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REVIEWED
REVIEWED: Electro-Voice Everse 12
My very first wireless 12” battery speaker still works perfectly, though it has been collecting dust in storage for some time. There’s no way of dressing it up; it does the job it was intended for, but I can’t bring myself to use it. It’s very heavy. It will never win a prize for its looks.
And the sound? I’ll admit to being a bit of an audio snob, but while absolutely no-one has ever made a derogatory comment about its output, I can’t bring myself to use it in public.
It doesn’t have Bluetooth, though it does come with an inbuilt microphone receiver and a basic microphone – over which you have no control. Too environmentally unfriendly to dump, too ugly and useless to use, it serves a space-zapping reminder that technology has moved on rapidly in the last few years!
Battery speakers are now everywhere. In the last week alone I’ve seen them used at a wedding ceremony, a marketing expo for seminar break-outs, and, walking into my gym, an aqua-aerobics instructor with portable PA in hand en route to her class. And these days, they look and sound fantastic as well as being serviceable. If I needed a new battery for my original portable speaker, I’d need to try and buy a second-hand version, while all the modern systems have off-the-shelf solutions.
The first time I saw Electro-Voice’s EVERSE 8 (reviewed in Pro Mobile issue 117), I was impressed. An astonishing sound for such a small speaker, easily holding its own with the competition. I particularly liked its look and the fact that it is weatherised. Having a speaker that can still function outdoors in a bit of rain seemed perfect for my own most common use of wireless PA – British wedding ceremonies. So, what does the latest version in the range – the EVERSE 12 – bring to the table apart from being bigger?
When you get to take one out of the box, you immediately notice the long, ergonomically designed, soft-touch handle on top of the cab. It’s a great size that makes carrying it that bit easier. No 12” speaker is lightweight, particularly a good one, and then you have to factor in the battery. But at 14.16kg (31.22lbs), the EVERSE 12 feels quite light. Dimensions are 345mm x 597mm x 347mm (13.58" x 23.5" x 13.66"), pretty much as I’d expect for a 12” cab.
The finish is a polypropylene enclosure and comes with a weatherised input cover, meaning your EVERSE 12 achieves an IP43 rating (water-resistant for splashes and light rain) when running on battery power during Bluetooth streaming. Additional options include a rain cover, a duffel bag to further protect the speaker during transport, spare battery packs, and also a handy accessory tray, perfect for holding a phone, tablet or even a microphone receiver.
It’s a good-looking speaker with a mixture of soft curves and sharp angles and an overall rugged construction. Towards the rear of the speaker is another handle, for carrying it on its side, the control panel, which is protected by a rain cover, and at the bottom are rubberised feet. So far, so speaker-ish.
The angles, however, have real purpose and aren’t just included for looks. Like a lot of speakers, you can mount the EVERSE 12 on a speaker stand, but due to the angles you can also use it as a wedge monitor (on the floor, on its side lengthways). With the EVERSE 12, you can also pitch it backwards when upright – an extremely useful feature and not something you see every day.
There are a huge range of connectivity options as well as an app for additional control. The EV QuickSmart Mobile app allows adjustment of audio, effects and mix functions via a phone or tablet. Pairing up to six Bluetooth-equipped Electro-Voice speakers is possible, along with support for Bluetooth true wireless stereo streaming. Of course, you can still control the speaker’s output in the traditional way with a single-knob encoder.
There is also a 12V DC port for powering wireless microphone systems, which is especially useful if you’re using the speaker for background music and need a microphone for announcements or speeches. Want to charge your phone or tablet? Well, they have a USB-C charging port for that as well. Traditional connectivity includes two XLR/TRS combo jacks (the first also offers phantom power), a 3.5 mm stereo jack, and a TRS footswitch input.
Rounding up the technical details, the battery will run for up to six hours when running the speaker at maximum volume (126dB) or for 12 hours at 100dB. Frequency response range is 45Hz to 20KHz with coverage of 100 (H) x 60 (V) degrees utilising a 400W Class-D amplifier and DSP module.
So that’s all the technical detail done. Now what is it like in real life?
When I first switched on the speaker, I was actually with the work wife Steven Honeyball. I paired my phone and we went through a couple of songs to check audio quality. We were both impressed. The sound is clean, extremely well-balanced, and especially gratifying were the highest frequencies. Vocals, in particular, really stand out and sound absolutely beautiful. If your need for battery speakers is wedding ceremonies, this is a speaker you should be putting on your list!
With 126dB to play with, there is plenty of headroom and a pair would easily handle the majority of mobile gigs as well as coming in handy for all the other use cases mentioned – and even better, for your own summer barbeques. This was exactly how I tested it. We ran the speaker for around four hours and it still had plenty of battery life, despite only starting out at around 75%. We played a range of music, all of which sounded fantastic.
