I've been using the DBX DriveRack PX Powered Speaker Optimizer. Easy to use, it's a compressor + limiter + equalizer + feedback destroyer all in one unit. It has both Full Range In / Out and Subwoofer In / Out.

XLR's all around. So you would go 57 Master Out to DBX In...then DBX Full Range Out to the PRX In...and lastly DBX Subwoofer Out to the Eon In.

The likelihood of more than one powered speaker malfunctioning at one event is pretty slim, unless you are just red-lining everything and then some. If you are worried about any overheating issues, go buy thoses little 7-8" clip on fans and just have them blowing on the backside of the speaker, while also making sure the placement of the speaker has adequate ventilation.

thanks for the info Discobee!! the guy @ my local sam ash recommended me the driverack PA (the white one) i was doing my little research and the px (the one you told me) (the blue one) is the one made for powered speakers SMH to those idiots at sam ash!!

and thanks also for the overheating tips,i'll find out myself how hot they get first and if its too much,ill get me a pair of those clip fans,thanks again...

You're welcome JBNYC, yea I like the Driverack PX because it's made to tune powered speakers. It even has default settings for certain JBL brand speakers built it, so optimizing your setup is simplified.

If you have a Goodwill nearby, check there for those clip fans. I found mine used for like m $3 each. I used to use them with my older style Mackies at certain venues. But now with my JBL PRX 525s I don't even need'em.

Those little fans you're talking about,are they like 3" in diameter? Powered by 2 AA batteries? And how is the sound on those PRX 525's? Do you bring subs @ big halls/gyms?

I wouldn't worry about the overheating on the PRX's especially if they are the newest of the new. I have had my PRX's for 3 months now and have had no issues and I've pushed mine pretty hard(no redline). I use them through a BBE with XLRs and also use 2 MRX518's with a Crown XTI1000 powering them. They do heat up..but I've played 6hr gigs and not once did they have any issues even after spinning Hip-Hop and House/electro all night. You'll do fine and you'll love them!

The fans are more along the lines of something like this:
www.google.com
and it has a coiled powered cord. I don't think the 3" battery ones will fan enough air.

When I use the 525s it's usually for a larger venue. They sound great to me...I personally would've liked 535s (or the newer 635s) because the 3-way sounds better; but I scored the 525s for only $1400 a pair from a Salsa lounge that was only opened for 5 months and then closed down. So the 525s were in like new condition.

Even at high school dances in gym/commons/cafeteria, the 525s have performed excellent in conjunction with the Driverack PX. The max level that I've had to make the 525 is at 3/4 of the way up. I also use 2 Harbinger powered 18" subs with it and it sounds really good. Clear highs and mids; tight and deep bass.

I would recommend two subs for larger venues if you're playing to more than 200 people. One day I'd like to upgrade to a pair of PRX618 subwoofers for myself.

Thanks for the info!! Good to hear a feedback from someone that owns 635s, i was a little worried about the other thread here about the overheating problems,cant wait til i hear them @ a gig...




Sweet! I like those little fans! And great deal on those 525's, im also hoping to upgrade my subs fpr the prx's, i want to be loud and clear this summer lol

How do like the prx 635 so far, any overheating issues? I don't know if to get the prx615 or prx 635

I'll let you know tomorrow bro,i just picked them up at sam ash for 2200 with tax and 4 years warranty (not bad imo) tonight will be my first gig,we'll see....

ok, thanks for the quick response,. by the way I don't know if you know. That guitarcenter has a sale going on right now, $200 off any purchase over $999, I called Samash and they said they will match the price and grant the coupon. I't this weekend. I know that Samash has a 30 day money back and they also match prices after you bought them. I'm heading over to Samash now to buy, them I have a wedding to DJ tonight. We'll compare notes.

cool!! i will try to get those 200 bucks off on that,didnt know they price match 30 days after you bought them,thanks!

Bro i just bought the prx 615 and a sub prx 816. They dont the 635 anywhere in Miami area. Im not to happy but i really needed new speakers for tonight, the guy gave $200 off and he told alot of dj have bought those. Ill let you tomorrow

Oooh sounds like a nice setup...yes let us know how you like'm.

the 615's arent bad at all, use them for tonight and if you dont like the sound bring them back to sam ash and upgrade to the 635's,they can orderba pair for you,it takes like 2 days,good luck for tonight!

i called samash and he said he can give me the 200 back, not 400 cause i paid with a debit card and its only 1 per customer :( but thanks for the heads up bro!! im going to sam ash today!

Cool. I didnt like the lows from the 615, went back today traded them for 1 prx618. I'm going to use the my current speakers Mackie for tops and 816 for lows. That i get the lows. I got it for $1000 - $200 guitar center coupon = $800. Hopes this helps someone else with my same issue

let me know when you bump that 618,the amp looks exactly th same as my EON,i wanted to sale my EON subs and upgrade them with those 618 XLF's but damn 85 lbs. lol im happy with the 65 lbs the EONs weight hehe and those 618's are only 70,so i might upgrade for those..

How did the 635 workout, did you get the lows and highs you were looking for?

hey whats up lperez! ok, my quick review....

i played a 4 hour gig,i wish the hall was bigger,it was maybe a 8m x 40m with a high rise cealing, i didnt bring any subs cause i wanted to push them real hard, the truth is that i didnt push them too hard,they were loud and very clear but in my 57 i probably push the level like around 11 o' clock,and on the speakers exactly in the middle,the amp got really hot since the first 45 minutes, the reason i didnt raise the volume was... number 1, i was afraid one of the speakers would shut off and it was a wedding so it would've been a bad look,number 2, there were kids and 2 old ladies on the closest table so i didnt want to blow their eardrums! lol this saturday i have a birthday gig at a bigger hall, so if the music stops they dont give a shit, i will just play it off like the fuse shut off lol, so far i give them an 8 out of 10, dont really like the overheating problems,also this saturday i have to bring my SUB and i got my dbx driverack PX so i cant wait hehe, i'll keep you posted...also keep me posted on the 618, peace...

They get HOT..but that does't mean there is a problem..I really wish people would quit saying "the overheating problem" Its only a problem if it overheats and stops working! Some people got some bad ones... Mine get as hot as yours and I have pushed them HARD..and they haven't failed me yet...4 months now...I've done wedding halls and clubs with these...PRX635's are solid! I'm not going to pay a grand for a speaker I've got to baby all night...Just saying!

