New JBL PRX 600 series

[Krowsif]

 

I just received a pair of prx612m's and i will reporting on them soon. I used to have a pair prx512m's that I have returned after I couldn't handle the noise gate anymore. First impressions is that they look much better cosmetically ie. no more orange badge, a little heavier, and the handles suck. I've been to busy to fire them up yet, I'll report back soon

 

 

noise gate? what do you mean?

[agedhorse]

It appears that a few individual units of the PRX-500 series (not all of them) exhibited a gating effect at very (very) low levels. I never saw this with the ones that came into my shop for repair or testing but enough folks have mentioned it that it certainly is possible.

 

Gate effect is where the signal (and any noise) drops out as the signal starts to become lost in the noise floor.

[jwlussow]

It

[qtuner]

On 512s I owned, reverb tails got cut off by the noise gate. The noise gate was intended to keep the speakersvfrom hissing with no signal.

 

 

I'm much happier with the 612. I think sounds about the same, very good. I'm not an expert, so can't say for certain the details on speaker sounds. I think they are a little scooped in the mids. The Bass response is really good. I prefer the wider dispersion of the horn on the 612. I think it contributes to the slightly different tone.

 

I have used these with a female vocalist, andvthe speakers sound like her only louder. I have yet to see the clip lights. These get loud. I will probably buy two more when funds become available.

[jwlussow]

I understand that there were a few people that had this issue. Luckily we did not. Not sure what percentage of 512s were affected but my pair weren

[pgtcobra]

Any news for this PRX615 ?

 

I thought again of changing my NX55P.

But I still hesitate between NX750P and PRX615M or other 15 inches??

 

Is there the world that has little comparison??

 

Thank you!

David

[DJMC]

Still loving my 512m's and 718s.....they are my main system and will probably be until I can afford to upgrade to 612m's and 618s-XLF, probably next wedding season!

 

 

FWIW --- I never noticed any gating problem. PRX line --so far-- has been awesome, can't wait to hear the improved line!

[Loopback777]

I've had the 635's for a couple of weeks. I'm not an audiophile, so I base my opinion on how it sounds to me. We play modern rock in medium sized clubs.

 

I was lugging around JRX125's and JRX118's (along with the amps to power them) and thought I'd give these a try (hoping to get away without using a sub). It was all a weight and space issue.

 

The speakers sound great to me, but a sub is definitely needed. I'm going to add a couple of the XLFs. It will still be less room and weight than my previous set up (and I'm down to one 16u rack since I dropped the amps and picked up a Presonus Studiolive which covers EQ and effects - not to mention the giant 32 channel board I was hauling).

[Racehead]

Can't say I understand most of what you wrote there.

 

I'm a few innings late to this ballgame but felt I could add a little real world experience to the discussion. I run a set of prx535's with prx718's under them. We're just a small venue type band ( 50-250 people ) playing rock/blues/funk stuff mostly and I've always been extremely impressed with this setup in this role. Recently we were asked to play in an outdoor benefit festival with maybe 1000-1500 people there. This suddenly turned into a "we don't have a good enough PA setup for the show can you guys help us ? " situation

 

What we wound up coming up with for the final system was our A & H ZED 420 mixer running 2 prx 535's, 2 prx 525's, 2 prx718 subs helped a little by a Carvin ls1801a sub and a couple of old 80's 2 way passive cabs that we used as side fills. There was a wide cross section of bands represented from a 3 piece heavy metal band to a mid-show 16 piece jazz/swing horn band to us ... a 6 piece rock/funk band. Since this WAS a benefit I used my time to do comparisons between speaks so I really got a chance to compare the 2 ways to the 3 ways and this is what I discovered.

 

1. For heavy metal/distortion filled/screaming type of band or to a slightly lesser degree even a harder edged standard rock band there really was no appreciable differance.

 

2. For band that played much cleaner style of music ( country/southern rock etc ) you could definitely hear a differance. It just sounded smoother in the mid-range. Not a deal breaker kind of differance, but there just the same. If they hadn't been compared side by side you would think that either one sounded great.

 

3. For vocal heavy bands ( lot's of harmonys etc. ) The 3 ways just won. They just did a better job of presenting the voices to the crowd in a natural way. It was very noticable to all the people that I let in on my little test.

 

4. For the horn based band the differance was profound. If you went to 2 festivals on 2 differant nights with horn heavy bands, one using 525's and one using 535's. You wouldn't have any doubt which concert had superior sound ( the 535's ) even if you had no idea what kind of sound system used

 

Disclaimer : This is just one instance from one guys set of ears ( ok well maybe 4-5 guys if you count the other musicians and one sound guy that were paying attention to what I was doing ) . I have no idea if it applies only to the the speakers in the 500 series line JBL's or if it has ANY bearing on what you can expect from the 600 series or any other brand out there. It's entirely possible that you'd have a differant opinion than mine. It's happened before.

