KV2 Audio's VHD 2.0

[Grant Bunter]

Off reservation.
I've been here just long enough (I think) to realise that some companies claims are spurious.
Bought a audio technology mag the other day.

So, one page spread in the mag, advertising KV2, and...

There's a pic of the VHD 2.0 box, and I quote: "delivers clear detailed audio-further and louder than any other single speaker on the planet"
Couldn't find a SPL chart, proprietry secret business no doubt...
Apparently they are expensive too.

Anyone know much about them?

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

There's a pic of the VHD 2.0 box, and I quote: "delivers clear detailed audio-further and louder than any other single speaker on the planet"

Hogwash. That title probably goes to the Danley Jericho, but anything can be beat, you just make something larger.

Couldn't find a SPL chart, proprietry secret business no doubt...

One only hides what one doesn't want revealed.

[Grant Bunter]

^ I hear ya Bill,

Nothing on their webpage either.

[bassmonster]

Their webpage states continuous SPL at 139dB, and 144dB when you add another one. Yikes.

[nastyford77]

The Jericho claimed a average max of 148db, max of 151db. I saw where they used 2 to cover a 30,000 seat sports arena. Wow

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Their webpage states continuous SPL at 139dB, and 144dB when you add another one. Yikes.

That would be a calculated result, not measured. Another case of hogwash.

[Grant Bunter]

Bill,
You should look at their site...

The ES 1.0 looks like it's "borrowed" your phase plug/baffle, unless that is common to some cabs other than yours...

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Bill,
You should look at their site...

The ES 1.0 looks like it's "borrowed" your phase plug/baffle, unless that is common to some cabs other than yours...

I got the idea from the dome tweeters I used in my TLAH and SLA.

[somoaus]

Hey folks,

Sorry to dig up a bit of an old one, but I was reading through these threads and thought I'd offer my two cents!

I've used a good chunk of the KV2 range over the last five years or more. I've read their hype and agree that it offers no real info on their actual performance. They also promote the wrong way of positioning subs, same as most brands. Here's my opinion of their stuff:

The VHD range is their big stuff, designed for audiences of probably 1500 and more. A single VHD rig consists of one three-way (I think) mid+top box and a few subs per side. Add more subs, and you can double your crowd size without the need for a second top box per side. If you add a second top box per side, you'd be able to manage up to about 10,000 people depending on the sub compliment.

Sound quality wise, I think they're reasonably nice. All of their processing is done within their amplifiers (which is really handy for the most part), so unless you run other-brand amps and a DSP, you only have your FOH eq and mixing desk eq to play with. They're heavy boxes and heavy amps.

The ES range is medium sized venue type gear. Maybe up to 500 with a single system. It uses the same sort of configuration as the VHD (3-way mid+hi top with two or three subs per side). The system sounds ok. It can get a bit harsh in the 3-5K area. Again, they're quite heavy. Two person lifts for most of it.

Their EX range are powered speakers. There's a variety of boxes; subs and tops. A band I work with regularly use a pair of 10"+CD(EX10) boxes with a 2x12" (EX2.2) sub. I must admit that these boxes impress me. I've comfortably done 300 people in a room with that setup, with the band playing 60's and 70's pop-rock and roll. Their sound quality is quite good to my ears.

Unfortunately, the EX range which is aimed at smaller audiences and venues, is quite expensive. In saying that, I'd use them over almost any other popular brand powered speaker. They're a little on the heavy side, but they don't bother me too much as a one man lift, although the subs are mostly two person.

One annoying thing I've found across all of their gear I've used, is that they're very hissy on idle. Apart from that, they do everything I need them to. They're all very useable, and sound more than good enough.

Hope that helps. I've waffled on quite a bit...

All the best!
Tom

[Grant Bunter]

Welcome!

Perhaps you could tell us more with SPL charts from KV2.
That would be great, then we could see for ourselves.
Having built some of Bill's cabs now, they are serious bang for buck. Way cheaper and better sounding to my poor ears than anything commercially available, especially in our over inflated Aussie market, where we are held hostage in terms of competitive pricing.

[somoaus]

Hi Grant!

Thank you for the welcome .

As for SPL charts for the KV2 stuff, I don't think I've ever seen one! I can only go off what I have heard and done with them, sorry. The only reason I'm around it is because a couple of the people I freelance for own it. One is the band I mentioned earlier, the other being a production company that uses almost exclusively that brand.

I've been lurking on this forum for about a year or so I think. I've learnt heaps, which has made me annoyingly picky when setting up sound systems! The desire to build some BFM is strong, but I'm waiting for the right time. Your thread on Aussie supply sources is invaluable! Thanks for getting it started. Like you said, our market is a back pocket killer!

Hopefully I'll have a SAC rig going in the next couple of months, depending on funds of course. Then I want a couple of T39s and a few Jack110s, I think. I'm watching that thread of yours very closely

[Grant Bunter]

Hi Grant!

Thank you for the welcome .

As for SPL charts for the KV2 stuff, I don't think I've ever seen one! I can only go off what I have heard and done with them, sorry. The only reason I'm around it is because a couple of the people I freelance for own it. One is the band I mentioned earlier, the other being a production company that uses almost exclusively that brand.

I've been lurking on this forum for about a year or so I think. I've learnt heaps, which has made me annoyingly picky when setting up sound systems! The desire to build some BFM is strong, but I'm waiting for the right time. Your thread on Aussie supply sources is invaluable! Thanks for getting it started. Like you said, our market is a back pocket killer!

Hopefully I'll have a SAC rig going in the next couple of months, depending on funds of course. Then I want a couple of T39s and a few Jack110s, I think. I'm watching that thread of yours very closely

Ha ha!
mmm methinks if you'd watched closely enough you'd be going for DR's. (I'm sure Bill said to me very early on in that thread "omni tops, or DR's if you can build them"
It's all good...

My T39's, all aussie sourced components etc, have put me in at around $350-360/cab. That is unbeatable in terms of anything commercial. I have to say I threw in portions of extra tools to that calculation too. Needless to say they are also rather impressive for tiny low powered 10's lol. And 1 channel of a Jands 920 is still over the limiter for them.

Sure you have no inside leg to KV2 if you're opping an owners system?
KV2 aren't far down the road from you...

[somoaus]

Haha! Definitely NO link to KV2 for me except that I use the gear from time to time. If I could afford to blow the cash on it, I probably would, but it's far too expensive for me to consider purchasing any. I'll just use everyone else's!

That figure you give for your T39s is fantastic! Just out of curiosity, are they heavy with the components you used? One man lift-able?

And the main reason I've picked Jacks over DRs for now is the versatility. At this stage of my plan, I would like to use the jacks in smaller situations as a stand alone, and then have them tuned to run with subs when the need arises. If need requires it, then I'd probably end up building dedicated tops and more subs in the future.

[somoaus]

Oh, and just to clarify, the people I work for don't own KV2. They own KV2 equipment. Sorry if I created any confusion! I did word it poorly.

[Grant Bunter]

That figure you give for your T39s is fantastic! Just out of curiosity, are they heavy with the components you used? One man lift-able?

And the main reason I've picked Jacks over DRs for now is the versatility. At this stage of my plan, I would like to use the jacks in smaller situations as a stand alone, and then have them tuned to run with subs when the need arises. If need requires it, then I'd probably end up building dedicated tops and more subs in the future.

Yes my T39's are one man liftable. I stacked one on top of the other vertically the other day (for storage) without much effort.

In case you didn't know, DR's can have changeable tuning options to make them run without subs for small lower power gigs