I think I'm taking my 618 back, The lows are great but i think with 635 i can get the highs mids and lows all in one. Thanks for your review

Thanks for your comment warrenkelly, i guess i kinda got affraid when i touched the amp and couldnt touch it for longer than 2 seconds,but like i said before,this saturday i'll push them hard, one question warren, whats your setup? And where did you set the level volume on your 635's? 12 o'clock? I just got my dbx driverack and holy shitttt,its like 34 steps to set your speakers lol

@ lperez youre welcome! And yeah i suggest you buy the 635's, @ mid size halls i know i dont have to bring a sub anymore...

My Good set up(for now) is : 2 JBL PRX635's pole mounted over 2 JBL MRX518's all connected to a BBE 482i Sonic Maximizer...The subs are run by a Crown XTI1000. Depending on the venue and money offered I sometimes change out or add in the Mackie 450V2's or/and the EV SXA100's. But I agree...with the bassboost ON on the 635's they can handle a mid size venue by themselves...I just like the added bass I get from my MRX518's plus I don't have to push on the bassboost when I have them mounted over the 518's if I don't want to.

Ya the setting up of the Driverack can seem like an eternity and the whitenoise test is annoying, but once the programming is set, you will notice the audio difference and be very satisfied.

Nice setup bro! I always loved the mrx's i wanted to use a bbe maximiser but wanted to give the dbx a try,also i didnt even try the bass boost on sat,i will this sat.



Sweet! The embarrassing moment will be before the event when they'll see me with a manual setting the driverack! Lol i have no space in my house to set them up..

I'd say, for the first time that you need to set it up with the Driverack...give yourself an extra hour to setup. The whitenoise part of the setup is VERY LOUD and will annoy anyone who's in the room. It only lasts for several seconds but you may have to go through the process more than once, as instructed by the driverack. So it's better to go early when there's hardly anyone there yet, do your settings (yes, use the manual too) and if there are people there, give them a courtesy heads up that you'll be doing some audio testing and that the whitenoise will be loud but that it's just temporary.

sweet!! thanks for the heads up Discobee!!!

if you have a smart phone, get your self a pdf reader and use the following ;)

Driverack PA Manual: ftp.dbxpro.com

Driverack PX Manual: ftp.dbxpro.com

Driverack PA+ Manual:
ftp.dbxpro.com

Driverack 260 : ftp.dbxpro.com

It will look cooler than holding a paper manual and it will make you look like you're using an app on the phone for analysis. lol

Hahahaha awesome! THANKS TEHBEN!

no prob, let us know how it goes!

Sooooo... do you use a xover when using the MRX518's with your PRX635's? Sorry if this question has already been asked.

If he set it up correctly, he wont need an x-over because of the amp he is using


the XTI series have settings that allows you to digitally set a crossover point, filters, eq, limiter, etc.

No now the question is, does he have the amp's DSP setup correctly =P

Yes to all the above ;)

Not necessarily.

He still may be running his PRX's at full range (55Hz-20kHz) even though his sub is properly crossed @ ~90Hz and below. This'll be guaranteed to create muddy-sounding, conflicting bass between the tops and subs at the 50Hz-90Hz region. Remember, the PRX 600 series doesn't have a high-pass button... it's only on the PRX subs which are made to be used with the tops. He'd still need an external DSP to high-pass the tops unless the Crown XTI somehow has a high-pass output and he's feeding that signal to the PRX's.

correction... muddy-sounding at the 55Hz - 90Hz region.

Hmmmmmm...I'll have to investigate this...Doesn't sound "muddy" to me or anyone else that has heard them together...I am using the XTI's programs for the 518's

I dont think your really pushing the subs that hard with the XTI 1000 so im sure its not muddy at all. If you want to try the high pass filter just use the band manager software. That has everything you'll need. Have you tried the sub synth by any chance?

I have the PRX615s and the 618XLF sub. I am nothing but impressed with the sound this system produces and I recommend it to anyone. I love the fact that you can mount the 615s on a slight angle facing down towards the dance floor.

FML just found out the hall im playing this sat its smaller than the one i played last week lol ,idk when im gonna finally hear my driverack px in action :(

I totally forgot about that! Thanks gaffle.

I have a PRX718S and 2 PRX635's with no driverack or dbx anything. I go XLR's out of my main outputs on the 57 to 718 ins, and 718 outs (XLR) to the 635's. Up until last week I was running them at full range, but after some good advice I depressed the "XOVER" button on the back of the sub and WOW does it sound better. So much better that I want to get another sub because the 635's get SO SO loud without having to carry the lower frequencies.

I've heard conflicting reviews on the DBX or "bass boost" or "turbo" features and products out there. Some say all of it can be done right from the mixer and all you are doing is turning up all the gains my a small degree, which then sounds better. Others say that the DBX thing works great too. I doubt I'll get one, I have my setup as simplified as I can have it now and can be up and on in 15 minutes if I hustle, and I like that. A lot.

Damn thats right, your using powered speaker tops, no high pass for those. The XTI does have that feature though if you were to use it for a passive top.

pink (not the other pink ;p) the room and you'll hear it in action lol.


For others wondering, the DSP in the amp is situated between the ADC and the DAC on the signal chain. The in/out is parallel so its a full range signal coming out the "out" side of the xlr connector.

^yeah full range on the link outs.

So..I have a question in regards to powered subs with the PRX635's...Is it better to stay with Passive for subs or go with the PRX618's. Because I'm wanting bigger bass and thinking of going the powered sub route...thoughts???

when you use the built in crossovers that are included in the PRX series, this setup sounds incredible. Well at least the 615's and the 618s XLF. I dont have the 635s. If you do choose to get their sub, I highly suggest spending the extra money and getting the XLF version of the sub as it has a wider frequency range. The lows just sound (feel) amazing

Yea..that $1300 for each sub is a bit steep though..yikes!

Yeah it is steep. I only have 1 but you can connect both speakers to just 1 sub cause it has a left and right input for them. Works out perfectly for shows where I have to bring my own equipment.

