Mackie Thump TH-15A Reviews

from Michigan, USA
January 28, 2013Music Background:
(learning) Live Sound Engineer

Fantastic !!!

I new they would be good because I have a pair of TH-13A.

Danny Smith
from Austin, TX USA
November 6, 2012Music Background:
Pro musician (singer/songwriter, producer, and engineer)

Lightweight & clean

I can't imagine getting better quality for the price. This speaker is easy to carry and it sounds great. Nice flat frequency response. I'm using for acoustic guitar, keyboard and vocals and it's perfect. I also like that it's made to sit at several different angels if I want to use it as a monitor. I bought one to replace an older JBL I had, but now I can't wait to replace the other one.

Michael A. Tisdale
from Louisiana
October 16, 2012Music Background:
keyboardist/vocalilst

Mackie Quality Can't be beat!

I bought two of these Mackie powered speakers to use with my keyboards. I was immediately impressed by the quality of the units and the quality of the sound reproduction. Steven Chamoun suggested these to replace the older unpowered speakers I had and WOW!! do they sound great. Mackie quality and Sweetwater customer service, what a great combination. Top that off with 18-month interest free financing from Mackie on these and it is an unbelieveable deal. Thanks Mackie for a great product, thanks Steven Chamoun for always steering me to the great equipment. I might have to order a pair of subs now to really bring up the jam!

pro_soundman
from South Central Virginia - North Carolinia / Piedmont
February 28, 2012Music Background:
Live Sound Engineer 25 years

Pristene, excellent sound definition, not colored or masked.

Changed my FOH & Monitor setup from conventional amp-speaker system to powered speaker system reducing my overall system weight by 800 lbs and producing the same quality sound if not better. Bought 6 of the Thump TH-15A cabinets to use as monitors instead of the heavy JBL MR series. The Thumps delivered what I see as a cleaner sound with good definition in the vocal and accoustic range. Not quite as heavy low mid but with good bottom when adding kick & bass to the mix. I handle production for several bands and after 4 different gigs with 2 of them being driving southern rock I feel comfortable selling my old gear and going with a powered system. I changed my FOH over to QSC KW 153 series (4 tops & 4 subs) but didnt have the cash to go KW with the monitors. For the $$ saved the Mackie Thumps deliver well used as stage monitors. A local DJ has been using the Thumps for a little over a year without any issues and he told me to try them, said I wouldnt be sorry. He gave good advice, they do deliver as advertised.. The only issue I see is the OL light is too sensitive and somewhat annoying when the monitors are turned with the back to the front of the house. I have each one of them on a seperate 31 band digital EQ and there is no distortion, the lights just flicker enough to get your attention, on the other hand I havnt been able to drive my KW's hard enough to make them flicker. Bound to be a difference in how the limiters are internaly set between the brands.

Brad C.
from Sturgis, MI
February 21, 2012Music Background:
Live Sound Engineer

Great Sounding

These have a nice and balanced sound actually have to turn the amps down below U (Unity).

Stewart
from Fort Worth
October 7, 2010Music Background:
Amatuer DJ for 25 years, Pro DJ for last 4

My Thumps, My Thumps, My lovely Lady Thumps!!!!

My Thumps My Thumps My lovely lady Thumps. I think of them as girls because they sound so sweet!! But baby's got back. The bass is just fantastic, and the smooth understated treble is sooooo nice and clear, much less painful to my ears. Many speakers sound like someone is shaking a can of coins in your ears. I know I will have less ringiing in my ears after my next GIG with these Mackie Thumps. Thanks Mackie for making the Perfect DJ speaker and Thanks Derek with Sweetwater for such a great deal. I Love my Thumps. OH don't forget she's petite too, Smallisth but sturdy frame only about 27" tall and only about 33 pounds. She eats like a bird too. A super efficient speaker. I am going to match them with the Mackie 18" powered subwoofer on larger gigs (1 sub now and another later)

Roach
from Texas
September 24, 2010Music Background:
Pro Musician

Perfect keyboard monitor

What's not to like about this speaker. It's cheap, it's loud, great sound quality and it's light weight. The full range cabinet reproduces piano, organ, pad and string sounds with excellent clarity and ample bass. The built-in EQ is great for being able to tweak the sound for the room. Unlike my JBL Eon which had horn hiss this unit is silent. The cabinet gets banged around in traveling and it still looks new. My JBL Eon scuffed up very easily. I am very pleased with all aspects of the unit. You won't regret buying it.

