DB Technologies Opera 405D vs Mackie Thump TH-15A

[White_Pointer]

Yes, another amp comparison thread!

So after my previous thread I determined that the systems I were looking at would simply not give me the volume I needed, so I started looking at other options - specifically powered speakers. I've been researching quite a lot on these, searching through threads here on vdrums.com plus elsewhere on the interwebs, and have come down to two possible options:

DB Technologies Opera 405D
Mackie Thump TH-15A

Again, neither of these amps specifically are mentioned in the once and for all thread, so throwing them out here. Does anyone have experience with either of these and which one would you recommend?

Note that I'm not planning on running a subwoofer with either of these - they both have 15 inch woofers which I'm hoping should provide enough bottom end to not require a sub as well. I'll just be picking up one speaker, I have no need to run a stereo setup.

These two systems seem to be very similar, I've read good and bad things about both of them. A number of threads discuss the older DB 405's but not the 405D specifically so I'm unsure exactly what the difference is with the 405D.

What I'll be using it for, is for rehearsals, and a foldback monitor when on stage.

Which of these is the better monitor for edrums? The two of them seem extremely similar (even down to both of them very annoyingly only having XLR inputs so I'll need an adaptor), but the Mackie is about 100 bucks cheaper here in Australia.

Also, while I'm on the subject, what are the major differences between the Mackie Thump TH-15A and the Mackie SRM450v2? As far as I can tell the 450v2 shares very similar specs to the TH-15A yet has a smaller woofer and is more expensive for some reason.

[allanjohn]

WP, if it's just for stage monitoring, wait a while and the new KAT amps will hit our shores. The 200W KA2 is the closest thing you'll find in this part of the world to Simmons DA200s and should be good enough for your needs and a whole lot cheaper than both of those. Watch out for the Feb digitalDrummer for a review - and I gather stock should be arriving Down Under early in the New Year.

[White_Pointer]

I'll also be using it for rehearsing with the band though, so I need something that's going to have enough grunt to be able to compete with the guitars and bass (they need to be able to hear me too, after all). I'm not sure whether a 200W system will do the job. Also other KAT products seem to be targeted more towards the budget end of the scale which makes me question it's overall quality, and I'd be nervous about the 12 inch woofer too. If the Nano 300 that I mentioned in the other thread won't do the job for me with a 160Watt subwoofer, then I'm not convinced this will do it for me either.

I'm happy to be proven wrong on those points, but I really don't think it's going to get the job done based on what I can read about it.

[hairmetal-81]

WP, what does your nearest music-store have on offer regarding monitoring / PA speakers?
You should go there and have a listen to some of the speakers that are there.

[White_Pointer]

Australia is unfortunately not the country to be living in if you want to go down to a local music shop and test out some good quality speakers that will work well with edrums. Edrums themselves aren't fantastic (you basically only have a choice between Roland and Yamaha, with some places stocking brands like Alesis), and the monitoring solutions are almost non-existent apart from what Roland and Yamaha make. Most of the monitor mentioned in the Once and for All thread are not available here. The range of stock that Australian music stores have in general for edrummers is pretty poor. They are awesome if you're a guitarist or bassist though.

My local music store? They have a good range of guitar and bass amps and that's about it. If I'm willing to travel around, I can find a few places that stock more gear, but they either don't stock a large variety (so it's almost impossible for me to compare) or they need to specifically order the gear in if I want to test it because they don't keep stock, which means I'll be under some more pressure to buy it even if it doesn't do what I want. Then there are products that are not stocked in any store within driving distance and they are only stocked in interstate stores which will need to be shipped.

This is why I'm trying to do as much research as I can on this stuff online, because in general our music stores suck if you're an edrummer.

[hairmetal-81]

I see... that is very unfortunate!

Honestly I don't know how to help you much further.



Do the big chain stores (Billy Hynde, Muso City or the like) offer good PA departments?

Allans tip with the KAT monitor is about the best one IMO. Else, you just have to shift away from the term 'e-drum monitor' towards simply 'big PA speaker.'

[White_Pointer]

Else, you just have to shift away from the term 'e-drum monitor' towards simply 'big PA speaker.'

Hence why I'm looking at these two products specifically in this thread They aren't "edrum monitors", they are big PA speakers.

[fulrmr(Daniel)]

Thought these may help as far as the Thump inquiry goes.....

http://www.vdrums.com/forum/forum/pe...ge-good-enough
http://www.vdrums.com/forum/forum/ge...-th-15a-review

http://www.vdrums.com/forum/forum/pe...monitors/page4 post # 124

[hairmetal-81]

Hence why I'm looking at these two products specifically in this thread They aren't "edrum monitors", they are big PA speakers.

Yep!
I thought I would just say this because you said "the monitoring solutions are almost non-existent apart from what Roland and Yamaha make." --> Indicating edrum monitors, because Roland doesn't do big PA speakers.

"The range of stock that Australian music stores have in general for edrummers is pretty poor." --> You maybe were talking about the modules and kits too, it just wasn't that clear to me, if its 'just edrum monitoring' or 'e-kits in general.'


All good! Back to the scheduled program!


A quick word about your question regarding Mackie SRM vs. Mackie Thump:
I've experienced the THump TH-12's and can attest them being a good choice for 'vocal monitors' and a decent DJ-type speaker.
The THumps are generally voiced more towards boomy low-end (that's probably why they were called 'Thump' in the first place) while the SRM series are more towards 'professional' and more 'neutral' frequency response. They're the superior model of the two.

The SRM-450 (Now replaced by the SRM-550) appeared to be quite a 'fan-favorite' on the forum, despite 'just' being a 12". But don't forget that there is also the SRM-650, which is the better equivalent to the Thumps, with a 15".

We are talking about a 'highly professional' category speaker here, granted!
http://www.mackie.com/products/srm-series-loudspeakers/



HTH

[White_Pointer]

You maybe were talking about the modules and kits too, it just wasn't that clear to me, if its 'just edrum monitoring' or 'e-kits in general.'

Well, I was talking about both but yeah. In general, for actual edrums or edrum monitoring solutions, Australia has a pretty poor range of options all around.

[yzf125]

I have the Mackie thumps TH15 and love them, They are nice and clear with good bottom end. I use one on each side of me with a mix of vocals and guitar. They have a built in EQ and can sit in 3 different positions, I have mine tilted back with direct reflection on me. I believe paired with a sub woofer they also could run the front end for a small club, I say go for it and get the Mackie's

[Jovato]

I greatly prefer the DB technologies and RCF offerings to any of the Mackie stuff. Honestly, I think RCF does molded cabniet stuff better than just about anybody. I think the top tier Yamaha stuff sounds pretty darn good for the money.

[Greg The Groove]

I almost went with the Mackie Thumps but opted for QSC K12s instead. Heard that the Thumps are decent but built kinda cheaply. Can't say enough about the K12s. QSC is a top of the line company.

[hairmetal-81]

Funny coincidence:
Yesterday I was meeting a guitar-playing friend of mine at a local jam, he's the one with the two Thumps as vocal-monitors.

He told me he had managed to bend one of the volume-potentiometers that are sticking out of the back, being uncareful while load-in.

While trying to replace the potentiometer, he noticed that there aren't really any serviceable parts inside the Thumps. All the components seem to be 'stuck in place' (...or something like this) making it virtually impossible to replace just the pot.

He brought the monitor to a big music store nearby. They had to replace the whole back-plate/'power amp block' thingy, just because of a bent pot, and charged $100 for this!


I told my blues-guitar friend to get some speaker-cases, already....!



EDIT EDIT EDIT:
'Yesterday' by now means 'On friday evening', I blame JSON for this...