Confused

[Multilin]

OK Mackie lovers, what's up with these SRM450's ? I've heard so much talk about these speakers that I figured I better check them out. Not that I dislike Mackie products in any way because I own two of their mixing consoles and love them but when I took home a brand new SRM450 and did a direct A-B comparison with the Roland PM3 I was totally blown away. Yes, the Mackie is powerful and much louder than the PM3 but as far as bottom end..forget it. The Mackie was not able to reproduce a kick drum sound with any hope at all. Matter of fact it was pure crap. Oh I know, with the Mackie sub this would be an awesome combo no doubt but by itself it's just an over priced mid and horn. The PM3 is under powered for my needs but as far as a "personal drum monitor" it's pretty amazing. It truly sounds great.
$1250.00 Canadian for one SRM plus $1300.00 for the sub. Maybe for a front of house P.A. but for a Drum monitor??? I've read all the posts on this forum and can't beleive all the hype about these Mackie's. Guess I'll be trying the G2's next but I don't have very much hope any more. 12's, 15's....I don't think so. If you want bottom end plus volume you need 18's. HHMMM where have I heard that before??


[This message has been edited by Multilin (edited March 13, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Multilin (edited March 13, 2001).]

[Sim]

I do have to disagree about the low end on the Mackie 450's. I think it's quite impressive and tight. You used two of them? Try cornering them is possible, as they placement makes a big difference. If you check out the manual, I believe it even mentions that. I still stand behind "the hype" about the Mackies. I swear by mine and haven't heard anything that can compete for size, price, construction, and a studio quality sound.

[BINARY]

"...maybe I'm one of the few that knows what a kick should sound like. "

These kind of comments get on people's nerves here. If you don't like a product, feel free to voice your opinion, but try not to reduce it to a theme of "maybe you all just aren't good enough to tell."

It makes you sound ignorant.


I bought the G2s at 532 bucks a piece, plus my behringer mixer, for a grand total of about 1200 bucks. I'm not sure of the SRM prices, but they can't be THAT much more, even if you don't scam Zzounds like I did (did you hear that, retailer?????).

I'm sure there are differences in currency between the US and Canada, but online, it's all the same if you use a credit card. (be sure if you buy online to try your products out at your local retailer, string him along, then tell him you're buying online).

18"s? Yeah, it would be nice. Unfortunately, I have no idea where I would put an 18" speaker. I don't have that much room. I use my setup for monitoring at home, where they suffice, and maybe for a small venue. A larger venue would have its own PA, so the G2s are exactly what I need.

The PM3 was cool and sounded ok, but the sound separation between the highs and lows was...akward. Highs at my ears and lows at my feet isn't really how drums sound to me, and when I had the system CRANKED at Mars, and I could still hear myself hitting the rubber pads, and that's unacceptable for me. I don't play loud often, but when I do, I don't want to hear the "THWAK" of rubber cymbals.

[Zorro]

Hello, Glad you posted, as I'm trying various monitors myself. When you said blown away, meaning Rolands were better? Were the mackie's much louder? Glad you posted as I like to know what's out there for gear. Anyone try those Yorkville powered monitors? I can get a couple PV 15''s with black widows, but the weight and size is too much to lug around after a tiring gig. Tried a 12" punch monitor through a bass amp and it worked ok. I do like the idea of using 2 monitors (stereo). 2 Rolands? Take care, and post any new findings!

[Marc.]

Relax Multilin, Keithy's happy has a clam with his sounds comin' out of hi $79 boom-box. (Sigh, some people just want it all).

See ... http://www.vdrums.com/discussion/For...ML/000155.html


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[Blades]

My opinion:

PAs and monitor systems are made for different purposes than such things as home stereos, boom boxes, headphones (especially really hyped ones), or pro studio monitors. They just are. They sound different. They always will. Different does not = bad.

On headphones - great, recorded and played back through studio monitors - great, burned to cd and played through a stereo system (post mastering) great.

Through monitors on stage that are designed to take a beating and provide a reference so you and your bandmates can hear you - good enough to know what you are playing.

In front of the stage through a PA - Good if you have them tweaked for the system and the system is a good one. Still sounds different than all the other options though.

Find the best you can and live with it. You know that the sound being produced is great from the brain, your audience won't complain (if the PA is a good one and you don't suck as a band ). Just make sure you can hear.

My preferred method is to have phones on stage and plug them directly into the mackie board we've got on stage. At church, I just get a send from an AUX on the board (via the snake) to a Mackie channel and send whatever I want in my mix back there to my phones. It's mono, it's a td-8 (I prefer the td-10), it's not perfect, but it keeps "stage levels" down (part of the reason we went with e-drums to begin with) and sounds better than most monitors I've used.

Whatever works.

Now go rock the house.
redbrick

[BINARY]

I share in your frustration. Well over a year, and thousands of dollars later, I'm ALMOST happy with my setup.

It sucks in a way...

I get nervous about sound all the time, because between my current setup, my headphones, and the two other forms of "PA" I've run my stuff through, they ALL sound completely different.

What if I tweak the hell out of a song out my G2s, and play live only to have them sound like they did out that ****ty PA I was borrowing from a friend a year and a half ago?

The very thought of that gives me ulcers.

BINARY