behringer b210d for backyard parties/movies

Is this a stereo pair or a single B210D? Anyway, have you worked with the high/low EQ on the back at all to see if there's a setting which is more acceptable to you? What equipment is in the signal chain feeding the speaker(s) (DVD direct in, etc)?

OK, so you are only working with 1 channel from a stereo feed (unless you converted to mono at the source), which may sound a bit more anemic than you are used to, but that would only be a part of the issue. What about the EQ? Any adjustment that has put you closer to what you are looking for? Does your volume level factor into the sound quality, as in cleaner at low volume, but muddy and distorted at higher volume? I'm assuming that the B210D sounded a lot better at the store. If that's the case you might simply want to go back to the store with your ipod/laptop and do some testing with the staff there.

I'm thinking it's merely this, a $200 10", composite plastic, active two-way. Unless it's just amplifying the spoken word, it can't do much with either your 20x20 room, or outdoors. It needs to be supplemented for any impact whatsoever,...IMO. That said, it's still a good deal....when used within it's capabilities.



Just a passive, 10" woofer for $200, is highly compromised

Break it down into sub-segments;

1.) 10" woofer
2.) Compression tweeter
3.) Two dsp contoured, actively crossed over amplifiers
4.) Power supply/cord
5.) Composite plastic case, horn/waveguide metal grill, pole mount receptacle etc.

It is what it is, an extremely high value active 10" two-way

I suspect some of your problem is in the cabling getting STEREO signal out your IPOD into the MONO input.

I suspect that a good bit of the problem is the signal is "messed up" before it even gets to the loudspeaker.

If you simply Y them- then the output impedance of each of the other channels in your IPOD (or computer) will be loading down the opposite channel and this can result in distortion, loss of signal and possible damage to your IPOD or computer output.

They need to be summed together by a mixer or a device such as a Rapco LTI Blox that will take the signals-summ them together via resistors (so as to reduce the loading) and generate a balanced output.

Yes there will be a loss of signal level in the processs that needs to be made up. In the store they had the signal chain correct-which makes a huge difference in cases like this.

And as others have said-how much performance do you really expect for the price you paid?