Mackie thump TH15A

[DJ Max]

Hi, I have been offered a pair of used Mackie Thumps th15A for £350. Is this a good deal or too expensive? Are they any good at all and how do they compare with others? Am I better off buying new budget active speakers for £350?

Thanks for advise!

[Retrodisco]

Depends which version, the latest V3 are an improvement, but they are still a budget speaker.

A new set of V3 can be had for about £430, so £350 isn't that great unless they are nearly new.

[DJ Max]

The cheapest I came across as new is £480. not sure if they are V2 or 3 but was told that they are as new condition used twice and still in boxes. But saying that I have not seen them yet! Would they be better than the budget Ekho or skytec?

[Retrodisco]

The cheapest I came across as new is £480. not sure if they are V2 or 3 but was told that they are as new condition used twice and still in boxes. But saying that I have not seen them yet! Would they be better than the budget Ekho or skytec?

Yes much better than those brands.

[funkymook]

I’ve never heard a glowing review of the Thumps (any version) and I tried a venues own pair once, I decided to bring my own system. And you have to wonder why someone is selling them after only two uses!

My advice would be to increase your budget and go for new or good s/h from a tried and tested make like RCF or FBT etc.

[Nakatomi]

Don't! Just don't.

Spend the money (and a little more) on a pair of alto Ts215 instead. Seriously.

The thumps are not what they say they are by any stretch of the imagination. Loud? No. Sound nice? No. High power? PMSL. I've been inside some & they're not all that. Not even remotely.

I'd echo what Martin says about spending extra & getting better 2nd hand too. I was tempted to get thumps once & am SO glad I didn't.

For that kind of money there'd be Db Opera 15" actives, or Mackie SRM450 or RCFs. Heck i just saw a pair of FBT Xlite 12s barely 2 years old go for under 450 quid.

My own SRM450 v1 cost me 350 for the pair more than a year ago & they're not great IMHO but still MILES better than the utter rubbish thumps.

[Nakatomi]

And here is WHY you really don't wanna buy a Mackie Thump. Of any version:

From one of my earlier posts where I had a rant because I had one in to fix:

I've got a little job on at the moment of repairing a Mackie Thump 15A. It doesn't power on. So, I grabbed the schematics & had a good old nosey around. The LF amp, usually the strongest amp in a bi-amped active speaker is based on a TDA8924 chip! Maxed out, in bridge mode that IC is good for 240WRMS. Add the HF side, using a TDA7294 which when given 100V (which it ain't) can deliver 100WRMS into 8 Ohms.

Ah, so that's (in theory) only 340WRMS you say. Good. Then we come to the power supply. Split rail 28V at 5 amps. That'll give us about 280W!!! That's quite some way from your 1000 Watts isn't it, Mr Mackie? Even in their spec sheet they say the LF amp is 400W RMS. NOPE. Not when the chip amplifier can only deliver 240WRMS. Very very very naughty Mackie.

So the sum total of the amplifier power in the speaker is 340W RMS. But the power supply can only deliver 280W. And that isn't even continuous, cos there's nowhere for all the heat produced to go. In short, they're complete & utter cack.

I tested it out good & proper after the repair, and to be fair it sounded better than I expected. Loud though? Nah. Maybe a pair would hold their own for up to 80 people in a small room but I wouldn't want to push them.

[Benny Smyth]

In short, they're complete & utter cack.

For crying out loud, Justin. Get off that fence before you get splinters in your ass.

[DJ Max]

Thanks all for your advice, I will not touch them. The Alto's ts215 sound good! Maybe I should wait and save some more money! I already have an Alto Truesonic 15 Sub which although it's not the loudest, the quality of sound is nice and I like it. My tops are budget and that's why I'm looking to replace.

[DJ Max]

The older Alto TS115, are they any good? They are cheaper in the second hand market!