HK Audio Elias PX

A good-quality PA can make all the difference between an OK sound and a great one, but finding something that suits your needs, budget and car space can be a challenge. Many of today's portable rigs combine smaller satellite speakers with subs to keep the overall size down and to keep the weight of the individual components manageable. And providing all the speakers have their own power amps built in (as opposed to all the power amps being in the sub, for example), you have a certain amount of flexibility as to what you take with you for smaller gigs. For example, you could take one sub instead of two, or where the tops can handle full-range material you might get away with just the tops, as long as you don't plan to put kick drum and bass guitar through the system.

HK Audio's Elias PX system is designed very much along the lines just described, comprising two powered EPX 112 A mid/high tops with 12-inch main drivers and one-inch HF 60 x 40 degree Constant Directivity horns, underpinned by two EPX 115 Sub A active subwoofers. The tops, which also include integrated flying points, are powered by a conventional (as opposed to Class-D) amplifier delivering 400W RMS to the two drivers (a SICA 12-inch and SICA compression driver) via a 2kHz, 2nd order passive crossover system. And the circuitry includes a built-in soft-knee Opto Limiter to help protect the drivers without affecting the sound as much as a conventional limiter might.

HK's own DuoTilt pole-mounting sockets are fitted to the bottom of the birch ply cabinets for 7.5 degrees or 15 degrees downward-tilted pole mounting. The drivers are protected by a metal grille covered with a thin layer of acoustic foam. Handles are cut into the woodwork, which means there's nothing to work loose or rattle, and the trapezoid shape allows them to fit in the back of your car with one facing backwards and one facing forwards so they don't take up too much width. Zip-up padded transit bags are also available for both the tops and subs.

A switch on the back of the EPX 112 speaker selects between full-range and satellite operation (essentially a low-cut filter for when using with a sub), where the full-range frequency response is 130Hz — 19kHz within 3dB and a -10dB point of 90Hz. This makes them suitable for vocals and non-bass instruments when used without the subs. The maximum SPL is 128dB for 10% THD at one metre, so they can produce plenty of level. Connection is via balanced XLR, with a second XLR providing a link-through connection to feed another active speaker. The overall dimensions are 39 x 45 x 58.5cm, but bear in mind that the cabinet tapers to around half that width at the rear, so they take up less space than you might think.

Powering the 15-inch EPX 115 subwoofer is an integrated power amp, again delivering 400W RMS, and HK's DynaClip limiter (specifically designed for low-frequency use) is built in to afford a welcome degree of driver protection. This time, the driver is built by Eminence. Birch ply is again the main cabinet material, and there's an M20 pole-mount adaptor built into the top of the cabinet. Four 100mm blue wheels are fitted to the bottom to make transport as painless as possible.

Internally, the cabinet has a separate compartment for the power amps and active circuitry, where the main bulk of cabinet loads the 8Ω woofer, and the same steel grille and foam speaker covering is used as on the tops. A frequency response of 48Hz — 130Hz for the -3dB points is quoted below, which the low end rolls off very steeply, being -10dB at 47Hz. This steep roll-off prevents the drivers being overtaxed reproducing unnecessarily low frequencies. Maximum SPL is quoted as 126dB for 10% THD at one metre.

The system also incorporates something HK call Optimised Frequency Response Technology, which adapts the system EQ to the operating level, which I interpret as applying a degree of low cut at high operating levels to help the mid-range to project and to take some of the load off the drivers at the extremes of the frequency range. The little Fohhn system I use mainly for acoustic gigs has a similar feature, and the way the response changes pretty much balances the way our hearing changes at different SPLs, while getting the most level out of the system, so it's a useful feature to include.

Both rear panels on the EPX 112 A and the 115 Sub A have linked input and output XLR connections, a ground lift button and a Gain control. The 112 A speaker also has a Mode switch for changing between full-range and satellite operation.

On the rear panel of the EPX 112 A is a mains inlet, a power switch with adjacent power LED, and a red Mode slide-switch so the unit can be used in full-range mode or as a satellite in combination with the subwoofer. A ground lift button is provided for countering ground loops should they occur, where the signal ground is lifted when the switch is active. We experienced a buzz at one venue, which was fixed by using the ground lift. Male and female XLRs handle the input and linking functions (they are wired together, so either could be an input or an output), and there's a Gain control that is normally left in its mid position when used with the sub. A small fan cools the power amps, so the vents for this must be kept free of obstructions, and there's an automatic circuit breaker that takes the place of the usual fuse. This can be reset by pushing it back in. There's also a neat plastic cable cleat that can be used to prevent the power cord being accidentally pulled out.

The subs also have linked input and output XLRs, gain controls and fan cooling for the amplifiers. The necessary low-pass filtering for the sub is built in, so in this system you simply set the tops for satellite operation and then feed a full-range signal to both tops and subs. A starting point of 12 o'clock for the gain controls gives the correct balance of top and sub, though this can be adjusted to taste or to suit the room characteristics.

