Upgrading my JBL Mains

[Unalaska]

Quality dual 15+2" exit boxes would be at the SRX level or higher. Dual 12+2" exit boxes become available as well. The 1" exit horn in the smaller boxes aren't able to keep up and the higher crossover point means the 15's are reproducing up to 2.5-3k and most just get very beamy that high up.

 

I'd really look at the JBL MRX/Peavey SP/EV TourX options. They are the next step up in quality 15+1" or 12 +1".

[davidplasti-k]

 

I recently upgraded from my JRX 125's to Peavey SP5's. The difference was amazing, I can't imagine the difference if I would have went higher quality. You will have NO disappointments going to something like the MRX series, I would have went that route but got a fairly good deal on the SP5's. Plus I sold off my JRX's for more than I paid for the Peavey's. You will be shocked at how bad the JRX's actually sound when you hook something better up to your system. I took advice from some of the knowledge on this forum and it paid off.

 

 

I did the opposite. I bought a live sound and never asked you guys because I was more interested on the keyboard forum at that time. I still think that the jrx series is not that bad but as someone said it

[soul-x]

You know, dual 15 or not, I can't think of a way anything can ground stack nicely on a compact single 18 cube sub like the JRX.

 

With a 42" tall JRX125 topbox sitting on a 2 foot cube single 18, I'd say your entire stack is about 5 and a half feet tall. I'm looking down at the top of your stacks, with the horns blasting into my chin. I don't see how that really works without sticks, either.

[Unalaska]

Many single 18" subs have pole cups on them, add a pole between subs and tops and your off to the races.

[soul-x]

 

Many single 18" subs have pole cups on them, add a pole between subs and tops and your off to the races.

 

 

Right, but the contention of the original poster is that a single driver top box is out of the question because he doesn't want a rig on sticks.

 

As I see it, anything stacked on a small single 18 cube just ain't tall enough.

[agedhorse]

Oh f*ck, I recently did a rock show using 3 SRX-712's per side on sticks. Subs clustered. Nobody had any issues whatsoever. Does this mean I'm not qualified to do rock anymore? OMG, I must not get it.

[RoadRanger]

3 SRX-712's per side on sticks.

Hi, just curious if they were splayed (angles ?) or all pointing in the same direction? All at the same height I assume? Power? Size of venue? Why those cabs? Thanks !

[agedhorse]

Hi, just curious if they were splayed (angles ?) or all pointing in the same direction? All at the same height I assume? Power? Size of venue? Why those cabs? Thanks !

 

Plenty of overlap, inside box splayed in about 12 degrees, outside maybe spalyed out 5 degrees. No problem at all. Comb filtering was not an issue, they arrayed quite nicely for what they are. Powered at around 600 watts per box.

 

Venue was about 400 capacity, 4 single 18" JBL subs (from my line array system) and I had plenty of horsepower for the job.

[Unalaska]

If the OP is out there then he should buy dual 18 subs and single driver tops.

 

does that work?

[RoadRanger]

Powered at around 600 watts per box. Venue was about 400 capacity

Thanks. Did you run three per side because two wouldn't have done it, to not have to "push" the mains, or ? I've just not heard of somebody running more 90 degree cabs than they absolutely had to for the SPL required and as I'll probably only ever have 90 degree cabs I'd like to know more about what I can do with them in multiples .

4 single 18" JBL subs

Were those some sort of horn loaded cabs to keep up with even two per side of those tops? I've heard a pair of SRX718S's center clustered be outrun by a pair of SRX712M's before

[agedhorse]

I used 3 tops because I am conservative and wanted to be sure I had enough PA without driving them to within an inch of their lives and I don't believe in powering at 2x RMS for most applications. I had plenty of PA and it sounded quite good (within the limits of the source of course).

 

The subs were very close to 718's, and I had enough sub as well. Just because you have more top doesn't mean you have to drive them into limiting. I had maybe 4 or 5dB of headroom I never used. I was just about out of gas on the subs, was just hitting the limiters. That was a 6 to 4 ratio of tops to subs. I tend not to mix with the kick and bass as lead instruments.

[DBR]

Tumadre,

Listen to JW and pick up Dcastars QSC's. They are quite heavy..over 100 lbs each but well worth their weight in sound. I own a pair and I have a busted up back and neck but I wouldn't trade them for the world. Gut out the JRX's and use them as stands until you can afford the subs. I did that with my old JBL's and I sure am glad I did.

[RoadRanger]

Thanks!

[TuMadre]

Alright guys, here's what we ended up doing. After a bunch (I mean bunch) of listening we decided on the MRX525's. We even A/B'd these against the JRX's to see what we had vs what we got. Even to my tin ear, the difference was pretty much astounding. We looked at the dual 12's, but they were in the SRX series, which was too rich for our blood - but, damn were they light!

 

JW- we compared our 118's against the MRX 18, and your observations are dead on. These boxes are going to be our next investment down the road. Thanks for bringing it up, or we would not even had bothered with that comparison, as pleased as we have been in the past with our low end.

 

Dcastar- thanks for the offer with the QSC's. I'm sure you will have no problem getting rid of them. I had a chance to visit your website and YouTube page. You guys sound awesome and that chick bassist has chops! We also cater to the wedding reception crowd, which is one of the reasons we won't fly single boxes on stix. These folks are looking for an image no less than sound, so having a professional looking system is nearly important as having one that sounds professional. It's part of why we wear monkey suits instead of golf shirts playing weddings.

