has anyone had the opportunity to A/B the JBL SRX712 Vs the RCF NX 12-SMA

[kmanick]

Seems like I'm hearing very good reviews of the JBLS lately (especially from the recent amp show in NY)
and I'm wondering if anyone has had the chance to put these two side by side and
put them thru their paces. the price point is pretty even (JBL seems to be a little cheaper)
and I understand Cliff uses this as his speaker of choice when dialing in the stock patches?
With the pricing of the MAtrix passive being higher than expected for us "US" customers
this seemingly becomes another viable option to look at?

 

[luke]

I was at the amp show and the JBLs sounded very good. I owned the RCFs for a day, before one died, it too sounded good. I can't speak about today, but last summer there were no parts for the 12SMAs in America, and that scared me off.

Jet City and Atomic have new offering on the horizon.

 

[kmanick]

oh I forgot about Jet City, they've been pretty quiet since NAMM.
I'm waiting on the Atomic, hopefully it will be available soon and live up to it's hopeful expectations(and be priced reasonably)

 

[luke]

I just called Jet City they think Sept 1st launch date.

 

[drewdy]

I'm using the Axe with the JBL SRX712m. This was designed as a floor monitor, but works really well for the AXE. Here's the thing the tone is awesome, there is no noticable separation of horn and 12', which is nice. The problem is, if it is one, the SRX series requires high power. This single 12 and 3" horn loaded cab are rate at 800 continuous, and 1600 program. I started by sending it 500watts of QSC power and it sound like crap. It was all horn-- mids and highs. I then read that with the pro level JBL you should be sending more than the continuous rating and preferably double the wattage of the continuous rating. I bought a Crown amp, XTI something, weighs less than 12lbs, and kicks 1500 watts into an 8 ohm load when mono bridged. The SRX instantly sounded sweet. Warm, lots of lows, percussive.... It gets incredibly loud, in fact I've never had the AXE turned past 50% with the power amp on 100%. I think you would wreck your hearing long before this combo would distort or break up, at least within 6 feet monitor range. I play in a rock band so we are loud. My only other complaint is that by the time I turn my rig up loud enough to cut the mix, I find I'm having a hard time hearing anyone else. Sort of weird. But I've only used it twice live so I'm still experimenting quite a bit.

 

[luke]

by the time I turn my rig up loud enough to cut the mix, I find I'm having a hard time hearing anyone else. Sort of weird. But I've only used it twice live so I'm still experimenting quite a bit.

You need to EQ to fit in your own little section. Alone tone never translates well to in the mix tone. I find I need to be annoyingly bright, with much less bass to cut in a mix.

 

[6L6C]

I have an incoming JBL SRX712, should be here today. Was also one of those people at the NY Amp show and was my second time hearing the SRX712’s. Had also been at the NY Amp show the year before.
John

 

[BBN]

I have an incoming JBL SRX712, should be here today. Was also one of those people at the NY Amp show and was my second time hearing the SRX712’s. Had also been at the NY Amp show the year before.
John

Very interested to hear your results.
I love my SRX722 tops, so the 712 would be a nice Axe monitor for me (as tones I dial in on the 712, would probably translate excellent on 722's that are my PA tops).

 

[drewdy]

"alone tone..."

You need to EQ to fit in your own little section. Alone tone never translates well to in the mix tone. I find I need to be annoyingly bright, with much less bass to cut in a mix.

Great concept... and that is definitely my problem. Its just so hard to be that 'bright' while you're alone, close proximity to your rig.. but I need to get back to that concept.

I'm going to remember that every time I'm tweaking.......what I'm tweaking for... to sound good at 60db alone in a room or to cut a mix at 110db live....

 

[Rick]

You need to EQ to fit in your own little section. Alone tone never translates well to in the mix tone. I find I need to be annoyingly bright, with much less bass to cut in a mix.

