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Pairing different JBL cabinets


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I have a friend who wants to upgrade/add on to his crruent setup. He currently uses a pair of MRX528 subs with a pair of MRX525 two way cabs. He wants to expand and add another set of the dual 18" subs and dual 15" tops, but he wants to upgrade to better sounding cabs also. I recommended that he look into the SRX's and get the 512's rather than the 525. He insists that he wants dual 15" top cabs. I'm okay with that but I told him that if he wants to "improve" he should look into the SRX series rather than the MRX. He is going to stick to getting another set of used MRX's and "when he's ready, upgrade all in one shot."

 

My thought is if he is looking to upgrade anyway, just shoot for a set of SRXs now rather than later. Later on he will only have have one set of speakers to get rid of. He is concerned that if he gets the SRX's, it will not work well together with his MRX's. I disagree with that. I feel that getting a set of SRX would only improve his sound rather than hurt it. I don't know, what do you experts think? Pretty big purchase either way. Difference is only about $150 per cab between the SRX and MRX in the used market.

 

Edit: Purchase has not been made so please help me knock some sense into him.

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Yeah, I know where he's coming from that the cabinets may sound different but the SRX cabinets are better cabs therefore it should only help. If it were the other way around then yeah I wouldn't do it but in this case it would save him lots of time, money, and headache by going with a set of SRX.

 

BTW, how are those Turbosounds?

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The TQ445's are great. I feel like I'm listening thru a mid-grade studio monitor... only 30 dB's louder! ;) I had to boost a couple dB's in the 400hz range and a couple 4k. But otherwise, they're VERY smooth a tight cabs.

 

After dial-ing them in, just for fun, I put up a pair of SRM450's. Insane how much "Boomy" the SRM's were compared to the tight articulation with the TQ's. The snare drum and vocals were completely "wonky" with the SRM's. After putting the TQ's back up, they came right out and were in your face.

 

In fact, the DJ I was with commented :

"I feel like I'm hearing things I never heard before in these tracks!"

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The TQ445's are great. I feel like I'm listening thru a mid-grade studio monitor... only 30 dB's louder!
;)
I had to boost a couple dB's in the 400hz range and a couple 4k. But otherwise, they're VERY smooth a tight cabs.


After dial-ing them in, just for fun, I put up a pair of SRM450's. Insane how much "Boomy" the SRM's were compared to the tight articulation with the TQ's. The snare drum and vocals were completely "wonky" with the SRM's. After putting the TQ's back up, they came right out and were in your face.

 

Have you guys used the TQ's at any gigs yet?

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Not yet, I just got them on Wednesday night. Our first show is about a month out at a local club... then the next night I'm doing sound/lights for a college dance with the DJ's where I'll really get a chance to drive things and get them tuned in a real-live situation.

 

I'll be getting my QSC GP218sw sub next week or the week after. Can't wait to hear everything altogether -- even in our rehearsal room @ Jamspot.

 

I think my new motto for the wedding band will be : "Got headroom?" :)

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Not yet, I just got them on Wednesday night. Our first show is about a month out at a local club... then the next night I'm doing sound/lights for a college dance with the DJ's where I'll really get a chance to drive things and get them tuned in a real-live situation.


I'll be getting my QSC GP218sw sub next week or the week after. Can't wait to hear everything altogether -- even in our rehearsal room @ Jamspot.


I think my new motto for the wedding band will be : "Got headroom?"
:)

 

Not that I like my HPRs any less but I am filled with envy.:eek:

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So, does that hold true for the JRX users? Adding a pair of MRX's to some JRX's will benefit the overall sound?

 

Does that only work for JBL's or can you mix & match any brand, say Peavey PV's with some SP's or EV QRX's with some Phoenix speakers?

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I love the HPR line. They're probably the best bang for your buck speakers out there. But on our larger shows 400+ people or in the huge ballrooms that we sometimes play -- they start to run out of gas.

 

Sure, I could have doubled the rig, but the pack space in the van then becomes a problem.

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So, does that hold true for the JRX users? Adding a pair of MRX's to some JRX's will benefit the overall sound?


Does that only work for JBL's or can you mix & match any brand, say Peavey PV's with some SP's or EV QRX's with some Phoenix speakers?

 

 

I don't know what you're trying to point out but if I wanted to upgrade a set of JRXs and I wouldn't get another set of JRXs. That's just more of the same junk I don't want. I would rather cough up for a the extra cash for a higher level of speakers. But just because I don't consider more of the same as an upgrade doesn't mean that everyone else can't.

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I love the HPR line. They're probably the best bang for your buck speakers out there. But on our larger shows 400+ people or in the huge ballrooms that we sometimes play -- they start to run out of gas.


Sure, I could have doubled the rig, but the pack space in the van then becomes a problem.

 

 

Well, then that is a great excuse to get a new set of TQs. For what I do, I will never exceed 300 people.

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MRXs are usable speakers. JRXs are not. That is the fault in Rezrover's logic.

 

Does he really need dual 15s over dual 18s? SRX 12s over SRX or MRX dual 18s would be an incredible system and much easier to move.

 

Is he stuck in the "bigger is better" mode? Been there, done that. Ask him to give the 12s a listen.

 

I also assume he knows he will probably have to upgrade amps, too.

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MRXs are usable speakers. JRXs are not. That is the fault in Rezrover's logic.


Does he really need dual 15s over dual 18s? SRX 12s over SRX or MRX dual 18s would be an incredible system and much easier to move.


Is he stuck in the "bigger is better" mode? Been there, done that. Ask him to give the 12s a listen.


I also assume he knows he will probably have to upgrade amps, too.

 

Yeah, he's stuck in the bigger is better mode. I told him if he needed more volume then add more 12s. He just says "It's not the same." Oh well.

 

The amp upgrading is a given. ;)

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Yeah, he's stuck in the bigger is better mode. I told him if he needed more volume then add more 12s. He just says "It's not the same." Oh well.


The amp upgrading is a given.
;)

 

Eventually he will outgrow that. We did. If he did a blind test only judging volume and quality, he might be surprised that the 12s will be just as loud and offer cleaner sound.

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I have some nice JBL Soundpower dual 15+2" boxes that are really wonderful sounding and I really wouldn't trade them out for a single 15 or single 12. I'd use a single 12 or 15 + 1" but when you need to move a lot of air there I'd rather use the Soundpower boxes (over dual 18's of course).

 

There are apps where a larger box is going to work out better and some not. I like the portability of smaller boxes better for sure, and the lesser power requirements are nice. Outdoors and in larger ballrooms a single 12 box just doesn't do it (1 per side). Sometimes 2 smaller boxes is better for horizontal coverage, sometimes it's long throw you need. Sometimes it's a big room but you only need to cover 30x30 of dance floor...

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