FML so i did my 4th gig with them and started noticing a rattling noise coming from one speaker so i lower the volume and it went away, i let it cool down and gave it more volume and the rattling came back im like wtf, since i bought extended warranty from sam ash i took them back to find out they take between 4 to 6 weeks to come back im like wtf? i have a huge party this saturday in Rhode Island so the guy told me to open it (he said it wont void the warranty) and make sure theres nothing loose so thats what i did, first i noticed that ALL the screws weren tight as you would assume, even the ones from the amp were loose enough for my 6 year old daughter to take them out,i tighten all the screws back and the rattle is still there :( im not gonna say the prx is the worst piece of shit cause with my bad luck im sure im the only one in the world (like rihanna) with this problem, ill keep you guys posted....

Not the only one in the world jbnyc. One of mine rattled as well, a tech told be to make sure the hi frequency driver was tight, instead I took it into a service center and they are replacing the high frequency driver altogether. Haven't had it in 3 weeks, hopefully it will be done next week. :\

Damn! Sorry to hear that! Is the warranty covering all the expenses? And how many gigs did you do before you started noticing the rattling?

I play 3 nights a week, got them around new years, so 20 times or so. At first it started only when a hard low frequency kick hit, but then it progressively started happening "easier" if that makes sense. The funny thing is the speaker sounded great from the front, it was only when you were behind it that you could hear the rattle. It sounded similar to a license plate rattling on a car with subs in the trunk. It was covered under warranty and the job apparently only should take 10 minutes to do, the problem is parts. JBL doesn't keep a large inventory of every part that could need replacing, so you may have to wait a while to get it back. It was covered by warranty, and I HOPE this will resolve the rattle. WIll definitely let you know.

I have to say I did notice a small rattle sometimes..but just ignored it as being my ears because like you said..when you go in front of the speaker..you can't hear it. Might have to investigate this further...Def. keep us posted Victor.

Over the phone an authorized repair tech told me that based on the symptoms it sounded like the high frequency driver was just "loose". To save me the time of dropping it off he suggested taking on of the handles off and reaching up into the speaker and feeling to see it it actually was loose. Apparently there is some type of a threaded ring around the tiny driver that you can tighten by hand. If you feel up to it, I suppose its worth a try.

typo - taking off* one of the handles

Thanks for the info Victor! And yeah i noticed that too,you can only hear the rattling behind the speaker,gowever yesterday i opened my speaker and took out the 15" speaker and the tweeter i tried to move everything like pieces of wood and nothing was loose,what i DID noticed was that ALL the screws were loose by like a 1/4 turn i also took out the amp and didnt noticed anything loose,when i heard the rattling i hears it from thw bottom part of the cabinet but who knows whats reaaly making the noise,last night was too late for me to bump it and find out if the rattling is gone (which i doubt) ill keep you guys posted! Peace..

Ahhh... Real-world usage and issues are starting to surface.

When I initially got one of my PRX 635 units from Sam Ash, the mid didn't play... it was late and I didn't want to drive it all the way there and have to wait weeks for a replacement unit. I opened the unit up and saw neither power/signal lead wire was connected to the midrange driver. The clamp fasteners were very loose, even when you put it on the driver. I had to use a needle nose plier to crimp it tight and voila... all was good (except my later thermal issues). Maybe JBL will crack the whip on that production line, time will tell...

I gotta say that i was very impressed of the size of all the speakers and the weight when i opened them! The mid is the size of a car door panel speaker and the 15" weights like 1 pound O.O

made in mexico, what u gonna do

I'd rather see Made in Mexico than Made in China.

i noticed that too!! lol

+1

+2

Are people having trouble with the prx 612 and 615. Im looking at upgrading to a pair and selling my qsc k10s to go along with my 2 jbl prx 718s.

dropped my speaker @ sam ash yesterday, ill keep you guys posted on the return date and everything...

I was just thinking about this the other day. I've seen 1st, 2nd and 3rd hand at least 5 failures with Sam Ash purchased speakers. My PRX635's (returned for refund), a female DJ who wanted dirt cheap but decent speakers (her Tapco Thump failed right out the box), your PRX635's, another DJ on DJForums PRX618-XLR failed AND I saw a Mackie SRM450V2 pull directly out the box, plugged in and immediately FaiLed at the Sam Ash store... Hmmmm.

hmmm one thing is for sure, ill never buy from sam ash, before i bought them the guy was very helpfull and shit now with this return he didnt even wanted to help me, and they said 4 to 6 weekd O.O

Gaffle why do you think Samash would get different/faulty stock over a GC or musiciansfriend, etc?

he just said that what a coincidence... thats all...

Yeah, that's all I'm saying (coincidence). My local Sam Ash has some good/knowledgeable people working there. My speaker choices are pretty much EV for tops and I get the best prices from smaller online dealers over local GC's or Sam Ash stores.

Last weekend I spun at a good sized event center for 700 kids at a High School prom using two JBL PRX635 tops and two 18" Peavey SP118 subs driven by a PLX3002 bridged mono. The gig lasted about 5 hours.

Anyway, the subs kicked butt, however....the JBLs started to degrade in sound volume by the third hour. Then by the fourth hour the PRX635 stopped working. I had to shut them off completely for about two minutes and then turn them back on. This happened four times and the kids were not very happy.

I noticed the limiter kick in once on the back of the speaker, so I dropped my db on my mixer (it's a DJM800). The green signal light was constant and the amp was freakin' HOTTTT!

These speakers sound amazing, but I think I pushed it too hard. Maybe a pair of PRX635 on each side would be better in the future for a gig that size.

I would have used 6 PRX635 tops:

For that size event I would have used 4 JBL SRX 712m surrounding the dance floor powered by 2 Crown itech 8000s or all four flown above the subs in a mini array.

2 PRX635s for that size of an event was pushing it.

damn this phone

I would have used 6 prx 635 tops or

dammit

I would have used 6 PRX635 tops or for that size event I would have used 4 JBL SRX 712m surrounding the dance floor powered by 2 Crown itech 8000s or all four flown above the subs in a mini array.

