Description
What the B210D Is
The Behringer Eurolive B210D is a 200 watt two way active PA speaker built around a 10 inch woofer and a separate tweeter. Active means the power amplifier and crossover live inside the cabinet, so the speaker takes a signal directly from a mixer or a microphone preamplifier and needs only a mains socket. That removes the separate power amplifier and the speaker cable runs that a passive PA system requires, which is why active cabinets have become the default for small venues, solo performers and mobile setups.
The Eurolive range has been in production for a long time, and this listing dates the model to July 2004, making it one of the longest running products in the category. That longevity is worth something in a market where PA equipment is bought secondhand and needs spare parts. Buyers comparing approaches should look at the passive route through the Behringer KM750 power amplifier, and at complete packages such as the PRORECK Club 4000.
Drivers, Power and Weight
A 10 inch woofer with a dedicated tweeter is the standard configuration for a general purpose PA cabinet. Ten inches is large enough to carry vocals, acoustic instruments and backing tracks with authority in a small room, and small enough that the cabinet stays manageable. Two hundred watts of built in amplification is appropriate for that driver size; more power in a cabinet this size would be limited by the woofer rather than the amplifier.
The weight is the specification that stands out. At 19.18 pounds this is light for a powered PA cabinet, and the reason is almost certainly a Class D amplifier and a molded enclosure rather than a heavy linear power supply in a plywood box. Weight matters more in this category than in almost any other, because these cabinets get carried up stairs, lifted onto poles and loaded into cars, often by one person, several times a week. Cabinet dimensions are given as 18.35 inches high by 11.5 wide by 9.61 deep. Performers running microphones into it should look at the vocal microphones category.
Connections and Use
The connectivity protocol is listed as XLR and Line, which covers the two signals a PA speaker normally receives. XLR is the balanced professional connector used from mixers and microphones, and it rejects interference over long cable runs, which matters on a stage. A line input allows a keyboard, a laptop or a media player to be connected. The impedance is listed as 8 ohms and the speaker amplification type as active.
The listing states the specific uses as live music performances and parties, and includes a power cord, user manual and original box. What is not described is whether the cabinet has a pole socket for a speaker stand, whether it has flying points for rigging, whether it has a monitor wedge angle molded into one side, or whether it includes an onboard mixer with gain and EQ controls. Those are the four practical questions a performer would ask, and none are answered here. Anyone assembling a small live rig should also compare the Mackie SRM150 and the PreSonus CDL12P.
Highlights
- Active design with 200 watts of amplification built into the cabinet.
- Two way configuration with a 10 inch woofer and a separate tweeter.
- XLR and line inputs covering mixer, microphone and instrument sources.
- 19.18 pounds, light enough for one person to carry and lift.
- No separate power amplifier or speaker cable runs required.
- Long running model, first listed in 2004, with a wide secondhand and spares market.
- 8 ohm impedance and 200 watt output stated on the listing.
- Molded enclosure rather than plywood, which is where most of the weight saving comes from.
Things To Consider
The attribute table is unreliable. It lists a built in microphone as a special feature, gives the control method as App with no app named anywhere, records a vehicle service type of Car and a surround sound channel configuration of 2.0 on a single mono PA cabinet. The compatible devices field says Smartphone. The voltage is listed as 240 volts, which is the European standard rather than the 120 volts used in the United States, and on a mains powered product that is a difference worth confirming with the seller before ordering.
More significantly, the listing publishes none of the specifications a PA buyer actually uses. There is no maximum sound pressure level, no frequency response, no crossover frequency, no dispersion pattern and no statement of how the 200 watt figure is measured or divided between the woofer and the tweeter. Maximum SPL in particular is what determines whether a cabinet can cover a given room, and its absence makes it impossible to size this speaker against a venue.
On practical grounds, one cabinet is a mono system. A stereo setup or a left and right pair covering a room needs two, doubling the outlay. A 10 inch woofer will not produce deep bass, so anything involving a kick drum or bass guitar will want a subwoofer added. And a PA speaker is only as good as the mixer feeding it, so a full setup needs a mixer, microphones, stands and cables budgeted alongside. Buyers who want a complete package rather than a component should compare the PA systems category.
Who It Suits
The B210D suits a solo performer, a small band, a mobile DJ or anyone running speech and background music in a modest room, who wants a self powered cabinet that one person can carry. The combination of XLR input, active amplification and low weight covers the practical requirements of small live work without complication.
It is a weaker choice for larger venues, for anything requiring real low frequency output, and for buyers who need published SPL and dispersion figures to plan coverage. Those users should look at 12 or 15 inch cabinets and add a subwoofer, and anyone whose need is a fixed installation rather than a portable one may be better served by a passive system driven from a rack amplifier.