| Outdoor PA - Bang for Buck (and weight) [message #317951] |
Tue, 29 April 2008 23:38  |
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That time of year again. About to sign another 20 week contract for a Summer Water Park gig and wanted to know what my options might be for upgrading the system.
Currently it's pretty streamlined. Only the basics. Covering a moderate background volume to half the park with everything from an acoustic gtr/drums trio to a 5 piece rock/blues band.
Last year's system:
Soundcraft MPM12 mixer
Crown XTi2000
Driverack PA
4 Yamaha Club IV 15/horn mains (2 per side of the XTi2000)
1 Yorkville ES700P 700 watt powered sub (placed in the center)
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The Yamahas worked fine for the gig but I found it a pain loading in and out those 4 heavy cabinets.
I'd prefer going back to a single top per side and am considering going to 12s instead of 15s.
I know I'll loose some of the bass so considering a pair of subs for this year. The Yorkie puts out a good amount of low end and I don't mind the weight/size.
I do have a pair of JBL MRX512M cabinets. LOVE the weight and size. Considering one of these over a sub per side.
Also looking at the PRX line and putting the XTi2000 on monitor duty.
What out there has the best bang for the buck that won't require me to haul several racks of amps to run it (and won't put me in the poor house either)?
Endorsing Artist for CA Guitars - Lafayette, LA
http://www.CAguitars.com
Multitude Audio
Subcontracting under Magnolia Music Center
Audio Visual Installation and Service
Gulfport, Ocean Springs and Pascagula, MS
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| Re: Outdoor PA - Bang for Buck (and weight) [message #317953 is a reply to message #317951 ] |
Tue, 29 April 2008 23:41  |
 Duncan McLennan
Messages: 990
Registered: July 2005
Location: London & Waterloo, On... |
Has No Life |
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If you like the MRX, stick with the MRX. They'll need plenty of power, though. Maybe a pair of 12s on the top, and a single 18 sub per side. iT4k on the bottom and the 2k on the top. It's not gonna get very loud, but it will me light, and extremely small.
Duncan McLennan
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| Re: Outdoor PA - Bang for Buck (and weight) [message #317966 is a reply to message #317965 ] |
Wed, 30 April 2008 00:18 |
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| Rob Timmerman wrote on Wed, 30 April 2008 00:13 |
Have you looked at the EV SxA360? It's the new powered version of the Sx300, and comes in about the same size/weight/output as the MRX512.
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I have not.. Had a set of Sx200 EV cabs for several years that sounded great (still have a matching sub and active Xover somewhere in the storage unit). Alas, they scuffed and scarred quite easily and I've stayed away from molded cabs ever since.
I actually bought the MRX512M cabs because I was playing more corporate / casino / convention shows and felt bad having those banged up EVs up on poles at such a good paying gig. HAHA!
The SxA360 has a nice small footprint, weight is fine, decent db and power. Its an option.
thanks
Endorsing Artist for CA Guitars - Lafayette, LA
http://www.CAguitars.com
Multitude Audio
Subcontracting under Magnolia Music Center
Audio Visual Installation and Service
Gulfport, Ocean Springs and Pascagula, MS
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| Re: Outdoor PA - Bang for Buck (and weight) [message #318949 is a reply to message #317951 ] |
Fri, 02 May 2008 21:14 |
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No Message Body
[Updated on: Sun, 04 May 2008 21:52]
Endorsing Artist for CA Guitars - Lafayette, LA
http://www.CAguitars.com
Multitude Audio
Subcontracting under Magnolia Music Center
Audio Visual Installation and Service
Gulfport, Ocean Springs and Pascagula, MS
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| Re: Outdoor PA - Bang for Buck (and weight) [message #319501 is a reply to message #317951 ] |
Sun, 04 May 2008 21:52 |
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Sunday bump
Endorsing Artist for CA Guitars - Lafayette, LA
http://www.CAguitars.com
Multitude Audio
Subcontracting under Magnolia Music Center
Audio Visual Installation and Service
Gulfport, Ocean Springs and Pascagula, MS
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| Re: Outdoor PA - Bang for Buck (and weight) [message #319526 is a reply to message #319518 ] |
Sun, 04 May 2008 23:10 |
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Used a set of the PRX515 cabs with the yorkie sub today. AMAZING how light weight these PRX cabs are!!!!!
It was a last minute set up and I didn't have time to dial it in as I wanted.
MRX512m cabs became floor monitors off 1 side of an XTi2000.
Ran the wizard of the driverack PA. Set it for the PRX515 tops and a custom sub on a custom amp. (maybe not the best choice- but all i had time for)
It worked. It sounded very smooth out in front of us.(of course I didnt get in the water - we are 6-8' up higher than those down in the wavepool) But I walked the far end of the wavepool and the tone was nice, but the volume was indeed background.
I had these pretty much maxed out too. Full volume on the cabinet control - in the yellow on the Soundcraft board.
