Yamaha DBR12 1,000W 12 inch Powered Speaker Reviews

I bought this as a personal monitor for a direct guitar rig (pedal board > Two Notes CAB M+ > DBR -12 > FOH).

I have no experience using it as a PA speaker, but as an FRFR with my direct rig it is fantastic.

Great clarity and tons of headroom.

Huge bang for the buck in my experience. I'm a happy customer.

Well I bought one of these to use as my ceremony speaker and also for family cookouts and such. I was looking into getting the 10" version but that one had more negative reviews than the 12" version so for a little more money I bough this one and let me tell you that I was impressed when I first heard it. Even though it's at the bottom of the Yamaha line the clarity coming out of them is almost perfection and impressive. I can't wait to test it out live at a family backyard party where I'll be running an Ipad via an Alto Bluetooth adapter and can really crank up the volume and see what others say. I'm glad I went this route instead of getting the Alto TS412. Now this single speaker matches my main Yamaha sound system that I use for large events. I'm happy.

I was very impressed and surprised at how nice and clear this speaker sounds. Even though I did not want to buy another 12" this one had better review than it's 10" brother the DBR10.

I am a dj and will be using this 1 speaker for ceremony and/or for cocktail music if it's in a separate room from the main reception. I like that this had 2 XLR inputs so I am using the 1st one to run the Alto Pro Bluetooth adapter in mono to stream music from my ipad and again the sound is incredible, better than any money I would have spent to purchase a regular $ Bluetooth consumer speaker. The 2nd XLR will be used for a wireless mic and I haven't tested it yet I do have a small Yamaha mixer I can use if I need to up the amp up volume or add effects. Either way this speaker is going to save me a ton of time for what I plan to use it for. I will also be using it for family gatherings, cookouts, etc. of course it's not battery powered but for the sound that comes out of it it's worth it to find an electrical outlet for it, lol. Oh yea and get the official Yamaha cover for it to protect it! I will update if my review changes but so far do not hesitate and buy it!

Yamaha takes prides in everything they make Pianos, motorcycles and in PA they did also. Excellent speaker , awesome performance. In the price range they smoke all others . The only thing I watch is the plastic housing rash easily so buy the proper bag to keep them looking good

Outstanding... thanks so much...

I bought these with the intention of using them at band practice for vocals and keys... life happened and the band wasn't playing anymore (for now), but I ended up using them for backyard movie nights, outdoor party music, and for playing keyboards/synths through. They are fantastic in all applications I've used them for. Loud, full, and solid. Built very well. The rear switches make them extra versatile. Laying on the floor, I roll off the bass, and on a stand I will leave them flat or boost the bass if the situation calls for it. I'm using them with a Yamaha MG10XU mixer, which is also great. Very pleased with these speakers. Can't see me ever needing anything else in regards to PA speakers.

We have used these DBR 12's (and the DBR10's) in our DJ equipment rental business for the past three years. We wanted a quality speaker, that sounded great without a sub-woofer. We wanted a lower price speaker that would be cheaper to fix and or replace when they got damaged in rentals. We've used the higher end Yamaha speakers for years and trusted their build quality.

The DBR's have surpassed all our expectations:

They're as loud as you need them to be inside or outside.
They sound great and have very good bass response.
The basic controls on the back are enough for every situation we have.

They're rugged! We use these as part of our DJ rental business and send them out week after week. They have never failed. Never stopped working. We've never had an issue with any of these or the DBR10's we use. (We deliver and set everything up and dial it all in for the client. That helps prevent user error!)

I highly recommend this line.

It took about 2 months for these to come in but it was worth the wait. I am using them to amplify my Yamaha pianos (P-200, P-515, P-125), which all sound pretty nice through them. Because I primarily play acoustic piano samples on my digitals, I am coupling the DBR12s in stereo using a Yamaha MG06X mixer, which also lets me add a mic. These speakers have provided a huge improvement in sound, especially at one particular club, which has rather nasty acoustics. If you play acoustic piano samples on stage, then do not even consider purchasing a "keyboard amp." Although keyboards amps are OK for synth, organ, and electric piano samples, they sound pretty awful for acoustic piano samples. For the latter, there is no comparison in sound between a keyboard amp and good, amplified PA speakers like these (and the more expensive ones sound even better!). However, you will need two for stereo, especially for effectively rendering the acoustic piano samples. Although the frequency range of an actual acoustic piano extends from 27.5 Hz (A0) to 4186 Hz (C8), the frequency response of the DBR12s (52Hz-20kHz) spans all 88 keys quite effectively, noting that even most subwoofers (which you can always add) can't respond below 35 Hz. Finally, these speakers are still relatively easy to manage at 35 lbs, which is about the same weight as my P-125 in its soft case. I do recommend the Yamaha speaker covers (SPCVR-1201) to protect them. They add just a few pounds but provide adequate padding and fit like a glove.

I was in a toss up for what kind of speakers I was wanting to get between these, some mackies, and EV. Honestly very glad I choose these! Sound amazing, with good bass, and can get pretty loud. The contour switch and the filter are incredibly simple to use and are game changers when using them for monitors. Will be looking to purchase more in the future along with some subs to finish a system.

I bought 4 of these for a large scale graduation ceremony. I needed wide dispersion and high output. These speakers are easily the best in their class. I own EV ZLX too, and these Yamahas sound better and perform better. I love the multiple inputs and how little they weigh for a 12 inch powered speaker. Add a 15 or 18 inch sub and this is a great sounding little PA system! Great value for the price!

