RCF ART 735A MK4 : £819..RCF.IT Another issue of Pro Mobile, another speaker review... seriously, do we need more choice? Absolutely, bring it on! can’t believe the amount of choice DJs get with their sound these days and, I have to say, for the last couple of years I haven’t a ‘bad’ pair of speakers. But for that matter, who really am I to say what a ‘bad’ pair of speakers is! As I always harp on about, speakers are a very personal thing, not in just the way they sound, but also in terms of the physical practicalities like size, weight and handle positioning.

Even rear panel feature sets and input configurations can split opinion. Everyone has their own preferences and priorities. With that proviso out of the way, let’s move on to the subject of this issue’s review. One bright summer’s day a courier knocked-on and in came two great big RCF boxes.

Chris, the retail channel manager from RCF, had already primed me that they were coming and, with a gig approaching on the Saturday of that week, I was keen to take them out for a test run. One of the reasons I particularly wanted them for this gig was that the venue has a bit of an awkward load in. It’s not bass bin friendly! Having to carry your gear down a cobbled incline is not the best, so rather than using a set of bins and tops I planned to just use these new RCF 15s on tripods.

As with any kit that lands in the office, I un-boxed it ahead of taking it out to a live environment. After prising open the thickest cardboard box I have ever encountered, I discovered the cabs neatly sheathed (love that word) in their zippable covers. This was the first tick for RCF – covers are available for the product. They are an essential part of protecting your investment whilst out on the road.

Inside the padded bags were a pair of RCF’s ART 735-A MK4 speakers (catchy title I know!). The ART range is very well-established and is equally wellrespected. It is the flagship portable PA line for RCF, proudly manufactured at their factory in Italy. The naming of the products within the range can seem a bit confusing, but a good way to think of it is in comparison to how BMW name their cars… The ‘7’ is the series number, the ‘3’ is the voice coil size of the compression driver, and the ‘5’ is the second digit of the woofer size in inches (so 5 means a 15” cone).

This new MK4 range is similar in looks to its predecessors, with a grille tweak and badge change, but inside it has been completely reworked using the latest designs and technology. There are seven speakers in the active category ranging from an 8” RCF ART 735A MK4 to three choices of 15”, each with estly, I couldn’t a different high frequency section compared to (more on that in a bit). a decade ago. flumps to I have access to a lot of different they are still sound systems, but it has been a pared to flumps), long time since I had a 15” cabinet manageable to review or have taken one out Another plus on a gig.

The trend over the past more handles couple of years has been towards stick at! On the smaller ‘stick systems’ so I was meaning you keen to hear what RCF has to offer with ease and, from this more traditional speaker even I – at a arrangement. manhandle it socket with My initial observations were of a nice design, typical RCF – striking, One thing that yet not offensive – with a simple been proud of back panel and light weight. And approach to when I say light, I mean light!

Honmakes great RCF ART 735A MK4 RCF Art 735A MK4 believe how these folks are very happy at that! This my old 15s from over is reiterated by their simple back It was like comparing panel design. There are no fancy gobstoppers! At 21.4kg gimmicks, no complicated mixer fairly heavy (well commodule with digital effects and but incredibly multiple inputs, just one Input for a 15” enclosure. channel (with a choice of balanced point is that there are XLR or ¼” jack socket), a Link XLR than you can shake a output, a Sensitivity switch (to aleither side and the top, low mic or line input) and a ‘Flat’ / can move it around ‘Boost’ EQ button.

I really do find more importantly, this refreshing, so many brands try mere 5’5” – could and add in all the bells and whistles onto its pole mount to sell their products where RCF relative ease. just tell you to plug it in and it will sound good! RCF has always is its no-nonsense All the wizardry is done inside the sound – the company cabinet and part of that is down speakers and the RCF THE EARLY DAYS rt 735A MK4 to the RCF driver. The driver (the was a hidden bass speaker bit with the magnet) is believed it! what RCF is famous for.

Even if you haven’t purchased an RCF The clarity was speaker before you will have heard ing since spoken to an RCF driver – some of the biggest I now know this is speaker brands in the world trust improved 3” voice the RCF name implicitly to make frequency tweetery their boxes sound good. Rather that this delivers than opening up a political can of the driver can work worms and naming several of the lower frequencies manufacturers here, I will let you clearer and louder! have a google!

There is also a So back to my gig... voice coil – the 745 better and one with As with all my events, I got there coil, which offers a stupidly early. I wasn’t setting able first step onto up a massive rig so it didn’t take Looking at the MSRPs me long, which gave me a good 735 - £819 | 745 - chance to test out the MK4s. So net), though, I think I plugged them in and off I went, the best value when going through my usual routine performance to price. of testing several of my favourite tracks (it has to be done).

The first At the gig I was thing I noticed was the depth of singer too, an awesome sound – here I have been lugging Stephen Bayliss, who two bins and two tops around ten would be showing when I could have just used these! Traction Sound rig Seriously, if you had told me there and 2 x 12” tops, 78 78 bin I would have down the cobbles by his sound engineer!). At that point my heart sank, with all the will in the world, incredible too. Havhow could any pair of 15s on poles Chris at RCF, match a full-on big sound rig? down to the coil (the high Actually, surprisingly well!

This was bit). The fact a real-life, seat of your pants demo. more, means Obviously the Traction rig had the harder on the edge and the additional depth and – in a nutshell ‘whoompf’ from the bass bins but, good on RCF, these bad boys kept up to within an inch and also ofversion with a 4” fered noticeably better clarity on – which is even the top end. a 1.75” voice more afford- Honestly, I was really impressed… the RCF ladder. To summarize… (715 - £570 | £1147 per cabi- Do they sound good?

Yes! the 735s offer Are they loud? Yes! comparing Are they practical? Yes! Are they well priced?

Yes! working with a I really think RCF are on to a winguy called ner with the MK4 range. They are I had forgotperfect for those who don’t want up with his to lug bass bins around (that’s a (2 x 15” bins lot of DJs) and represent ‘plug and all manhandled play’ at its absolute best. RCF ART 735A MK4 Book Store INCLUDES FOUR NEW CHAPTERS Wedding Marketing For DJs Second Edition Derek Pengelly out now NEW UPDATED VERSION OF DEREK PENGELLY’S BEST-SELLING BOOK FOR MOBILE WEDDING DJS P ROMOBILE.O / STO RE