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Seriously thinking about getting rid of all my mackie cabs


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Except for a few. I rented out 4 1530's and they came back burnt and it was cool because the offending party paid for the price of 2 new ones. BUT lately I have found myself using more of my passive stuff since about two weeks ago when I encounterd some serious problems with not being able to push the MAckies. I am getting into bigger more intense shows and the Mackies are not cutting it. AND ALSO most important in some new Riders I got for some up coming shows Mackie is not Accaptable as FOH. NOt saying anthing bad about MAckie stuff but they have a niche in 100 to 1,000 person shows. I have used them for over a year with no problems at all but lately I burnt 4 subs, 2 450's, and 4 1530's, I honestly love the stuff and it has made me a lot of money but I have out grown it. I would like to keep some for rentals but try to get rid of most so I can invest in some Turbosound or more JBL's. I have all my shows coverd for this summer but I am getting jobs next summer that I will need some seriously big systems. SO by next summer I need to have some more of my favorite JBL's or some other serious no BS cabs. ANy suggestions and where I can find them would be great. thanks guys.

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I agree and I need them to do things they are not supposed to do and sooner then later I will fry them all trying I would like for that not to happen. I used them very succesfully for a while and I just need more. SHure I could stack all my cabs for the shows I am doing BUT thats a lot of power needed which is not always available. It would be like having 20 600 to 1,200 watt amps. Thats why they are great for a lot of things, and not for some.

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Originally posted by Audiopile

I'd say the JBL SRX cabs are some of the most versitile and local SR company rider friendly boxes out there. Anything "better" starts getting into big bucks and more specialized applications. Anything "cheaper" is going to give you some issues pleasing folks with riders. The SRX cabs are usually quite acceptable with 1 page rider bands, hold their value well, and deliver the the needed performance. 2 to 4 stacks a side is generally quite adequate for a small sound company. They are far from the best sounding box out there, but they can be dialed it to sound fine and will deliver sufficent quantities of ear shreadding SPL if there's a hack at the board that's looking impress the crowd with his prowess.

 

 

This is exactly right.

 

I confess I use to think the powered Mackie stuff was simply unprofessional {censored}. Then my band played a couple of clubs where the whole system was powered Mackie. For what it was, low SPL in a small club, it was good enough. But it wasn't anywhere close to a pro component system with the SRX's or better, powered by Crown or QSC. It's just apples and oranges.

 

Terry D.

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A band recently played one club I work where the house system is a pair of JBL SR4733/19 stacks. They were electronic dance (keyboard, DJ and singer) and toured with their own Mackie powered stacks to "supplement" the house PA because they wanted to make sure there was enough power in the room.

 

As they set up their stacks right next to the JBL's, I warned them about phase conflicts. They ignored me. My fears were unfounded. During sound check, I cranked up the JBLs and made them listen as one of their loops played in the club's system. One of them then went to the stage and turned on the Mackies. There was absolutely no difference in SPL. We literally could not hear the Mackies. I had to shut off the JBLs' to prove to them that their Mackies were on. They put 'em back in the trailer.

 

Not to say the Mackies aren't decent in the right situation. But they are certainly no match for those JBLs.

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I am hoping to add 4 more JBL SRX's to my 6 I already have. It will be a hell of a stack 5 on a side!! YOU guys are right about the usefullness of the JBL's. I still want by summer to be into EAW or Turbosound a little.

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There's a band in my area with a pair of 450's and 1500 subs that plays some of the clubs I do. They're a moderately loud modern country band that runs everything through the PA. Here's my impressions of the Mackies in three rooms that I'm familiar with:

 

Room 1- a square-shaped lounge in a motor inn that seats 75:

 

Very good sound. The subs are full sounding and the tops are clean with an overly crisp high end...not the fault of the Mackies!... it's the way they run things.

 

Room 2- an L-shaped bar that seats 150:

 

This room, with it's low acoustic-tiled ceiling and lots of carpeting, is the best sounding room in the area. Things are still good, but the tops are starting to run away from the subs. These guys always set the subs on each side of the stage, and the 450's on poles, so there's a few holes in the low end. I work this room a lot, and have found it sounds much better to put the subs together in front of the stage on the dance floor...actually ,this works best in just about all the rooms I work, but that's another story...

 

Room 3- a rectangular banquet room that seats 300 with the stage on the long wall:

 

Things are getting really strained. Two 450 tops can't begin to cover this room adequately... the vocals are unintelligible on either end of the room. There's not enough sub, and what's there has a vague, distant quality about it...totally punchless. I'm not sure if this is because there are only two 15's, or if it has something to do with the speakers not being front-mounted, or what. To be fair, when I work this room, it's with a lot more stuff...at least four subs and four tops- for coverage, if nothing else.