[Randyman]

Racehead wrote:

 

I'm a few innings late to this ballgame but felt I could add a little real world experience to the discussion. I run a set of prx535's with prx718's under them. We're just a small venue type band ( 50-250 people ) playing rock/blues/funk stuff mostly and I've always been extremely impressed with this setup in this role. Recently we were asked to play in an outdoor benefit festival with maybe 1000-1500 people there. This suddenly turned into a "we don't have a good enough PA setup for the show can you guys help us ? " situation What we wound up coming up with for the final system was our A & H ZED 420 mixer running 2 prx 535's, 2 prx 525's, 2 prx718 subs helped a little by a Carvin ls1801a sub and a couple of old 80's 2 way passive cabs that we used as side fills. There was a wide cross section of bands represented from a 3 piece heavy metal band to a mid-show 16 piece jazz/swing horn band to us ... a 6 piece rock/funk band. Since this WAS a benefit I used my time to do comparisons between speaks so I really got a chance to compare the 2 ways to the 3 ways and this is what I discovered. 1. For heavy metal/distortion filled/screaming type of band or to a slightly lesser degree even a harder edged standard rock band there really was no appreciable differance. 2. For band that played much cleaner style of music ( country/southern rock etc ) you could definitely hear a differance. It just sounded smoother in the mid-range. Not a deal breaker kind of differance, but there just the same. If they hadn't been compared side by side you would think that either one sounded great. 3. For vocal heavy bands ( lot's of harmonys etc. ) The 3 ways just won. They just did a better job of presenting the voices to the crowd in a natural way. It was very noticable to all the people that I let in on my little test. 4. For the horn based band the differance was profound. If you went to 2 festivals on 2 differant nights with horn heavy bands, one using 525's and one using 535's. You wouldn't have any doubt which concert had superior sound ( the 535's ) even if you had no idea what kind of sound system used

 

 

Thank You! That's the kind of difference I was hoping to hear about- of course you can't make comparisons between different classes of speakers, but it's very helpful to hear that there is a noticeable difference, with some types of music, in your experience, between 2 ways and 3 ways of the prx line, which is evidently one of the more popular speaker lines in the mid-grade field.

 

Being that the Yorkville U15s are highly regarded as an exceptional 3 way, I'd be curious to hear opinions / experience with it compared to the best powered 2 ways that are (approx.) under $1,500 in cost.

 

That was an important distinction with the different types of music! I'm in the jazz/funk/blues range of music, with lots of vocals, rhodes, organs, flute, etc., so clarity and smoothness in the mid-range is the difference for me between articulate, engrossing sound and blaring sound that hurts my ears (which happens more often than not at night clubs and concerts)- I'm usually the first one to say ouch, so this is an important issue for me. Always a pleasure to experience good quality live sound!!!

 

Being that there's only a $300 spread in price between the PRX 635/535 and the powered U15, that'd be another interesting comparison! And for that matter, between the 535 and the 635, being that the 535 is $100 cheaper and likely to be available used.

 

Thanks,

Randyman

[Racehead]

Being that there's only a $300 spread in price between the PRX 635/535 and the powered U15, that'd be another interesting comparison! And for that matter, between the 535 and the 635, being that the 535 is $100 cheaper and likely to be available used. Thanks, Randyman

 

Here's a used one @GC for $799

http://www.guitarcenter.com/JBL-3-Way-Speaker-System-600086-i1564127.gc

[Randyman]

 

Racehead wrote: Here's a used PRX 535 @GC for $799 http://www.guitarcenter.com/JBL-3-Wa...86-i1564127.gc

 

 

That's a good deal, esp. since it'll have the full warranty.

 

And the weight difference- 74 pounds for the 535, and 60 pounds for the 635- wonder if they sound the same? Where did they shave off 14 pounds!?

[Randyman]

Here's a review on GC's website for the PRX 535. What he's saying is what I've been inclined to believe (hope?).

 

As reviewed by Bill Koepnick on 9/10/2009

 

Our 10-year-old PA system was showing its age, and it was time to move up. We visited the Atlanta GC store and spent a couple of hours comparing systems using a CD of live recordings of our music as reference. We actually came prepared to purchase a QSC system with a pair of K-12s and a single matching sub based on comments and reviews, but hearing them in the store changed our minds -- they certainly were loud and clear, but overly sibilant and edgy. It was a characteristic... we couldn't dial out with EQ. Other QSCs were tried, but the 2-way systems just weren't giving us the warmth and even coverage across the audio spectrum we were looking for. Then we switched to the PRX535s and got exactly what we wanted -- a full-range 3-way cabinet that sounds like a great Hi-Fi speaker, only able to crank out 134dBs. They have plenty of solid low end to allow our bass player to play straight through the PA, and the drummer's V-Drums sound like a perfectly mic'd kit. No Sub needed. The female singer's vocals and guitar sound clean and natural with none of the harshness we heard in the other speakers. We play small clubs and bars -- maybe up to 200 people -- so the PRX pair have more than enough volume and punch for our needs. For our material -- acoustic/electric rock and jazz -- the sound is warm, full and accurate. At 74 lbs. the 535s are surprisingly light and easy to handle for their size (the comparable 3-way QSC HPR153i weighs 118 lbs. and none of us wanted to have to wrestle with a pair of those). Heavy rock, electronica, and others might prefer the loud and penetrating characteristics of systems like the QSCs (and I do believe they make quality gear), but for a clean, accurate, and un-hyped sound, the PRX535s are the best we have found

