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[Giorgos Naias]

Hello to everyone.

I am new here and I already read many articles about the JBL srx 800 Vs the JBL prx800 but I still need your help and thank you for that.

I am making only two events per year on the beach for  around 200 people.
I used to have 2 prx725p and 2 prx718p and the sound quality and volume for what I needed was very nice.
I sold them and now I am between 2 options and here is where I need your help.

 Should I buy

A : 2 srx835p and 1 srx818p
Or
B : 2 prx825p and 2 prx818xlf

They are around the same money and I thought to buy better quality speakers but with one subwoofer.

I play only DJ music and sometimes small lives.
 The kind of DJ music we play is reggae,house,techno, progressive trance.
How can I compare the two options with the speakers I had?

Thank you.

[Matthias McCready]

Hello to everyone.

I am new here and I already read many articles about the JBL srx 800 Vs the JBL prx800 but I still need your help and thank you for that.

I am making only two events per year on the beach for  around 200 people.
I used to have 2 prx725p and 2 prx718p and the sound quality and volume for what I needed was very nice.
I sold them and now I am between 2 options and here is where I need your help.

 Should I buy

A : 2 srx835p and 1 srx818p
Or
B : 2 prx825p and 2 prx818xlf

They are around the same money and I thought to buy better quality speakers but with one subwoofer.

I play only DJ music and sometimes small lives.
 The kind of DJ music we play is reggae,house,techno, progressive trance.
How can I compare the two options with the speakers I had?

Thank you.

If quality is the determiner go for the SRX. For an SRX setup I would go for a pair of 812P's and an 828P (depending on the dB level you are attempting to achieve you may want more subs). Through a dealer the pricing is pretty good (well under $4k)...

However it must be asked, if you are only doing two events a year why the heck buy a system for it?! To the point you can rent a pretty nice rig for very little cash these days. See what local rates are for D&B, L'Acoustic, Meyer Etc. To the point I have rented UPA's cheaper than I would want to rent my SRX's out for!

You can rent something far nicer than you can buy, and I would guess it would take many years (at two events a year) before you would be outlaying as much cash as you would in buying stuff now. You also would not need to store the stuff and would not be tying up as much capital.

Matthias

[Jeff Lelko]

Hi Giorgos, I agree with Matthias - this is a rental situation twice over.  Once because you’re only using the gear twice a year, and again because you’re using the gear on the beach.  Sand can really mess up equipment.

Instead, I vote to spend the money on things that are truly needed for your business such as insurance, or something that will help lead to more than 2 jobs per year (eventually justifying ownership of a sound system).  Hope this helps!

FYI - this topic is in the wrong section.  I think you’ll get more input in the Lounge.

[Miguel Dahl]

Third, for only two gigs year you should rent it. For 200 people you could see if there is a local company which has 2x double 18" (or 4x single 18") and two good tops. Unless you want it madly loud in the entire room/space.

For price against quality for instance a D&B setup consisting of 4x Q-sub + 2x Q7 on a stick. (old boxes, so price is lower, and no one would ever complain, they still sound good for a DJ-setup) Or other, like mentioned, Meyer, / L'Acoustic etc.

[Giorgos Naias]

Hello guys and thank you for the reply.

The thing is that I live in a Greek island and to rent something here is hard or very expensive.
Also the events that I am doing are open and free and I am not making money from them.
I love sound and I love speakers and that's why I would like to buy something because it's easier for me to create an event without having to plan it days or months before.
I also have a generator and anytime I want I can go to beach and create an event even at the same night.

[Jay Marr]

If better quality is a must (per your title), then this is an easy answer - SRX.

Per suggestions above, you may want to consider the SRX 812 or 815 over the SRX 818 subs (so you can get 2 subs).

[Debbie Dunkley]

Just did a quick calculation and according to what I see online ( if my math is correct) , in the USA the cost of the following 2 rigs is the same:

2 x PRX825p & 2x PRX818xlf
1 x SRX828sp & 2 x SRX812p

$4600

As per Jay's comment, the simple answer to your title is easy - when it comes to which is 'better quality' overall the SRX wins and in this case if you can utilize the double 18" and go single 12 tops, not only does the SRX win in sound quality but costs the same as the PRX rig you quoted. EASY choice.
I own both SRX and PRX rigs....

