SRM450s Overheating - is it really a problem?

[Vectis]

Just done an unbelievable deal on a pair of mint SRM450s (v1) from a vocalist I work with occasionally (his spares ) and intend to use them as mains for smallish venues, or with a dB sub 15 for medium venues, in place of my Peavey Pro15s / large heavy amp case.

There's plenty of conflicting evidence around the web about overheating, some say it's a myth, others citing real examples, but mostly from bands/vocalists.

So what do we mobile jocks think of them?

Do I need to rush out and buy fan kits or can I put my faith in them for tomorrow's wedding? I've had them thrashing in the lounge for an hour this morning and they hardly got lukewarm.

[djdarren]

they are fantastic speakers mate depending on what version.
the older ones had much better speaker drivers in and sounded much better than the current version (however they still sound great)

the amps do seem to have a lack of cooling tho, running them at full volume (not clipping) for a few hours the amps do get very hot, no fan and just a heatsync is the cause.

i have known a few people using clip on desk fans on the back of the units just to help however never heard of anyone having a failed unit down to heat ether (however i dont believe it is good for them)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Out of the 7 guys who I use regularly, 6 use active Mackies and none of them have ever had a problem with overheating.

If you don't overdrive them, it won't be a problem.

The older ones did have a problem or two apparantly and they were built in Italy with RCF drivers, whereas the newer ones are built in China and don't have RCF drivers. I use RCF and used to use the 450s and there is not that much difference in sound to be honest.

The heatsinks do get hot, but then that is what they are there for.

[CRAZY K]

Just done an unbelievable deal on a pair of mint SRM450s (v1) from a vocalist I work with occasionally (his spares ) and intend to use them as mains for smallish venues, or with a dB sub 15 for medium venues, in place of my Peavey Pro15s / large heavy amp case.

There's plenty of conflicting evidence around the web about overheating, some say it's a myth, others citing real examples, but mostly from bands/vocalists.

So what do we mobile jocks think of them?

Do I need to rush out and buy fan kits or can I put my faith in them for tomorrow's wedding? I've had them thrashing in the lounge for an hour this morning and they hardly got lukewarm.

Martin, its not exactly benchtesting conditions in the comfort of your home,
but from what I hear you would have to be pushing the units hard all night to get overheated--certainly Bands seem pretty unaware of how loud they are as they try to oudo each other on sound levels

I did give some belonging to one of Dazs guys a 90 minute pasting with my voice recently and they seemed ok

I only found out last week the Peavey Pro 15s have a thermal cut out on the HF units--although I have been unable to blow them despite nearly 4 years of hammering including plenty of red leds.

I had a fault because a thin soldered wire connection cracked---no component failure or thermal cut out.

CRAZY K

[Shaun]

There's plenty of conflicting evidence around the web about overheating, some say it's a myth, others citing real examples, but mostly from bands/vocalists.

So what do we mobile jocks think of them?

Do I need to rush out and buy fan kits or can I put my faith in them for tomorrow's wedding? I've had them thrashing in the lounge for an hour this morning and they hardly got lukewarm.

Overheating isn't a myth (in my experience anyway). A few months after buying srm 450's I was wishing I'd bought something else.

I've recently bought cooling fans for them from a guy that makes them to order. Since attaching the fans I've never had a problem. They're now perfect.

Check the link below. Trust me, it'll be the best 35 quid you've spent in a while. You will however have to buy a couple of 12v transformers. They're cheap enough though.

http://www.geoffkingpromotions.co.uk...ts_219742.html

[Vectis]

Hmmmm.... There I was getting a warm feeling and then Shaun comes along

What sort of scenarios were yours tripping out in? Were you driving them hard, were they in hot rooms, tight corners etc.? Room/audience sizes??

Was hoping to run mine tomorrow for a wedding party, about 100ish folks in a spacious room near to a fire escape which can be opened slightly if it gets hot in there. Should I be taking the Peaveys in the van just in case?

[Shaun]

I think you'll be absolutely fine in the conditions you've mentioned. I have been driving them relatively hard, but nowhere near their potential. Most times it's been with crowds well in excess of 150 people. They've tripped out both in confined spaces, and large open stage alike.

I don't think you'll need to take the Peaveys as it's unlikely both will trip it a the same time. Whenever mine has tripped it's just a case of lowering the volume till the heatsink cools down.

[Penfold42]

I hope not as I will be getting mine soon.

[kilmeedyman]

I run mine with the rear gain control at '5 to 12' and it doesn;t seem to matter how much I crank them up through the mixer they cope.
I have never see or heard them clipping.
They have never overheated. They get warm, yes, but cooling fins are supposed to do that to dissipate the heat. If the fins don't get warm, that's when I would be worried as the amps could possibly overheat.

[spin mobile disco]

You can buy mains voltage fan units from maplin that with a bit of soldering could be attached to the mackie iec power in socket in line with mains input power. Then attach fan to cooling fins. Should work a dream.
I have worked alongside people who have mk1 mackies and only about half of them report heat problems.