dBTechnologies B-Hype 12

Our inventory was getting stretched and we wanted to find a cheap and reliable portable speaker. I was willing to give the B-Hypes a go, so NAS’s Garry Farmer brought down some demo units for us to check out.

I was very impressed with the sound and price-point. We replaced our mixed bag of PA speakers on the spot and happily ended up with 12 of the B-Hype 12s.

We’ve been putting them through their paces ever since and they’ve been doing really well. They go out two or three times a weekend and we haven’t had any problems or faults.

For the price, they sound great. We can send one or two out with solo or duo acts and it’s all they need. Add a sub for DJ gigs and it is “party, sorted.”

Selection Criteria
There are a lot of lightweight 12 and horn portable speakers on the market and when we were researching, we looked at three things: Number 1 – we wanted sleek design. Number 2 – sound is important. Does it sound good for a plastic powered box? And, number 3 – simplicity and ease of use. The B-Hypes are a big winner on all three.

Tonality
Compared to other brands, these have a nice flat response. The ‘boost’ preset does give a vibrant low and high as well. They’re not harsh like some portable loudspeakers can be. There’s no need for EQ or fancy settings on a hire item that goes out a lot.

Connectivity
On the back – one XLR in, one XLR out and the ‘boost’ preset button – that’s it, you can’t go wrong. All the Bluetooth, RCA, jack inputs and EQs or DSP screens on other boxes can be confusing for non-technical users.

The simple controls of the B-Hypes suit our market well. The DSP Preset button gives bit of a bass boost and brings back the mids a little bit, giving the box a bit more high and bass. We set it ‘on’ before the units go out for some jobs.

Monitor Profile, Handling
As a stage monitor, they’re great. We can move them around the stage with one finger. A while back, we compared them with some wooden wedges and they stacked up OK.

For a small size stage, these 12s do fine. At less than 14kg they are very lightweight. Anyone can grab them – perfect for driveway hire. Having three handles makes handling easy, especially when carrying two at once. I like being able to carry them in ‘portrait mode’ (from the top)!

Reliability
We’ve had them running six months and they are all still in pretty good nick. No cracks, dints or anything. They are made of pretty hard plastic and we bought the optional TC-BH12 transport bags, which keep it all looking neat.

Support
We’ve been a client of NAS for a while now and their support is always above standard. Not that we have needed any help while these speakers have been working hard and keeping us busy!

Conclusion
The B-Hype 12 might be a basic box, but they are a great all-rounder and have seen an excellent return on investment for us. They sound good, keep looking good, are easy to handle, and easy to use.

Product Info: www.dbtechnologies.com/en/products/b-hype/b-hype-12
Distributor Australia: nas.solutions
Distributor New Zealand: directimports.co.nz

Joe Kovac grew up with a family of DJs and musos on his father’s side of the family, and hospitality and catering on his mother’s. At age 10, he started going to gigs with his father, and learnt his trade on the job. At 13, he started Geelong, Victoria’s JJJK Entertainment, and began to DJ in the community. From 2009 his business grew, and over time, more gear was needed. JJJK started hiring out gear, steadily expanding into bigger productions. Stock has now grown to include LED screens, lighting, and PA.

dBTechnologies B-Hype 12 – THE SPECS

Frequency Response [-6 dB]: 61 – 19.500 Hz

Max SPL: 126 dB

1” HF Compression Driver and 12” LF

Horizontal Dispersion: asymmetrical 85° up / 120°down

Vertical Dispersion: 85° (+25/ -60°)

Amp Class D, Power Peak 400 W

DSP 28/56 bit- 48 kHz

Signal Input Balanced 1xCombo IN (MIC/LINE)

Signal Out Balanced 1xXLR (LINK) Width 350 mm

Height 645 mm, Depth 330 mm

Weight 13.9 kg

CX Magazine – April 2020   

LIGHTING  |  AUDIO  |  VIDEO  |  STAGING  |  INTEGRATION

Entertainment technology news and issues for Australia and New Zealand
– in print and free online www.cxnetwork.com.au

© VCS Creative Publishing