Don Fortney
from Corapolis, PA 15108
May 17, 2010Music Background:
In a Band

Mackie THUMP TH-15A

I love the Mackie THUMP TH-15A it was just what I needed very powerful shipping was very fast

Ken Willard
from Colorado Springs. CO
April 29, 2010Music Background:
Live music, DJ, Speaker Repair Shop

Pleasantly Surpirsed

They really pack a WALLOP!. I put 2 of these on 2 Mackie SW1501 subs and they sound as good as any system I've used in my 30 years as a musician, and after 30 years of humping gear the 32 pounds is a real treat too! I would recommend then to any live system, and the DJ's will flip over this one. I own a professional speaker repair shop and would without hesitation recommend these to my customers.

Simon
from clarence-creek ont
August 12, 2009Music Background:
Mobile DJ

Assome For DJ's monitor's anything

I love them i bouth them 2nd hand of 1 month usage and i wacht movie's and the sound is assome and them i made a wedding in a dealership, HUGE show room, my speaker's were at there max , my ear's were not event scraching, no pain to ear's and the led "OL" blik's alot when at max,but still loud enouf.

If your a DJ or somthing and looking for active stpeaker's, these are the best at that low price.

Scott Murrell
from Texarkana.,Ar.
June 18, 2009Music Background:
musician

We want the Thump, gotta have the Thump!

P.a. speakers are supposed to be heavy and expensive or they're no good. Isn't that right? Not anymore! I bought two Thumps and our guitar player bought one and is going to buy another, we are that impressed by these suckers.
These speakers sound so good and aren't killing our backs or our pocketbooks (thanks Jeff Law!). I'm used to using a large Klipsch professional series pa. that are very expensive and doesn't sound that much better!

DJ Bambam
from New Orleans
June 19, 2008Music Background:
Sound engineer, club tech, mobile and club DJ

Shocked at the quality of sound.

These speakers sound better than I could have imagined. It goes to show that quality engineering can make even "low end" parts sound great. The light-weight (36lbs) sold me on the Thumps before I had heard them in person. I was looking for a small pair for smaller gigs. What I got was a lite system that doesn't require a sub! The low end is clear and clean. If you are using these as intended (smaller crowd, smaller room) and stay within limits (below distortion levels) you will be impressed.

J-Rock Showtime Entertainment
from Atlanta, Ga
October 12, 2007Music Background:
Professional DJ

FANTASTIC! BUT THESE SPEAKERS!

We are a DJ company with 7-10 systems. We have them all, Mackie, JBL, B-52 and Yamaha. I was looking for a cheap set of powerd speakers for some team trivia and karaoke stuff. Istumble on these Tapco Thumps and decided to give them a try. Holy SH*% these things blew my mind! I am not some person who is wowed by much, but these speaker sound fantastic! Full low end and nice smooth highs. I did a sound comparison with my pair of JBL EONs and it was not even close. The Thumps sounded head and shoulders better and half the cost! The EONs sounded harsh and semi distorted. If you are in the market for some powerd speakers, take my word on this, these speakers can hand with the Mackies, JBLs and more. My only concern is can these speakers hold up to the riggors of daily use. I am going to push these hard for the next 60 days and see how they respond. Overall, great sounding speaker for the money!

Rick in Spokane, WA
from Liberty Lake, WA
September 24, 2007Music Background:
20+ years Weekend Warrior Musician, Live Gigs and Recording

Great Big Sounding Little Speakers

Have to admit, I was skeptical. The reveiws were promising, and my Sweetwater rep. recommended them given my price contraints (Cadillac tastes, junker VW budget). But how big could these 200W speakers really sound? But I was desperate, so I purchased a pair and used them in my gigs over this last weekend. These light little cabinets really put out! Clear full bodied sound. (Yes, they really do thump!) Zero distortion. In one gig, playing classic rock, the crowd was about 500 people in a basketball court gym sized room. I had to set the speaker volume down to under half way and pull back the master fader on the board to about 3, and they filled the room. Everyone in the band was impressed. I couldnt be more pleased with this purchase.

Likia
from Ft Myers, FL
September 9, 2007Music Background:
DJ/ KJ/ Student

They THUMP!

