ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 8   Go Down

Author Topic: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade  (Read 31243 times)

nicklang

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 22
Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« on: March 30, 2014, 09:01:01 PM »

Hello.....

So okay at the moment I'm sound teching for a gigging Rock Covers Band......we're very busy at least two gigs per week.....we are also VERY loud......

at the moment I run three SRM450V2's as tops and two SRM1801 subwoofers.....

....I mic most of the drum kit.....snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick......sometimes the hats/crashes and riders. Also put the bass guitar through the PA too (as well as his double cab)......and vocals...one lead vocal and two backing......our guitarist has an incredible amp so we only mic the amp occasionally......

Problem is I've had the Mackie SRM450V2's for just over a year now....and I've had two fail.....it's got to the point I'm concerned they're gonna fail....for no reason......also I'm starting to notice that the 450's are struggling to give me enough volume.......

We play everything from small pubs to large(ish) halls.....outdoors and indoors....

Now I don't have an issue with the subs....they seem to be coping well......it's the tops that I'm not so impressed with......looking at replacing with something that can give me more volume and good clarity at high volume.......

Obviously budget does come into it as I aint made of money......lol......was thinking about £500 ish ($800) each speaker give or take........

Was looking at something like the EV ELX12p or the RCF ART 712A or perhaps something similar????.......I'm in the UK so not all brands and models are availlable to me .......but I'm really looking for some recommendations????

Cheers
Nick
Logged
Sound messer arounder for 7th Circle!!!
Check us out and give us a like.....
www.7thcircle.co.uk

Tim McCulloch

  • SR Forums
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 23741
  • Wichita, Kansas USA
Re: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2014, 09:39:06 PM »

My recommendations?  Make sound an additive process.  Have the band play without PA, bring up vocal monitors, THEN bring up in the PA mix the things you can't hear, starting with getting vocals on top. 

Outdoors simply requires more PA than you have.  Really.

Your Mackies are dying because they've been worked hard.  It's their time.  I'm not sure if the EV or RCF will be a sideways move or an improvement, but my experience has been that most speakers you can put on a stick:  Not Enough Rig for the Gig® for a rock band with pounding drummer and guitar amps set on "stun".
Logged
"If you're passing on your way, from Palm Springs to L.A., Give a wave to good ol' Dave, Say hello to progress and goodbye to the Moonlight Motor Inn." - Steve Spurgin, Moonlight Motor Inn

Craig Hamilton

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 44
Re: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2014, 10:49:15 PM »

Hello.....

So okay at the moment I'm sound teching for a gigging Rock Covers Band......we're very busy at least two gigs per week.....we are also VERY loud......

at the moment I run three SRM450V2's as tops and two SRM1801 subwoofers.....

....I mic most of the drum kit.....snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick......sometimes the hats/crashes and riders. Also put the bass guitar through the PA too (as well as his double cab)......and vocals...one lead vocal and two backing......our guitarist has an incredible amp so we only mic the amp occasionally......

Problem is I've had the Mackie SRM450V2's for just over a year now....and I've had two fail.....it's got to the point I'm concerned they're gonna fail....for no reason......also I'm starting to notice that the 450's are struggling to give me enough volume.......

We play everything from small pubs to large(ish) halls.....outdoors and indoors....

Now I don't have an issue with the subs....they seem to be coping well......it's the tops that I'm not so impressed with......looking at replacing with something that can give me more volume and good clarity at high volume.......

Obviously budget does come into it as I aint made of money......lol......was thinking about £500 ish ($800) each speaker give or take........

Was looking at something like the EV ELX12p or the RCF ART 712A or perhaps something similar????.......I'm in the UK so not all brands and models are availlable to me .......but I'm really looking for some recommendations????

Cheers
Nick

Did i read that right, you are running 3 tops per side overlapped? If you are and not arraying them to cover a wide area then you are simply doing it wrong. Use one cabinet per area you want to cover. Sounds like you need one pair of JBL STX835 cabinets. Or another popular choice the SRX725 if you want to look for used. My only other thought would be a set of QSC KW153 if they can be loud enough, but dont overlap multiples to try to get louder.
« Last Edit: March 30, 2014, 10:52:01 PM by Craig Hamilton »
Logged

Paul G. OBrien

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1393
Re: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2014, 11:20:34 PM »



Obviously budget does come into it as I aint made of money......lol......was thinking about £500 ish ($800) each speaker give or take........

Was looking at something like the EV ELX12p or the RCF ART 712A or perhaps something similar????.......I'm in the UK so not all brands and models are availlable to me .......but I'm really looking for some recommendations????

