OK I'm not trying to get everyone in an argument. Here's my case. Two reliable sources say the Mackie's are much better than the JBL's. And I believe them. However another reliable source says it depends on the money also. Unlimited funds available get the Mackie SRM 450.

However I don't have money to burn. So If a pair of Mackie SRM 450 speakers are $1400 and a pair of JBL EON Powered 15" speakers can be bought for $760 in your opinion should I make a lone to get the Mackies.

Hope more of you folks have experience with these or at lease have had the oportunity to hear and compare them. In my town not one of the three music stores has either of these speakers. They would have to order them or I have to get them from Zzounds.

I can only compare Yamaha and Soundtech at one store and I have to go to another store for the Peavey and that is all he carries. So there is nothing to compare the Peavey to live. Sometimes I wish I was back in New Orleans.

I'd have to go to Denver or Salt Lake over 250 miles to do this myself. That is why I'm having trouble making up my mind. I wish I could hear and compare them myself. However, driving over the continental divide is not a pleasant trip sometimes over ice and snow.

Hope I can get more help here.
Thanks for your time.
Boo Hargis
If you don't want to post please email me.

Hi Boo,

I owned the EON15P's for about 3 years and they did a good job...... untill I heared the SRM450's at a local store !
Wow the SRM has an amazing sound and power.
Since 6 months we (a two men band) use the SRM450's and are still very impressed by the sound. (Bright, clear and bass)
It is a wide-range speaker indeed !!
The Mackie's are far superiour compared to the JBL's..... I think.

kind regards,

Roel
Holland

Hi Boo,

I owned the EON15P's for about 3 years and they did a good job...... untill I heared the SRM450's at a local store !
Wow the SRM has an amazing sound and power.
Since 6 months we (a two men band) use the SRM450's and are still very impressed by the sound. (Bright, clear and bass)
It is a wide-range speaker indeed !!
The Mackie's are far superiour compared to the JBL's..... I think.

kind regards,

Roel
Holland

The Boyz are Right my friend...Bottom Line..... MACKIES SRM450's RULE!!!
if you have to, get one at a time you won't believe your ears!

Good Luck

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 11-05-2000).]

I can't believe after hearing for a year "don't even consider anything less than 15" speakers" and "you have to go stereo" that I'm even considering one Mackie SRM 450 in a mono environment. You guys are great to help me and have patience to put up with me. I've been pestering Dave and DonM for a year now. I just met Donny (DNJ). Thanks again for all of your help.

I recently auditioned the Mackie SM450's and
I agree that they are probably the best sounding system for its' size right now. There's been a lot of advancements in PA speaker technology in just the last few years and the Mackie SRM450's seems to demonstrate this.

PA speakers reproduce and amplify everything we do musically ... It can "make" or "break" your performance (of course a great sound system cannot turn a lousy performance into a great one but it will bring out the "best" you have to offer). Dine for few weeks on macoroni and cheese (if you must), but "don't compromise" on the sound.

I currently own a couple of very decent sounding Roland KC-300 amp/speakers (38-1/2 lbs ea) which are relatively easy to transport. The Mackie SRM450's are a bit heavier (51 lbs/ea), but I think the added weight might be worth the increased sound quality gain, especially in the tight bass and smooth warm mid range. Plan to move up to the Mackie SRM450's (as soon as I can stock up on enough of those macaroni dinners)

Question to current SM450 owners: I only got to audition the SM450's as a pair. How does the Mackie SM450 perform (sound dispersion: wide coverage?) when set directly on the floor and used "singularly" (just one) for smaller venues (less than 40 people)? Is the 51 lb SM450 very easy to transport, lifting in/out of the trunk of a car and to/from a luggage cart, etc? Very easy to carry using its' "built in" handles only? I'm looking for the best possible sound balanced with the lightest weight possible. Is the SM450 the one?



Scott

YORKVILLE!
Give a listen if you can. The Elite Series their top of the line. They use the same components as Mackie, RCF speakers and horns/tweeters. Mackie now owns RCF (an Italian Co.) I have heard them all and owned quite a few and let me tell you the Yorkville Elite series ( I have the 160p powered speakers one 10" W/horn 200watts)I now you non believers out there will insist youneed 15" speakers to get bottom well give a listen to these. I have a Korg I30 and of course vocals and these speakers do the right thing. There not loud, there GOOD

Hi Uncle Dave,
The KC500(Roland) should seem heavier than the 450's (Mackie) because they "are" a bit heavier. The KC500 (weighing in at 59 lbs) is actually 8 lbs heavier than the 450.

The Roland keyboard amp I use is the KC300 (38 lbs)which is substantially lighter than the Mackie SM450. The SM450 is a bit heavier than I want to deal with, but I'm glad to hear that the unit is both well "balanced" and designed with handles on both the top and sides. The KC300 is relatively light but carrying the unit (via its' handle) is still rather awkward. Because the unit is more or less a rectangular box with 90 degree edges and corners, these edges and corners tend to bang into your knee/leg when attempting to carry it by it's top handle. This looks to be not a problem on the SM450 with its' rounded corner/edge design. I realize that when evaluating a piece of equipment for tranportability that it isn't only the weight, but that you must also take in to account the weight "balance" (center of gravity) of the unit and overall carrying ease as well.

This also brings up the point regarding 76 note vs. 61 note keyboards. Because 76 note keyboards are longer, it is more awkward to transport because of of its' greater length. Also, some keyboards have the majority of it's weight focussed at "one end" of the keyboard which makes it even more awkward to carry.

Scott