2 PRX635s for that size of an event was pushing it.

Tell me how much you got paid and ill tell you what would i'd used, shit, its easy to say i would have used 8prx635's but not everyone has that much equipment and if he got paid 600-700 bucks its not worth to rent xtra shit :s

On an other note its been 3 weeks since i sent my prx and no response yet :(

Is this just a problem with the 635. It has to be a design flaw because i haven't been able to find people having problems with the 612 or the 615 or the 625.

you would use "shit" ? is it epic ? lol =P

lol

I would have used a JBL powered Line Array system, 4 bottoms, 8 tops and blew the doors of the place.... and then I would have woke up.

only 4 subs and 8 tops for a line array in your dreams? no wonder you woke up, your brain was ashamed you dreamed of such a small array system.. LOL (NM)

LOL, you right. Considering the cost of a JBL vertec system it will stay in my dreams.

i would've brought just 2 of this...my dreams are not to far from reality...

blog.mixonline.com

I would also have about 30 ground stacked dual 18 subs along with that.

Lol kids would chacha slide weather they wanted or not! Lol

lol

lol

lmfao

ok kids.. I GOT THE CALL TODAY!! :D sam ash has my prx635 ready! :) cant wait to pick it up and find out what was wrong with it, i'll keep you guys posted...

please do!

nice

jbnyc, its funny how it almost feels as good as when you first bought them.

so what was wrong with the 635 ?

damn!! i would've sworn i replied here lol ok i picked it up and they just gave it back to me without telling me what was wrong so i asked of course then he went to check on their paper work and it said that the high driver was lose so they tightened up and that was it WTF?before i took it to GC i took the speaker apart and tried to move everything and nothing was loose, im NOT happy at all cause i dont know when its gonna get loose again! i would've feel better if the paper said that the high driver was replaced! :/ my next mobile gig is on may 15 so till then im gonna find out if the speaker can be abused for 5 hours without the rattling XD thanks for asking guys!!

GC? I thought you took it to sam ash?

my bad, i meant sam ash!!

I read too many bad reviews to buy JBL. I just picked up some Mackie 450's from GC with their 2 year warranty deal. Have any of you had experience with GC's warranty program? The guys I bought from said probably a few weeks turnaround on it. Anybody dealt with it before?

I did a small gig this saturday (75 ppl) so i only took my prx's (left my bass at home) i wanted to hear a little more bass so i pushed the bass button and they sounded amazing :) 30 minutes later the rattling noise started again wtf?? turned down the bass and they started to sound normal FML, seems like im gonna have to send it back AGAIN :( (same speaker btw)

It won't matter…at least for me..it sounds like its the Handles on the side of the cabinet…but no one who is on the floor in front can hear it..and it seems like it only happens when the woofers hit a certain frequency…not worth sending in to me.

Mackie 450V2's are great speakers but they don't hold their own compared to the JBL PRX line..I own both Mackie 450v2's and a set of PRX635's and PRX615M's…I compared the 615M's to my Mackie's the other day…I like the mid range better on the Mackies and the Highs sound clean on both..but the Bass is where the JBL wins…if I had to choose Mackie 450's or JBL EON's ..then Mackies it is! Oh and dealing with GC's warranty's are fine…but if they send the Mackies away for repair then the wait time will be longer than any other speaker they carry…just saying ;)

the rattling from my speakers come from the top of the speakers, i took it appart and it wasnt the handles at all, even when i picked them up the freaking paper said, "loose high drive, removed inspected and tightened! MOTHERFUCKERS COULDNT REPLACE THAT SHIT!! SMFH, now another freaking month without a speaker :( and i just sold my backup speakers arghhh...

I suggest you demand they give you a pair of loaners while you are having your speaker repaired and tell them this is hindering your business

I did,they said they dont have any loaners, i bought them 2 months and a half ago, i dont even know if i can return them....

Raise hell and tell them you'll report them for selling you faulty merchandise. lol

lol thanks tehBEN!! :)

I wonder if there is a lemon law. twice within 90 days says something... especially if it is the same problem.

I remember when I worked in California, if someone brought something back so many times within the first ___ days, and it was the same problem, then it was possible for us to be required to give them new product.

Yea..if it was me is this situation I'd either talk to management about it or go to the JBL manufacturer and complain…something should def. be done for you jbnyc.

I would be writing reviews online all over the place about how bad those speakers are made. Shit make a youtube video of it! Then people will really see the problem.

I looked at the back of my JBL SRX speakers/subs and thank god they are all made in the USA! They are solid .

Making a Youtube video of a SOUND problem? Not sure that would come out right…Most people listen to the Youtube videos on crappy computer speakers…and in order to actually hear this "Rattle" he talks about you'd have to turn up the speakers very loud and all you would hear over most computers is distortion. Writing a review would be reasonable and it might prompt others to write the same if they are having the same issue. These speakers are great IMO..I don't care if they were made in mexico…you'd be surprised as to how mauch stuff you use as a Dj that is made outside of the U.S. …so lets not go there ;)

I hear ya, it sucks though that he cant seem to get them fixed. I really wanted a pair, but no thanks after hearing everyone with the same problem.

Thanks guys! Im going to sam ash tomorrow and will try to get them to give me a new one,if not ill call jbl and raise hell lol im booked at least twice a month til august so i cant send it for repair again FML ill keep you guya posted on this and thanks for the advice!

goodluck

hmmmm buy another one and return this one???

Mmm the serial number is on the amp so i can switch amps... ill use that as plan c lol thanks!

I spent the weekend in San Diego and although 90% of the DJ's playing the Gaslamp District were absolute GARBAGE, 90% of them were running Mackie 450's. Although the DJ's were extremely lacking in skill, they were running those 450's full blast and they sounded great and never overheated or shut down once. That even goes for the cat from Europe (who actually had skillz) playing outside in the middle of the afternoon on the roof of the Hard Rock Cafe!
Mackie 450's +1

So i did the wedding on saturday with 1 and a half speakers (i had the volune on the rattling one half way up and nobody really noticed..

Yesterday i put that shit in my truck with the box and everything and drove to sam ash..

Sam Ash Guy: hey whats up bro,how's everything?

ME: not good bro,speaker is rattling again

SAG: really?

Me: yeah bro,im really upset cause i paid over 2400 bucks for a pair of speakers cause i wanted something reliable and i bought them 3 months ago and i sent it to repair once already and i had to rent a pair 3 times in the 5 weeks it took for them to "repair it" and not only that but its embarrasing when im doing
a party and the rattling noise is freaking loud,i dont even want this speaker fix,i just wont trust it anymore,i either want a replacement or my money back cause thats the reason i paid warranty

SAG just looked at me and said....mmmm let me see what can i do for you...

