Powered Subwoofer Recommendation

[Craig Vecchione]

 

A. Of course most GC employees are out of work muscians. First off, you can't work there AND be a busy working musician. Secondly, the pay is low and even if you sell a ton of gear, your commision is still nothing fancy. Some items to "GP" more, but you sell what you can. B. I'm going to go ahead and call your "es-GC" salesman a complete liar. Not only is his comments no true, it's a fireable offense and I know from personal experiance this would never happen. The "LIVE" rooms are checked often by multiple levels of people...managers, pro sound sales reps and more. This would get caught everytime within hours.

 

 

With all due respect, I'll call BS on that. As I wrote, I had a very good working relationship with the pro sound manager of the Plymouth Meeting GC store. If anyone with any real experience was auditing their room, there's no way it would look the way that room looked. And there's simply no way they're checking phase in a system that's manually repatched constantly.

 

Even if they did, it's a matter of simply replacing a cable or two...the guys in this store were constantly walking behind the stacks to repatch a given amp with a given pair of speakers. Replacing with a "phase" cable is well within the realm of possibility. The tricks I saw and was told of were using a BBE or similar "enhancer", having the "good" speaker's amps louder, not actually running the speaker you asked to hear, but the {censored}ty cheapo next to it (really....as if I couldn't tell from where the sound was coming:rolleyes:) and of course, simply not having the desired speaker in stock.

[drummer_jay]

You all must have some really {censored}ty GC's close to you... I worked for GC for several months in a capacity that allowed me to travel to several stores. I never once in 100's of hours spent in the live rooms came across any wiring that would have caused one speaker to sound better than another... Well, not something that was setup that way on purpose.

 

I'm not saying I didn't find any issues..as I did. Most people working sales in the pro audio department lack the proper knowledge to even understand "phase".

 

Also, these days, the majority of customers know how to call bull{censored} right off the bat. They've done the research, compared prices and most likely are just coming in to listen to what they ultimatly go buy online to avoid taxes!

 

Regarding the "BBE".. Most stores run straight out of a decent console into the BBE enhancer.. Then straight into the switching/patch panel. There's no way to only have the enhancer hooked up to certain feeds.

 

Amps are always visible to the customer and typically are always turned up all the way.

 

I havn't been in all the stores, but 9/10 stores I did visit had things working correctly.

 

I'm not defending GC... I avoid shopping there when possible as well. It's just like Best Buy.. Out of 40 employees, 3 actually know whats up. They are typically managers and don't deal with customers all that much.

 

I'm just speaking from inside experiance as a person who was paid to make sure things are done correctly. (I hated the job)

 

If you go into GC and one of thier "in house" brands sound better than a higher end cab, THEN some {censored}'s going down. Then again, there were a few times we would A/B some lower end in house cabs to some comparible (in size) mid level stuff and we would be suprised. Obviously, sometimes you're spending more for a proven product that's going to last longer.. but... it happens.

[RANUI]

 

The PRX518s is weak sauce. They're barely a half step up from the JRX-SP's... I wouldn't even consider it. The PRX718s is much nicer. Yorkville LS720p's are hard to beat for cost/size/performance. I'm considering picking 1 up just to have for small club shows. QSC HPR's are very nice as well.

 

 

Wish I hadnt sold a Yorkville 720p to buy a Prx718.

[surfrockbmxer1]

 

Wish I hadnt sold a Yorkville 720p to buy a Prx718.

 

 

Interesting? The 720p was that much better? I've got a guy who wants to buy my jrx118sp and i play shows every weekend so i gotta lock in a good deal on something pretty quick.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Regarding the "BBE".. Most stores run straight out of a decent console into the BBE enhancer.. Then straight into the switching/patch panel. There's no way to only have the enhancer hooked up to certain feeds. Amps are always visible to the customer and typically are always turned up all the way.

 

 

In the store I frequented, they were running a GL2200-24 and using aux's and the mains to route the CD player feed into several racks with processing and amps. In most cases, there were several amps fed by the signals, you had to guess which was actually hooked up by adjusting attentuators. Same with the BBE....the entire rack was fed the signals, so you had to go over and shut off or bypass the stuff you didn't want running the feed, and then the sales guy would get annoyed. I never once saw a customer question the routing or ask to see anything about it.

