Electrovoice ZxA1-SUB 12" Active ,,,??

[JTUK]

Anyone have any opinions on these subs?

We run QSC tops but I feel they are lacking a tad without some oomph behind them so definitely a downgrade from our
previous P.A. This might force our hand to add a sub...which also defeats the object of going down this route in the first
place but that is another story.

We tried subs last week,,, and they weren't that good a spec ..on paper..but worked quite well and lent enough of a hand to add to the sound overall
and this allowed the drummer the luxury of not playing up to the band level. His top kit sounds great and projects, but the kick can get buried which makes him play harder..and that forces the sound. We retain good seperation and are known for our sound, but not having drums chase the volume to retain a mix is going to be a good improvement, still

So, we want a small sub solution, pref active and light and these fit this criteria. We may well just run the one as anything bigger, we can hire in, and this is just for those mid sized party gigs to a couple of hundred people, max.
We have tried Mackie Subs and that wasn't inspiring, so it may not just be a question of any old sub will add depeth.

Keys and gtr go through the tops anyway...so this is mainly for kick. I doubt the bass will need to go through, or if so..just a bleed. THis not a full mic'd solution.
The other option is a Markbass 102 combo, which we have used before to decent effect.

[BassBunny]

Funnily enough we are looking at a complete EV ZXA1 system as the demo we heard was amazing. Which Mackie Subs did you try? The SWA 1501 is an awesome sub, (if you can one as they are now discontinued), one of those would be more than enough for your needs.
We went through a similar trauma when miking everything up but Bass. Sound check great and then the master on the desk creeps up and you get left behind. I have insisted we put a "tickle" of Bass through FOH whenever the Drums are miced up.

[JTUK]

I believe it was a Thump..which is an 18", IIRC... it didn't have a very tight thump for us and we didn't perserve.
Maybe what REALLY doomed it was the silly carry and the indifferent experience.

I was told that the EV ZX rig wouldn't be man enough as a full P.A..as opposed to a QSC K12 type rig, for example., but we are now not in that territory
where we want to carry subs as our default rig. I also don't entirely subscribe to that opnion about the EV P.A anyway.
The attraction of the ZA subs are their size..and as I say, a MB combo has done a decent enough job for a smallish gig.

Not sure I need any help bass wise in the P.A in this situation as I can go to a backline to fit any need, really. I certainly wouldn't get left behind
and if the gig was at that sort of volume, the QSC tops would be struggling way before I would

Bigger gigs gets a hire P.A anyway.