10 minutes later im walking out with a brand spanking new speaker :D

IM BUYING EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF GEAR FROM SAM ASH FROM NOW ON hehe

Nice! thats how it's done.

Glad to hear! shitty equptment is worthless. Glad they helped you. All they did was returned it as defective. So i'd be pissed at the situation and make a call for you if there were issues with them offering anything else. Glad everything is up and running...

thanks guys!! :)

Yep!

Hi guys, I'm wondering on picking 2 635's? How have they ran. Have the new ones been fixed with the overheating issues and the rattling? Thanks.

Look Assclown..LOL I believe if you just look on here you can plainly see for yourself that the answers to those questions are here.
But to sum it up for all you Assclowns…
"Overheating"=Not a problem and never was!
"Rattling"=Not all the speakers will rattle and no matter what..you still have a 5+ year factory warranty that can handle those issues if the store you buy it from wont.

lol... i'm going to look up Assclown on Google...

lol

images.quickblogcast.com

blogs.riverfronttimes.com

media.photobucket.com

www.jesussaveswhitetrash.com

roguejew.files.wordpress.com

1.bp.blogspot.com

my fav.
4.bp.blogspot.com

Hahahah i saw "look assclown" i said wow...no need to be rude,then i saw his name lol

Lol yea me too

3 nights a week every weekend with a sub and 635's omg these speakers r insane. With every gain knob at 12 oclock they are impressive, move gains to 2 and people start ducking. did a cousins wedding along with a band last sunday they had the srx line 4 tops, 2 subs and i set all my stuff up along side theirs. when i went on they all started looking at each other like wtf. giant hall, 600+ ppl. i too had issues when i first bought them, overheating, shutting down, rattling, one got knocked over in a fight, but for the last few months nothing but sweet loud muzak. considering another prx718s but doubt i can get the places i play to pay me more for it, one sounds great still

I have 2 jbl prx 615m and 2 jbl prx 718s. I haven't had a chance to use this system much but when i do i've noticed that the prx 615m get extremely hot. Do you experience the same with your 635 and if so, does it really cause any problems for you? I'm asking because i see you get a lot of use out of your system since it's used on average 3 times a week. More curious to see how everything is holding up for you.

Ohh yeah,they get extremly hot but ive never experienced a shut down or something,on another note,one of them started rattling FML what exactly i need to tighten again?

anyone heard the the difference between the 625 and the 635?'s. Which one is better? Looks like they are same price.
I read somewhere that the 635 have a further throw but that the 625 have a better mid to low end. Anyone know if this is true?

LOL...Look up the specs! 2 totally different speakers ..635=3way 1 15"...625=2way Dual 15's

So that description you read somewhere would be true ;)

UPDATE:

I did a two more gigs (75 people) with my PRX635 speakers and on both nights they weren't so loud by the last hour. It was so bad that I could hear people complaining how low the sound was as they were dancing. Then...the speakers clipped. One went out and then the other. I had to shut them off and wait a few minutes. Turned them back on and had some sound. Finished the night at half volume.

Embarrased, Pissed, Confused ('cause these should be good speakers) and all other emotions stirred up I called up the vendor I bought it from - Ty @ AGI Pro DJ. Well, their customer service kicks ass and he said that it should not happen and will send an RMA to JBL.

Well, to make a long story short a BRAND NEW pair of JBL PRX635 speakers showed up on my porch 10 days later with instructions to return the 'bad' ones. So, how are the new ones? Well, it's been three months straight pushing them hard at least 4 times a month and no problems at all.

If there was a problem, it may have been a bad batch of JBLs. Maybe the workers at the plant were high or drunk on tequila that day.

The most awesome part was how Ty took care of everything. So big shout out to AGI Pro DJ!

Next...some subs.

Customer Service is important. Sad that not many places have it. How did things go with the people who hired you?

There definitely was a bad batch or at worse, possibly a design flaw.

That was an awesome customer service! I think ill have to return the other one i have rattling,it starts after like 3 hours of pushing them,usually i do 4 hour gigs so the last hour its when i turn the volume down a little SMH @ the bad batch...

definitely a bad batch, this is the only model of the prx 600 series that have had a reoccurring extreme probably. I've researched and have not found this same problem with any of the other speakers in this series.

just out of curiosity, do you guys use quality extension chords when doing mobiles? I had a problem with one of my prx's, and at only a certain venue where the power there sucked balls, and found that problem was solved by using a higher quality 10AWG extension chord...could it be that they just aren't getting the power they need sometimes???

I use monster cables...

do they make power chords?

not sure :s

well I was talking about power chords! lol

ohh my bad!! LOL

I use one of their power conditioners. So at the place where I plug everything in, I know what power it gets and is using too

yeah but how do you send that out to your speakers? I never paid much attention to it until I had a speaker issue due to an isufficient gauged power chord...

Most of the times i use the cable the speakers come with plugged directly into a wall outlet and still theres a rattle :s shitty ass speakers! I DO regret spending over 2 Gs for a pair of unreliable speakers!

One of these to each speaker.

www.americanmusical.com

I know that people say not to use surge protectors into surge protectors... but i know they are a reliable company. So Monster Cable power conditioner and then these to the speakers...

i always run multiple surge protectors... cant be to safe i guess, but at a gig a few months ago i had a furman completely fry, i opened it up and the inside was completely burnt and brown, it was awesome that it worked, it wasnt awesome that i plugged my speakers in directly to the outlet to see if it worked since the surge protector wasn't working... FML

If you run serious sound or lighting(IE Designspot 250s) invest in a spiderbox (power distribution box). Work with the site electrician to get 220v power to that box and plug all your amps/powered speakers to it. (search for Power Distribution Spider Box on google)

What is the benefit? It appears to that it is like your own portable breaker box.

I just put an adapter on the end of an extension chord most of the time when there is no outlet near my speaker location. I didn't cross my mind that the extension chord was not sufficient enough to power the speaker correctly until I started having issues with it...

wow! what kind of cord were you using?