 

[Racehead]

That's pretty much spot on with my opinion as well. Actually I might add that these speaks throw much better than I dreamed they would as well. After we setup with mixer about 90 ft from the stage I was thinking "man those things look REALLY small up there" . I was genuinely worried that they wouldn't "bring it" enough for this large of an event. Half way thru the first band I was smiling. When I went to the bathroom about another 125 ft behind where the mixer was setup and could clearly hear everything with authority I really couldn't believe how capable these prx speakers are. If the 600 series are as good then they are exceptional speakers imo. If they are actually better then I'm flat out amazed at what JBL has done at this price point.

[pgtcobra]

Hello every one

any news for this PRX615m??

 

Thank!

[jwlussow]

What news do you mean? I believe they are in the open.

[pgtcobra]

i appreciate comments, comparisons, etc.. in short, people who have had the chance to hear it

[dcastar]

I picked up a pair of PRX612m's last weekend. I'm a little upset with the wait on the KW121's (still not in stock), but the price my GC-Pro rep quoted me on the JBL's won me a listen test.

 

For comparison, we put them side-by-side with an 'old' QSC K12.

 

The PRX6 absolutely blew the K12 away. Ideally, I'd like to hear it next to a KW121, but still, at the price I was quoted, I picked up a pair of the JBL's.

 

On-stage... there is no noticeable 'gating' effect like there was on the old 5-series. The monitor angle is a bit strange, but with the dispersal pattern, actually helps reduce mic feedback.

 

Can't say I'm not pleased with the purchase.

[Beeth]

Hi guys.

 

I buy PRX 615M last month and speakers are amazing. Powerfull, lightweight, good sounding boxes.

 

It's a good choice, belive me.

 

Beeth.

[duck995]

I just received a pair of 635s and the sound is great with playback. I am anxious to hear live sound.

 

I purchased them from American Musical. The price posted on the internet is $999. I asked them for their best price and I got them for $819 shipped each. That deal was last week October 12, 2010.

 

Last month I bought 2 - PRX718s woofers from Zzounds for $860 shipped each.

 

I read an article saying that you should always ask for their lowest price, and in both instances it really paid off!

 

Questions:

1. Each of the 635s have a light hiss when sitting idle. The hiss does not change when the level is raised or lowered. The hiss in one speaker is louder than the other, and at a slightly higher frequency. Is it normal to have hiss, and how do you determine if the amount you have is abnormal?

 

2. Regarding the built-in limiter, the manual says, The red LED illuminates when the system overload protection is active. It the input signal is too strong or the "LEVEL" control set too high, the red LED will illumimate constantly. Illumunination of the "LIMITER" LED can be avoided by reducing the input levels or turning down the "LEVEL" control to the point at which the red LED occasionally flickers.

 

Does this mean that the limiter protects the speakers from being overdriven to the point of damage? For a short amount of time I ran the speakers full bore with the channel levels set to maximum on the board. I was amazed that there was very little distortion. (I can confirm that these speakers are loud!) The sound was nicely balanced between the 718s and the 635s. No need for an external crossover for me!

 

I read this forum before buying the 635s and the info on the PRX series was helpful - thanks!

[agedhorse]

Hiss levels and frequency may be a little different on class D powered products, plus there are tolerances that will play into this.

 

Driving everything full bore? What made you think this was a good idea? Ugh.

[duck995]

I agree, going full bore, even for a few seconds was not a good idea - I had this illogical desire to see where they would go.

 

The speakers seem fine.

 

Agedhorse, your replies in this forum have been helpful to me - could you address my second question? I welcome anyone else who has knowledge about this.

 

2. Regarding the built-in limiter, the manual says, The red LED illuminates when the system overload protection is active. It the input signal is too strong or the "LEVEL" control set too high, the red LED will illumimate constantly. Illumunination of the "LIMITER" LED can be avoided by reducing the input levels or turning down the "LEVEL" control to the point at which the red LED occasionally flickers.

 

Does this mean that the limiter protects the speakers from being overdriven to the point of damage?

 

Thanks!

[agedhorse]

Yes, but this is not going to be fool proof, only fool resistent.

[Gadget]

Nothing is idiot proof, they keep making better idiots.

[duck995]

Okay, Okay - I admit pushing the speakers was an idiotic thing to do!

 

I was asking if the speakers will be damaged if they run with the overload indicator lit because I won't see the overload indicator on the back of the speakers from the board.

 

I am running an Allen & Heath Mizwizard3 16-2. If I figure out the level the speakers can work without overload - and match that up with the output level meters on the board, could I use the board level meters as a guide for keeping the speakers below overload? Or would this be too vague of indicator?

 

By now I think everyone knows I am a novice - so be gentle - I am just trying to learn!