Before I start, I have to let you know that I am not an expert, I am just an aficionado of sound.  The way I have my equipment set up is a basic but it has worked for me.   I am using a DBX Drive Rack PA2, because its very simplified and also it helps to reduce the amount of components since it has all I need in just that one rack-space.

I am also using two QSC K Series (K12) and two KW181 Subwoofers, they are amplified speakers so to me it makes it much more convenient since I don’t have to carry any additional equipment. Before I had purchased this speakers, I was using everything separate (2 Peavy PV215, 2 Peavey PV118, my rack that consisted on a DBX Crossover, DBX EQ, Sound Maximazer, Mixer,  Crown Amplifier for the subwoofers and a QSC Amp for the Mids and Highs. The rack it was heavy, very heavy.  Although I was under the impression that the sound quality of having everything separate was better that amplified speakers for example, I have found that I could be wrong.  The DBX Drive Rack PA2 and the QSC’s together work beautifully.  I took a risk when I went to go purchased the speakers, I asked the sales man at the place if he could let me hear them before I made the purchased, he said sure, so he when ahead and got and RCA cable and plug his phone to the speakers, he turned all the gain up on the speakers, It sound okay but I knew that was not the proper way to listen to them, I just didn’t wanted to “inconvenience” the sales man to test them the proper way (or what I think is the proper way to hear them out). Any how, they sound awesome, very clear at low and high volumes, I strongly recommend them.

How I set this up.

I use a small Mixer, I am not a musician so I don’t need a that many channels; The Mixer its my source of audio its where I connect my Laptop where I have my music stored, personally I don’t like using a cell phone because the audio quality of sound is not as manageable as an laptop, although a cd player in my opinion has a better sound quality, but it is much more convenient to use a laptop.

My Mixer is connected to the DBX Drive Rack PA2, one of the best features I like about the Drive Rack is that it can be manage from your Ipad, tablet or smart phone, from the EQ, Crossover and much features that it offers and what I mention before it only take only one rack space.

From my DBX Drive Rack PA2 now it goes to the active speakers (QSC K12 and QSC KW181)

Once everything its connected, one thing that I really think its important is that before your turn on your amps or active speakers, make sure everything else is already on and with the volume all the way down.  What I do is that I would play a song from my laptop and I would put the main gain of my Mixer at 0db after than I would give it some gain to the channel of the mixer I am using for my laptop, and all check my drive rack if its actually receiving a signal, once I see that everything is working properly, I turn down the gain of my laptop channel all the way down, then proceed to turn on the amps or active speakers.