Mackie Thumps 15a reviews??

[wilson]

I used to have a pair. Honestly, I wish I still had them. I used to use a pair of powered 10" JBL G2 Eons for my mains (and had some B52 tops as backups). Sold the B52s and bought the Mackies for backup. Well, I liked the sound out of the Mackies better, so used them more often as my mains than I did my JBLs. They would clip fairly easy, but I also used them with a pair of subs most of the time and they would get pretty loud without clipping when using subs. The times I didn't use a sub (which is why I still wish I had them now) was for my own personal backyard parties and football tailgates that didn't require a crap ton of volume. They had a LOT of bass for a cab. In hindsight, I would of sold my JBLs honestly. I liked how small and convenient the JBLs are for a ceremony or the small space it takes up for storage and traveling to gigs, but...I liked the amount of bass I got out of them for a more full sound without lugging around my LS801p, or my 15's.

With that said, I sold the Mackies when I bought my RCF ART-312As. The RCFs...BLOW all those speakers out of the water. They don't have the bass that the Thumps did, but I didn't expect them to. I have a pair of cheap powered 15's that I use when we tailgate or have a little get together and need some audio. It's slightly more work, but better than having no bass or lugging around the Yorkville.

Anyway, point being...I never had a reliability problem, sounded pretty good for the money, light weight, lots of bass, personally I think they were good looking speakers...I'd own them again. Don't expect to do any kind of crazy sized gig though. There are definitely some applications though that they are AWESOME speakers, in MY opinion.

[Al Poulin]

According to the spec sheet, a single EV ZxA1 will outperform two Thumps in everything but low frequency extension (but not by much) and cost less.

A single ZX1A would sound really weak for music playback by itself at almost any event once up on a stand - regardless of what the specs say. A pair of Thumps (or even a single Thump) would sound MUCH better simply because of the much more present low frequency response. The ZXA1 might get as loud, but will be mostly mids and highs on a stand. We are talking 8" woofer vs 15" here. Even though the quality of the EV might be better, the size and bigger woofer of the Thumps will reproduce the full spectrum of music much better.


Al

[Incognito]

A single ZX1A would sound really weak for music playback by itself at almost any event once up on a stand - regardless of what the specs say. A pair of Thumps (or even a single Thump) would sound MUCH better simply because of the much more present low frequency response. The ZXA1 might get as loud, but will be mostly mids and highs on a stand. We are talking 8" woofer vs 15" here. Even though the quality of the EV might be better, the size and bigger woofer of the Thumps will reproduce the full spectrum of music much better.


Al

Sound quality wise the ZXa1 walk all over the Thumps, SPL wise the ZXa1 holds it own, add a small sub such as the the ZXa1 sub to compliment the tops & again the ZXa1 is the better option. The Thumps are nowhere near being in the same class as the ZXa1.

[Al Poulin]

Sound quality wise the ZXa1 walk all over the Thumps, SPL wise the ZXa1 holds it own, add a small sub such as the the ZXa1 sub to compliment the tops & again the ZXa1 is the better option. The Thumps are nowhere near being in the same class as the ZXa1.

You NEED to add a sub or two to the ZXA1s for most DJ type applications. I'm not disputing that it's a good speaker, but in a typical DJ application - say a small wedding - a pair of Thumps will simply do much better stand alone. My RCF 310As outperform the ZXA1s, but I wouldn't use them stand alone on stands for a wedding. Not because they wouldn't be loud enough, but an 8" or 10" woofer simply can't provide enough low frequencies once on stands for full range music reproduction at high volumes. Add a sub or two to the ZXA1, and of course it will make a nice system, but at a much higher price. I was simply disputing that a single ZX1A would be a better choice than a pair of Thumps for a beggining DJ, that's all. For their low price, Thumps are fine to start with and will keep many happy for their first gigs. They sound very decent and full overall. At 500$ a pair, you can use them for a few gigs and sell them back fairly easily if you deceide DJ'ing isn't for you. They can also be used as a nice home system. A single RCF 312A or Yamaha DXR12 might be a better investment IMO, but not the ZXA1 unless the OP plans to buy a sub or two and SOON.

Al

[jayhwk]

Al, have you ever heard either loudspeaker?

You will probably need a small sub to go with the ZxA1 to get the low frequencies that DJs are looking for. You will need a sub with the Thump as well.

It doesn't matter that it's has a 15" driver - it's a crappy enough 15" loudspeaker that doesn't even get as loud down low as an 8" speaker. Take a look below - I've combined the frequency response charts of both loudspeakers using photoshop so they can be compared:



The EV is black, the Mackie is blue. Both are 1W/1M measurements, but the EV is full space. I assume the Mackie is half space, which makes its graph even more pathetic. The red dots are the -3dB points of each loudspeaker.

Since these are 1W/1M measurements, you might think that the Mackie might just be less efficient and have a larger amplifier. That isn't the case. The Mackie has a 150W/50W amplifier and has a max measured SPL of 118dB while the EV has a 400W/400W amplifier and a max output of 126dB at one meter.

I'm as shocked as you are that this is true - you would think that a 15" loudspeaker would always outperform an 8". That's simply not the case when we are talking about a design as cheap as the Thump.