[drummer_jay]

 

In the store I frequented, they were running a GL2200-24 and using aux's and the mains to route the CD player feed into several racks with processing and amps. In most cases, there were several amps fed by the signals, you had to guess which was actually hooked up by adjusting attentuators. Same with the BBE....the entire rack was fed the signals, so you had to go over and shut off or bypass the stuff you didn't want running the feed, and then the sales guy would get annoyed. I never once saw a customer question the routing or ask to see anything about it.

 

 

 

Then that store was set up incorrectly!!! Must not sell much pro audio gear or else they'd get some more attention. Stores are SUPPOSE to be set up so you can demo almost EVERYTHING with the flick of a few switches. Any newer store has all the wiring ran under the floor.. similar to a snake chase. It's really clean and tight. Sometime, there's more speakers than amps, so you do have to climb behind to patch in.

 

Hopefully, someone (perhaps a manufactures rep) will take notice.

[tlbonehead]

Wish I hadnt sold a Yorkville 720p to buy a Prx718.

either you had the hottest 720 ever made or the worst 718 in existence.

[tlbonehead]

In the store I frequented, they were running a GL2200-24 and using aux's and the mains to route the CD player feed into several racks with processing and amps. In most cases, there were several amps fed by the signals, you had to guess which was actually hooked up by adjusting attentuators. Same with the BBE....the entire rack was fed the signals, so you had to go over and shut off or bypass the stuff you didn't want running the feed, and then the sales guy would get annoyed. I never once saw a customer question the routing or ask to see anything about it.

yep, that pretty much mirrors my times at the various GCs around these parts.

[jwlussow]

 

either you had the hottest 720 ever made or the worst 718 in existence.

 

 

Thank you. I wanted to call

[agedhorse]

 

either you had the hottest 720 ever made or the worst 718 in existence.

 

 

Yup.

[RANUI]

 

Interesting? The 720p was that much better? I've got a guy who wants to buy my jrx118sp and i play shows every weekend so i gotta lock in a good deal on something pretty quick.

 

 

No, I wouldnt say better, just not that much difference, to my ear. There is a song by Darius Rucker called Butterfly on the Back to Then album that has fairly clean deep bass guitar on it. Couldnt tell much difference, any actually between the 720p and the 718s when playing it. People say the PRX718s is a step up from the PRX518s and it may well be, I havent heard them both together to compare. Do a comparison if you can and make sure you are getting what you want.

[RANUI]

 

either you had the hottest 720 ever made or the worst 718 in existence.

 

 

Yea probably..... Have you owned both to know the 718 is a lot better or are you just going of the 'numbers' ?

[tlbonehead]

You have owned them both to know?

no, but have acquantances who have both and have heard both in the same rooms. The larger the room the more difference you will hear.

[Al Poulin]

LS720Ps are best used in pairs. A single one is pretty limited output wise in my experience, even for recorded music. Close coupled as a pair makes a big difference.

 

LS700P has more output than LS720P but does not sound quite as good and has only one connection option : 1/4''.

 

If you don't mind the size and weight, a single LS801P will outperform a pair of either of the above, which makes it the best value overall. I had the chance to use one for a booking and absolutely loved it. Can be a tad boomy, but that can be fixed...

 

Al - Party-Time! DJ Services

[RANUI]

Thank you. I wanted to call

[Bobby1Note]

a single LS801P ,,,, Can be a tad boomy Al - Party-Time! DJ Services

 

Yeah, I'll say.

[jwlussow]

 

Are you running th PRX 718s ?

 

 

Nope. I

[RANUI]

Nope. I

[drummer_jay]

Sorry this got off topic with the GC thing. I get pretty pissed when people trash GC. What do you expect? Companies like GC have helped lower our cost and actually gives us a place to go TEST something!

 

Regarding the op's topic. I've heard all the subs being talked about, but honestly have never ab'd all of them. I do know one LS801P would kick, as I have used that exact setup. Pefect for smaller/mid sized clubs.

 

That's all I can really contribute!

[RANUI]

 

no, but have acquantances who have both and have heard both in the same rooms. The larger the room the more difference you will hear.

 

 

You are talking PRX 718s and not SRX 718s against the 720s? There seems to be an assumption that the PRX 718s are a powered version of the SRX 718. I dont think that is true. There must have been quite a few of the PRX 718s sold by now, but I havnt seen any 'raves' about them like you see about the SRX 718s. The reports I have seen is 'we have them and like them' and 'we need to get them tuned in', this on a powered, DSP ed box. Specs on both the 720 and 718 look similar to me with the PRX, 700w, 133dB peak as opposed to the 720s, 720w and 128dB peak. The JBL wasnt apparently louder to me, I didnt have a meter. So, if you were comparing 720s and PRX 718s and the PRX really are better sounding, I stand corrected. But the OP should listen for himself as I suggested. The PRX is almost twice the size of the 720s and more cumbersome to shift around by your self, also a consideration. There seems to be a love/hate thing with JBL and some people, I dont care

[Bobby1Note]

Hmmm, lemme see.