I picked up a pair of them. Sound great! In live application just as good as the more expensive Mackie SRM 450's. My hat off to both Tapco and Greg Mackie, awsome, well worth the money...oh and did I mention they THUMP?...they THUMP!(the built in EQ on the back is a nice little novelty.) only down side is the plastic being not as sturdy as that of the srm450's but it's a heck of a lot lighter so, that's nice too!

ozpower
from Branson MO
June 2, 2007Music Background:
Pro- live many years and still kickin butt!!

UNBELIEVABLE

THIS IS OVERALL THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK FOR A PAIR OF PA SPEAKERS. Mackie techs raved about them. I partook for myself. WOW! tried to get them from Musicians friend and they didnt even know what they were.Not that they know much at all over there. Bought a pair from the local music store and now i know why places like musicians friend wont stock them even though they are a Mackie product. They are lower priced and probably not as much in the mark up and they are too stingey to admit it. But they blow everything else away. Forget the JBL crap and bypass the other expensive mackie speakers.go listen. You will buy.the sound is CHOICE ABOVE THE REST!!! LOW END-MIDS-HIGHS..The best Ive heard and Ive heard most of what's out there. Congrats to Sweetwater for having the integrity to sell them even though they kick the butt of the higher priced speakers.

from
September 20, 2012

Thump

really loud and sound amazing, had the OL light on after a couple hours but i was pushing them

Doug
from Rome, NY
August 8, 2012Music Background:
AV professional

Thump is a winner

We're using the Mackie Thumps for our Church Social Hall. We have been impressed with the clarity of the speakers even when cranking the volume. Ease of operation is also a plus when volunteers are needed to play a part in operating the equipme t

daniel
from United States
May 20, 2012Music Background:
restaurant venue

my first pa speakers

For the price, it is a great product. Just what i was looking for.

Donny
from Treasure coast Florida
March 21, 2012Music Background:
Pro mobile dj

Thump 15's

I own a pair of these. They have a nice clean sound at mid volume. They do clip pretty fast if you keep the bass cranked. I had these for about six months, one of them has been in a repair shop for 2 out of the 6 months. After djing only 5 small parties (100) people or less one of the tweeters went out and spent 2 months in the shop, at least it was fully covered under warranty. These sound a thousand times better with a sub this way you can use the eq on the back to turn down the bass on the thumps and get a lot louder without clipping. Beside the 2 months in the shop, they sound fantastic. Nice solid light weight speaker.

Jeff
from Bristol, VA
December 12, 2011Music Background:
Weekend warrior

Great for what it's designed for

Great speaker for small to mid sized venues. The bass response is awesome (for a class D amplifier) but the overall clarity of the cabinet compared to the cost is unbelievable. We use these as a stand alone cabinet for small clubs and we use them in medium sized venues as the top end with our subs...we're able to run the whole band through this setup. I don't believe you can go wrong when you purchase this cabinet.

Rob Ticho
from Burlington, VT
November 13, 2011Music Background:
Professional DJ

Loving these versatile speakers

I bought two of these and they are working out great. The sound is awesome, with a good full range. I use them primarily for small parties and bring them to smaller venues as reinforcement for weak house sound systems.

Set up is easy because I can run two wires directly from my Traktor S4 controller straight to the speakers. It makes set up super quick.

Kahuku-1
from Hawaii
September 14, 2011Music Background:
Weekend performer

Performance at a great price!

I recently upgraded to a pair of K-10s and a pair of Yamaha DSR 112s but let me tell you, I'll never part with my TH-15A's because the performance you get out of these $350 speakers is incredible! For those who are starting out, these speakers are a GREAT choice because of the EXCELLENT value and stout performance. I still can't figure out how Mackie was able to make a great performance package and minimum cost? Keep up the good work, Mackie!! You make great sounds very affordable!

Carlos
from Monroe,La
September 2, 2011Music Background:
Dj

Light weight and nice sound

I use my thumps as a Dj at small venues and at home to practice. They are perfect for a traveling Dj and I think they have a nice sound! Overall Great product

Rodney
from Eastern, NC
November 2, 2010Music Background:
Mobile DJ

Great look and good quality

I owned two Tapco thumps and had to overnight one of the new mackie versions when one of my tapco's blew up. My sales engineer got it to me and saved the day. Love the new black finish over the old yellow. Looks and sounds great.

