Rockville RPG122K Dual 12 Powered Speakers Review

Suppose you’re a novice performer or event organizer who can’t afford high-end equipment yet.

A good sound system doesn’t have to cost you an arm or a leg.

Fortunately, Rockville has its RPG 122K Dual 12″ powered speakers to hit all the marks for your first few events.

In this Rockville RPG122K Dual 12 Powered Speakers review, we’ll see if it has both primary and impressive features to cover your event’s audio needs.

Rockville RPG122K Dual 12 Powered Speakers Review

The Rockville RPG 122K Dual 12 Powered Speakers, or RPG 122K, is marketed as an all-in-one 12″ PA system.

As Rockville designed them for public address applications, their loudspeaker capabilities deliver well in outdoor and indoor events.

They are perfect for live music performances, sound stage recordings, music gigs, band practices, and religious gatherings.

Rockville released the RPG 122K in 2014, and they’ve already sold more than 1500 units of this model.

Who Is This Product For?

We recommend the Rockville RPG 122K if you have minimal sound system needs or are looking for more affordable options.

If you’re looking for complex graphic equalizer effects, live sound mixers, or mic stands, this item might not be enough for you.

Nevertheless, it does include the basics and some more.

You’ll have two 12-inch Bluetooth-compatible speakers (one active, one passive) – something you’ll find enjoyable if you’re using your smartphone for playing music at events.

The passive speaker setup also works great if you use a different amplifier for backup.

The RPG 122K also gives you a complete basic package that a beginner can find convenient.

Its plug-and-play offerings instantly allow you to start your performance without an unnecessarily high learning curve.

The speaker system works best for small or medium-sized outdoor or indoor events.

Its portability and modular functions shine for more accessible transportation, something you’ll be thankful for when jumping from one venue to another.

What’s Included?

The Rockville RPG 122K comes in a neatly packaged box.

• Stands

Upon opening, you’ll be greeted with the two plastic-covered steel tripod speaker stands.

Both stands are already suitable for setup, so you won’t have to get screwdrivers and other tools for its assembly. You’ll just have to install the speakers and adjust the height yourself.

The stand’s adjustment screws also seem pre-lubricated, so it feels nice and not overly tight out of the box.

• Microphone and Connectors

The package also comes with a wired handheld microphone and its travel pouch, mic clip, and an XLR to XLR cable.

Rockville separately packs these items inside a smaller generic cardboard box wrapped with tape.

The cardboard container is relatively thin, so be careful when opening it using a box cutter. The microphone itself is wrapped in bubble wrap to prevent scratches from its black finish.

Remember that the package does not include mic stands, so you’ll have to make another purchase for one.

The package also contains two connection cables: the 19 feet cable for active to passive speaker connection and the power supply cord.

• Speakers

Upon removing the stands and other accessories, you’ll see a cardboard insert separating the two speakers from each other.

The edges are also protected with two styrofoams to absorb accidental impacts when shipping.

Like the stand, the speakers are also covered with plastic to prevent surface scratches.

• Remote Control and Documentation

You’ll also get a wireless remote control, user manual, and warranty card.

Overview of the Features

Let’s discuss this item’s various features for the next part of our review.

• Excellent Coverage

The Rockville RPG122K boasts a total power of 1000 watts peak, at 250 watts RMS per speaker.

This means that a speaker can sustain 250 watts of continuous power at 500 watts of program power.

Simply put, more wattage means electricity consumed, which also means more people can hear the PA system.

The speakers themselves are 12-inches long-throw woofers with 2-inches power aluminum voice coils.

These features give you an overall excellent bass response and good sound reproduction for the price.

It’s paired with a 25mm piezo compression horn tweeter that gives you clear, crispy, and loud highs.

Although the package includes a sponge ref-shake type wired microphone, Rockville could have used better materials to ensure the product’s sturdiness.

The mic’s flimsy plastic casing looks rugged enough thanks to its black finish and steel mesh grill, but we doubt it can withstand accidental drops.

