MACKIE SR1530Z? Or what??

[Jazzhands]

Hi All, I`m new so sorry if I`ve missed a thread already dealing with this. I have at present 2 mackie 1530z. I think there pretty good but heavy and one is in the shop being repaired at the moment Just in warranty! I`ve looked at Lucas Max gear, but found the sound a little over engineered, a little fake maybe? What would anyone suggest as an upgrade from the Mackies. BUdget of say £3000. Fohhn, Lucas Max, Jbl . . . . I`m a Singer and pianist doing swing but also disco. Looking for best quality that won`t break my back!!! Are the Lucas elias better sound than the MAX?

thanks.

[Rob_Beech]

You don't mention one way or the other but the specific systems you mention are generally thought of as powered systems.

 

If on the other hand you don't mind an unpowered system then take a look at the Turbosound TXD Range of boxes. these are great quality but without breaking the bank. A pair of 12's and a pair of 15 or 18 inch subs depending on how big you want to go and a couple of amps and a crossover (have a look at the QSC PLX2 range or Crown XTI range (built in DSP).

 

This, whilst more boxes, keeps the individual box weight down and gives yo much more flexibility. Smaller shows you can take in just the tops. Larger ones the subs and tops. And you can get the tops on poles, high up point them where you want. (something you can't do with your curren setup).

 

With the XTI amps You can also use 1 amp per side in 2 separate racks to minimise speaker cable run, and can run a mono system should an amp fail and have to be returned (3 year warranty).

 

 

2 tops 2 subs 2 amps, some cabling, poles and a flightcase or 2 should come in on budget.

 

There are of course, MANY MANY more options.

 

 

Rob

 

 

 

There are also powered versions of the 12inch top and 18inch sub but I don't currently have a price list inluding these, they may or may not come within budget. But they'd be a recommendation if so.

[Sirch Sound]

You dont state what size you need, are your mackies the right sie/power for what you doing at the moment? You could also look at a pair of second hand RCF TT+ cabs, although these may seem te same sort of weight, you need to look at the spl's. The single 15" rcf TT cab puts out the same spl as the mackies (136db Peak) however the RCF Weighs 26.8kg as opposed to the mackies 50kg! However you will pay for it, the TT25 comes in at £1900 per cabs, and the mackies £800. If you can afford the extra for the TT's then it is definatly worth it, or as I say see what you can find seod hand. They are some of the most amazing cabs I have every herd, the volume and quality for the size of the cab is nothing but amazing!

 

Rob, surly you carnt get a turbosound rig with a pair of crown XTI amps for under £3k? The amps will come to £1500-£1800 alone? Do you have some price lists? If you can then thats a very nice system, infact you have rather intregued me!

 

Rich

[Rob_Beech]

With the 15 inch subs. Just about. the poles/speaker leads/flightcases might just take it over budget. but whats that. £100?

 

with the 18's you'd need another £150 or so.

 

the tops are 20kg a box the 15 subs 25 an the 18 subs 28

 

Not heavy at all.

 

On paper not as loud, but the ability to get the tops above peoples heads, separate subs so as not to muddy your mids up, and amps with headroom makes the figures on paper a little deceiving.

[Sirch Sound]

In which case this may be a much more versitile system, as rob says, because you can adapt it to each event, and with the system being split, it makes each component lighter.

 

 

Rich

[thewhirlwind]

In which case this may be a much more versitile system, as rob says, because you can adapt it to each event, and with the system being split, it makes each component lighter.

 

 

Rich

 

there was someone on ebay selling new eaw jfx590's for around £1300 a pair from memory (think it was aa systems)

if they still have some I don't think you will beat these if you want the best!

[Rob_Beech]

To stick with that, I saw some sb650 for about £800 a pair (used) somewhere, I'll have to look it up. they're a 2x15 sub so a bit bulky.

 

The Ideal compact EAW Sub is the LA400.

[Jazzhands]

WOW info overload! I`m a total PA novice. Erm I think I want to stick with powered equipment because it`s a simple set up However if I`m paying through the nose for that kind of technology I`d consider passive as well! It`s all got to fit in the back of my Audi as well at present, though I am thinking of getting a van!

Is the powered stuff less natural in sound? My chief aims are quality of sound, warmth and decent power levels to do rooms with up to 350 people. How do you guys rate the Mackies I`ve already got? Second hand stuff sounds like a smart move but I`ll have to get informed help . . .

