JBL PRX600 opinions

Evan Kirkendall

Evan Kirkendall

Senior
Jan 10, 2011
903
4
18
Abingdon, MD
www.harfordsound.com
I've had very limited actual hands on time with these boxes. I've done some reading, but I'm looking for some hands on user experience. I'm clearing out all of my mismatched self powered stuff and buying a bunch of matching self powered boxes. I'm mainly interested in the PRX612m vs. the PRX615m. Assuming they're both always high passed around 90hz, is the extra size/weight of the 615m worth it? Or can the 612 get the job done just as well? These boxes will be used for SOS PA and wedges, so I need something with a decent amount of get up and go.

I'm planning on a pair of 635's as well. Any thoughts on those boxes?



Thanks!
Evan
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

Evan Kirkendall said:
I've had very limited actual hands on time with these boxes. I've done some reading, but I'm looking for some hands on user experience. I'm clearing out all of my mismatched self powered stuff and buying a bunch of matching self powered boxes. I'm mainly interested in the PRX612m vs. the PRX615m. Assuming they're both always high passed around 90hz, is the extra size/weight of the 615m worth it? Or can the 612 get the job done just as well? These boxes will be used for SOS PA and wedges, so I need something with a decent amount of get up and go.

I'm planning on a pair of 635's as well. Any thoughts on those boxes?



Thanks!
Evan
Click to expand...

I have a pair of PRX512M, used over subs I think they are an ideal solution. They also seem to perform well for stage wedges but need a little bit of eq imo (not sure if this is an issue or not for the 600 series), for drum fills I'd want a sub regardless of whether I used the 612 or 615.

If you are sure you are always going to be using subs, or doing SOS vocal only gigs, I'd say the 612 is the winner.
 
Evan Kirkendall said:
I've had very limited actual hands on time with these boxes. I've done some reading, but I'm looking for some hands on user experience. I'm clearing out all of my mismatched self powered stuff and buying a bunch of matching self powered boxes. I'm mainly interested in the PRX612m vs. the PRX615m. Assuming they're both always high passed around 90hz, is the extra size/weight of the 615m worth it? Or can the 612 get the job done just as well? These boxes will be used for SOS PA and wedges, so I need something with a decent amount of get up and go.

I'm planning on a pair of 635's as well. Any thoughts on those boxes?



Thanks!
Evan
Click to expand...

We have 10 of the 615m wedges. They are very stable even at absurd levels, but the 45deg angle is a bit annoying to use. I keep a box of various wood blocks with them to make sure that they are pointed in the right direction. At first we thought we were having problems with the HF drivers failing, but it turned out that the compression driver was coming slightly unscrewed from the lens and was rattling. A drop of locktite fixed that problem.

They get very loud, but for a loud drummer a sub is needed. I thought the 612 sounded smoother, but it didn't have the output to deal with bass guitars or synth players.

Also when used with the 618xlf the processing for high pass and alignment is already done in the output from the sub.

We had a pair of the 635 for a demo and they did sound better than the 615m, but we ended up keeping our ISP mains for shows of that size as they get the horns up higher and sounded better to us. Those since have been replaces by 4 jbl vp7335-64dp which are in a completely different league in terms of sound, output and unfortunately price. They aren't pole mount, but sitting on a 2x18 the horns are above everyone's heads. They have more clean output than a tri amped 850z.


Sent from my neural implant
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

What happened to your Mackie HD rig? (if you don't mind me asking). Sounded like it was working well for you when you first got it or did you suffer from some of the reported "issues". :)~:-)~:smile:
 
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Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

Jonathan Goodall said:
What happened to your Mackie HD rig? (if you don't mind me asking). Sounded like it was working well for you when you first got it or did you suffer from some of the reported "issues". :razz:
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The HD tops have been rock solid for me. I love the SQ, but not the weight so much... Looking to downsize weight and upsize matching cabinets. I'm thinking about just getting a dozen or so 612's or 615's to handle all of my rental/sos/bar band rig work.



Evan
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

Evan Kirkendall said:
I've had very limited actual hands on time with these boxes. I've done some reading, but I'm looking for some hands on user experience. I'm clearing out all of my mismatched self powered stuff and buying a bunch of matching self powered boxes. I'm mainly interested in the PRX612m vs. the PRX615m. Assuming they're both always high passed around 90hz, is the extra size/weight of the 615m worth it? Or can the 612 get the job done just as well? These boxes will be used for SOS PA and wedges, so I need something with a decent amount of get up and go.

I'm planning on a pair of 635's as well. Any thoughts on those boxes?



Thanks!
Evan
Click to expand...

Evan,

I bought two 612m's to demo. I needed to put 8 powered wedges into a theater we have an install at. The specs looked good so I figured it would be the box for us. When we received them the first thing I noticed was the stupid monitor angle. Useless! Unless you want to start using wood blocks all the time. It sounded good and got loud. Then we took and put it up against an RCF 312a. I didn't want to put it up against because JBL claims 1000 watts and 133db. The RCF was like 400 watts and 127 db or something close to that. Guess what the RCF kicked the shit out of the JBL! JBL specs are bullshit if you ask me. Only thing I liked about the JBL vs RCF was that is was a wooden box. The RCF comes in about $250 cheaper than the JBL. Take a listen for yourself....
 
