Mackie SRM 450 noise
David Nasmith
some noise. It is a slight hum or buzz. It is not audible 7 feet away, but
it is audible 3 feet away. The noise is independent of all else. It occurs
as long as the unit is on. It doe not matter whether there is anything else
connected to it, and it does not matter where it is plugged it. It does not
matter where I set the gain.
My question: Does the Mackie SRM450 have some noise that is pretty much
built into it?
Jimbo
"David Nasmith" <dnasmit...@pithy.com> wrote in message
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JF
David Nasmith
and see if you hear it.
"Jimbo" <jimbo...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
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Pooh Bear
Yup.
I heard one a month or two ago.
The pre-amp in it isn't exactly anything to write home about.
My colleague and I were somewhat surprised - we expected better.
Graham
rfsm...@eml.cc
Yep, sure do. The worst of these econo powered jobs
that I've heard is the EV SxA250's. You can hear the
hiss 30' away.
Mikey
Ditto for my JBL Eon 15s.
Mikey
Nova Music Productions
Peter Larsen
> Ditto for my JBL Eon 15s.
It is actually difficult to get things silent enough when connecting
directly to compression drivers.
My first experience of that problem was when I had to sell a Luxman
valve amp because it was too noisy for the hi-range horns of the Tannoys
I had then. But it is possible that line- and poweramp headroom are not
optimally deployed im the design of those boxes ... i. e. they could
have irrelevant amounts of headroom in line-amp and cross-over.
It is perfectly possible to have 40 watt amps directly on compression
drivers with a 111 dB sensitivity rating and not have any noise problems
whatsoever.
> Mikey
> Nova Music Productions
Kind regards
Peter Larsen
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Mike Dobony
It's a powered speaker. Expect some hiss and hum. Do you normally have
people within 3 feet? Does it bother your audience or just you? If just
you, then maybe you just need to learn to live with it. Otherwise get a
separate amp and speakers.
--
Mike D.
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Pooh Bear
> Mikey wrote:
>
> > Ditto for my JBL Eon 15s.
>
> It is actually difficult to get things silent enough when connecting
> directly to compression drivers.
Oh Pooh !
They ( compression drivers ) are ~ 10 dB more sensitive than cone drivers.
Sure. Connect them to a noisy amp and you hear hiss.
> My first experience of that problem was when I had to sell a Luxman
> valve amp because it was too noisy for the hi-range horns of the Tannoys
> I had then. But it is possible that line- and poweramp headroom are not
> optimally deployed im the design of those boxes ... i. e. they could
> have irrelevant amounts of headroom in line-amp and cross-over.
>
> It is perfectly possible to have 40 watt amps directly on compression
> drivers with a 111 dB sensitivity rating and not have any noise problems
> whatsoever.
Anyone wanting my memoirs may contact me@ .....
Graham
David Nasmith
Mackie says it is fit to do. They are always bragging on quietness, but this
thing is annoying. As a studio musician that uses it as a vocal monitor, it
is very annoying - especially when trying to write new things. Distracting
as hell. You say to get a separate amp and speakers....that is what I had.
Mackie says this setup is quieter and more effective. Wrong.
"Mike Dobony" <tkd...@hotmailspamnot.com> wrote in message
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Mike Dobony
> I use it as a powered monitor in a writing/studio environment - just as
> Mackie says it is fit to do. They are always bragging on quietness, but
this
> thing is annoying. As a studio musician that uses it as a vocal monitor,
it
> is very annoying - especially when trying to write new things. Distracting
> as hell. You say to get a separate amp and speakers....that is what I had.
> Mackie says this setup is quieter and more effective. Wrong.
>
Powered mixers and powered speakers are a hit or miss thing. Occasionally
you get a nice quiet rig. Most of the time you get a nice 60 hz hum.
Separate components in good condition and properly wired/connected are
almost always going to be quieter than a comparable combo unit. Personally
I could get by with a powered speaker for my own use, but I will still go
separate amp and speaker with custom cables. Much less noise that way.
--
Mike D.
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George Gleason
if the unit is in good shape and your gain structure is correct it will be
as quite as any other speaker/amp combo
there is no inherent noise in systems just beacuse the amp is in the samme
enclosure as the drivers
your unit is defective or your approach is defective for this unit
unable to tell without being there
George
Tim S Kemp
> you get a nice quiet rig. Most of the time you get a nice 60 hz hum.
> Separate components in good condition and properly wired/connected are
> almost always going to be quieter than a comparable combo unit.
Personally
> I could get by with a powered speaker for my own use, but I will still go
> separate amp and speaker with custom cables. Much less noise that way.