Absolutely no rear audio leakage on the PRX cabs. So anything the folks behind the stage area heard was from our wedges.
Entertainment director didn't have any complaints about the sound today. But personally I would have liked it louder out front.
Endorsing Artist for CA Guitars - Lafayette, LA
http://www.CAguitars.com
Multitude Audio
Subcontracting under Magnolia Music Center
Audio Visual Installation and Service
Gulfport, Ocean Springs and Pascagula, MS
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| Re: Outdoor PA - Bang for Buck (and weight) [message #319527 is a reply to message #319503 ] |
Sun, 04 May 2008 23:23 |
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We are really just looking to cover the wavepool area. There is seating on two sides of it, the entry gate at the far end, and a boardwalk along a side.
The park has asked if a guitar wireless would let me send our audio to their offices(200' away or better) where it could be mixed into a few zones of their muzak park audio system. Told them anything was possible but that it could potentially have a HUGE time delay problem. So nothing has been said about it since.
I had been looking at the SLS920 cabs quite seriously. But with a 65x50 horn would I be lacking horizontal coverage. (guess not since the JBL is 70x70)
33lbs each for the MRX, 40lbs for the PRX, and 87lbs each on the SLS - (2008 Community price list says 87 lbs, web site brochure says 70lbs)
I've also looked into the Yorkville Unity cabs as well but have a hard time getting them (shipping costs) for a reasonable price.
Right now Im trying to keep the load light and not have to haul several speakers or racks of poweramps.
There has to be a middle ground, right?
Appreciate EVERYONE's feedback here
Rain
| Pat Cognitore wrote on Sun, 04 May 2008 22:03 |
| Rain Jaudon wrote on Sun, 04 May 2008 22:52 |
Sunday bump
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I can't imagine trying to cover 1/2 a waterpark with sound with only a single top per side (and one sub total). I guess for background music it works. How much space (square footage?) are you truly looking to provide coverage for?
How about something totally different...like a community SLS920 (2x8"/2"/1")? Fully horn-loaded, seems like it'd be much louder and project further than a typical (quality) front loaded 12" box in the same price range ($1000-$1200). Plus it'll probably have greater fidelity than your typical two-way hi-pack.
The Yorkville U15 with it's hornloaded mids/highs may also work well, but probably isn't as loud as the commmunity box.
I mention the horn-loaded boxes because they hold their dispersion pattern together a little better (lower) than front-loaded cone mids and they'll probably sound better at greater distances if you're truly looking to cover a few hundred feet with sound.
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[Updated on: Sun, 04 May 2008 23:41]
Endorsing Artist for CA Guitars - Lafayette, LA
http://www.CAguitars.com
Multitude Audio
Subcontracting under Magnolia Music Center
Audio Visual Installation and Service
Gulfport, Ocean Springs and Pascagula, MS
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| Re: Outdoor PA - Bang for Buck (and weight) [message #319681 is a reply to message #317951 ] |
Mon, 05 May 2008 14:23 |
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What I would LOVE to have is the JBL VRX932LAP with the companion 18" powered sub..
Alas, who has 10 grand to spend on a summer PA?
Endorsing Artist for CA Guitars - Lafayette, LA
http://www.CAguitars.com
Multitude Audio
Subcontracting under Magnolia Music Center
Audio Visual Installation and Service
Gulfport, Ocean Springs and Pascagula, MS
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| Re: Outdoor PA - Bang for Buck (and weight) [message #319828 is a reply to message #317951 ] |
Mon, 05 May 2008 20:43 |
Tom Bourke
Messages: 394
Registered: April 2004
Location: Wisconsin |
Has No Life |
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I will put another vote in for the EV SXa lineup. As for scuffing put some covers on them for transport.
I have a mild form of Dyslexia that affects my ability to spell. I do use spell checking to help but it does not always work. My form of Dyslexia does not affect my reading. Dyslexics of the world untie! http://incertclevername.com
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| Re: Outdoor PA - Bang for Buck (and weight) [message #319978 is a reply to message #319816 ] |
Tue, 06 May 2008 08:08 |
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Scott Smith
Messages: 1273
Registered: May 2005
Location: South Florida |
Has No Life |
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| Sean Chen wrote on Mon, 05 May 2008 21:15 |
...I think the MRX 512 sounds great until you put it next to an SRX 712m.
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I spent quite a bit of time directly comparing these two models, and the difference were subtle and very minor. The 512 had a fuller sound, the 712 was slightly stronger in upper mid-vocal range, but a little thinner overall. I could not justify DOUBLE the price for the minor differences, plus I wanted something that could serve double duty like small FOH applications if needed. The 512 is not bi-ampable, which is where the 712 may shine (this was NOT an option I needed). I would NOT use the 712 for FOH because they are as I said, a little thin on the low end. Their biggest asset is their extremely small size, but that compromises their low end. I was able to buy twice as many 512's (on my budget), and like everyone else here that owns them... I love them.
"Percussive Maintenance" - Bang on it until it works!
Scott Smith, South Florida
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