 

So, we're comparing a $1300.(Zzounds) 8.9 cu.ft box 18" JBL PRX 718s,

 

and a $988. (AudioEast) 8.3 cu.ft. JBL PRX 518s??????

 

to a

$789. (AudioEast) 5.1 cu.ft 15" LS-720 ?????

 

 

 

 

Ooooooooooookay

 

I wonder if we compared pricewise, a ($1299) PRX718s, and a ($1149.) Yorkville LS801p. At least the price is a little closer, and both have a single 18" driver. Fair play don'tcha think?

 

The PRX518s claims 52Hz bottom-end frequency response/ 129 Max SPL

The LS720p claims 40Hz +/- 3dB and 128dB Max SPL

 

Looks like a horse-race to me.:poke:

 

Bob

[tlbonehead]

 

You are talking PRX 718s and not SRX 718s against the 720s? There seems to be an assumption that the PRX 718s are a powered version of the SRX 718. I dont think that is true. There must have been quite a few of the PRX 718s sold by now, but I havnt seen any 'raves' about them like you see about the SRX 718s. The reports I have seen is 'we have them and like them' and 'we need to get them tuned in', this on a powered, DSP ed box. Specs on both the 720 and 718 look similar to me with the PRX, 700w, 133dB peak as opposed to the 720s, 720w and 128dB peak. The JBL wasnt apparently louder to me, I didnt have a meter. So, if you were comparing 720s and PRX 718s and the PRX really are better, I stand corrected. But the OP should listen for himself as I suggested. The PRX is almost twice the size of the 720s and more cumbersome to shift around by your self, also a consideration. There seems to be a love/hate thing with JBL and some people, I dont care

 

 

Yes, I am referring to the PRX, which is the powered version of the MRX, I believe. I'm a big Yorkie fan, BTW. But the PRX718 definitely fills a large room better than the little Yorkie.

[Shaster]

 

LS720Ps are best used in pairs. A single one is pretty limited output wise in my experience, even for recorded music. Close coupled as a pair makes a big difference. LS700P has more output than LS720P but does not sound quite as good and has only one connection option : 1/4''. If you don't mind the size and weight, a single LS801P will outperform a pair of either of the above, which makes it the best value overall. I had the chance to use one for a booking and absolutely loved it. Can be a tad boomy, but that can be fixed... Al - Party-Time! DJ Services

 

 

Pretty much the way I feel.

 

Re: the LS720P beating the PRX718, that seems very strange. I like the LS720P but I can't see them beating out many subs. They're nice, light, functional and sound fine, but louder than a PRX718 - I don't know.

 

Was there a bad batch of PRX subs or something:confused:

 

Just kidding of course, maybe.

[RANUI]

Hmmm, lemme see. So, we're comparing a $1300.(Zzounds) 8.9 cu.ft box 18" JBL PRX 718s, and a $988. (AudioEast) 8.3 cu.ft. JBL PRX 518s?????? to a $789. (AudioEast) 5.1 cu.ft 15" LS-720 ????? Ooooooooooookay I wonder if we compared pricewise, a ($1299) PRX718s, and a ($1149.) Yorkville LS801p. At least the price is a little closer, and both have a single 18" driver. Fair play don'tcha think? The PRX518s claims 52Hz bottom-end frequency response/ 129 Max SPL The LS720p claims 40Hz +/- 3dB and 128dB Max SPL Looks like a horse-race to me.:poke: Bob

 

Hmmmm - 3 Yorkies x 2 PRX 18s, both 'stack' the same size and near as damn it the same price, I wonder how those 2 combinations would perform against each other

[RANUI]

 

Yes, I am referring to the PRX, which is the powered version of the MRX, I believe. I'm a big Yorkie fan, BTW. But the PRX718 definitely fills a large room better than the little Yorkie.

 

 

My 'large' room was outside :-) Inside was a fairly big bedroom and I only had 1 of each sub. 1 on 1, there wasnt the difference I expected. The real test I guess is in a room like you experienced and that is what counts. Al Poulins comment that coupling 720s making a huge difference is worth noting, coupling 718s may also make a big difference. 3 720s against 2 718s could be a fair comparison.