The following day I got to have a closer look at the controls. The on-board single knob allows access to a complete menu of controls including an on-board mixer.
You can expand the menu from basic mode to mixer to access extra functionality. The basic mode provides input and output gain controls, 3-band EQ, and system delay. Mixer mode provides full access to control sound. This is especially useful if you want to use a wireless microphone. For any music, the signal can be pretty much left flat, but for microphones it’s better to be able to adjust frequencies, particularly the very lowest to prevent the horrible sounds we get from poor microphone use.
There are four modes to choose from: three for music output (music, live, club) and one for speech. You can also set one of three different location settings, which subtly alters the sound output, depending on how you’ve placed the speaker. You can also set the sub bypass to the usual values, but helpfully you can choose one of a range of Electro-Voice subs, which will match the bypass exactly.
In addition to being able to adjust all three of the standard EQ settings, you can also get very detailed through the PEQ (parametric EQ) option.
This is where you adjust your microphone settings, but you can also use the filter option. If all that isn’t enough, then how about a graphic equaliser? Yes, you even get that!
With 30 different FX options, you can play with the sound to your heart’s content, though I suspect the most used option will be the first: echo + reverb. You also get a feedback suppression option.
The Bluetooth menu has two separate connection options, audio and control. In testing I used two different iPhones. Of the remaining settings options, I think the most important one is being able to store your favourite sound setups. You still get a lot of control in the basic mode. But importantly, you can also add delay (expressed in metres) which will be especially useful for all the weird situations we get thrown at us, like needing to add a speaker in a distant room or much further down a room than we’d like.
And then there’s the app. Being able to connect two different devices to the speaker allows for a lot more control wirelessly. You get all the control without needing to be at the back of the speaker – especially useful when working outside. You can even do clever things like mute all the speakers, turn phantom power on and off, add a touch of reverb or enable a hi-pass filter, or perhaps turn off the microphone but keep the sound going. And everything seemed to work instantaneously in test.
Quite honestly, I’m not sure what else Electro-Voice could add to the EVERSE 12 to make it more flexible. My only disappointment is that I couldn’t test two speakers. If I had, I’m sure I’d already have two on order. The ability to run a high-class and complete stereo sound system without any wires is a type of service I’d like to market – especially as my business is based by the sea and right next to the New Forest. If you have similar needs, then get down to your local retailer and give the EVERSE 12 a test. It really is an incredible speaker.
And the sound? I’ll admit to being a bit of an audio snob, but while absolutely no-one has ever made a derogatory comment about its output, I can’t bring myself to use it in public.
It doesn’t have Bluetooth, though it does come with an inbuilt microphone receiver and a basic microphone – over which you have no control. Too environmentally unfriendly to dump, too ugly and useless to use, it serves a space-zapping reminder that technology has moved on rapidly in the last few years!
Battery speakers are now everywhere. In the last week alone I’ve seen them used at a wedding ceremony, a marketing expo for seminar break-outs, and, walking into my gym, an aqua-aerobics instructor with portable PA in hand en route to her class. And these days, they look and sound fantastic as well as being serviceable. If I needed a new battery for my original portable speaker, I’d need to try and buy a second-hand version, while all the modern systems have off-the-shelf solutions.
The first time I saw Electro-Voice’s EVERSE 8 (reviewed in Pro Mobile issue 117), I was impressed. An astonishing sound for such a small speaker, easily holding its own with the competition. I particularly liked its look and the fact that it is weatherised. Having a speaker that can still function outdoors in a bit of rain seemed perfect for my own most common use of wireless PA – British wedding ceremonies. So, what does the latest version in the range – the EVERSE 12 – bring to the table apart from being bigger?
When you get to take one out of the box, you immediately notice the long, ergonomically designed, soft-touch handle on top of the cab. It’s a great size that makes carrying it that bit easier. No 12” speaker is lightweight, particularly a good one, and then you have to factor in the battery. But at 14.16kg (31.22lbs), the EVERSE 12 feels quite light. Dimensions are 345mm x 597mm x 347mm (13.58" x 23.5" x 13.66"), pretty much as I’d expect for a 12” cab.
The finish is a polypropylene enclosure and comes with a weatherised input cover, meaning your EVERSE 12 achieves an IP43 rating (water-resistant for splashes and light rain) when running on battery power during Bluetooth streaming. Additional options include a rain cover, a duffel bag to further protect the speaker during transport, spare battery packs, and also a handy accessory tray, perfect for holding a phone, tablet or even a microphone receiver.
It’s a good-looking speaker with a mixture of soft curves and sharp angles and an overall rugged construction. Towards the rear of the speaker is another handle, for carrying it on its side, the control panel, which is protected by a rain cover, and at the bottom are rubberised feet. So far, so speaker-ish.