[thewhirlwind]

WOW info overload! I`m a total PA novice. Erm I think I want to stick with powered equipment because it`s a simple set up However if I`m paying through the nose for that kind of technology I`d consider passive as well! It`s all got to fit in the back of my Audi as well at present, though I am thinking of getting a van!

Is the powered stuff less natural in sound? My chief aims are quality of sound, warmth and decent power levels to do rooms with up to 350 people. How do you guys rate the Mackies I`ve already got? Second hand stuff sounds like a smart move but I`ll have to get informed help . . .

I owned a pair of Mackie SR1530's until recently and was quite pleased withem although they are quite bulky and one of them needed a visit to the repairers (luckily under warranty as I was told it was close to an uneconomical repair!).I've since changed to EAW and have to say that the clarity of the EAW's blows the Mackies away but then they do list at approx double the price so you get what you pay for I suppose.

I also get very little feedback with the EAW's by comparison.

[Jazzhands]

Thanks whirlwind. Do you think they have a dodgy build quality then, as mine have had a fault more than once?! Are the Eaw powered? Do you know anywhere stocking them in the north west? Sound control sell some JBL`s that are supposed to be way better than the Mack`s at half the weight but twice the cost, any thoughts?

[timtheenchanteruk]

would you consider a powered mixer?

 

still a simple setup, but the boxes are still lighter, and as most people rack the amp under a mixer anyway...

 

for powerd boxes, keep clear of HK if your doing it by yourself, we have a HK rig at work, and whilst its plenty powerful enough sounds OK, it weighs a TON!!! Its a 2 man job to put them on stands

[thewhirlwind]

Thanks whirlwind. Do you think they have a dodgy build quality then, as mine have had a fault more than once?! Are the Eaw powered? Do you know anywhere stocking them in the north west? Sound control sell some JBL`s that are supposed to be way better than the Mack`s at half the weight but twice the cost, any thoughts?

 

from what I was told there was a known fault on the 1530's.I always thought that I could smell like a sulphur/burnina discontinued model.g smell from one of mine ever since it was delivered but I passed it off as "just me" as it seemed to work fine.I think the build quality on most things is going downhill nowdays..I think China has a lot to answer for!

Then one day I switched it on and it had died.To be fair to Mackie they did repair it with no problems under the warranty which was a good job as the repairer siad it would cost almost as much as the speaker was worth to fix it.

With regards to the EAW's I bought some jfx290's from ebay for £1400 (or something around that I can't quite rememeber).they are top quality passive speakers that from what I researched normally sell for around £2300 a pair although they are now a discontinued model.If you search ewa on ebay you'll see aa systems and contact them and see what they have.

[BigYinUK]

I have a pair of Mackie 1530s (not the Z model) that we use for the band. We've had them 2 years now and apart from the odd blown fuse they've been fine. When I was looking to buy a PA, research on the web seemed to indicate that the Mackies were highly reliable so I'm surprised to hear about problems.

 

I paid 949ukp for the pair, brand new from Soundcontrol in London and that was delivered. The next nearest contender was the RCF 4PRO 6001-A which is a nearly identical design (same weight) but using RCF drivers of course (as the Mackies used to.....) but was over twice the price. The RCF is also capable of a higher SPL if I remember correctly.

 

The Mackies have a very American "all tits and bums" sound (which I do eq out to some degree). I really like them but its good to remember their limitations.

 

The RCF might be a way forward unless you're looking to play to larger audiences, a very good sounding unit. KV2 Audio's offshoot company KXAudio do a budget range of powered speakers and if they are anything like the ES/EX series they'll be impressive.

 

I'm with you on the "powered speaker" front, if you're diy it save so much time.

 

For the record if I "upgraded" it would be to an HK Actor DX or the KV2 ES systems (second hand) but then we are a rock band !!

[Rob_Beech]

The powered vs unpowered debate will never come to any conclusion as there simply isn't one. There are good and bad points to each.

 

Powered systems carry less boxes and as such have less cabling with them. They do tend to make the boxes heavier, sometimes significantly, and if an amp goes down you lose the box.

Unpowered speakers have the hassle of wiring amps up and crossover networks (although the xti's or similar makes this somewhat easier) but are generally more flexible, you can get larger amps for headroom where as powered boxes often have amps rated at the rms level.

 

There is an argument that amps in cabs are designed to do exactly what they're there for so are therefore better. An amp is an amp. There are good and bad, and bigger and smaller.

[BigYinUK]

There are good and bad, and bigger and smaller.

 

I like your posts Rob, full of top info always to the point !