BehringerEurolive B215D 550W 15 inch Powered Speaker

These are fantastic live-music or DJ speakers. I picked up two of them.POSITIVES: crisp, clear and amazingly loud sound reinforcement in a relatively light package, wedge-shaped so they can be used as stage monitors, recessed pole mount and feet that nest into the top of another exact unit for stacking, handles on both sides makes moving easy, 1/4-inch and XLR inputs, standard power plug, price can't be matchedNEGATIVES: lacks serious low end, the gain level adjustments for high and low aren't very granular and makes fine tuning difficultWith a relatively simple Behringer mixer my gang of musical hacks have the following instruments feeding into these speakers: a set of Roland electronic drums, 2 electric guitars, 1 acoustic guitar, 1 bass guitar (stringed instruments via a direct input rack-mount unit), three microphones and a laptop. The bass drum kick was washed out and didn't have as much punch as would be needed for quality low-end sound. When others are playing at the same time this is even more noticeable as other instruments compete for the 15-inch driver. A sub will be needed for the full spectrum sound reproduction of stage equipment.We use two of the Behringer B215D to jam/practice in the basement, so the volume level rarely goes above a quarter and almost never above half. Two of these speakers change the sound pressure level so effectively that it vibrates our smaller single-family home. These are pretty dramatic overkill for in-home sound. At half volume level the sound can be heard outside even if the windows are closed.For plugging in a laptop these work well for DJ'ing or just listening to music. Just understand that those wub-wub dub music dance tunes will need a dedicated sub before they will annoy the crowd appropriately.The power switch is a physical press-button style, so if these run through a rack mounted power distribution block they can be turned on and off from that unit remotely, without having to wear out the button on the back of the speaker or reach back there for any reason. The power plugs are standard computer-style 3-prong types. All the plugs stick straight out the back. XLR cables are normally around 2-inches long right at the connector, requiring a bit of space; Behringer was good enough to make sure the cables don't take any speaker weight when used as stage monitors from either side.Now let's talk about what they could improve to be nit-picky and give Behringer something to work at or other product ideas:- Recessed connectors or angled plate for plugs- Full face grill- More granular gain controls for high and low- Handle on the top back side- Built-in luggage roller wheels and/or extendable handle for mobile needs- Fly-mount points built in- Angled pole mount options- Option to use a push-button to have one unit act as a dedicated sub while boosting the bass amplificationSome of those ideas are admittedly specialized and a bit absurd, but they are just ideas, and don't reflect negatively on these speakers whatsoever.For normal working stiffs that can't afford the EV, JBL or any number of other brands that are 2 to 4 times the price these can't be matched.

I have owned several pieces of Behringer gear in the past and they have all had one thing in common--great value. Behringer really knows how to get the job done, and done well, on a budget. At 550 Watts this thing is very loud, with a healthy amount of bass response (as you would expect from 280 W RMS through a 15" woofer). I originally purchased this to run sound for my sister's wedding on a budget. I borrowed a similarly sized powered speaker from a friend (sorry, I don't remember the brand) and needed a second one for a stereo setup in an outdoor courtyard setting. I was very pleased with the performance of the system, even with the two speakers set 40 ft apart outdoors, the highs were clear and there was plenty of bass for the dance floor, mostly coming from the Behringer. Trust me, it is LOUD. I've only ever had it up to about half of full volume.With that event over, I now have the Behringer powered speaker setup in my garage, and it's currently being used as amplification for my electronic drumset (Roland TDK-9) and guitar rig (Line 6 Variax through a POD HD500). Let's just say my ears have been ringing a whole lot more of late. I am loving it.My one "problem" with this speaker is that I'm enjoying it so much I'm going to have to buy a second one when I can afford it (and the price went up a bit since I got mine--I paid $254 with Amazon Prime shipping).If you're on the fence, DO IT! You would be hard pressed to find a better deal than this!

Let's cut the hype. Unlike other reviewers, I'm not going to tell you this speaker is "mind blowing." (And anyone who's heard high-end equipment will agree.) But it's an impressive value for a decent-sounding speaker that gets very loud.Let's start with what's wrong. Although the sound quality is good, it puts out too much treble and not enough bass. Everything is bright and harsh, especially at higher volumes. Fortunately there are treble and bass knobs on the back, and they do help. But they affect a lot of frequencies; turning down the treble can make things sound dull, and turning up the bass can give you too much low-mid. The best scenario is running a mixer with a decent EQ. I've been able to dial in a very good sound with my mixer's graphic EQ or even the equalizer built into Windows Media Player. But it would have been nice if the speaker's default settings were more natural and not so overly bright.Second, you're not going to get huge bass off these, and you shouldn't expect it from this type of speaker. It just can't reproduce the lowest frequencies. You can hear the bass, but it's not impressive, chest pounding bass, no matter how much you turn it up. If you want to DJ a dance club, you'll need a subwoofer. And if you do get a sub, it takes some of the work load off this speaker, making it even louder.Now, let's talk about what's right. First off, this thing gets loud. Just one of these will fill a medium sized room with enough volume that it's hard to hear people shouting. I used one for vocals at band practice and when it was positioned correctly, it was loud enough (unless the guitarists started jacking up their volume.) A single speaker would probably be enough for an acoustic gig in a small to medium room. Add a second speaker, and you've got enough power for a rock show. I now own 2 of these and playing MP3's through them at max volume is deafening.These speakers also make great floor monitors and are designed to be laid on their sides for that purpose. Or you can mount them to stands and use them as proper mains for a PA. They feel pretty solid and durable, although the plastic exterior scratches easily. They're also much lighter than other speakers in this class. One person can easily carry it using the built-in handles. If you've got a simple setup, such as a single microphone or instrument, you don't even need a mixer. The onboard volume and tone controls can handle it. And it's easy to link them together using XLR cables.One minor nit-pick: I wish they would put the overload light in the front, not the back. Because if you're running sound out front, or using this at practice, you can't see the light. I actually put a mirror behind one of my speakers just so I can keep an eye on it.Bottom line: Behinger is all about bang for the buck, and this is a powerful speaker at a great price. It doesn't have the greatest sound in the world, but you can get very good results if you're willing to tweak a little. Buy one of these, and you've got a great instrument amp or vocal amp. Buy two, and you've got a fairly powerful PA system, especially if you add a subwoofer.