Mackie SRM450 No bass but top still works

[Armchairbob]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm wondering if anyone can help?

 

We've a set of SRM450's, one is perfect the other has no bass but the top end is fine. Tried swapping sides on the desk, cables, plugs etc but no difference. Vocals seem to come through fine but bass on the music doesn't seem right. We have a Mackie DFX-12 desk. I've been told it could be a driver? But if that's the problem, is it something I could replace myself? If it needs to go in for repair, could anyone offer a good recommendation place? It would need to be sent in on a Monday and returned by the Friday for the weekends are booked up with gigs... And just to test you? We live near Crewe, but I can travel to Manchester/Liverpool/Stoke or Chester etc... Many thanks in advance...

 

Bob

[tolley1466]

Off the top of my head it could either be the LF driver or possibly the crossover in the cab?

 

I believe Loud Technologies are the official service centre for Mackie. It may be worth e-mailing both Mackie and LT to get the result you want.

 

If they couldn't do a quick repair for you it may be worth sub-hiring in a system.

[Armchairbob]

Cheers for that, I'll check it out and check out Loud Technologies as well...

[tolley1466]

If you use the search function, you should be able to find some tips to tell if your driver is blown.

 

I remember paulears has some good tips.

[Stuart91]

The drivers are relatively simple to replace, but my experience with SRM450s is that if the driver is blown there will often be something else wrong with the amp module. Unless of course it is physical damage, e.g. if the cabinet was dropped.

[WolvesAndi]

sorry to state the obvious, have you made sure the HPF buton is not in, I had some old ones and there was one incase you ran it with the mackie subs

 

Cheers

 

andi

[noiseman]

sorry to state the obvious, have you made sure the HPF buton is not in, I had some old ones and there was one incase you ran it with the mackie subs

 

Cheers

 

andi

That wouldn't cause the effects explained here as the HPF is at 75hz so you wuld still get the majority of low end.

It sounds like either a blown driver or amp module.

I believe these cabs have no passive crossover post-amp as they have separate amps for LF+HF so that would rule out the crossover unless it's the pre-amp one.

[Jivemaster]

If it's under any warranty then take it back without opening it!

 

If it's NOT under warranty then open it up and substitute another driver for the one that you suspect. If the fault goes away then get a replacement driver, if the fault stays then look at the amp! You may need to buy the manufacturers part as with an active cab there is NO valid assumption about driver impedance.

[Armchairbob]

Cheers for the help guys...

 

I have been passed (under recommendation) a name of a fairly local guy who will take a look. The warranty has expired, we bought them in 2005... I did open it up last year when it happened and took a look for damaged cones etc (I know it's not the HPF button as I always check they are out at every gig before switching on, unless one has been used as a monitor)... saw the amount of circuits inside and closed it back up!

 

To be fair in small venues, you can hardly notice it as the good speaker covers the sound, but on a big wide stage, it's evident! I'll post what the guy says for any reference if anyone else gets a similar problem...

 

Bob

[Sound In Gloucestershire]

I used to work for a mackie dealer and the majority of the time its the amp, the rest of the time its usually the amp taking out the driver (ie both!)

 

only had a few occurances of the bass driver blowing (without anything else blowing)

 

I would say the chances of you getting it fixed by Friday are slim to none, louds backup isnt great and everything is kept in belgium

 

mackies are very common and easy to hire though

[mostlyharmless]

Off the top of my head it could either be the LF driver or possibly the crossover in the cab?

 

I believe Loud Technologies are the official service centre for Mackie. It may be worth e-mailing both Mackie and LT to get the result you want.

 

If they couldn't do a quick repair for you it may be worth sub-hiring in a system.

Loud isn't a service centre, they own Mackie. I expect they could guide you if you contacted support, although this might just be to Mackie themselves.

[MarkPAman]

If it's more broken than I can fix myself, Cimple Solutions will fix most things Mackie, though you never know what it'll cost until they have it on their bench. That said, I've used them a few times & their prices have been OK.

[Jivemaster]

Ebay may be a source of one to cover the other going away for repair!

[tolley1466]

I just remembered my friend had the problem with a Wharfedale powered cab and it turned out to be a bulb inside that I suppose acted as a fuse... I'm not really wise on the SRM450s but could it be something like this?

[Sound In Gloucestershire]

bulbs tend to be used to protect High Frequency horns/drivers, not the bass