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REVIEWED
REVIEWED: EV Everse 8
Over the years I’ve used speakers from quite a few different manufacturers, although I’ve stuck with the same one for the last 15 years. Electro-Voice is one brand I’ve never owned, so I was pleased to get a chance to have a close look at EV’s brand-new Everse 8, a weatherised, battery-powered, fully portable speaker.
Of course, I did already know of the company’s Evolve 50, a column-array PA system that’s become popular with mobile DJs. And now, following the enormous success of that product, the Everse 8 looks set to become the latest must-have PA. The culmination of years of research, development and expertise from the team at EV, this is a truly portable PA that can be used in so many ways by such a range of professionals, including DJs, musicians, fitness instructors and more. Take it from me – as soon as I’d had a look at them, I bought my own pair!
The Everse 8’s portability is mostly down to its 12-hour rechargeable battery, which is located on the bottom of the speakers and can easily be swapped with tool-free screws. Much of its flexibility, meanwhile, is down to the fact that it’s a weatherised IP43-rated unit, meaning it’s “water resistant for splashes and light rain.”
Have you ever provided sound at an outdoor wedding ceremony and worried about the ominous clouds? A bit of drizzle may not stop the wedding, but I bet you don’t want your kit at risk of even the slightest bit of moisture. Well, thanks to the Everse 8’s IP43 rating, that worry is over. It’s not just handy for weddings, either; this feature also makes the speaker ideal for summer barbecues, school sports days, festivals and fetes – let’s face it, the great British weather can change so very quickly!
You also have plenty of flexibility when it comes to mounting your Everse 8: it can be pole-mounted, or placed on the floor as a wedge (which gives a 55-degree angle) or in a vertical position (with a 30-degree angle).
Sound is produced using a 400W Class D amplifier with an 8” driver, housed in a polypropylene case. The maximum sound pressure level (SPL) is 121dB and the Everse 8 is available in either white or black finishes.
On the rear of the speaker is a bright, clear LED screen and a rotary dial to select options in the menu. The current battery level is displayed at all times, so you’re always aware when it’s running low. Even without reading the manual, the menu was easy to navigate and understand. You can control each input’s gain level using the rotary dial. There are also rotary dial timeouts and locks – handy to stop people fiddling with your settings!
EV has ensured we aren’t short of connectivity options. Underneath the IP43 cover you’ll find: two XLR/jack combo inputs, a mix output, Bluetooth, a 3.5mm jack, a USB-C output for charging any compatible device, a 12V DC power output, and a footswitch input. A standard IEC lead is used for charging. Speaking of portability again, all this functionality is packaged in a cab that weighs just 7.6kg.
The EV QuickSmart app, available for both Android and iOS devices, gives you the additional option to manage all audio, effects and mix functions remotely. This means you can go out into the audience area and alter your levels with ease. To alter the dynamics of the sound, you can choose from four in-built EQs: live, music, club and speech. On top of the presets, you also have three location options: tripod, kickback and monitor.
With a fully charged battery, I headed off to a function, a low-key event that just needed a speaker and microphone, and where I was also a guest. I’ll admit it felt strange walking into an event with a speaker in one hand, microphone and cable in the other!
The organisers had an iPad pre-loaded with tracks for a comedy awards and raffle. So, I simply connected a microphone to the Everse 8 via an XLR cable, set a suitable volume level, and then paired the iPad via Bluetooth. I was playing music in less than a minute.
Bluetooth pairing was a simple case of holding down the Bluetooth button, which triggered a message on the rear LED screen. On the iPad’s Bluetooth menu, I selected the speaker as shown on the LED screen, and once paired I pressed play on the audio. That was it. The gain is then easy enough to adjust using either the rotary dial or the QuickSmart app, and each input on the rear can have its own audio gain level set.
The clarity of the speaker was unbelievable for such a small product, making the Everse 8 perfect for the room the function was in. It’s surprising when you think how technology has changed over the years. The whole evening lasted six hours and the speaker provided three hours of background music, an hour of speeches and raffle announcements, and two hours of evening music mixes – the Everse 8 was still going strong with clear, crisp audio right to the end.
Still on its first full charge, I then took the Everse 8 for its second night out. But this time I used it as a monitor on my new POD (reviewed in the last edition of Pro Mobile). The speaker fitted perfectly onto the POD’s 35mm mount and it made for a superb monitor solution. Still running on battery, this time with an XLR audio source connected, the Everse 8 managed a full 13 hours.