Exceptions are plenty. I use a lot of the dB Opera powered boxes for
monitors and small gigs, they are very quiet, no hiss, hum or fan noise, and
go very loud (but not very low). Also remember that a lot of Meyer and a few
Turbo boxes are powered and are way way better than most unpowered stuff
when you factor in the amp prices.
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Pooh Bear
> if the unit is in good shape and your gain structure is correct it will be
> as quite as any other speaker/amp combo there is no inherent noise in systems
> just beacuse the amp is in the samme enclosure as the drivers
> your unit is defective or your approach is defective for this unit
> unable to tell without being there
The input stage is capable of taking mic level but isn't a discrete design.
It *is* quite hissy.
Graham
George Gleason
speaker
the upa1p I used were dead silent as far as hiss or humm goes
I am just pointing out that quality gear is quality gear regardless of how
many boxes it is packaged in
and shit gear will sound for shit even as seperate units
george
Pooh Bear
> "Pooh Bear" <rabbitsfriend...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:3FC51BED...@hotmail.com...
> > George Gleason wrote:
> >
> > > if the unit is in good shape and your gain structure is correct it will
> be
> > > as quite as any other speaker/amp combo there is no inherent noise in
> systems
> > > just beacuse the amp is in the samme enclosure as the drivers
> > > your unit is defective or your approach is defective for this unit
> > > unable to tell without being there
> >
> > The input stage is capable of taking mic level but isn't a discrete
> design.
> >
> > It *is* quite hissy.
> >
> that is faulty/cheap design , not inherent to the fact it is a powered
> speaker
Agreed there
> the upa1p I used were dead silent as far as hiss or humm goes
> I am just pointing out that quality gear is quality gear regardless of how
> many boxes it is packaged in
> and shit gear will sound for shit even as seperate units
I think the OP just wanted to know if he had a problem with *his* SRM450 rather
than ask if there was a problem with powered speakers in general.
Graham
Saxology
I have listened to the 450's a few times and never heard a problem. THe
bottom line is that you are not happy with the performance and it is
possible the unit has a problem. The question is where does the noise come
from. To prove it comes from the Mackie test the box with 0 signal. I
don't mean to disconnect everything to get 0 input. You need to make and
install a plug that has the inputs shorted together so that there is no
signal into the amp. If the noise is still present the box has a problem.
Sometimes one side of a differential signal becomes opened and funny things
happen. Sometimes you get a loss of signal, sometimes signal inversion,
sometimes noise.... you get the idea. Differential signals are simply great
for noise immunity, when they are working properly, but when they are
screwed up all bets are off.
I would have a tech listen to it for you, or take it to a music shop and
compare against others. Bottom line is this box either gets fixed or out it
goes. It isn't working for you. They are very popular so selling it should
be no problem.
-Sax
George Gleason
MD postulated:
Most of the time you get a nice 60 hz hum.
Separate components in good condition and properly wired/connected are
almost always going to be quieter than a comparable combo unit.
Phildo
> I use it as a powered monitor in a writing/studio environment - just as
> Mackie says it is fit to do. They are always bragging on quietness, but
this
> thing is annoying. As a studio musician that uses it as a vocal monitor,
it
> is very annoying - especially when trying to write new things. Distracting
> as hell. You say to get a separate amp and speakers....that is what I had.
> Mackie says this setup is quieter and more effective. Wrong.
>
learned at the Bose school of marketing - lie out your arse and sell it to
people who don't know better and are easily led.
Phildo
Phildo
> Separate components in good condition and properly wired/connected are
> almost always going to be quieter than a comparable combo unit.
Personally
> I could get by with a powered speaker for my own use, but I will still go
> separate amp and speaker with custom cables. Much less noise that way.
>
Phildo
Mike Dobony
"George Gleason" <g.p.g...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
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Since you are too much of a bigot to understand what I said, let me expand
on it. The KEY words, the ones that LIMIT and QUALIFY the statement are the
words "COMPARABLE" and "ALMOST." Cheap separates will ALMOST ALWAYS (get a
dictionary if you don't understand the meaning of those words) have a better
sound than a COMPARABLE cheap combo unit. A set of fair quality separates
will ALMOST ALWAYS sound better than a COMPARABLE fair quality combo unit.