[Bill Hornibrook]

A : 2 srx835p and 1 srx818p
Or
B : 2 prx825p and 2 prx818xlf

The kind of DJ music we play is reggae,house,techno, progressive trance.

Speaking as another DJ who does a fair amount of reggaeton and house in outdoor venues during the summer, I think your choices in JBL should be between these options:

A : 2 SRX815P and 2 SRX828SP
Or
B : 2 PRX815 and 4 PRX818XLF

Like you I like the sound of a 15" top (just one per side is sufficient), but I would not want to be outdoors mixing reggaeton with fewer than four 18" subs.

From there it's just a matter of how much money you want to spend. And if you are in Greece DEFINITELY check out options other than JBL... for example, RCF is just as highly regarded and based in Italy.

[Steve Garris]

Speaking as another DJ who does a fair amount of reggaeton and house in outdoor venues during the summer, I think your choices in JBL should be between these options:

A : 2 SRX815P and 2 SRX828SP
Or
B : 2 PRX815 and 4 PRX818XLF

Like you I like the sound of a 15" top (just one per side is sufficient), but I would not want to be outdoors mixing reggaeton with fewer than four 18" subs.

From there it's just a matter of how much money you want to spend. And if you are in Greece DEFINITELY check out options other than JBL... for example, RCF is just as highly regarded and based in Italy.

This is what I would recommend as well. More subs.

[Matthias McCready]

\
1 x SRX828sp & 2 x SRX812p

$4600

Through a good dealer, you can get that rig for at least a $1,000 cheaper... just sayin' 

[Giorgos Naias]

Thank all of you guys for your suggestions almost everything you said I kind of thought about it but the thing is that in Greece and ok also Europe that I can buy from the prices allow me to buy

2 prx 825 and 2 prx 818 with covers for 4450€
Or
2 srx 835 and 1 srx 818 with covers for 4690€

I can't take the 828 because it's a bit heavy for me and also I have a space limit.
I know if I buy 2 subwoofer is bigger in the size but I also put one left and one right in my home cinema witch I can't do with the 828.

The other combination I could do is

2 prx 818 and 2 srx 812 with covers for 4600€

This are the options I have and this are the costs of them and the money I can afford.

Thanks again for all of your help.

[Chris Grimshaw]

The SRX will sound better, but 2x 835 with 1x 818 makes very little sense IMO. The subwoofer will not keep up with the main speakers. Better would be 2x 812 and 2x 818.

Chris

[Giorgos Naias]

The SRX will sound better, but 2x 835 with 1x 818 makes very little sense IMO. The subwoofer will not keep up with the main speakers. Better would be 2x 812 and 2x 818.

Chris


I know my friend but their price is 5600€ and I can't afford that.
In the future maybe I can add one more 818.

[Geert Friedhof]

I would worry about subs first, tops second.

[Chrysander 'C.R.' Young]

OP, if you find the size of the 828 too large, the SRX835P is not that much smaller and is very heavy.  I would suggest this rig:

2 x JBL SRX812P
2 x JBL SRX818SP

Compact, loud, sounds very good, easy to move, can add more 818s later if you need more oomph. 

Just my $0.02.

[Matthias McCready]

I can't take the 828 because it's a bit heavy for me and also I have a space limit.
I know if I buy 2 subwoofer is bigger in the size but I also put one left and one right in my home cinema witch I can't do with the 828.

The 828 may be too large, however, I did want to say it is actually easier for me to move than the 818. While it takes up some transport real estate it is much easier to load in and out of a truck or trailer as you can tilt it in over the bumper. With casters and tilting it is a very easy one man move. With two people it is a pretty lightbox to move (IMO) especially with handles being in good places.