Rick Holly
from Lafayette NJ
October 18, 2010Music Background:
Part time pro musician and recording engineer.

Everything I wanted in a speaker

I have been using a QSC amp and a JBL 15 cabinet for bottom end in my PA system. I use a pair of active Behringer speakers on stands for the mids and highs and general projection. The QSC weighs a ton and the JBL cab takes up too much apce in the small rooms my partner and I play in. The first time I heard these speakers they were being sold under the Tapco name. Theu sounded great but by the time I was ready to buy a pair they had stopped being made under the Tapco name and were now offically Mackie. These speakers will kick your ass. They are powerful and sound great. I actually have to scale back the low end a bit using the four band EQ on the speaker. These speakers are also very lightweight for their size.
I just played a job over the weekend using the pair of Mackies (which I placed on the floor), and my Behringers on stands. We rotated live music with a DJ who played through our system. The room we were playing in was quite large (a banquet hall) easily holding several hundred people. I ran the Mackies at half volume and my Behringers at just over half volume and it filled the room easily with great coverage and crystal clear sound.
The DJ we worked with normally carries two power amps in a rack and four speaker cabs with 15" speakers and horns. Once he heard the Mackies, picked up one of them and saw how light they were to carry, he said he would be ordering a pair immediately. I have owned these for about four months now and used them at about a dozen jobs so far. In smaller rooms I only use one with my smaller Behringers on stands. I have had no problem or issues. They work great.

Jon Pickles
from Poughkeepsie, NY
August 25, 2010Music Background:
hobbyist bassist and fader jockey

Mains or monitors, the Thumps are great bang for the buck!

My bar band ran a pair of Thumps as mains (no subs) for our first gig. The audience (approx. 200 people) were amazed at the clarity of the sound. The bar owner commented that the sound was the best she'd ever heard in her establishment. I had the dubious task of mixing from on stage, (which sucks) but did the best I could given the situation. The Thumps needed very little eq - I dropped 600Hz about 6 dB to take out some of the boxiness, but that was about it. The kick drum sounded just right with the Shure kick mic (foget model, Beta something...).

We had used the Thumps as monitors in our practice space (basement) and they sounded so clear and loud, that they replaced our mains (Yammie A15 pair via Crown K2 amp).

They are insanely light and a joy to schlep! I hope they hold up for many years of service.

from Sierra Foothills, CA
February 2, 2009Music Background:
Pro-Sound Tech & A/V for 32 years/Pro-Musician

A Great Active Speaker For The Money, Pretty Amazed!

We just purchased a pair of these for our casino, I must say they fit the bill quite nicely. I read quite a few reviews and took a chance. First, they don't have much circuit noise as one review said, yes the OL led fires alot, but I don't hear any clipping. We use them as fills for some dead spots on our satge and we think they sound better than the higher end company speakers we use in line with these.

So they would be perfect for what I just mentioned, great for musicians in convention/special event venue for nice full body sound at lower levels. If I was a rock act, I don't think this would be good choice as mains, but as montiors they would work very well.

So I will say you can't beat them for what pay, I will also say that it's not "you get what you pay for" They sound fine and Mackie Corp should get a nice slap on the back for a job well done!

brad b.
from Seattle, WA
September 1, 2008Music Background:
semi-pro jazz guitar

Great Speakers

I use a single Thump for my guitar synthesizer setup, and the sound is great. I really get the full range of string pads, pianos, vibes, etc. They're lightweight, so they're easy to move around and set up - great value for the money. Planning on getting a second one so I can have a stereo setup.

DJL
from Fairfax, VA
November 19, 2007Music Background:
Professional DJ, Producer at Fifth Edition Records

Unbelievable Sound for Cheap Price

After reading some promising the reviews, these "thumps" seemed almost too good to be true. But after using an the JBL Eons after a while, I needed some speakers designed for low bass frequencies as well as a low budget price. They shipped right away, and I was immediatly blown away. These 15" woofers delivered better than the JBL Eons that I currently use. These speakers have a built in 3band EQ which is extremely helpful extending to +-15db. They work well primarily for about 200-400 people no problem, but you have to watch the OverLoad light on the back to make sure your not pushing the built in amps to thier peak. Great speakers, a must buy for all DJs that are a little low on cash, I promise you wont be dissapointed.

E. Pesante
from GA, USA
April 4, 2007Music Background:
DJ / Keys / Producer (Electronic/Funk)

Definitely "Thumps"!