These road tests are testament to the time and research EV has put into this product; they really have packed a lot of technology and flexibility into one highly portable unit. The Everse 8 is a very welcome addition to the EV family.
Of course, I did already know of the company’s Evolve 50, a column-array PA system that’s become popular with mobile DJs. And now, following the enormous success of that product, the Everse 8 looks set to become the latest must-have PA. The culmination of years of research, development and expertise from the team at EV, this is a truly portable PA that can be used in so many ways by such a range of professionals, including DJs, musicians, fitness instructors and more. Take it from me – as soon as I’d had a look at them, I bought my own pair!
The Everse 8’s portability is mostly down to its 12-hour rechargeable battery, which is located on the bottom of the speakers and can easily be swapped with tool-free screws. Much of its flexibility, meanwhile, is down to the fact that it’s a weatherised IP43-rated unit, meaning it’s “water resistant for splashes and light rain.”
Have you ever provided sound at an outdoor wedding ceremony and worried about the ominous clouds? A bit of drizzle may not stop the wedding, but I bet you don’t want your kit at risk of even the slightest bit of moisture. Well, thanks to the Everse 8’s IP43 rating, that worry is over. It’s not just handy for weddings, either; this feature also makes the speaker ideal for summer barbecues, school sports days, festivals and fetes – let’s face it, the great British weather can change so very quickly!
You also have plenty of flexibility when it comes to mounting your Everse 8: it can be pole-mounted, or placed on the floor as a wedge (which gives a 55-degree angle) or in a vertical position (with a 30-degree angle).
Sound is produced using a 400W Class D amplifier with an 8” driver, housed in a polypropylene case. The maximum sound pressure level (SPL) is 121dB and the Everse 8 is available in either white or black finishes.
On the rear of the speaker is a bright, clear LED screen and a rotary dial to select options in the menu. The current battery level is displayed at all times, so you’re always aware when it’s running low. Even without reading the manual, the menu was easy to navigate and understand. You can control each input’s gain level using the rotary dial. There are also rotary dial timeouts and locks – handy to stop people fiddling with your settings!
EV has ensured we aren’t short of connectivity options. Underneath the IP43 cover you’ll find: two XLR/jack combo inputs, a mix output, Bluetooth, a 3.5mm jack, a USB-C output for charging any compatible device, a 12V DC power output, and a footswitch input. A standard IEC lead is used for charging. Speaking of portability again, all this functionality is packaged in a cab that weighs just 7.6kg.
The EV QuickSmart app, available for both Android and iOS devices, gives you the additional option to manage all audio, effects and mix functions remotely. This means you can go out into the audience area and alter your levels with ease. To alter the dynamics of the sound, you can choose from four in-built EQs: live, music, club and speech. On top of the presets, you also have three location options: tripod, kickback and monitor.
With a fully charged battery, I headed off to a function, a low-key event that just needed a speaker and microphone, and where I was also a guest. I’ll admit it felt strange walking into an event with a speaker in one hand, microphone and cable in the other!
The organisers had an iPad pre-loaded with tracks for a comedy awards and raffle. So, I simply connected a microphone to the Everse 8 via an XLR cable, set a suitable volume level, and then paired the iPad via Bluetooth. I was playing music in less than a minute.
Bluetooth pairing was a simple case of holding down the Bluetooth button, which triggered a message on the rear LED screen. On the iPad’s Bluetooth menu, I selected the speaker as shown on the LED screen, and once paired I pressed play on the audio. That was it. The gain is then easy enough to adjust using either the rotary dial or the QuickSmart app, and each input on the rear can have its own audio gain level set.
The clarity of the speaker was unbelievable for such a small product, making the Everse 8 perfect for the room the function was in. It’s surprising when you think how technology has changed over the years. The whole evening lasted six hours and the speaker provided three hours of background music, an hour of speeches and raffle announcements, and two hours of evening music mixes – the Everse 8 was still going strong with clear, crisp audio right to the end.
Still on its first full charge, I then took the Everse 8 for its second night out. But this time I used it as a monitor on my new POD (reviewed in the last edition of Pro Mobile). The speaker fitted perfectly onto the POD’s 35mm mount and it made for a superb monitor solution. Still running on battery, this time with an XLR audio source connected, the Everse 8 managed a full 13 hours.
These road tests are testament to the time and research EV has put into this product; they really have packed a lot of technology and flexibility into one highly portable unit. The Everse 8 is a very welcome addition to the EV family.
The full review can be found in Pro Mobile Issue 117, Pages 88-90.