I hear these are popular in East San Jose
images.meredith.com

ha ha! not quite....I think it was some cheap black ones I picked up from WalMart....they didn't look that bad at the time. lol

In a sense, yes. Basically if you provide enough juice for your sound, you get a better response from your amps/powered speakers. Ever seen the headlights dim on cars with 1000+ watts RMS sound systems when the bass hits? Its because there isn't enough juice provided to their amps. Or ever had some instances where your system performed well in one venue but had problems in another? (IE Power drops, thermal shut down, etc) more than likely it's because of lack of power or power is not delivered in a healthy amount (115v~120v), when the power dips below 110v you will have problems.

for larger venues (halls,schools,sporting venues), you should be running your sound off these things.
For small venues, I wouldn't bother with a spider box, I'd just use a decent power conditioner.

Have you checked if the "connection" between the compression driver and the horn is loose? Check this post here, its about PRX615 but i think it is the same problem: www.djforums.com


Cheers

For the rattling.....what screw or bolt do i have to tighten? Im about to open my prx635 today,thanks!!

The compression driver is screwed on the horn directly.

Personally I've never opened PRX before but i think that the compression driver and the horn attach together the same way like in the JRX series. Check how JRX125 horn upgrade is done: Watchwww.youtube.com (jump to 2:40)

Keep me updated!

Thanks Nix!!

yup its the actual driver that you have to tighten. Doesnt take long.
I bought some used PRX625 and both of them were loose as hell! I am just wondering if there is something you can do so they wont get loose. Like thread lock or something?

Maybe you can use some glue that keeps some elasticity after it is dried, like glue used for fixing rubber (i don't know glue brands you have in the States). I think good idea it will be to put some glue, 1 or 2 turns, before you completely tight up the horn. Depending of the glue, by using more force, it may be possible to unscrew the horn if driver replacement is needed. Using super-glue is not good idea because in a period of few months it can become fragile and not do the trick.

i hope it works, ill keep you guys posted,will try to take pics too and find out what exactly rattles... wish me luck hehe

the quickest way is just to take the amp off and reach your hand up there and tighten (NM). There is really nothing else that can rattle unless the actual speaker is loose or something.

really? cause i remember there were no screws bolt or nuts on sight when i took it off :/ did you do that fcp or just guessing? thanks for the help!!

its the big round driver thats on the back of the horn. its also the magnet. it screws on the the back of the horn. just turn to tighten it. it isnt the screws that hold the speaker on to the cabinet if that is what you are thinking of.

YOU ARE THE MAN!!!! thanks!!

GREAT! Glad your speakers are back in service!

If the rattling returns in few months (the driver/horn assembly gets lose again-probably it will happen if happened once), do as i suggested previously, add some glue between the magnet and the horn, cheap and cheerful solution :)

did you actually do it? has it stopped it from loosening again?

I haven't tried it on PRX (actually i haven't even dissembled PRX).

I have used "The glue fix" numerous times in such assemblies that are prone to self loosening when subjected to vibrations. In the mechanical engineering there are many ways of securing bolts but i think only glue will do the trick in this case.

No i havent fix them, i just got home but it sounds like a quick fix,one question, what do i need to tighten it up? Phillips screwdriver? Or like a small ratchet? I dont have a small ratchet and wouldnt like to leave everything around the living room til i buy one tomorrow lol

just your hand...NH NM. Check out those vidz posted earlier and you will see what we are talking about. Just tighten it with your hand.

SWEET,THANKS AGAIN!!

FML just took out the amp and try to tighten up the driver and it was tightened already :( too bad its too late right now cause i would like to bump the volume and hear where exactly the rattle comes out or by putting pressure on different places inside the cabinet till the rattle stops I'LL GET THRU THIS!! LOL

id suggest using a drop of loctite blue on the threads:

www.loctiteproducts.com

it will prevent it from coming loose and till allow you to unscrew it. I used this on my old JRX horn assembly when they came loose and started rattling.

I think there is also one designed for plastics, find it and use that if you can.

Thanks tehBen!!

w0rd

WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!! the rattling went away! I had tighten the driver before but didnt feel like it was lose so i thought that nothing was fixed,so my next step was to open the cabinet and check what exactly was rattling,to my surprise the rattling was almost gone,it wasnt as bad as it was before so i got a good grip of the driver and applied more force on the twisting abd i felt it turned about 1/12 of a turn (which was a lot) considering this should be very tight.. so i put everything back together and no more rattling! :D im a happy camper again! If the problem persist ill open the cabinet and apply the glue,thanks everyone!

w00t

Do these Prx 615m or 612m series really overheat?

My bro wants some and he just wants to use them as highs with his subs would they heat up if your just using them for highs?

si :(

really?

Do you own some,cuz i have the k12 and really happy with them,but you know how brothers are want to get different things

haha i know, i have the 635's but my friend had the 615's and they DO get hot, mines too but mines never clipped or anything, the amp get as hot as... lets put it this way, you couldnt put your hand longer than a second and a half O.O

lol,that sucks about those 615s then,or maybe they run hot.

You think these speakers can handle up to like 8 hours of playing?

yes! but the problem is that since they have a very clear and crispy sound we push them way too much!! lol i always say, ok tonight i'll be gentle with them, then i do a party and im drunk and mad girls dancing and im doing my reggae set, shiiieeeetttt!!! i push them HARD!! lol with my other speakers i never did that cause i knew the sound would've get distorted lol

= a good time

n/m

+1

i have a pair of jbl prx 615 and have never had them thermal on me. Granted they do get warmer than most active speakers, but jbl has stated they are designed to do that. That doesn't mean the thermal out. I guess only time will tell.

after 3 hours of playing, can you leave your hand on the amp for 2 seconds??

+1000000000
I own 615's and 635's….They get hot…But NEVER over heat and shut off….NEVER! Granted I've never used them over 5hrs…but something tells me they'd do just fine ;)

some people just don't understand the principals behind thermal transmittance...

What do you mean latin dj?

My speakers NEVER shut off but they DO get super hot! I heard some people's have but i think its cauae they pushed them wayy to hard...

Thermal transmittance, also known as U-value, is the rate of transfer of heat (in watts) through one square metre of a structure divided by the difference in temperature across the structure. It is expressed in watts per square metre per kelvin, or W/m²K. Well-insulated parts of a building have a low thermal transmittance whereas poorly-insulated parts of a building have a high thermal transmittance.
Now that I'm educated….what does this have to do with MY JBL's???

Hahahahaha

LMAO!