I've been on the hunt for some powered loudspeakers/monitors for dj/live pa use. I really wanted the sr450 (Mackie), but didn't have the $$$. So I was going to settle for something less. Then, I stumbled across the Tapco Thumps and being new on the market was a little skeptical. Somehow, I knew that Mackie would not just put their name on a mediocre product. I ordered. I received them super-fast. I did a show, and could not believe my ears. The 3band EQ on the back lets you shape the sound and bring out what you want. A tad bit bulkier(squarier) than the 450's, but I'm diggin' the orange accents and great industrial design. The sound? Having a 15in woofer they thump for sure! I played them for about 6 hours straight (outdoors), bass cut out just a bit on a couple of big bass hits (after about the 4th hour). It makes me feel good that the active circuitry actually protects the speakers/amps from blowing up or overheating. I just cut back a little bit on the bass and they kept sounding great for the rest of the night. What are these guys thinking? These could go for $450-500. I've had them for less than 2 weeks and feel very confident about my purchase. Only time will tell. Way to go Tapco!

Fred
from Pennsylvania
December 3, 2010Music Background:
Drummer for 40 years on acoustics. New to E drums over last 5 years

E-Drum SpeaKER

Bought these to play my Roland E Drums in practice setting and small to medium gigs. Sound great. Can't "feel" the kick drum like playing with subs on a 2500 watt head but then did not expect to. Great for
DJ and Karaoke. So far for the price real satisfied.

John Frost (aka DJ Frosty)
from United States
September 21, 2009Music Background:
12 years DJ - Club shows,weddings, mausoleum to coloseum...

Well worth the dough...

I have had my SM450's for 8 years now and they are starting to show their age. Not too bad, a slight hum, probably would have tell the untrained ear, but enough to bother me.
So I do a little research and decided to pull the trigger on something less expensive than my initial $1100.00 speaker investment. I ordered my Thumps through Ben here at Sweetwater and believe it or not I wasn't the first one to use them. Rather a DJ friend of mind needed to rent a pair for a 300 person wedding while one of his b-52's was being repaired. I dropped them off at the venue and returned 4 hours later, and he wouldn't shut up about their performance. Verywell, that's good to hear but ill make my own inferences... I set up the next day for a local old school show I do and immediately knew what he was talking about...These things bang! Now don't get it twisted, they aren't on the same level as a new pair of Sm-450 v2's but are a VERY close second. Crisp high's, great mids, and a low end that did old school hip-hop justice. (Both vinyl and Mp3) I run a Furman and a BBE sound condenser so power is filtered so to speak, but they sound fantastic...did a karoake show a week later and had no complaints (other than to turn it down a couple times) A solid buy for a new jock, or a veteran looking for a back-up set.

Jeff
from NC
February 8, 2009Music Background:
Rock and Country, pro musician

Great for the cash

Very impressive speaker for the money. We use them as practice speakers and occasionally for monitors. They are light and produce some very high-quality sound. The horns have a bit of noise when a low volume signal is sent through them, but sound good if you are pushing a decent signal through them. The driver will distort at higher volumes with a ton of bass, but not bad. (At the price I have thought about replacing the speaker with something else, you would still be about half the price of a mackie or JBL).

Overall great deal!

Kevin B.
from New Orleans, LA USA
June 12, 2008Music Background:
Electronic Musician

If you are a DJ, this is your PA

These PAs are doing a great job for me so far (and have quite a lot of bass).

If you're your own roadie, the lightweight build is ideal. I am very impressed.

SP
from Western Pennsylvania
February 18, 2008Music Background:
Pro Musician

Good Value and Sound

I purchased a pair of these from sweetwater as an onstage monitor system for my keyboard rig. I didn't want to spend a fortune on something only I'd hear. On the other hand, I don't like the sound of traditional keyboard amps - most aren't bi-amped and for the most part, you gotta buy two to get stereo. I also prefer the sound of 15-inch cones on piano sounds, so that was a priority as well. After owning these for a year, I can say they were/are a great investment. The speakers sound good, I've never overloaded them, and I've used them in a large variety of settings:
1.) stereo onstage monitors for my 90's rock/alternative band - plenty of power here with 400 watts. I use them with Korg Triton/Hammond Xk3c/Alesis Micron.
2.) solo piano sound system at wedding ceremonies, even in large churches (sounds great with yamaha digital stage pianos). With speakers up on poles, sounds quite natural.
3.) I use as mains when accompanying several choirs, including a local jazz choir with about 25 singers. Again, it makes a light, simple, tasteful sounding solution and the price can't be beat.