Also for whatever subs you do end up with, it is best practice to have your subs located together. While not an issue in your house, timing becomes a very significant issue in larger spaces, once you separate them certain frequencies will now arrive out of time from each other and will cancel each other for parts of your audience. Separating your subs L and R, tends to cause problems. Additionally sticking your subs right next to eachother allows them to work together and it means they will be much louder. Just by putting together you will get some free dB!

[Bill Hornibrook]

I would worry about subs first, tops second.

I completely agree, particularly considering the genres of music you are into. Since money is tight (a new wrinkle we're now learning), forget SRX. Since storage is tight (another factor that's just now coming into play), instead of four prx818s get three. Center cluster them in front of the DJ so people aren't falling into his kit, and you're good to go for your gigs in the sand.

Been there done that by the way. If I'm mixing outdoors and there's no stage or booth, I prefer the subs in front of me for my own protection. Have I mentioned how drunk people can get outdoors in the summer?

[Sean Chen]

Hello,

For main speakers, if vocal clarity is important, then the 3-way SRX 835 is a good choice, if the dispersion pattern is acceptable.

Matching two main speakers with 1 subwoofer results in very low utility of the main speakers capability. You need at least 1 SRX818 to keep up with 1 STX835. I think if the sub bass produced by 1 SRX818 is sufficient sub bass for your need, then the SRX835 should have enough sub bass without any subs.

[Giorgos Naias]

Again thank you for your time...

All your suggestions are really helpful and that was also the 'fear' I had in my mind that the 2 srx835 speakers will swallow the one SRX 818 (at least until I buy a second one) and like I said before I was quite happy with my prx 700 2*725 and 2 718.

 But know after I sold them the two options that I have are the one above with the SRX or the prx 2 825 and 2 prx818 and I understand that the prx system will sound more full and the SRX will sound more clear but it will need more bass right?

So here is where I need your help to help me understand the difference of that 2 systems that I can buy for now and hopefully can buy more in the future.

Thank for all your help and excuse my English if I don't make sense some times.

[Scott Holtzman]

Again thank you for your time...

All your suggestions are really helpful and that was also the 'fear' I had in my mind that the 2 srx835 speakers will swallow the one SRX 818 (at least until I buy a second one) and like I said before I was quite happy with my prx 700 2*725 and 2 718.

 But know after I sold them the two options that I have are the one above with the SRX or the prx 2 825 and 2 prx818 and I understand that the prx system will sound more full and the SRX will sound more clear but it will need more bass right?

So here is where I need your help to help me understand the difference of that 2 systems that I can buy for now and hopefully can buy more in the future.

Thank for all your help and excuse my English if I don't make sense some times.

One 825 will swallow the 818!  The 828 is barely adequate.  Two 828's would give you a bit of headroom.

I want to reinforce the 825, nor is any dual 15 a great sounding speaker.  The 835 is the way to go.

[Jeff Lelko]

Giorgos, just to ask, why did you sell your old system?  Since the title of this thread touches on better quality being a must, sadly any step up in quality is usually comes at a price.  If money is tight for you, now may not be the right time to invest in higher quality equipment. 

I usually suggest buying the tops you need and then adding enough subs to keep up and give you the sound/volume you desire, but as others have mentioned, for your application the subs are just as important.  I agree that the 835s are the best choice for tops you've listed so far, but will also require more subs than you can afford for the system not to be heavily lopsided - you'd probably end up wanting 4 818s for 2 835s as a minimum. 

The 812 over 818 combination would work as a smaller option compared to the 835, but you'd have to decide if the 812 is sufficient enough for your work as compared to the 835.  A pair of single 18" subs will still only go so far... 

Honestly though, if you can't afford to buy the system "right" out of the gate, rent what you need until you can.  I understand that rentals are very difficult in your location, but a piecemealed lopsided sound system isn't going to do you any good even if the individual components are higher quality than what you originally had.  Good luck!     

[Mike Caldwell]

Don't be stuck on an only JBL brand option for high quality.
There are lots of great European brands available and depending who you ask some will say there better than JBL.

Another thing to consider is service availability should you need it.

[ProSoundWeb Community]