A set high quality separates will ALMOST ALWAYS sound better than a
COMPARABLE high quality combo. This does NOT NECESSARILY mean that a fair
quality combo will out perform a set of cheap quality separates. It is
comparing like quality combos to separates not differing qualities. And
yes, you can almost always be able to spend the about same amount of money
on a slightly better combo over a lower quality set of separates and get a
better sound and get a better design that is does not have the problems
common to lower quality combo units. Never the less, it is not at all
uncommon to have a hiss problem, when you have a combo unit. Obviously
there are other potential sources, such as ground loops or mixed phase or
blown isolation circuits, but many times the cause of hum is simply the fact
that it is a combo unit, especially a CHEAP combo unit. Personally I have
found Mackie to be of fair quality. Other than combo units I have not found
them to be much of a problem. For the most part they are quiet for the
price. Obviously it is not as good as say a Yamaha or A&H, but they do the
job at a decent price and are much better than a Peavey or any Soundcraft
that I have come across. Unless I had gobs of money to spend on top quality
equipment I would not buy a combo nor would I recommend anyone else buy a
combo unless they absolutely had to (the teacher who wants to carry the
whole sound system in his trunk?), and then they better be ready to spend
some good money for a high quality combo. The Mackie is just not reliable
enough to expect a quiet combo unit.
--
Mike D.
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George Gleason
> enough to expect a quiet combo unit.
>
The Mackie is just a cosmetic redo of teh VERY GOODand VERY RELIABLE RCF
art300a
so
what you say is just NOT true
regardless of how much you piss and moan
George
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George Gleason
"Paul Matthews" <pa...@cattytown.me.uk> wrote in message
news:un2isvcma1gmi5vmk...@4ax.com...
> Mike Dobony wrote:
>
> >It's a powered speaker. Expect some hiss and hum.
>
the
> same box I don't see why they should automatically be noisy.
>
> I could understand a tendency to leave the gain at the speakers high and
run
> the level from the masters on the desk, upsetting optimum gain structure
> though.
There is no inherent short coming to using a powered speaker Vs seperates to
hiss or humm
use crappy gear and it sounds like shit , no matter how many boxes you put
it in
use good gear and you do not have these problems
it is not related to it being a powered speaker
George
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Pooh Bear
> Mike Dobony wrote:
>
> >It's a powered speaker. Expect some hiss and hum.
>
> I don't get this - can someone explain please? Just because they are in the
> same box I don't see why they should automatically be noisy.
It seems to be popular to have a 'combination' mic / line level input with
variable gain.
If it was designed properly I'm sure it would be fine. Unfortunately the inputs
seem to be a compromise.
> I could understand a tendency to leave the gain at the speakers high and run
> the level from the masters on the desk, upsetting optimum gain structure
> though.
Actually, you can probably set the gain quite low, so that's unlikely to be a
problem.
Graham
George
Pooh Bear <rabbitsfriend...@hotmail.com> wrote:
if it is a direct take from the RCF unit as I ASSUME it would have a
mic/line switch (pad I am guessing) and a bass boost eq switch as well
G
Phildo
> Since you are too much of a bigot to understand what I said,
George a bigot !?!?!?!? I don't know what drugs you are taking but please
give me the number of your dealer as they must be damn good shit.
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=dobony&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en - people
who live in glass houses and all that.
Now piss off and come back when a) you have learned a little about pro audio
and b) when you are a decent human being.
Phildo
Phildo
"Paul Matthews" <pa...@cattytown.me.uk> wrote in message
news:un2isvcma1gmi5vmk...@4ax.com...
> Mike Dobony wrote:
>
>
the
> same box I don't see why they should automatically be noisy.
They're not. It's just Dobby pretending to know something about audio again
and making a fool of himself in the process.
Phildo
George Gleason
"Phildo" <Phi...@phildo.net> wrote in message
news:bqcjeo$21p1bj$1...@ID-77649.news.uni-berlin.de...
does working with nearly every nationallity and race on earth qualify me as
a bigot?
how about supporting nearly every politicl cause? not enough well I also
supply to religious services of every kind
but I can see how Mike considers me a Bigot
I refuse to have anything to do with stupid assholes, I have complete
distane for them, I speak out against them
so I guess in Mikes eyes I am Bigoted tward him.
George
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Phildo
> I am not sure how at defend against that
You don't need to George. Everyone here with the exception of our friend
Dobby knows that you are not. Your posts over the years have more than
proven that and you are one of the most respected posters on here. Dobby is
just annoyed that you make him look even more stupid than he does by himself
and is therefore lashing out against you.
He's the current newsgroup idiot and one of the best we've had in ages. Have
you noticed how even Jimbo gets a better reception than Dobby does? People
wised up to Dobby very early on, know full well he talks nothing but crap
and is only good for laughing at.
Phildo
LeBaron & Alrich
> powered speakers TEND to be at the budget end
You mean like all those Meyer cheapies? ,g>
--
ha