The heatsinks are MEANT to get hot! That's why they are HOT to the touch...the heat inside the amplifiers, where you do not want it, is being transferred to the heatsink on the exterior as DESIGNED. In other words, don't get your panties in a bunch thinking your speaker is overheating when it is actually doing what it's supposed to do....transferring heat from the delicate components inside. Just smile and enjoy them! :)

Hey latin dj but this one friend that gots the 615 told me that once they got super hot that they shut off on him and he wasnt pushing them to the red,most powered speakers have heat sink with some fans and some dont.

Again, it depends on the method they are using to transfer the heat...the JBL's shouldn't shut off. I haven't heard of many problems with this...

+1
Oh and my panties are never in a bunch…but the JBL's make me have to change them frequently ;)

LOL! Actually I wasn't referring to your panites, I was agreeing with your post. :) (no homo, no misquote)

WERD! TMI then ;)

Lol

I just got my 635s today. I had a rattle lower took it apart and tightened the driver but it didn't fix it. then with the speaker turned off partially in frustration I hit the grill. the buzz was still there. I kept hitting it until I came to the conclusion that the sound was being generated from the logo. Took of the grill and tried to tighten the LED. The screw just kept turning and wouldn't tighten so I took it out completely. The logo is still there but no light to tell me it's on but you know what...
NO MORE RATTLE. Fixed! They used shitty LED components and plastic but everything else is great build and awesome sound.

by hitting the grill i mean tapping :)

I pictured you kicking the speaker lol

Lol ^^

Thanks for the tip dtrmbullet! Thats gonna save our speakers from hitting/tapping and kicking them hehe one qyestion,did you unplugged the led light or you just tucked it in the cabinet?

I just unplugged and unscrewed the piece that the LED is on. I wrapped the wire left around itself and left it in. I think it was the one screw on the LED board that was causing all the low rattle. The plastic that the screw goes into was cheap. when I took it out the whole screw was covered in plastic. I then tried to put it back in but couldn't get it tight because the plastic had been stripped by the screw. so I decided to just take it out all together. Fixed it for me. No light but maybe if im feeling adventurous I might try the glue trick later...but I don't really need a front light at this moment. I usually cover lights anyway. They can be distracting.

COOL! thanks..

haha but after going to my new practice space with them plugging them in and playing for an hour both 365s died and won't come back on. Put the light back in the one I took it out of but the lights not showing on either of them when the power is on. I did plug one in with the grill off because it was making a bump sound and the 15" is pushing in and out very subtly with no sound source plugged in making me think its a power issue, but Tried to change the fuse and nothing worked. I wasn't pushing anything past 0db. A microphone did get plugged in a minute before it happened by my guitar player. We were trying to mic a kick drum. he doesn't have a lot of board knowledge and just plugged in with the level partially up, but still way under 0db, and then boom. I think this might have been the reason but I would really like to know exactly why so I can avoid this with my replacements. What a bummer town. If anyone knows what might have happened I would love to know. I really can't have this happen at a show!

Oh and I had everything plugged into a ppc8000 phonic power conditioner everything else that was plugged in was still working fine so I don't think it was a surge.

Shut....up!!! O.O i wonder what would happen.... I understand one but both....that is weird! Did you try different outletts,different power chords? I just finished a 5 hoir gig with my 635's they did great even tho i think i did push them too hard :s and the high magnet thighten works like a charm :)

I am getting my replacements on Tuesday. If they fail I will get rid of them in favor of the EV-Live. All my audiophile friends are pretty in love. I tried multiple outlets at home and at the space. No luck. when I am around them later today I will look at the serial codes. I heard if they are close because they usually make them in batches it might be a defective batch which makes me worry about the replacements that I am getting from amazon the same place as the originals. I will say amazon has down their return policy and will send replacements quick and send to have the speakers picked up. I got 1 day shipping but the order won't go through till tomorrow so it might not be here until Tuesday. Way better then waiting a week-month to get them back. What master volume are you running on your board. also what are the speakers set to? Do you use XLR or 1/4. Do you have it set to mic or line and flat or boost? Are you pretty good at looking at the limiter on the back, so you no longer have issues after sending it back again? Thanks. Can't wait to start playing longer gigs...just don't want these to fail, so I have to get to the bottom of what happened so it does not happen again. Thanks JBNYC for all the help you seem to have had quite the experience with these bad boys yourself.

wow!! cant believe amazon has better warranty than sam ash, in sam ash they barely want to exchange them,never mind shipping :/

What master volume are you running on your board? main
Do you use XLR or 1/4? XLR
Do you have it set to mic or line? line
Do you have set it to flat or boost? depends, if im doing a small venue and i dont bring a sub i set it to boost,with a sub just on flat.
Are you pretty good at looking at the limiter on the back, so you no longer have issues after sending it back again? what i do is, i set the limiter in the back at medium and usually when im playing @ peak hour at a gig the gain on the channels are in the middle and also the main volume (XLR) in my ttm57 is right in the middle,when im drunk and i abuse my speakers i bump the main a notch lol

BTW, who uses the 635's in line? i once did it by mistake and made EVERYONE jump! lol that is so loud its incredible but i think not good for the speakers,any help here,thanks! :D

wait what?, you've been using the MIC setting with your mixer all this time?
Is the button raised (LINE sensitivity) or depressed (MIC sensitivity)?

See page 23 (Setting the input sensitivity). -> www.jblpro.com

No,as i stated above,i use it in LIiNE, i made the mistake of asking who uses it in line instead of MIC lol sorry! Lets try this again

I use two PRX635, two PRX618xlf, Rane 57sl, XLR's, and high sampled audio, A Furman surge and AC monitor unit for the mixer/computer/ etc. I went to Home Depot to make four 40' 10-gauge power cords with heavy duty plugs to run dedicated 20'amp service power to each speaker pair (618/635) (I used JBL's EIA power cords). A separate 20 amp service for the 27 dmx fixture lighting array.

