Re: Up in smoke!
When I had a problem with a HD1531, it was fortunately fixed quickly and rather easily/inexpensively. My main concern with Mackie has been their inability to provide parts and spares, but that was not an issue for me recently. Otherwise, I have had no issues (I have 3 1531s and 2 1801's which serve in a variety of duties like small mains, sidefills, drum fills, etc)
I've had problems with pretty much all of the MI targeted products from different manufacturers at some point. Very few products in that market are close to what I would call bulletproof in my experience. As an example, I can't even remember how many crossovers have died in various Yorkville boxes over the years - and I say this not to pick on Yorkville, but just because many Jr Varsity types think of their gear as a pretty stout.
Agreed that the original SRM450's are reliable workhorses. Though despite Greg's good luck with the old SR1530, I saw many issues (usually amp or LF driver) from folks with those over the years, and sometimes those folks waiting many MONTHS for parts from mackie. I would gladly pay for "reliability modifications" to HD1531's if it would help them, though at this point I am not terribly spooked.
You (usually) get what you pay for. No doubt in my mind, one of Ales' powered boxes or a Meyer will be more reliable and have better quality control. If you determine that you can't afford high quality products, you need to have a plan to deal with issues when they happen - carry spares, whatever. Redundancy is a good thing. If carrying spares isn't practical then perhaps it is worth re-evaluating the ROI on gear such as Ales' stuff.
