Bass Boost For Mackie Srm450

[hang the dj 0]

Hi All

 

Have had a few instances recently where my Mackies have lacked a bit of bass. I know this criticism has been made about them by others from looking at other posts. To be honest, although I know the proper solution is to buy a decent sub I'm loath to do this at the moment due to cost and the additional hassle of carting it around (+ my back muscles!).

 

I have read somewhere that ensuring the Mackies are Eq'd properly could help so considering whether I should buy a graphic eq as my Vestax mixer only has 3 channels. Could anyone advise on a decent, and not too expensive or bulky, bit of kit to help me here + how to use properly. Failing that, a decent budget sub solution that's not too heavy (if one exists)?

 

Many thanks.

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

Mine are fine. I don't even think about adding subs unless it's for above 150 people.

[hang the dj 0]

Mine are fine. I don't even think about adding subs unless it's for above 150 people.

 

Cheers. How do you eq your Mackies - from mixer or graphic? Also, what do you reckon to using the contour button. I don't tend to play to more than 150 people and always in small-medium size venues. Is there a danger of overdoing the speakers with this button on at peak times?

[Swingcats 0]

Never had prob with bass on mine, I use balanced outputs on mixer deck, never need to turn the base up although the other night a visiting "London " DJ came around back of the decks and flamboyantly spun the bass knob on every main base beat in the song, this was awesome and I sometimes do it now. A quick flick and bam, it hits you right there. Even without that you can feel it in your chest. :joe:

[Norfolk DJ 0]

Cheers. How do you eq your Mackies - from mixer or graphic? Also, what do you reckon to using the contour button. I don't tend to play to more than 150 people and always in small-medium size venues. Is there a danger of overdoing the speakers with this button on at peak times?

 

i don't bother with the contour button. i just adjust the eq with my graphic equaliser.

[vokf 0]

I run the EQ mainly flat, with the contour button pressed. Depending on the venue/style of party, I may bring one or two active subs.

This gives a very flexible and fairly powerful system.

 

Next weekend, I've got 2 parties, a Ruby Wedding and a kids 10th. Both will be "tops" only.

 

NYE is in a larger hall, and I'll take both Subs, and allow the Mackies to run as "mid+tweeter" only, if I run the subs with the Mackies also providing bass its a bit too much.

 

Jason

 

[Bouncy Dancefloor 0]

youve got to remember that they only have a 12" driver and they are made for sound quality and good clarity, not trouser flapping bass!

 

If the gig is so big that the mackies cant cope with the bass, then you need to hire or buy a sub

[dj_dash 0]

For the past few years I've been playing with just the SRM450s.

 

Weighing up my options I decided to go the whole way and get one fairly decent size sub, as opposed to one or two small subs like Peaveys or Wharfedales.

 

So I have a single 15" RCF Art 705-AS active sub. I've played big gym halls up to 500 people and it's played along side the Mackies effortlessly. And, for the first time, I could touch the Mackies' heat sinks at the end of the gig without burning my hand off!

 

One thing to remember is that if you do go for a sub (which I'm guessing is highly likely) to get one with a minimum 15" driver in order to keep the balance with the 12" SRM450s.

 

Touching on what I said before, it depends on your budget. The RCF comes in at £800 new, and gives you 800w RMS of bass. There's the dB Technologies Sub 15D at £50 less too. You could get a wharfedale, KAM (don't think they do actives anymore though), Peavey, Gemini, etc... but they won't sound or be built anything like the higher end stuff.

 

I would recommend the Cerwin Vega stuff, but it's bloody heavy - 46kg for the 15" in comparison to the 25kg of the SRM450s. The RCF is 32kg - I can just manage that myself.

 

Last thing is... I certainly would NOT recommend the Mackie subs.

Why? RCF used to be part of LOUD Technologies, hence Mackies used RCF subs (like the SRS1500). RCF became it's own company, and took the awesome sound quality with it.

 

So yeah... hope that helps =]

 

D.

[vokf 0]

.. And, for the first time, I could touch the Mackies' heat sinks at the end of the gig without burning my hand off!

 

Slightly OT, but are your Mackies V1, or V2? I've played gigs with my V2 being pushed fairly hard (but not thrashed), and the heatsinks have always been warm (ie, never hot).

Most memorable was a junior school party in the summer where I remember "hmm, should have brought the subs!". Kids were singing along to every tune, and the Mackies were set to Max, with mixer master up high (eq was fairly flat, with profile switch ON)

 

Sound quality was good, but would have benefited from a Sub- but the kids probably wouldn't realise that!

 

Jas