Beware of using the PRX's for monitors. They have a noise gate and they mute at low levels that are still audible. (The gate can't be disabled.) One caused a lot of problems for a worship leader friend when playing light acoustic guitar. After some googling we found other people experiencing similar problems. The PRX's appear to work fine at rock-n-roll levels but not on quiet stages.
 
Michael Smithers said:
Beware of using the PRX's for monitors. They have a noise gate and they mute at low levels that are still audible. (The gate can't be disabled.) One caused a lot of problems for a worship leader friend when playing light acoustic guitar. After some googling we found other people experiencing similar problems. The PRX's appear to work fine at rock-n-roll levels but not on quiet stages.
Click to expand...

That's 500 series only

Sent from my DROID RAZR
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

Scott LaRochelle said:
Evan,

I bought two 612m's to demo. I needed to put 8 powered wedges into a theater we have an install at. The specs looked good so I figured it would be the box for us. When we received them the first thing I noticed was the stupid monitor angle. Useless! Unless you want to start using wood blocks all the time. It sounded good and got loud. Then we took and put it up against an RCF 312a. I didn't want to put it up against because JBL claims 1000 watts and 133db. The RCF was like 400 watts and 127 db or something close to that. Guess what the RCF kicked the shit out of the JBL! JBL specs are bullshit if you ask me. Only thing I liked about the JBL vs RCF was that is was a wooden box. The RCF comes in about $250 cheaper than the JBL. Take a listen for yourself....
Click to expand...

I've demo'd the 312a and can't say that I agree with this.
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

After selling all my MRX & XTis last summer, I needed to buy something smaller for SOS rig and I wanted a dual purpose box. So I went to the store and listened to the EV ELX112P, RCF HD12A, JBL PRX612m, Mackie HD1221 & QSC K12.

I just bought the RCF HD12A.
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

I will also suggest RCF instead of JBL. RCF has proven unbreakable boxes. I still use some ART300a boxes that are now more then 10 years old. Still going strong and make money.
I have heard the 615, they sound sweet, i little bit smoother then the RCF but they are too fragile boxes. The internal components just looks like toys.
Find a shop that has both and do some listening. But when reliability is in question my vote is fr RCF. Period. Mine are never serviced and the have lived an extreme life.
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

The main problem with going RCF(or anything else really) is that I have to explain to potential clients/renters what it is. With JBL, it's a 10 second sale. Doesn't matter if "x," makes a better sounding box, that little orange sticker is going to sell a lot quicker and easier. My old SRM450's never get questioned, everyone knows what they are. They're just getting old and worn out, so the JBL comes in as a fresh, known replacement.



Evan
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

Then you have your answer really. Just have in mind that one of the most valued features of any product that is going to be rented is how hard they can be killed.
RCFs you cant kill them. Only if you throw them out of the truck. I had one fell in the lake, had divers to get it out after 3 days. Still working. Same drivers same everything.
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

Hello Evan, we have a bunch of the 612m and are very impressed with them, I'm planning to add 635s and 618xlfs to our stockpile. We are a regional house in New Zealand (with Lab Gruppen, Midas etc). Here in New Zealand we have a version of you called Steve. He rates the range, and is very happy with their performance vs price ratio. Regards them as better than passive (and some active) srx712m. +1 on the needing to chock them up on some stages as the angle is a bit average. We've sent pairs out with DJs in halls and they've been ecstatic with the results. Given your quest for solid, multi-use, good ROI purchases, I would fully endorse them.
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

I've owned 615m's and 612m's and frequently used them over SRX 718's with pleasing results. The 612m is the winner IMO if you're always using them w/ subs. No need for the extra size and weight of the 615m, which IMO is just a tad bit akward and bulky compared to the 612m. No subs? Then I'd have to give it to the 615m for obvious reasons.

A couple things I didn't like include the mic/line switch that could easily or mistakenly be depressed, which could probably take out a HF driver if the unit is being fed a line level signal and a uneducated customer switches it to mic level. Speaking of the HF driver, they tend to rotate themselves loose pretty often. I tried loctite but that ended up cracking the throats of the plastic horns. I'm sure you could come up with a more clever solution, though. Also as stated, the wedge angle sucks 99.9% of the time...

Lastly, it seems as though I'm the only with this opinion, nonetheless IMO they both have lousy GBF feedback out of the box. Somewhere around 2k and 5k were always problem frequencies for me. Probably wont matter to someone with your skill set, but that dry rental customer that plans on plugging a mic straight into the speaker might have issues.

Still, for the money it's a decent box that I'd still own if I didn't go all passive.
 
Re: JBL PRX600 opinions

Spenser Hamilton said:
The part where the RCF kicked the shit out of the JBL. I own the JBLs, I demo'd the RCF, they both get loud no problem but to say one was noticeably superior is false imo.
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Superior to me is something that sounds better, doesn't have that stupid monitor angle and cheaper!

That being said, I hear where Evan is coming from as far as making the sale.
 
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