The angles, however, have real purpose and aren’t just included for looks. Like a lot of speakers, you can mount the EVERSE 12 on a speaker stand, but due to the angles you can also use it as a wedge monitor (on the floor, on its side lengthways). With the EVERSE 12, you can also pitch it backwards when upright – an extremely useful feature and not something you see every day.
There are a huge range of connectivity options as well as an app for additional control. The EV QuickSmart Mobile app allows adjustment of audio, effects and mix functions via a phone or tablet. Pairing up to six Bluetooth-equipped Electro-Voice speakers is possible, along with support for Bluetooth true wireless stereo streaming. Of course, you can still control the speaker’s output in the traditional way with a single-knob encoder.
There is also a 12V DC port for powering wireless microphone systems, which is especially useful if you’re using the speaker for background music and need a microphone for announcements or speeches. Want to charge your phone or tablet? Well, they have a USB-C charging port for that as well. Traditional connectivity includes two XLR/TRS combo jacks (the first also offers phantom power), a 3.5 mm stereo jack, and a TRS footswitch input.
Rounding up the technical details, the battery will run for up to six hours when running the speaker at maximum volume (126dB) or for 12 hours at 100dB. Frequency response range is 45Hz to 20KHz with coverage of 100 (H) x 60 (V) degrees utilising a 400W Class-D amplifier and DSP module.
So that’s all the technical detail done. Now what is it like in real life?
When I first switched on the speaker, I was actually with the work wife Steven Honeyball. I paired my phone and we went through a couple of songs to check audio quality. We were both impressed. The sound is clean, extremely well-balanced, and especially gratifying were the highest frequencies. Vocals, in particular, really stand out and sound absolutely beautiful. If your need for battery speakers is wedding ceremonies, this is a speaker you should be putting on your list!
With 126dB to play with, there is plenty of headroom and a pair would easily handle the majority of mobile gigs as well as coming in handy for all the other use cases mentioned – and even better, for your own summer barbeques. This was exactly how I tested it. We ran the speaker for around four hours and it still had plenty of battery life, despite only starting out at around 75%. We played a range of music, all of which sounded fantastic.
The following day I got to have a closer look at the controls. The on-board single knob allows access to a complete menu of controls including an on-board mixer.
You can expand the menu from basic mode to mixer to access extra functionality. The basic mode provides input and output gain controls, 3-band EQ, and system delay. Mixer mode provides full access to control sound. This is especially useful if you want to use a wireless microphone. For any music, the signal can be pretty much left flat, but for microphones it’s better to be able to adjust frequencies, particularly the very lowest to prevent the horrible sounds we get from poor microphone use.
There are four modes to choose from: three for music output (music, live, club) and one for speech. You can also set one of three different location settings, which subtly alters the sound output, depending on how you’ve placed the speaker. You can also set the sub bypass to the usual values, but helpfully you can choose one of a range of Electro-Voice subs, which will match the bypass exactly.
In addition to being able to adjust all three of the standard EQ settings, you can also get very detailed through the PEQ (parametric EQ) option.
This is where you adjust your microphone settings, but you can also use the filter option. If all that isn’t enough, then how about a graphic equaliser? Yes, you even get that!
With 30 different FX options, you can play with the sound to your heart’s content, though I suspect the most used option will be the first: echo + reverb. You also get a feedback suppression option.
The Bluetooth menu has two separate connection options, audio and control. In testing I used two different iPhones. Of the remaining settings options, I think the most important one is being able to store your favourite sound setups. You still get a lot of control in the basic mode. But importantly, you can also add delay (expressed in metres) which will be especially useful for all the weird situations we get thrown at us, like needing to add a speaker in a distant room or much further down a room than we’d like.
And then there’s the app. Being able to connect two different devices to the speaker allows for a lot more control wirelessly. You get all the control without needing to be at the back of the speaker – especially useful when working outside. You can even do clever things like mute all the speakers, turn phantom power on and off, add a touch of reverb or enable a hi-pass filter, or perhaps turn off the microphone but keep the sound going. And everything seemed to work instantaneously in test.
Quite honestly, I’m not sure what else Electro-Voice could add to the EVERSE 12 to make it more flexible. My only disappointment is that I couldn’t test two speakers. If I had, I’m sure I’d already have two on order. The ability to run a high-class and complete stereo sound system without any wires is a type of service I’d like to market – especially as my business is based by the sea and right next to the New Forest. If you have similar needs, then get down to your local retailer and give the EVERSE 12 a test. It really is an incredible speaker.
The full review can be found in Pro Mobile Issue 126, Pages 72-74.