The ELX is a sideways move from the Mackie, it's got a bit more power but the 12" driver isn't as sensitive so overall it's not capable of any more SPL. The RCF 712 or a Yamaha DXR will produce a little more output but I don't know if its enough to justify the purchase, I think you're gonna have to stretch your budget and step up to a Yamaha DSR 112 or similar.
Logged

nicklang

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 22
Re: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2014, 02:40:46 AM »

Did i read that right, you are running 3 tops per side overlapped?

No, it's one SRM450 per side and one in the middle......obviously at the smaller venues we just use the two SRM450's.....

Don't get me wrong....at gig's we always sound loud....and pretty clear....and I try not to push them too had...never to the point of distortion.....in fact we always get complemented for how good we sound....but to me (and it could be just me).....I could just do with that extra 15-20% more volume at some venues......just to pick the whole mix out........most other people don't notice.....they all think it sounds great.....

I always start the band dry.....no PA...and bring in the individual instruments.....usually start with the drummer as he's the loudest unmic-ed.......We don't mic the whole kit at every venue obviously.........but sometimes we struggle in a small room.....I guess due to room dynamics rather than "not enough PA"......and sometimes I find the Mackie tops just don't seem to be as clear and as punchy as I would like?????
Logged
Sound messer arounder for 7th Circle!!!
Check us out and give us a like.....
www.7thcircle.co.uk

Scott Bolt

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1766
Re: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2014, 07:56:46 AM »

Did i read that right, you are running 3 tops per side overlapped?

No, it's one SRM450 per side and one in the middle......obviously at the smaller venues we just use the two SRM450's.....

Don't get me wrong....at gig's we always sound loud....and pretty clear....and I try not to push them too had...never to the point of distortion.....in fact we always get complemented for how good we sound....but to me (and it could be just me).....I could just do with that extra 15-20% more volume at some venues......just to pick the whole mix out........most other people don't notice.....they all think it sounds great.....

I always start the band dry.....no PA...and bring in the individual instruments.....usually start with the drummer as he's the loudest unmic-ed.......We don't mic the whole kit at every venue obviously.........but sometimes we struggle in a small room.....I guess due to room dynamics rather than "not enough PA"......and sometimes I find the Mackie tops just don't seem to be as clear and as punchy as I would like?????
The DSR112's are a step up and are built like a tank.  They also have a 7 year warranty.
Logged

Steve Garris

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1457
Re: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2014, 03:23:29 PM »

If your experience goes anything like mine, those 1801's will eventually fail as well. Same situation, loud band in small rooms. We got about 2 years out of the 1801's. They both quit working within a month of each other. I went to a JBL PRX system for better sound overall.
Logged

nicklang

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 22
Re: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2014, 04:05:45 PM »

Yeah cheers guys......I could stretch to a pair of the Yamaha's at a push :D been looking at those DSR112's today.....they look tidy.....pretty sure we wont get a 7 year warranty here in the UK though....all the sites I've looked at seem to be offering either 2 or 3 years depending.....

Looking on the bright side....hoping that the 1801's will last a bit longer than that .....but suspect you're probably right :(

I'm gonna start to price up some of those DSR's tomorrow :D
Logged
Sound messer arounder for 7th Circle!!!
Check us out and give us a like.....
www.7thcircle.co.uk

Guy Graham

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 156
Re: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2014, 04:50:20 PM »

Yeah cheers guys......I could stretch to a pair of the Yamaha's at a push :D been looking at those DSR112's today.....they look tidy.....pretty sure we wont get a 7 year warranty here in the UK though....all the sites I've looked at seem to be offering either 2 or 3 years depending.....

Looking on the bright side....hoping that the 1801's will last a bit longer than that .....but suspect you're probably right :(

I'm gonna start to price up some of those DSR's tomorrow :D

I appreciate this is a bit more than your stated budget, but Thomann has b-stock EV ZXA5 (90°) reduced to £990 right now.

The Yamahas are around £850 each, so if you were able to stretch your budget, the EVs are a good deal if you want a louder speaker that also sounds a lot nicer than the Mackies you're replacing.

I haven't heard those Yamahas myself yet though they have had great reviews - but the ZXA5 is a very impressive powered box, and I consider it good value at its regular price. Given your band likes to play loud it's worth at least giving the EVs a listen to see what they can do!
Logged

nicklang

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 22
Re: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2014, 05:57:18 PM »

Cheers Guy........I can get the DSR112's for £700 each.......the DSR115's are more like £850

£990 is just too much at the mo for me dude!!!.....I really appreciate the pointer though....I'll deffo go have a look at those now :D
« Last Edit: March 31, 2014, 06:01:30 PM by nicklang »
Logged
Sound messer arounder for 7th Circle!!!
Check us out and give us a like.....
www.7thcircle.co.uk

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Dissapointed with Mackie SRM450V2 and looking to upgrade
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2014, 05:57:18 PM »


Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 8   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.029 seconds with 22 queries.