compare JBL VRX900 & Peavay VersArray

[pmaidson]

hello
i am looking to purchase some new speakers for live events... so far what i have in mind is the JBL VRX900 ( VRX932 & VRX918S) and The Peavay VersArray speakers ... need some help to decide. anything that can help me with decision ... thx in advance!

[scottdemarko]

Both Sound amazing... If I had to choose on other, factors here are things I consider:

Price

Versarray System from Peavey as an example

Peavey: 8 Versa112's + 2 Versa218 Subs you'd be looking around $13k and some change...

JBL: 8 VRX932LA's + 2 VRX918S Subs you'd be looking around $19K and some change...

We ran a test here over a year ago now, and in conditions similar to most outdoor concerts the Peavey Array system was incredible. Very loud, clear, and excellent punch.

The other thing I consider is Accessories. There seems to be a bit more accessories for the Peavey setup. Especially for mobile operators. The Peavey Vermette lift is a really cool lift for hosting the speakers up at ideal heights. VersaLIFT

[soundsouth]

One factor you may have overlooked is scalability. The VRX is fixed angle array, and as a result you can't hang more than about three a side for a flat audience area, or you end up with boxes pointing up at the sky and boxes pointing at the ground in front of the stage. Even with a raked audience layout like a theater or outdoor ampitheater I have never seen more than four hung effectively. So you end up with an array too short to actually be called a line array.

The Versarray on the other hand is configurable as a flat array, or with varying curvature in increments of 2.5 degrees. Thus you can hang as many as are required to achieve the coverage or SPL needed for your situation.

This was the deciding factor for me, as I did not want to be limited to what is essentially a "short throw" line array (VRX). I bought a dozen of the VR112's and have never regretted it. There are plenty of gear snobs out there who still won't give Peavey a listen, but if you want a SUPERB sounding line array with distortion about 80% below what you can get from a compression horn/driver combo you should get Versarrays. Dollar for dollar they blow everything else away. In short, you can buy twice as much (or more) PA with a given budget, and it will SOUND better than JBL or virtually anything else available (I should add that I haven't heard the new drivers in the JBL VTX series which I hear are very good, but there you are talking about a whole order of magnitude more expensive).

[michaelhoddy]

VRX isn't a line array. Doesn't act like one, even though it sort of looks like one. Useful little buggers in ballrooms and other typical short-throw wide-angle apps. The Peavey may sound great, but if you're trying to rent your system or book your sound company, getting potential clients through the "Peavey" filter will get old after a while.

An important question to ask yourself, regardless of whose speakers sound like what, is who is going to be using this system, and what do they care about most? If you're trying to build a sound company, name cachet, as meaningless as it may be in terms of sound or features, really does matter a lot, and really, the better question in that regard is which system brings you better ROI for the clientele you're after.