 

Andy- I'm sure you're still qualified to rock. Unfortunately for me, I really don't get to rock. I get to play Brick House and Let's get it on while drunk bridesmaids scream offkey at me. Wanna trade? Seriously though, just like you, I strive to give my clients what they ask for, and they like the look of tall stacked boxes.

 

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[agedhorse]

The SRX-722, even being expensive, is one hell of a speaker. Like 2 of the SRX712's in a single lightweight box. Great rock box.

[philw44]

15's are just muddier that 12's and dual 15's are mostly for people that listen with their eyes. Get some MRX512M's or better yet SRX712M's. If you really aren't ready to step up to 12's get some SRX715's . Any of those will be a big improvement. Sell them JRX's to someone you really hate or save them for your next bonfire - they burn pretty good .

 

I totally disagree about your slating of 15" speakers.

 

I would say they have a different voicing rather than being plain wrong. I agree with any statement that says 12" drivers have better vocal clarity in the upper mids but on the flip side they tend to lack in the lower midrange.

 

For me, clarity (up to a certain degree) does not make me enjoy a sound-reinforcement system more. What excites me is when i can 'feel' the music. I'm not talking about sub frequencies but the 200-400hz region that contains all the 'musical character'

[1tribe]

Thanks. Did you run three per side because two wouldn't have done it, to not have to "push" the mains, or ? I've just not heard of somebody running more 90 degree cabs than they absolutely had to for the SPL required and as I'll probably only ever have 90 degree cabs I'd like to know more about what I can do with them in multiples .Were those some sort of horn loaded cabs to keep up with even two per side of those tops? I've heard a pair of SRX718S's center clustered be outrun by a pair of SRX712M's before

 

 

 

I believe that the 712 is a 70deg box.

[RoadRanger]

 

I believe that the 712 is a 70deg box.

90x50:

http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/general/Product.aspx?PId=113&MId=3

The MRX512M and MRX515 are 70x70, perhaps that's what you are remembering?

[1tribe]

90x50: http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/general/Product.aspx?PId=113&MId=3 The MRX512M and MRX515 are 70x70, perhaps that's what you are remembering?

 

 

 

Your right! I thought the 712 was a 70x70 but yeah its the 512.

[1tribe]

I wonder how two SRX712's stacked with the top box upside down would perform?

[agedhorse]

Your right! I thought the 712 was a 70x70 but yeah its the 512.

 

The original SRX (SR4702X or AX) was a 70 degree conical. Another good box but very heavy. 70 degree works nice for monitors in many applications, as well as short to medium throw.

[agedhorse]

I wonder how two SRX712's stacked with the top box upside down would perform?

 

Very well. Doesn't mount well on sticks though

[heath_eld]

 

I agree with any statement that says 12" drivers have better vocal clarity in the upper mids but on the flip side they tend to lack in the lower midrange.

 

 

This point has been on my mind for a while - I recently purchased a pair of MRX 512Ms as an intended upgrade from SF25s - SF 25s basically being the old JRX125.

 

Clarity - sure. They make my alternative speakers (like Eons) sound distorted by comparison. The MRX have vastly better clarity and crispness. And they weigh 14 kg! But they really seem to lack low-mid power. Say, the toms, the snare, the guitar - come across pretty weak when using these over my 4x18 behringer subs.

 

I'm a bit bemused by this - unsure if i am doing something wrong or if possibly there is something wrong with my speakers. They seem to have nice horns, but just really lack in the "woofer" section.

 

They're great on foldback duties though, for mostly vocals and a bit of keyboard, acoustic guitar etc.

[agedhorse]

 

This point has been on my mind for a while - I recently purchased a pair of MRX 512Ms as an intended upgrade from SF25s - SF 25s basically being the old JRX125. Clarity - sure. They make my alternative speakers (like Eons) sound distorted by comparison. The MRX have vastly better clarity and crispness. And they weigh 14 kg! But they really seem to lack low-mid power. Say, the toms, the snare, the guitar - come across pretty weak when using these over my 4x18 behringer subs. I'm a bit bemused by this - unsure if i am doing something wrong or if possibly there is something wrong with my speakers. They seem to have nice horns, but just really lack in the "woofer" section. They're great on foldback duties though, for mostly vocals and a bit of keyboard, acoustic guitar etc.

 

 

Where do you have them crossed over at? What filter types and slopes? The 512 seems to work better crossed around 125Hz-150Hz under some applications, whereas the 515 may be better around 100Hz. The LF drivers in the 512 are specially dsigned to sound very open and natural in the mids and low mids without the distortion that's common with some ofthe lower line products. You may be hearing a more natural and accurate sound.

 

Access to a real time analyzer would allow you to look at the response to see if by chance the problem mightbe subs that are wired out of phase (polarity) or if the filter alignment you are using might require a polarity shift to improve response through the crossover. Also, LR filter alignments tend to sound more open between subs and lows because they are a constant summed energy filter so there will not be the buildup and bump that say a BW filter alignment might exhibit.

 

I do not think the PRX models used with PRX subs suffer from any ofthis because they are set up from the factory by engineers who have the experience and test equipment to do it right without question. They also include internal corrective eq which you are lacking in the passive units.

[jkm]

Oh f*ck, I recently did a rock show using 3 SRX-712's per side

 

Aged did u run the 3-712 passive?????? i doubt you did

since the subs were blinking which leads me to think

it was run bi amped...

I have a muzo who runs them passive he is affraid the foh guy

will be lost going to such an unfamiler place,

just wondering.