HK Audio Elements PA & Sound Caddy systems

HK Audio Elements

http://hkaudio.com/us/products.php?id=237

http://hkaudio.com/us/products.php

The stuff looks very innovative and cool but the prices are really up there and I would wonder about service in this country. Although not my main concern when buying something new I also have an eye towards reselling in the future when the next lastest greatest thing comes along and I don't think there would be much of a market.

Bill in NJ

My friends in Germany rave about the HK Audio gear......

THey sound amazing!!!

Hey Frankie,
How would you compare it to the Bose?
Would you compare it to the compact or L1?
Thanks
Eric

Hi Eric,
Last week I had a chance to listen to both units (L1 and elements sub box plus 2 mid/high speakers) side by side. They both sounded amazing but IMO different style of sounds.. The Bose is very smooth and well blended/balanced similar to their bose lifestyle home theatre systems except amplified. The HK had more grunt where the base and highs were more separated and cleaner sounding.. Both units are excellent in their own unique sounds and its each to their ears.. I opted for for a set of HKs , personally, better built German manufactured, (Bose is made in China) and very slick looking as well as being able to upgrade.
I test run the unit at home.. Loved every minute of it.. I traded a pair of JBL eons 515XT and 518sSub , and I believe is is a far better sounding set up and much more portable.
Regards, Ky

All highs and lows,
no mids,
that's Bose...!

'Well blended/balanced'... only if your idea of a good home stereo is the loudness button on and a 'smile' on the EQ There's a reason you NEVER see Bose lifestyle systems in studios.

HK designed their system with the Bose stuff in mind.

the Nano would be the Bose Compact

the Elements would be the L1 stuff

Everyone has their own opinion and likes of sound, so I can only go on my own perspective.

I think the HK stuff sounds and performs more like pro audio gear, the Bose while great, I think shines when playing back pre-recorded music to a degree.

If you want, give me a call and I can go deeper into this

Hi Diki,
Well I'm no sound engineer nor maybe a sound expert like yourself in try finding the best sounding PA system on the market within ones budget. But I'm definitely not here to bag or criticise any company that manufacture these products, I'm entitled to sharing my opinion according to what I've heard and the types of music i prefer that goes through this systems as I audition them.
There are people that have very high regards for bose products and if bose brings sweet music to their ears and joy into their lives, then who's the expert to tell them otherwise.
Appreciate what you have, value ones opinion and expect the unexpected surprise...
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Ky

Just wondering what HK system you got to replace such a powerful JBL system ??

From my perspective, there are no audio/sound experts on this forum. For a short time in my younger days I worked for Executone Systems, a company that sold and installed varios forms of audio systems for larger applications, hospitals, theaters, large industrial complexes, etc... We had audio engineers, all of whom were extremely knowledgeable, individuals that I would consider experts in the field of audio systems.

On this forum, we have individuals whom are somewhat knowledgeable, based upon their experiences with sound systems they've owned and/or used. I seriously doubt that anyone here has an ocilloscope with the peripherial accessories to properly analyze a sound system and determine how and what needs to be adjusted to provide the optimum sound quality for the average audiences hearing abilities.

Over the past half century I've owned dozens of sound systems from dozens of manufacturers. And, like many performers here, I used to believe that you need huge speakers to obtain the best coverage, while still providing sufficient volume levels to reach audience members situated at the outskirts of the venue. Now, I'm talkin' monster speakers, each tipping the scales at more than 100 pounds and requiring a refrigerator dolly to move them from the van to the venue. The quality of the sound back then was often loud and muddy - which is still the case with many conventional sound systems today.

Fortunately, Bose changed all that. The sounds are no longer muddy, the coverage is incredible, the falloff is minimal, and me personally, I don't have a mid-range problem.

Another noteworthy item is that has anyone noticed the number of Bose copy-cats that seems to have sprung up lately? They're coming out of the woodwork like termites, similar looking towers, similar looking base units, and more recently, modular units that employ similar overall sound dispersion.

