I like to review gear. Sometimes I buy the gear. In the case of the EV ZLX12P speaker, I bought two. The Bluetooth version of this speaker is on sale for $350, a steal. And the non-bluetooth version is being discontinued, and you can find them as low as $299, which is a mega-steal. GRAB THEM if you need them.
The Good
To my ears, this is the best under $500 powered PA speaker on the market. Better sounding than the Mackie Thump series, better than the JBL EON, which I do like. It excels at vocals but it’s pretty good at music, too. Crisp is the word I’d use to describe it. Also, these speakers are about 34 pounds each. When you move up the EV line, you end up with wood enclosures that are a lot heavier. As an older guy with a semi-bad shoulder, 34 pounds is as heavy as I want to go. They’re also capable of getting pretty loud. You could use these as band mains in a small club. They also make very good monitor speakers. They’ve got built-in eq for various configs, and the ability to customize them to work with subs. Great onboard software. I love these speakers.
The Bad
If you want to crank music through these speakers, plan on adding a sub. The low end ain’t the greatest. This is also the case with most under $500 powered 12 inch woofer speakers. But you’re not going to “feel the kick drum” with these things. I have a powered 12 inch EV sub that I use. If you want low end, get something similar. Also, these speakers will likely get pretty marked up with use. Covers might be a good idea.
The Ugly
These speakers are supposedly 1,000 watts. No way in hell are they 1,000 watts. I’d say they’re likely half of that. I hate modern marketing. These are 500 watt speakers. C’mon, now. But Mackie does it, too. They all do it. Also, if you’re doing live sound, I wouldn’t recommend using Bluetooth as your connection. Too much can go wrong. Seriously.
Conclusion
If you need a lightweight powered speaker with a 12 inch woofer for under $500, this is IMHO the best choice.
