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Author Topic: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k  (Read 46008 times)

TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: Help & Advice Needed - Thanks in Advance
« Reply #20 on: November 23, 2011, 02:30:18 PM »

After reading this post I spent several hours reading up on each of these specific speakers and have decided to take a strong look at EAW's JFL210 enclosure. What would be the ideal amp configuration to use with these?
The ideal amp configuration is probably a couple Powersoft K3 amps: http://www.powersoft-audio.com/en/products/k-series/k-series.html

as these can natively run the EAW greybox models, saving you from having to buy a UX8800 processor.  Unfortunately a pair of these amps will eat up most of your $15,000 budget as they retail for nearly $6K each.

Since I can't afford that either, here's what I've done:

I run a 2 per side JFL210 over 1 per side JFL118 rig.  I run the four mains single amped off a PLX3402 running in stereo mode and the subs bridged off a PL236.  The subs are fairly well matched to the PL236, the mains are "underpowered" somewhat.

I don't really know how much SPL I've left on the table by "underpowering" my boxes, but the one time I experimented and bridged my PLX3402 into 2 JFL210s, I wasn't blown away compared to normal stereo operation.  If I win the lottery, I'll add another amp so I can biamp the speakers, but in the configuration I have (the UX8800 is a pretty big deal), the system works really well.

I ended up with similar conclusions to you.  My church started with a JBL SR4732 over 4719 rig, which was upgraded to a 2 X SRX722/1 X SRX728 per side rig.  This was upgraded to 2 X VRX932/side over the same SRX728 subs.  The quality improvement was extremely noticable moving from SRX to VRX.

Personally I bought the JFL system instead of VRX because of the Gunness focusing that the UX8800 brought to the rig.  I'm not sorry - I think the JFL sounds better than VRX, and due to more cone area, seems to have more guts in the mid section than the VRX (2 10s in the JFL vs 1 12 in the VRX).

Unfortunately the JFL210s are not available new at the moment - apparently EAW had to take them off the market briefly due to some kind of intellectual property infringement thing (I don't have specific information - just putting bits and pieces together).  I emailed my EAW rep and he said that a replacement product that is compatible with the current system is coming out in Q1 next year.  That may or may not be an issue depending on your purchasing horizon.  If you do go the JFL route, plan on getting the UX8800 processor - it's worth it.

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Chuck Simon

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Re: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k
« Reply #21 on: November 23, 2011, 03:07:27 PM »

Quote
My church started with a JBL SR4732 over 4719 rig, which was upgraded to a 2 X SRX722/1 X SRX728 per side rig.  This was upgraded to 2 X VRX932/side over the same SRX728 subs.  The quality improvement was extremely noticable moving from SRX to VRX.
I guess it all depends on the processing and amps.  I recently mixed a rock band with 2 X VRX 932/side and I really missed my SRX 722's. 

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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k
« Reply #22 on: November 23, 2011, 03:56:06 PM »

I guess it all depends on the processing and amps.  I recently mixed a rock band with 2 X VRX 932/side and I really missed my SRX 722's.
If you need raw sound power, the SRX definitely has more go - especially 2 per side.  We don't run that hard, and the fidelity improvement of the VRX was substantial over the SRX722.  Both of our systems were at least reasonably competently set up - I don't think it was a poor SRX tuning vs. a great VRX tuning, since the same guy did both systems.
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Bob Leonard

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Re: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k
« Reply #23 on: November 23, 2011, 11:00:11 PM »

Tom,
I'm not a huge fan of the 722 myself, although they certainly can and will out perform other products of their type and size. I think you may have noticed over the years that I am almost anal where sound quality is concerned. At lower volumes I'll agree the VRX may sound better than the 722. However, I don't feel the same can be said when comparing that same VRX to the 725s, one of the reasons I did not move to the VRX a while back, and the reason I replaced all of my 722s with 725s.
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BOSTON STRONG........
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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k
« Reply #24 on: November 24, 2011, 08:42:50 AM »

Tom,
I'm not a huge fan of the 722 myself, although they certainly can and will out perform other products of their type and size. I think you may have noticed over the years that I am almost anal where sound quality is concerned. At lower volumes I'll agree the VRX may sound better than the 722. However, I don't feel the same can be said when comparing that same VRX to the 725s, one of the reasons I did not move to the VRX a while back, and the reason I replaced all of my 722s with 725s.
I've not heard the 725s, but my issue with the 722s was not the low mids, but the high-mid fidelity - 2k and up. I'm a keyboard player and am very sensitive to distortion on my keyboard patches - especially acoustic grands. The SRX sounded nasty and lo-fi, and the VRX sounded good.

As I mentioned above - this wasn't a casual listening exercise - we were evaluating the VRX to potentially upgrade - a fairly large expenditure for my church, and we spent a fair bit of time and measuring, tuning, and listening. The difference wasn't subtle. YMMV

For the record, I don't do bar rock where I have to worry about always being on the edge of feedback, so I have the luxury of having a more neutral tuned system.

I played a festival a year ago where the wedges were biamped EAWs. They were "rung out" with 58s and I've never heard such garbage.  Wow.
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Jay Barracato

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Re: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k
« Reply #25 on: November 24, 2011, 09:25:03 AM »

I played a festival a year ago where the wedges were biamped EAWs. They were "rung out" with 58s and I've never heard such garbage.  Wow.

"wrung out" might be better.
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Jay Barracato

TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k
« Reply #26 on: November 24, 2011, 09:32:31 AM »

"wrung out" might be better.
Possibly, or even strung out.
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Bob Leonard

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Re: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k
« Reply #27 on: November 24, 2011, 10:44:56 AM »

Tom,
I don't know what you use for keys, but I suppliment our backline with Roland XV-3080 sound modules using all six outputs to seperate instruments. I know what your talking about and agree that the 722 can actually start to growl if pushed really hard. The 725 is actually just the opposite of the 722. The transition from driver to driver is very smooth and the 15s do keys justice in a big way. I actually route B3 and piano to their own seperate channels on the APB pro house and the realism is beyond compare. This is one reason I seperate the backline from the vocals and EQ each instrument independently. Complex in some ways, simplistic in other ways.
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BOSTON STRONG........
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Spenser Hamilton

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Re: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k
« Reply #28 on: November 24, 2011, 11:16:01 AM »

Tom,
I'm not a huge fan of the 722 myself, although they certainly can and will out perform other products of their type and size. I think you may have noticed over the years that I am almost anal where sound quality is concerned. At lower volumes I'll agree the VRX may sound better than the 722. However, I don't feel the same can be said when comparing that same VRX to the 725s, one of the reasons I did not move to the VRX a while back, and the reason I replaced all of my 722s with 725s.

Rule 1: Must Bi-Amp 725.

Rule 2: Read Rule 1
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Chuck Simon

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Re: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k
« Reply #29 on: November 24, 2011, 06:40:28 PM »

Quote
I've not heard the 725s, but my issue with the 722s was not the low mids, but the high-mid fidelity - 2k and up.

Quote
I know what your talking about and agree that the 722 can actually start to growl if pushed really hard.


The 722 and 725 use the same horn/driver.  The 12" in the 722 or the 15" in the 725 have no effect on 2k and up.  I have never heard my 722's "growl".

I prefer the 12" for midrange.
« Last Edit: November 24, 2011, 06:45:04 PM by Chuck Simon »
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Re: "Best bang for the buck" line-array system for 12-15k
« Reply #29 on: November 24, 2011, 06:40:28 PM »


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