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Just picked up a new club starting on April 1st. I need to buy a couple of more speakers for the new place. Currently I'm using 4 PR12's at my current club. (2 on each side). I torn between the JBL Eon 305 passive, or the Peavey PR15 passive speakers. I've been real happy with my PR12's, and the PR15's get great customer/user reviews. I'm not finding much in the way of user reviews for the JBL's. I've found the JBL's for about $340 each, and the PR15's are about $175 each. Should I pay the extra for the JBL's or would I be just as happy with the PR15's? Both weigh about the same. The PR 15's are slightly bigger.

BTW, the new club is a medium size club holding about 100 people. I am powering my system with a Yamaha EMX 5014C.

Thanks in advance.

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My first choice IS Sound Choice.

I havn't heard the JBL 305 yet, but I do not like the sound of the PR series at all personally. If you can find a place to listen & compare, this would be your best bet.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I'll echo Lon here. Personally I'm not a fan of the EON's or the PR series but traditionally among the two I'd still rather have the JBL's over the Peavey's.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

Thanks guys. I'm 62 and still doing shows twice a week. (With a heart transplant). Weight is a factor here. At 32 pounds they're both just about right. Any suggestions on anything else light weight?

Tony what is it that you don't like about either of these speakers. The highs? The low end? The crossover points?

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My first choice IS Sound Choice.

Unfortunately the characteristic I hate the most about them is the one you need the most and that is the lightweight cabinet. Those soft lightweight plastic cabinets are just far too flexible and as a result they sound terrible. Huge amounts of bleed through the back of the cab, strange resonant frequencies you simply can't EQ away and odd dead spots in the response curve as a result of absorption by the cabinet itself. JBL has done quite a bit of work on the EON's to try and improve it (and they have gotten better) but they're still not something I'd prefer.

To be totally honest, the only two plastic (excuse me "composite") cabinet makers I've seen that actually seem to have gotten it right are Mackie and EletroVoice. The SRM-450's surprised me quite a bit the first time I heard them. I was expecting them to be a cheap version of the EON's (which I already knew I didn't like) but they actually perform a whole lot better. The composite versions in the EV SX series are pretty nice. They do make a lightweight passive 12" 2-way model that might work well for your purposes, would sound way better than the EON or the PR.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

I've got a dozen speakers, of which I have 2 PR15s(going on 4 years). I use the PR15s all the time, alone or in combinations......I love them, but I wouldn't give you 50 bucks for the PR12s or 10s.........biiiiiiiiiiig difference in sound. For $175, they are an extraordinary value. Are the Jbl twice as good for twice the price? I don't know, but when I buy speakers, I figure sound, dependability, durability, service, and now that I'm older, weight.......devided by price......this is just my opinion, good luck with your choice....

I use 2 peavey Pr15's at my weekly show. In the past I've also used Pr12 and the 15" are much better on the bottom end. -- Don't get me wrong - If you do a side by side comparison against a wooden cabinet you will notice a big difference with the Peaveys.

The question should be Whats the better choice for YOU.
You need a liteweight speaker and the Peaveys are an EXCEPTIONAL VALUE.

Without even listening to them it seems like the JBL's might give you a better overall sound and they are lighter and smaller than the Peaveys. But you can get 3 Pr15 for the price of 2 JBLS

[quote="letitrip @ Mon Mar 01, 2010 10:43 am"]Unfortunately the characteristic I hate the most about them is the one you need the most and that is the lightweight cabinet. Those soft lightweight plastic cabinets are just far too flexible and as a result they sound terrible. Huge amounts of bleed through the back of the cab, quote]

Eventhough I suggested them (PR15) I would have to agree on the "bleed" through.
This past Friday I set up a little different than normal and had one of the speakers very close to my table. You would have thought I had a subwoofer set up standing were I was. but OUT IN FRONT .....not so much. I still think they are a great LITEWEIGHT speaker for the money ..for the money...for the money.

If money is not a consideration there are better alternatives

Get some EV sx300s. They are 12" speakers, but will give you more bass response than a PR15 (I own both). They are about 35 pounds each. I got mine in good shape off craigslist for $225 each.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Well I settled on the JBL Eon305s. Got a great deal on two new speakers at $305 each. ($610 for the pair with free shipping). Thanks for all your help and all your opinions on this.

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My first choice IS Sound Choice.

I'm VERY happy with my Yorkville NX55P's. I had heard that they bleed from the back a bit, yesterday was the first time I noticed it, but only because I was behind the PA. They aren't bad for 12" Little pricy but I'm happy with them and would do it again.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

It's a shame they don't make a passive version of the SRM-450.

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My first choice IS Sound Choice.

I use (4) Mackie SRM350V2's (2 for stage monitors, 2 for sound reinforcement), and (2) Mackie SRM450V2's. Everybody that attends my shows rave about the sound quality. The 350,s weigh 26 lbs each, and the 450's weigh 45 lbs each. I have never needed to turn them up past 1/4 on the speaker gain knob. When you set the gain structure properly you can run the speaker output much lower. Needless to say I am way more than happy. The V2,s do not have the overheat problem that their previous models had.

Mrmarog

Interested to read your review on these once you get them up and running

They do, the c300z.
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/pr ... sku=605269

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Yeah, but at 43 pounds and $479 each, I think I'm gonna be happier with the JBLs at 33 pounds and $305 each. I should get them by the weekend. I'll try them out and give a quick review of what I think.

Thanks guys.

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My first choice IS Sound Choice.

Have to agree with mrmarog.
The SRM350 v2 are not real.
They are tiny, ridiculously light and sound really good.
I have done a couple of large rooms with them. 250 people.
I use a sub with them but could get away with not using the sub.