However, considering the price, the mic is already good with the technicalities. Its frequency response stands at 60 to 13Khz, the impedance at 630 Ohms fluctuating at 15% at 1kHz and sensitivity at -72 decibels at 1kHz.

The mic’s uni-directional polar pattern is also great if you want to reduce the noise from the surroundings.

• Control Options

Upon testing, the RPG122K did deliver the expected, but keep in mind that the buttons at the back are for bass and treble controls only.

While the model has no adjustment for mids, it’s not a dealbreaker since the natural sounds of the speakers make up for this lacking.

The active speaker has its IR sensor at the front left for the remote control, so be sure not to cover that part with anything.

The wireless remote control allows you to conveniently adjust the MP3 player functions, including volume and usual playback controls.

However, the remote control lags a bit when selecting from the MP3 playlist but is quite responsive with its volume controls.

Aside from volume controls and the usual playback functions, the remote control also gives you access to excellent features.

An example is manually entering the song number from the music on USB input or SD card playlist. You can’t find these features at the back of the speakers.

One downside to the RPG122K is that it only has one cord port for the passive speaker. It also has only two microphone input options and no tone controls.

• Rugged and Light Weight Construction

Thanks to the speakers’ ABS plastic polymer cabinet and metal grill, the overall structure looks and feels rugged.

This set’s lightweight construction allows one person to quickly and safely mount the speakers to the stands.

The included stands feel and look sturdy enough to withstand the speakers’ weight, thanks to their stainless steel construction and black color.

They have a total of 132lbs weight capacity and an adjustable height range of 43 – 72 inches.

• Versatile Playback

The built-in Bluetooth feature allows wireless music to play directly from your phone or other Bluetooth-compatible music players.

Of course, you’ll also have a USB input for MP3 playback from a thumb drive.

However, you’ll have to use the AUX or RCA stereo inputs and input cables for Apple devices.

There’s also an SD card input slot, allowing you to use the RPG122K as your digital MP3 music player.

The master speaker also has a built-in FM radio that will enable you to tune in to your favorite FM radio stations.

A backlit LCD screen at the back of the active speaker displays MP3 functions for easier Bluetooth connectivity pairing.

• Onboard Extras

The RPG122K also features replaceable speaker handles, which are great if one of them breaks.

As an added safety bonus, a LED sensor also shows you when the speakers are at their clip limit.

The removable power cable for the active speaker comes as a quid pro quo.

On the one hand, it will be easy to replace the cord once it gets damaged. On the other, the inner pins might easily wear off.

Using a USB plug-in fan is advisable to cool the speakers during prolonged use. Overheating makes it prone to clipping and wiring issues.

How to Set Up Your Powered Speaker

You don’t need to bring your toolbox out to set up the RPG122K’s hardware. Its easy installation and packing are its strong suits.

To learn more on how to set up your Rockville RPG122K, watch their official installation video.

Alternative

Suppose you’re looking for an alternative that falls under the same price range but with more input capabilities and audio controls.

Try checking out the Alphasonik All-in-one 12″ Amplified Loud Speakers.

It comes with its own digital music and playback controls that feature plug-and-play support for USB or SD card playlists.

It also has a built-in equalizer that uses phenolic knobs for different audio applications. It allows you to adjust your music to your or the audience’s tastes.

Finally, the input’s versatility allows you to seamlessly integrate your smart devices, Blue Ray, Xbox, Playstation, TV, or any source with RCA, Aux, XLR, or 1/4” connectors.

Is the RPG122K Right for You?

We hope you find our Rockville RPG122K Dual 12 Powered Speakers review helpful.

The Rockville RPG 122K Dual 12 Powered Speakers is a good all-in-one kit for beginners. It comes with all the tools and accessories you need to get started out of the box.

These speakers provide enhanced audio output, multiple input options, wireless playback, FM radio capabilities, and simple controls.

Even if the speakers fall short in specific areas, you can’t deny their value at their price. 

Overall, we recommend using the RPG122K for your next live event.