 

Anyway, that's it. I think I'd be happy using the powered tops if I had to, but I don't know about those subs.

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Audiopile, it's summer here too;) I am good for this summer as far a equipment goes but I have a lot more intense shows coming up next summer where I will need better gear!

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Just to be clear on the Mackie - JBL comparison... It is not reasonable to compare the 1530 or 450 mackies to a JBL SRX system. No more than it would be to compare my Fussion rig with a lower end JBL rig. IMHO, the Mackie SR1530s, 450s or SA (1501 / 1801 subs) line would be comparable to the JBL SoundFactor, Eons or MP line. There is probably little doubt the Mackies out perform there class of speaker both sound wise and cost (passive speaker + amps). This includes EV and Yamaha for that matter...

 

If you A/B the Mackie Fussion rig against a JBL SRX you will hear a difference. IMHO, the Fussions out perform the JBLs, put out good punch, clarity and reasonable SPLs. I actually own a couple JBLs in the SRX series that I use for monitor side fills and let the Fussions handle the FOH. Certainly the Mackies aren't for all applications but they perform very well for most of the venues in my league (small bars / medium to large clubs).

 

That said, Mackies are not rider friendly but neither are the JBL SRXs. The bands that have 1 page riders (club bands) usually have them to clear up issues such as stage layout, instruments, amp requirements for instruments, mic and stand arrangements, monitors requirements, etc. To date, I have yet to see a 1 page rider for a club or small bar bands that dictates that the preffered speaker manufacturer.

 

If you already own JBLs, it certainly makes technical as well as business sense to add on to the existing cabs.

 

I don't work for Mackie nor do I sell the stuff... I just happen to think they make some good products (not all of them) that perform well IN THERE CLASS.

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Originally posted by Drumtech

That said, Mackies are not rider friendly but neither are the JBL SRXs.

 

I can't remember EVER seeing no SRX series enclosures on any rider other than National A circuit acts, but I can often recall NO MACKIE on many regional act riders.

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Originally posted by Audiopile

I'd say the JBL SRX cabs are some of the most versitile and local SR company rider friendly boxes out there. Anything "better" starts getting into big bucks and more specialized applications. Anything "cheaper" is going to give you some issues pleasing folks with riders. The SRX cabs are usually quite acceptable with 1 page rider bands, hold their value well, and deliver the the needed performance. 2 to 4 stacks a side is generally quite adequate for a small sound company. They are far from the best sounding box out there, but they can be dialed it to sound fine and will deliver sufficent quantities of ear shreadding SPL if there's a hack at the board that's looking impress the crowd with his prowess.

 

 

 

 

 

As usual Mark .....very well put.....not my choice but your very right!

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The point I was going for was in reference to the comparison of the Mackie cabs mentioned vs. the higher end JBLs... As for the rider issue, I was refering to Regional or National acts. None of the ones I've seen (last few years) would allow for something along the line of an SRX. And yes I agree, Mackie is not at all rider friendly...

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Originally posted by Drumtech

The point I was going for was in reference to the comparison of the Mackie cabs mentioned vs. the higher end JBLs... As for the rider issue, I was refering to Regional or National acts. None of the ones I've seen (last few years) would allow for something along the line of an SRX. And yes I agree, Mackie is not at all rider friendly...

 

I just looked through a stack of riders I had here and didn't see any "no JBL SRX" comments but plenty of "no Mackie" plus all the usual others.

 

I will say that too many small companies put out a couple of (whatever) boxes and call it enough PA... and I have seen plenty of gripes about that issue.

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Originally posted by Drumtech



????????

 

The reason why many riders sepcify "no XXXXX" is because people who will typically offer that type of product in their production inventory are often too cheap to provide enough of it to satisfy the needs anyway. A company who invests in EAW or Apogee or Meyer (for example) will more likely care enough to bid on and bring a suitable amount of PA for the job.

 

The SRX, in appropriate quantity, is a very acceptable box... not my favorite but certainly serviceable. You provide 2 boxes when 8 are really needed is a sure way to piss me off though.

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Mackie, Peavey and Yamaha (MI and Club Series) are the Most Bashed Lately in regional touring-band riders. And we're talkin' 400-seat club tours, not arenas or other large venues.

 

I have one in front of me for a show next week that says (in the FOH mixer section), "No Peavey or Mackie" but then lists both as acceptable monitor consoles. Yet, they will accept any FOH mixer in "smaller venues" that has at least "6 monitor sends."

 

Go figure.

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I found an old box of my dad's from his sound company days - filled with riders.

 

Lots say 'No Peavey, Mackie or Yamaha' under speakers.

 

I've only heard the JBL SRX cabs once, it was a 3 way 15 model. Sounded great, tons better than my SF15s! (duh).

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