I'd now like to get the new matching subwoofer to use on solo piano/accompanying gigs, where I do need the oomph of that lowest octave. Only one teensy drawback for me is there is no TRS jack connector - XLR only, so if you're using a mini-mixer with jack outputs, purchase and carry spares for quarter-inch to xlr balanced cables.

I'd definitely purchase these again...in fact, i've recommended them to a friend who was very impressed as well. Good buy.

kevin pierre
from Queens,NY
January 14, 2012Music Background:
DJ

GOOD SOUND QUALITY BUT NOT ENOUGH POWER

these speakers are great if your on the go an looking for lightweight speakers, good quality but not enough power the OL light comes on steady at high volumes good for 50-100 people. i strongly suggest you get a sub with these speakers.

from College
May 14, 2013

Fragile

Maxed out way too easily. Blew them out 3 times in my 2 year warranty, and now they're dead forever. They were certainly VERY loud, but way overpowered for themselves, which seems like a pretty silly mistake to make.

Viktor
from Sweden
September 13, 2011Music Background:
Semi-Pro DJ

Priceworthy!

Good sound quality at low levels, good bass but the output is not overwhelming. It's not hard to get the OL/clip light to flash constantly.
It feels like the built-in amplifier just don't have enough power...
But after some tweaking i found a good balance between my crossover and EQ.
I recommend them to anybody who wants a easy-carry good sounding cheap speaker.

Pro's:
- Easy handling (light weight, compact, multiple carrying handles)
- Good Sounding at low to average levels
- Low costs
- Variable EQ sweep

Negative:

- Detail quality is not the best, distortion from bassports, handles don't feel very solid
- Not enough power from built in amps.

Conclusion
Priceworthy but doesn't get to loud good for anyone who wants a cheap and flexible speaker. I wouldn't use them standalone with more than 50people. With subs and no low-freq. running through TH-15A i would say these boys can handle up to 200 people depending on the room and so forth. In the end you get what you pay for.

Thumpy
from Hood river, OR
December 5, 2011Music Background:
Gigging hobbyist

Mackie Thump TH-15A

For powered speakers, I own this and the thump 12 (and a pair of QSC k 12s,which are obviously in another class). Cheap price, but pretty low quality, uneven frequency response and not much clarity. Not for use with bass guitar or keyboards at any volume. Farts out VERY early with low frequencies. Makes a funny low level machinery noise at idle when I have the EQ button engaged. I have relegated it for use as a vocal and/or keyboard monitor in a large dance band setting. I like theThe thump 12 a lot more. It doesn't pretend to reproduce bass: The 12A has more clairty, smaller, ridiculously light, works great as stage monitor for vocals, guitars, keys. I love the angles, the handle positions, the gain on the preamp is useful (a microphone straight in will work!) The inputs are limited to an XLR, which is a handicap. Why the heck don't these have a 1/4" jack in? All the other low end ones do (Behringer, Seismic, many more)

Ronald Aqui
from Trinidad
February 4, 2010Music Background:
Pro Musician

Penny Pinching Mackie Thumps

I have been using these speakers for about a year.Back then they carried the name "Tapco Thump". They have developed a bad cabinet rattle. Why? The speaker in held down by only four screws instead of eight! A totally unnecessary manufacturing compromise.

A. Nony Moose
from Kansas
August 11, 2012Music Background:
full time "live" guy & system engineer

I disagree

Without a doubt the most disappointing plastic speaker I've ever used. I call this line Mackie "Thud" because that's the sound you'll hear as you lower your expectations all the way to the basement.

Gig - singer/songwriter duo, acoustic guitars with pickups playing to a 40' square audience area. A Thud® and Thump sub, per side. The 15A's were well into limiting, and the limiter is not subtle. The companion sub wasn't as obviously distorting, but it was also into limit. Mind you the act was 2 singers playing acoustic guitars. Not talking "Tommy Emanuel" or anything like that.

I'd suggest almost any other speaker. While Mackie's SRM series costs more, you get a much better speaker. Ditto for RCF, ART, JBL, Yamaha, etc. IOW, pick something else. Really.