Tried JRX 100 series last night. Some questions.

[wheresgrant3]

The new band I gig with own it's full range PA. Some older JBL (T-125's I think) and a pair of EV Elminators. To power these we had a CE2000 a CE1000 and a dbx stereo crossover. The subs were clearly not cutting it. We are playing medium sized bars and clubs (100-250 people) and the Eliminators were farting and flubbing every time I hit any bassy patch on my keyboards. On top of that there was very little bass precensce in the over all mix. The Eliminators are now up for sale.

 

Last night we rented a pair of JBL JRX118S last night and it was a noticable improvement. The mix was nice and full, my keyboards sounded much more clear, and our drummers kick was powerful. It was almost as if we had never played with subs before. The price on the JRX's are incredible ($365 each) and the wieght and size are great for gigging.... my only concern is that we're replacing one budget pa speaker set for another. My experience is you get what you pay for. We were originally looking at the JBL MP255S. Now that we've tried the JRX series, I'm afraid the band won't try the other series.

 

 

My concern is that with larger rooms we end up with the same problem... no headroom and farting subs. We can't afford to have equipment that is unreliable or in the shop.

 

My question IF we go with the JRX subs:

I also own a pair of Samson db500a Bi-Amped powered PA speakers. The subs run 400 watts, and the horns handle 100. Would it benefit to use this pair of powered speakers as sound reinforcement facing toward the audience for outdoor gigs and larger venues? Could I send these aux out from the mixer, control the volume from the speaker and make use of these as well?

[Unalaska]

With larger rooms you prolly will end up in the same boat. Small single 18 boxes do tend to fart outrather easily. The laws of physics are just too hard to break. The dual 15 255s may be a better solution although I have yet to hear one up to speed. The MP418 (or 418s) may be the better box as well, same basic design as the jbl with better efficiency and higher power handling.

 

The basic sub box is the dual 18, but the size and cost can be a major hassle. 1 box will outperform 2 singles easlily but moving and hauling them are tough (I know, I have 4). But the tradoff is great low end (provided they are powered correctly). A frontloaded dual 15 box may be a better match, but the 255s is so bulky you may as well get a dual 18 like the yamaha that just came out.

 

pete

[tremendo]

 

Originally posted by Unalaska Small single 18 boxes do tend to fart outrather easily. The laws of physics are just too hard to break.

 

 

How about the Yorkville LS800P? 1x18", bigger box, and good driver/speaker.

[wheresgrant3]

 

Originally posted by Unalaska With larger rooms you prolly will end up in the same boat. Small single 18 boxes do tend to fart outrather easily. The laws of physics are just too hard to break. The dual 15 255s may be a better solution although I have yet to hear one up to speed. The MP418 (or 418s) may be the better box as well, same basic design as the jbl with better efficiency and higher power handling. The basic sub box is the dual 18, but the size and cost can be a major hassle. 1 box will outperform 2 singles easlily but moving and hauling them are tough (I know, I have 4). But the tradoff is great low end (provided they are powered correctly). A frontloaded dual 15 box may be a better match, but the 255s is so bulky you may as well get a dual 18 like the yamaha that just came out. pete

 

 

Well The JRX did perform extremely well. I have a wireless and walked out into the crowd and the sound was way better than it has ever been. A solid improvement. We played our normal volume and we still had alot of headroom. The issue right now is budget... We don't have $1400 to spend on a pair of subs.

 

Would using the Samson powered speakers along with our PA help or hinder our sound in larger places?

[Unalaska]

Using the Samson's along side the TR-125's isn't going to be a good option in that each speaker reproduces the same freq spectrum a little differently, this can cause uninteligable vocals and muddyness quickly. Adding another set of tops over just one pair of subs will mean the system is once again top heavy. Look at the Yorkville as well , it may be enough with the two top boxes per side, I have never heard that box though. I'd suggest using the JBL's only with the JRX sub, for outdoor gigs I guess rent speakers and power or buy another stack per side.

 

Also JBL speakers tend to be out of phase with other manufactures models (i.e. positive voltage acroos the positive lead make the cone move inward on jbl boxes). The last sounfactor box I saw did this as well as many jbl's I've seen, this is something to consider when matching different manufactures speakers together.

 

pete

[Kennykeys]

 

Originally posted by Unalaska The basic sub box is the dual 18, but the size and cost can be a major hassle. 1 box will outperform 2 singles easily pete

 

Pete,

How's that? Most double 18 cabs house the drivers in separate compartments, hence they are essentially two single cabs stuck together.

.

WheresGrant,

So you tried the EV Humiliators? I like the tall cab and the semi-bandpass design, but the drivers are not very robust. Consequently, final SPL is low. Better 18's make a big difference in those cabs (but they're a bitch to change.)

[Unalaska]

The emilinator sub isn't a well desinged box. EV is kinda weird about things like that: thay'll spend a lot of time with the mid/high end products (T series all the way thru X-Array) then really do some strange designs for the MI stuff. Gladiator series wuold be a prime example. The whole idea behing the eliminator sub was that it's 2" taller than the mains, making the whole package easy to trasport and has a small footprint. The problem is the design sux. It's similar to the T180 (I think, the cab has an angled motorboard and the woofer is frontloaded o to speak). Anway, the sub isn't much for low end, for the good single 18 box use the T18.

 

The dual boxes I use both drivers fire into the same cab, some do this and some do not. even if they are different chambers the ported design means the flares line up. An example would be EV's MTL1 (1x) design, semi folded horn and has a ton of low end output. Both drivers fire into separate chambers then come out the front together. It's basically two t18's with one inverted.

 

It's a shame the emilinator top cabs are 20" deep and the subs aren't realy big enough. Altogether the drivers are really good. I just don't like to depth of the tops and the skinny width of the sub. At the time they came out it was the lowest priced system they had (at 549 street per box). The force series came out a year later and I like the sub but again it's to small.

 

I haven't made up my mind about the folded horn design like the CV SL36's. They are huge for one 18 and I haven't used them in a live setting in a couple years.

 

pete

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Originally posted by Kennykeys Pete, How's that? Most double 18 cabs house the drivers in separate compartments, hence they are essentially two single cabs stuck together.

 

 

 

Depends on the brand and the box. For example, comparing JBL's SR4718X and SR4719X, the 19's box is almost 4cu ft larger than a pair of the 18's. They share a common port with no divider.