitors. We used this setup for our last gig, and it worked great. The sound out front AND on stage was excellent. We had way more volume at our disposal than we could ever use. There were zero feedback issues. I feel great knowing that the board and mains are Yamaha. That said, I’m extremely impressed with the sound of the super-cheap Harbingers. How long they will last, I don’t know. But..they have a 2yr “no questions asked/no fault” free replacement warranty. As long as GC stays in business, I’m in good shape, LOL.
    ...........................and I remember the days when the singer sang through a guitar amp, the drums weren't mic'd, and by the end of our run, there were 8 mic's around my drums.
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    Yep, this whole ordeal was more about trying to simplify our setup and not so much about sound improvement.
    Less to carry, less to fit in the van, etc..
    We ended up going from a 8 channel powered mixer and passive speakers to a 20 channel passive mixer and powered speakers. Overall, it’s actually still less weight. The sound quality and flexibility are vastly improved.

    I’ve been around sound equipment for a long time (but not as long as you have). It’s amazing how much it’s advanced. All the racks of super heavy amps, different effects units...yet the good old vintage tube amp and old guitars are still sought after. Vintage drums too...
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    Quote Originally Posted by N2Bluz View Post
    It’s basically one of the new competitors of the Bose systems. The main difference is it’s double the power and 1/2 the price.
    I saw that as the first red flag...……………...then you gave four strikes...……………….ouch.
    Feedback without monitors...…………...not supposed to happen.
    Glad you found an option that worked out.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  9. #9

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    Default Re: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    ...........................and I remember the days when the singer sang through a guitar amp, the drums weren't mic'd, and by the end of our run, there were 8 mic's around my drums.
    So true

    Like cars, TV's, appliances, etc...technology has taken something very simple such as music and made it complicated.

    all the best...

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    Quote Originally Posted by Ricardo View Post
    I saw that as the first red flag...……………...then you gave four strikes...……………….ouch.
    Feedback without monitors...…………...not supposed to happen.
    Glad you found an option that worked out.
    In all, I think it would have worked for most all the small venue gigs. It really did sound incredibly full and natural. If you were a DJ or had a solo, duet or some other type of low-key act, I think it would be awesome. It’s also possible if we had 2 of them and not had to push it so hard, it would have been fine. By itself, it put out impressive volume for what it was.
    The real killer was having the sub not working straight out of the box, then have the tweeter give issues.
    On a side note, those el-cheap-o Harbingers......wow. We were all blown away by the sound. For $149 each (on sale) it was insult to injury. I would recommend them to anyone for use as back-up extras, rehearsal space, extra monitors or whatever. Heck, even outdoor gigs that you don’t want to use you high dollar speakers for. It never hurts to have a few extra speakers laying around just in case.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Initial Review; Turbosound iP2000 column PA

    We had anywhere from 4-6 Marshall's on stage. Most of the time only 2 were actually "on", the rest were for show.

    If you crank 6 Marshalls up and a Hammond B-3 with a Leslie up and you would have a scene like the landing in Close Encounters with windows being blown out and people would start their sentences with "what did you say?"
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

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