These bad boys are awesome. For the price you will be getting an absolutely wonderful specker. Only downfall is no bluetooth but who needs that anyways.

I'had been a Yamaha users stuff for some 20 Yeats (S115IV, S118IV, DSR15, EMX and MG mixers).. they are workhorses in every aspect..
So I decide yo Upgrade my PA system whit a all powered speakers and got a pair of DBR12 for monitors.. ley me tell ypu they are AWESOME.. set it up in "monitor" mode they play great..
Cristal clear and loud.. whit no feedback or humms
At this price range ypu can't find Amy better..
Thanks ,Yamaha.. ypu did it again

Well to be honest I have not used this dealer yet. Been too busy. But I already had one that I bought last year and it"s s great speaker. Much fuller sound than the dbr 19 I started with and will now make a monitor.
The controls are easy to use. Rugged structure.
Mostly thank you sweetwater for your excellent customer service and helping me with my order!!

This is an Awesome Speaker, We use it for a Monitor for our Live Karaoke and what a difference this makes.. Paul Rowan recommended this speaker to me and Paul always steers me right, and we couldn't be happier with the sound this jewel puts out... Thank you Paul and Sweetwater!!

Theses speakers do what they are supposed to do ,they're light weight, easy to set up,and most of all sound great.for a great price...with Yamaha quality..

The speakers are powerful, amazingly clear, and they're light! There are a ton of mode options on the back. Best speaker we have in the PA, without a doubt. Getting another one soon.

I got these for an acoustic duo and so far I really like them. They sound amazing with my Taylor and a little reverb. Very tight bass and super clear highs. Vocals are very crisp and it is very easy to eq them to sound great. Much clearer sound than my passive Peavey 15s but still plenty of bass. They are surprisingly small and light and easy to carry or mount on a stand. I would guess the 15s sound even better but I wouldn't want it to be much heavier. They sound great with the iPhone plugged in too, for background music. Overall, with the 7 year warranty I think these are a great deal.

I am old school as far as my setup goes, passive speakers and power amps. I finally dived into the powered speaker era, and I am glad I did. My biggest reason going to powered speakers was the weight of my passive speakers. My 15" Peavey's with Black Widows woofers are great, but man they are heavy. I searched and searched and read reviews and watched videos for months. I finally decided on the Yamaha DBR 12's, setup was easy and I let it rip. Wow, the sound was great and much louder than I was expecting, I went with the 12's since they are lighter and I have plenty of subs for the low end. I am very pleased with the DBR's, grap a pair they won't disappoint!

Started off with one DBR12 for a single stage monitor. Really cool that the mixer section has 2 combo plugs so I can plug both L+R from the DJ mixer. Worked out really well. As for sound quality, it sounds pretty close to the DXR12 which is a fantastic sounding speaker. What I really like about the DBR12 is the cabinet. It is light and durable. It can handle a few nicks and scratches. Probably even defect them. Which makes this a great mobile speaker. I feel confident loading them in my SUV or car without a cover. Very happy. Purchased another one to complete a pair. This pair is replacing my rookie year Mackie Thump 15s I used for small parties. Definitely an upgrade.

We bought one of these for the singer to use as a stage monitor and it sounded great. Love the ability to mix two feeds, one for vocals and the other for full band mix. I was playing around with it in the studio and tried it as a monitor for my electronic drums. It was awesome so...we bought another one!

I love these. If you have a simple application like karaoke or rehearsal, they are perfect. If you need to adjust for more than 4 inputs, you will still need a mixer. But for my rehearsal space/karaoke/outdoor party. These speakers simply kill. There is very limited EQ, but they sound so good it really doesn't matter.

Jon Chordas is the man.

I have two of these speakers and I really like them. They sound great and are fairly lightweight. They also work well with my Stagepas 1K. Thanks goes out to Will Newbill for the awesome service!

I needed another set of speakers for a restaurant situation. Replaced the QSC 12 which are going to be a permanent fixture in the outdoor Biergarten. I find these speakers to be a bit warmer then the QSC 12 and the bass a bit wider. A perfect install for indoor restaurant. I do not feel they are as rugged as QSC12, as they will be in one location. I would recommend SweetWater to give advice on what set of speakers will fit your application. Aaron in sales helped me in making my choice.

I purchased two DBR12's, an MG12XU mixer, and a DXS18 Subwoofer along with all cables and the cool water-resistant Yamaha covers. This system cranks up loud as hell, but I'm just not happy with the sound quality of the DBR12's, I don't really know how to describe it, but I will try.

The sound is indeed LOUD, and CLEAR, but lacks separation, in other words, it sounds like the band is playing on the other side of a tunnel, the sound is flat, and there is no separation between instruments. It also sounds like it's missing a lot between the lows and highs. I assumed that they would sound better after buying the subwoofer, so I could change the filtering and they wouldn't need to put out so many lows, that did not help. I'm wishing I would have gone with EV instead, I think the sound quality would have been way better. A lot of people recommended these, and there was one person in the forum that told me he didn't care for the sound of them, I'm wishing I would have listened to him.

My only hope is that someone will know of a way to fix this, I'm thinking about ordering an equalizer and running it between the mixer and speakers, and hoping it will change the sound by a LOT, if not, then I wasted several thousand on something that I'm not particularly happy with. Do yourself a favor and listen to them before you buy them. BTW: The Yamaha DXS18 is a beast, it will shake your house off it's foundation is you are not careful. :-)