When I did a marina Christmas Party here this past Saturday, it was an outdoor venue, at a Tiki Hut situated at the end of the dock, right next to the waters of Boot Key Harbor. I wondered why more people didn't attend the party than the 100 or so that was there. I got the answer the next day from some good friends that I had dinner with last night. They said they were going to dinghy to the Tiki Hut, but because they could hear the music so well from their boat, they decided to just enjoy it from the comfort of their deck chairs while drinking their favorite rum punch. Their boat was at least 500 yards from the Tiki Hut, and the volume on a single L1 Compact was never turned above the 11:00 O'clock position. And, they said the sounds were very crisp and clear, and they could understand every word of every song. Now, I'm no sound system expert, but that impressed the Hell out of me. Especially, when I considered that during my two-month voyage down here I stopped at a lot of marinas where bands used conventional sound systems and the only sounds that traveled across the water were the muffled sounds of the drums and bass - and I was nowhere near that far from the speakers.

Obviosly, this is my opinion, which is soley based upon MY, personal experiences over the past half-century of playing music in various venues. For now, and the not too distant future, I'll stick with Bose until something much, much better comes along. (Individual results may vary, this offer is not available in CA, FL or IL, check dealer availability for pricing. )

Cheers,

Gary

I guess you are speaking from experience Diki? Oh no, I remember, you don't have a Bose system do you. Then you are right, make a needless inflammatory remark that is bound to stir things up.
DonM

I like the flexibility in the HK Elements line. So many different top/bottom components to choose from. Do you have any of these in Ct. Frank?

Hi Bill
I traded in for the 2subs and 4mid/high speaker system.. Yes I was quite nervous because the Jbls are really powerful, however it was never really used to its full potential. As soon as I hooked the HKs up, there was a noticeable difference more to my liking at the same listening level, it really took the Audya5 to the next level. Now with its quick set up, built quality, portability and expandability, I think this will be for keeps.
Downside..expensive. Cheers Bill. Ky

Just to clear up my background,

2 years at the Ct School of Sound engineering
2 years at Trod Nossel Recording studios
25+ plus years of personal recording engineering
25+ of live performance
25+ of live sound engineering

But some people like chocolate and some like vanilla, they are both correct,

I agree with another poster re pricing, out here they are a little more expensive than the Bose for an equivalent HK system to the Bose L1 Model II.

You guys should check the Maui 28 Systems http://www.ld-systems.com/356-1-ld-maui28-black.html .....with a Europe price of about 1200 Euros for a 400 watt system, they do not look too bad at all.

Frank, I guess you meet the criteria - and with any kind of luck, there may be at least one more forum member in that category.

Cheers,

Gary

Years of sitting in world class studios, listening to some of the most expensive monitor speakers ever made, watching some of the great engineers and performers do their stuff. I think I've earned the right to comment about the accuracy and flatness of a sound system.

Not to mention that my 'home stereo' and home workspace speakers are a set of Mackie HR824's, which, while not the ne plus ultra of nearfields, are certainly FAR flatter and more accurate than any Bose system.

Once you get used to 'flat', it's hard to accept the sculpted sound of Bose except for delivering 'home stereo' experience in a club or restaurant. I find it telling that Yamaha users seem on the whole more pro-Bose than others. I guess, when you buy an arranger that goes out of its way to deliver a sound FAR more like a CD than a live band, a PA that sounds like a home stereo is the perfect match...

I want a PA and an arranger that makes me feel like I am in the middle of a BAND, not playing over a karaoke CD. I have NEVER had that feeling while using a Bose (and I have done many gigs on one). And I KNOW that my arranger, put through the right kind of PA, can sound like a band!

Oh, and, as if it matters, a degree in music with a minor in acoustics, nearly 40 years of playing in live bands and studio work, and extensive recording, mixing and mastering experience. And no years on a battleship listening to guns going off..!