I had one PRX635 fail out of the box, it would pause then refuse to turn on. Replaced by factory immediately. Weddings are great with just the PRX635's. Used all four in a 600 student Homecoming dance, first show using the whole system, last week. Placed the 618XLF physically together, using high pass to the 635's as recommended. Ran the 618's just so the red indicators flashed rarely, ran the 635 so the yellow limiters rarely flashed (no red overload anytime). No other eq/sound adjustments outside of 57sl levels, and I matched best to my ear. This arragement had adaquate SPL for top40/hip/dance for this venue, but could of used just a little more. I didn't want to drive the system hard. Still, one 635 shut down twice, tripped its' protection, recovered after powering off for 2 minutes each time. (Ran very very hot to the touch BTW). Otherwise, the 3 hour DJ event sounded great with no rattles, and the subs were clean and strong. Needless to say, I was nervous the second speaker would trip when the other turned off, but we made it. :)

Next is a 400+ frat party in a 70' by 50' hall. I ordered two more prx-635's (4 total) because I wanted to keep the system matched, the 618xlf EQ's especially. Will report on how that sounds soon.

These speakers sounded great, performed well, impressive without fading with the exception of the protection circuit trip. I am assuming it was heat related, and will check out a fan.

wow, i can imagine how awesome the 4X635 and 2 X HLF subs would sound, i did a wedding this saturday and one of the 635's shut down im like WTF? cause it was right after dinner so it wasnt too hot, i went to check connections,and it turned out that the bar tender pulled the extension by mistake,i wanted to kill her cause she knew and just played dumb!!! SMH to wedding halls that only have one electricity outlet for the dj (not one double outlet,one single outlet lol) i had to bring power from like 30' away and wasted half of my black tape 8^(

lol ok you had me worried with your typo for a bit.

lol

Hey Guy's,
I'm reading this blog knowing that I made the correct decision. I just purchased QSC K12's and will buy the KW18 Sub next month. I live in Southern California within a 2 hour drive to the QSC factory. I wanted to originally purchase the JBL PRX635 because I love the sound, however, I live in Palm Springs where summers can be 115 degrees outside while spinning a pool party. After hearing of the built in amps running hot, I decided to go QSC. The last thing I want or can afford is to damage my reputation with a shut-down...even with normal usage. I can't believe there are no built in cooling fans. Sorry for this money I do not feel that I have to run to K-mart and purchase clip on fans... I have been a DJ since 1986 and have owned lots of equipment and feel this was the proper decision. What I would like to recommend to the guys having issues is always run these powered speakers on different circuits in the halls. Bring extra long heavy duty power cords and lots of duct tape to tape the wires down...always search the room for different power circuits to run your lights, equipment and powered speakers/amp...usually every 6-8 feet are 2 outlets on a circuit, these guidelines should really help you. Also in the event that you have rattling, wedge 2 plastic cups folded into the handle area, this will temporarily eliminate and noise Good luck..

K-12's... From memory, the subs come with a pole for the speakers to sit on too... that is an addd bonus considering the prices for speaker poles...

I have the PRX 615's and I have had the rattling issue as well.. It isn't that noticeable to the untrained ear but to me....bugs the shit out of me!

I took all the side screws out of the cabinet and that seemed to solve me issue. If I had to guess i'd say 1. As the low frequencies progress and get louder they lossen the screws out of the cab. or 2. the front grille of the speaker is miss shaped

try the loctite solution I mentioned earlier in this thread for the loose screw problem.

I wonder if the stuff would work that mechanick put on screws so they don't vibrate out of place.

thats locktite, use the red thread locker...

So is that a +1 from you?

I mentioned loctite earlier in the thread, i even linked to the one safe to use with materials in the prx

i'm not very experienced with that stuff. mentioned "safe to use". Any idea if they use something like that already? or are they just putting it in dry? n/h n/m

Im not sure about the PRX series, but my SRX Cabs had a blue threadlock on the screws.

i use the red locker with all my jeeps or another project around the house... works for me!

Red loctite is meant for a semi-permanent lock and can only be removed with heat. I've used that stuff on some of the rally cars and time attack cars that I was involved in building, stuff works like a charm for those applications.

For speaker applications, the blue will suffice. However, be careful with threadlockers on plastic parts as it can cause stress fractures.

A cheaper alternative when screwing into the wood is to use candle wax on the threads of the screw prior to reassembly. Application of said wax involves pushing the screw into the candle about 2/3 in and removing it then screwing the treated screw back into the wood cab.

same with birch (professional touring subs are constructed with this stuff, heavy as f***)
I was also told when reassembling speaker cabs, you generally do not want to reuse the old holes. You turn the speaker cone assembly about 20mm offset from the original hole, mark the new drill points, remove the speaker, drill new pilot holes, reinsert the speaker so the holes on the assembly line up with the new pilot holes and reinsert the screws.

I realize this thread has died, but I wanted to give my two cents to the rattling issue associated with the JBL PRX cabinets and the rattling issue.

I purchased two in January of 2012. Recently, I heard a rattling in one of the cabinets that sounded like the wood was cracked. A friend said you blew your woofer, and I told him he was nuts. I have been using these speakers, and have yet to see the limiter light appear.

Anyway, the rattling was getting louder, and it was coming from the top of the cabinet. So, I took the horn out, and noticed that the diaphragm came loos from the horn. My brother-in-law gave me a great solution: WHITE TEFLON TAPE around the threads of the diaphragm. Makes perfect sense when you attach a plastic shower head to metal pipe threads, doesn't it?

So, I tried it (on BOTH cabinets...even though other cabinet wasn't rattling). RATTLE GONE. Will have to see how this holds up over time.

If anyone comments on this thread, since it has been dead for 7 months, I will report back if the rattle returns.

Hey i was thinking maybe using locktite on the threads....basically cementing the diaphram to the horn. I havent tried it but would make sense that it would work. My .02.

+1


-1 what do you do when you need to replace your compression driver?

hmmm...I believe the white teflon tape is used to seal leaks, not for locking down the threads. Loc-tite should work...just use the one that doesn't permanently "lock" (there are different ones).

Hi,

I have a pair of PRX-635's and recently one of the speakers keeps losing its high frequencies (i.e. the tweeter is going on and off).

After reading this I unscrewed one of the handles thinking I could get inside the speaker, but after taking it off I couldn't get the plastic from behind the handle itself off.

I had a go with a screwdriver to lever it out but it seemed almost glued to the speaker itself.

Any ideas? Sorry from bringing up and old thread.

Lighty.

You may have to take the speaker grill off and remove the tweeter to inspect anything apparent like loose wiring. No big deal.