I tried out the system at three different venues, the first two using only the tops set to full-range mode and handling only vocals and non-bass instruments. The largest venue was a hotel ballroom, where I put the speakers on their shallowest tilt angle to get the longest throw. Clean power wasn't a problem and in most venues feedback will impose a level ceiling before the capability of the system does, though I felt the sound lacked just a bit of low-end warmth. Intelligibility was very good, though, with a crisp high end that fell short of being aggressive. I think HK have come up with a reasonable compromise between throw and coverage, though in setups where the speakers are set up wide apart, the coverage at the centre near the front can suffer a little because of the fairly tight 60 x 40 degree horn coverage pattern. But that's a fair trade-off if you want to give the folks at the back a fair share of the action.

The main test used the full system with the subs and the tops set to satellite mode. We set up the rig in the acoustic tent for Malvern's West Fest one-day event, though it wasn't limited to acoustic music — it also had to cope with electric bass, kick drum and a Roland V-Drum kit, as well as more genteel material. The good thing about doing a PA test at an outdoor event or in a tent is that the acoustics of the venue are less likely to be a distracting factor. This time, speech came across with just the right balance of low-end warmth, while the bass end was nice and solid with little evidence of the boomy overhang you often get from budget subs that are highly tuned to accentuate kick drum frequencies. In fact, the only negative point, given the price range of the system, relates to the DuoTilt mounting sockets, which offer two downward angles, but no straight-ahead option. In the long tent we were using, the shallowest tilt setting was still too steep (we were limited on how high we could get the speakers, so had them at around 7ft) and left the horns pointing at the knees of the audience around one third of the way up the floor. I can't imagine using the steeper 15-degree setting in many places, so a flat/7.5-degree option would have suited me far better [Update: the DuoTilt geometry has since been amended to offer a 3- or 7-degree angle].

That little issue aside, the sound came over as well balanced, with a very respectable resistance to feedback and none of that tubby sound at the back of the speakers that you often experience with budget plastic designs. The kick drum was deep and punchy without sounding flabby and the mid-range was also well covered, which is particularly important when working with acoustic instruments and voices. Some of the sub and top systems I've tried have tended towards being all 'tizz and boom', but the Elias PX is very capable right across the audio spectrum. Close up, the high end can sound a hint hard, but it projects well and sounds about right at typical listening distances. Tested with recorded music, the sound also comes across as clean and well balanced, and while not quite as tight and transparent-sounding as some of the really esoteric systems out there, I have no complaints at all given the price range we're looking at.

I have to admit to not being totally sold on the sound of the Elias tops used on their own, due to some lack of low-end warmth, though in smaller venues where you don't need to amplify the bass instruments they deliver bags of level with good vocal clarity, so a little overall EQ would balance them up well enough to satisfy most listeners. Add the subs, though, and you have a very capable full-range setup that offers noticeably better clarity and balance than typical plastic-box systems, and that should be able to cope with the majority of venues where bands are expected to bring their own PA.

This system is very loud for a 1.6kW rig and projects well, though its tight directivity means you have to be careful with the speaker placement in small venues. The Premium Pro MA monitor we used with the Elias PX also works extremely well (see box), being almost a small PA speaker in its own right, and its sound balance matched that of the system perfectly, though I'd like to see a 10-inch alternative with a little less bass extension and a cabinet design offering a choice of baffle angles.

There are very few complaints relating to the Elias PX system at the price, though a no-tilt speaker-mounting hole would have been appreciated. Setup is very simple and the speakers are as small as you can reasonably expect a 12-inch top and 15-inch sub to be, though the optional transit bags are highly recommended, as it is otherwise quite easy to damage the foam grille covering in transit, and while the controls are recessed, they could also get knocked. In all, it's a very competent and practical system that can be scaled to fit different venues. While I'd prefer not to use the tops without the subs, they still throw out plenty of level, and the fact that each component houses its own electronics means you can use any combination of tops and subs to suit the occasion. 0

Premium Pro 12MA active monitors

HK also lent us a pair of Premium Pro 12MA active monitors, which are nominally rated at 300W, but employ fan-cooled Class-D amplifier technology capable of driving up to 600W, so that an additional passive 8Ω speaker can be powered via a Speakon connector on the right-hand side. There's an in-built limiter to protect the drivers, which comprise a 12-inch woofer teamed with a one-inch HF horn, giving a combined 78Hz — 19kHz frequency response. Both drivers are again built by SICA and seem to be identical to the ones in the Elias PX top boxes, with the same 40 x 60 degree horn coverage and similar maximum SPL. The only user control is input gain and, as with the main PA, the input XLR is hard-linked to a Through XLR connection to allow the system to be daisy-chained.

We used the monitors as simple crossfills fed from the FOH mix, which is a nice simple option for outdoor events, and this gave us pretty good coverage all across the stage area without being too obtrusive, though an alternative steeper mounting angle would have been useful here. If you get the balance right, the sound changes very little when you step from the stage into the coverage area of the main FOH system.

Physically, the monitors are wedge-shaped and designed with the baffle at an angle of around 30 degrees, while the controls and connections are on the left-hand side, other than the extension speaker Speakon, which is on the right. I measured the overall size at 660 x 400 x 390mm, and the construction is very similar to that of the main PA system — birch ply boxes, foam-over-metal grilles and tough textured paint. A carry handle is formed into the rear of the box, and there are four rubber feet to aid stability. Personally, I'd like to have a choice of a smaller monitor with a little less bass extension for smaller venues, as you already hear more than enough low end from the main PA, so a 10-inch version of this monitor with a more compact footprint would certainly appeal to me.