Exactly right, Luke. And I think this is why so many people have a bad opinion of the Axe Fx presets when they first play it... just sounds too bright. But in a band mix, it cuts right through. I don't use any factory preset "as is," but I also find that if they sound good in the living room, they disappear on the stage. If they are a bit bright and a little on the annoyingly edgy side at home, they sit a lot better in a stage mix with a whole band going.

Great advice.

 

[6L6C]

Very interested to hear your results.
I love my SRX722 tops, so the 712 would be a nice Axe monitor for me (as tones I dial in on the 712, would probably translate excellent on 722's that are my PA tops).

Will do!
It did come today, but wont be able to fire it up till Sunday.
But like I said heard them at the amp show and that pretty much sold me.

As for my research on the SRX it was pretty much like the RCF. People were no less than ecstatic about it.
Even a few out there were saying in smaller settings they would use there SRX's as mains.

John

 

[thehydeout]

Will do!
It did come today, but wont be able to fire it up till Sunday.
But like I said heard them at the amp show and that pretty much sold me.

As for my research on the SRX it was pretty much like the RCF. People were no less than ecstatic about it.
Even a few out there were saying in smaller settings they would use there SRX's as mains.

John

Just curious, what will you be using for power? The JBL's are a little out of my range though since whatever I decide on I want two of them. :?

 

[6L6C]

Just curious, what will you be using for power? The JBL's are a little out of my range though since whatever I decide on I want two of them. :?

To power everything I will be still using the GT800 at the last NY Amp show they were using the GT1000 to power the JBL's and everything sounded great.

As far as you wanting to get a pair of whatever. Don't cheat yourself! If you have to settle for one and get the other later "so be it".

As of now I only ordered the one JBL, I can afford another but shouldn't (if you know what I mean )
When I play live (which isn't all that much lately) usually play mono anyway, especially if there is a second guitar player.
If with a keyboard player, that can go either way, but tend to stay mono. Really the only time I play stereo out is with (guitar, bass, drum's)
But! Then comes the consideration of the PA and the layout of the venue. More concerned about what sounds better for the audience, instead of addressing my own jolly's.

That being said: Yeah at home playing stereo all the time.

Side note: Seen Dweezil Zappa last night, the Atomic cabs were gone and replaced with a pair of QSC (looked like K12's) bottom line sounded good

 

[6L6C]

Very interested to hear your results.
I love my SRX722 tops, so the 712 would be a nice Axe monitor for me (as tones I dial in on the 712, would probably translate excellent on 722's that are my PA tops).

Well had some time today with the JBL, sounded really good no big surprise since I have heard them before but nothing like hearing them in your home environment.

The only thing I can really compare them to is my passive Atomics powered by the GT800. The funny thing I have also been following the RCF’s for a while also, in particular been following “Rick” lately since he just got his RCF and also has an Atomic. I bring this up because although Rick went with RCF and I went with the JBL when compared to out Atomics I have some pretty similar views.
http://forum.fractalaudio.com/amps-cabs/54271-rcf-nx12sma-first-impressions-comparisons.html

But some up front differences: Although the RCF is a coaxial and the JBL is not, I found the off axis pretty even all around, the Atomics would sometimes disturb me where I walked.

The bass on the JBL was much tighter, with the Atomic could get a little flubby at higher volumes I think allot of it was not so much the speaker but the way the cabinet resonated. Usually just cutting about 3-4db on the graphic EQ at around 63hz took care of this. Not needed with the JBL’s. The bass is also ample, tight but plenty of it.
The JBL has more presence and high end. “Maybe” Explain that in a min.
Just sparkles more is the best way to put it the presence and high end are very pleasant and not fatiguing to the ear. What I mean by the “Maybe” comment I keep the Atomics at 12:00 with the crossover control there are times I would prefer it a bit higher but the then the high end does start becoming fatiguing to the ear.
Another thing I like about the JBL’s. When I record I use a pair of near field monitors whatever I have created with them translates perfect to the JBL’s no tweaking needed whatsoever the same would not be true for the Atomics.

So yes I am happy with my purchase but don’t rule out the Atomics if on a budget they held up pretty well in my quick little side by side. After all the JBL is allot more coin.

John