[Al Poulin]

The ZX1 has a 94DB/W sensitivity which is extremely low for a PA speaker. Even with 800 watts of power applied, it will never actually do 126DBs. I have heard the Thumps and thought they sounded very decent overall although they were limited in maximum output. A have not heard the ZX1A, but experience tells me if you put an 8" powered speaker next to a powered 15" speaker - the 15" can simply move more air and will naturally have a stronger response below 100hz than an 8" at higher levels. There is likely some processing going on in the ZXA1 to give it a fuller sound at lower levels, but as crappy as the Thumps may be, I simply don't see the 8" ZXA1 competing with it below 100hz once the volume goes up. I love my Yamaha DXR8s and their 700 watts of built-in power, but even my 200 watt Yorkville YX15Ps easily outperform them FULL RANGE. They have a bigger cabinet and can move more air quite simply. At lower volumes, I could boost the lows on the DXR8s to come close to the YX15Ps, but still it would run out of excursion VERY QUICKLY.

Al

[jayhwk]

Al,

The 126dB is a measured, full space spec. I'm sure the YX15P would outperform the Zx1 in the low frequency and even SPL department. The YX15P isn't a Thump, though. The Zx1 does have an efficiency of 94dB 1W/1M, but the Thump is even worse, based on the graph Mackie provides.

If you're ever near Kansas City, I'll put one of my Zx1s in our anechoic chamber and measure it for you using an excellent quality, calibrated measurement rig. If the Thumps are really $225 each, I'll even buy a Thump for comparison.

Often for lower cost loudspeakers, spec sheets can't be trusted. I do trust the sheets for the EV Zx line - they're a cut above the entry level and match up well with my experiences in the real world. I know a few of the engineers at EV and do trust them to build excellent loudspeakers with honest marketing materials (at least above the product lines stocked in music stores - those as exaggerated as the rest - like ELX, TX, T series, etc...). I am also surprised at the honesty of the Thump's sheet - I'm not sure that the Mackie marketing department would want that frequency response chart floating around.

[Incognito]

You NEED to add a sub or two to the ZXA1s for most DJ type applications. The ZX1 has a 94DB/W sensitivity which is extremely low for a PA speaker. Even with 800 watts of power applied, it will never actually do 126DBs.
Al

Depends on the given application,


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Electrovoice under rate their amps by 30% so the ZXa1 actually has a 1,150 watt amp (watch the video from 1:58 to 2:25 as well as from 3:50 to 4:05) but that 30% is there as headroom to take care of musical dynamics (something the Mackie doesn't offer & is one of the reasons why the ZXa1 sound so stress free & open). That said the driver used is the DV8L & the DH2005 compression driver, the DV8L is a 200 watt cpontinuous & 400 watt program driver but EV goes to town with their built in DSP & steep crossover slopes to squeeze the maximum SPL & musical clarity they can out of this combination. The Mackie Thump has worse spec & even worse processing going on under the hood when compared to the EV, the Mackie 15" driver is 150 watts continuous & has a sensitivity of 94db as well (here's the Mackie Thump owners manual if you wish to verify & here's the ZXa1 & ZXa1 sub manuals). So the SPL difference between the two speakers in question are less then 3db away from each other so that's a none issue(if you want to base it solely on the power rating of the raw drivers vs their rated sensitivity but if you factor in the available on tap power & processing then the ZXa1 takes the lead), the Mackie has a -3db reponse of 50hz while the EV has a -3db of 60hz so really no real difference there either, the EV brings better build & sound quality to the board as well as weighing in less (nearly half as much, actually the Mackie Thump weighs almost as much as the ZXA1 sub does) plus the ZXa1 takes up a smaller footprint (the mackie Thump is actually bigger then the ZXa1 sub). So Two ZXa1 tops & a ZXa1 sub will weigh in almost the same & take up just about the same packing space as just a pair of Mackie Thumps & not to mention the ZXa1 combination would beat the Mackie Thumbs in every sense but just cost a touch more up front.


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[Al Poulin]

Wow, didn't think those Thumps were such inefficient underpowered pieces of crap. So many users seem happy with them. I thought they sounded pretty good when I heard them (considering the price), but did notice them limiting quite a bit and fairly easily. Honestly though, IF I was starting out and only had a very limited amount of money to spend, knowing everything I know now, I would still start off with a pair of stand mounted powered 15s such as Yorkville YX15Ps or Samson Auro D415As purchased from a local dealer (should service ever be required). Once I had a few gigs under my belt and wanted to get more serious, I would trade those in and get a pair of compact hi output powered 10" tops (like my 310As or DXR10s or K10s) on top of a pair of compact powered 12s or 15s. However, also knowing what I know now, I would also consider getting a single pair of Yamaha DXR15s on sticks. Best powered 15s I've tested and I almost regret not buying them...

PS : I am still pretty sure that if you put both the ZXA1 and a Mackie Thump side by side, the ZX1A could not touch the Thump in low frequency response at higher volumes, let alone touch a PAIR of them. This is an 8" vs a 15" (or a pair of them actually). The extension and excursion capabilities/air movement of the 15" (in a bigger box) should always be greater. Would you really choose a single 8" powered speaker to DJ a wedding instead of a pair of 15s if you only had 500$ to spend and you were starting out? I know I wouldn't. That's all I can say.

Al

[DJJDGator]

Hey al, i see you're very high on the yamaha dxr15. How do you think they stack up against the new rcf hd12a. I already have a pair of dxr8s, but i'm not sure you really get the high fi sound of out yamaha that you get out of rcf. I also had a pair of rcf310a and have a pair of rcf 312a and the clarity of the rcfs is great.