Review: JBL PRX900 Series

CONNECTIONS

The rear panel sports a new colour OLED screen. The layout is inviting — beside the screen there’s simply a large Main Volume/Menu Navigation knob and a Back button. Below the screen there are two combi input channels with gain knobs and individual XLR pass thru outputs. These thru outputs are a simple split of the input signal and don’t have any DSP processing. An Aux In third input accepts a 3.5mm stereo minijack plug. All three inputs have a signal/clip LED indicator for the channel level. An additional XLR Mix Out socket sends the post-DSP full-range, mixed output to another speaker (or mixing console if the PRX912 is being used as a keyboard mixer/monitor). The Sub preset includes a variable crossover function enabling the Mix Out to drive separate sub woofers without an external crossover. The Pass Thru and Time Align menu section allows both the PRX912 itself and the Mix Out outputs to be delayed up to 180ms for delay speaker use or fine tuning phase relationships.

The speakers are set up to be driven from a mixing/DJ desk. The Channel and Master gain knobs are calibrated with 0dB (line level) max and there’s no mic/line switch or 48V phantom power. If you must plug a microphone directly into the speaker, pressing the Main/Menu knob gets you to the Gain settings for the two input channels and the opportunity to add up to 32dB of gain. The JBL PRX912s are largely plug ’n’ play and sound fine flat but there’s a range of EQ presets, a customisable 12-band EQ and a Bass Boost (3dB@80Hz) on hand. Limiting comes courtesy of dbx and goes from its Overeasy soft-knee-style compression through to Brickwall mode for system protection. 

EFFICIENT & EASY

In use, my first impression was the efficiency and easy volume, they seem to lift up a lot for any given increase in gain. The PRX sound quality is different to the EON range – less hi-fi and more of a focused, mid-forward monitor sound. The frequency response is flat across the mids while the low frequencies are quite subdued (-3dB point is at 65Hz) until you push them. The Bass Boost and EQ/presets will fill out the low end if needed but to realise their full potential on the dancefloor, separate subs will be needed.

As FOH speakers in small to medium venues the PRX912s run noticeably louder and harder than the EONs. Their strength is in their powerful mid-range and high frequencies —both new drivers contribute but the larger diaphragm in the 2408H-2 1.5-inch tweeter, in particular, seems effortless at medium and higher levels. Once I’d heard them, I was confident I could use a pair for a local football club function with a DJ and a few hundred in the audience. I was using suitable subs but I still wouldn’t have done it with a pair of EONs, the room was too big, and that’s the difference — a pair of 12-inch EONs <may> have worked but I knew the PRX12s <would>.

Setting up was made easier by having the Sub preset to drive my subs from the Mix Out, rather than taking a crossover — very handy. They sound right flat but presets are worth exploring, especially for music playback. They’re subtle and I chose the DJ preset for this event. I was happy when I set it up and heard it. The DJ had it cranked up after dinner with no problems apart from repeated requests for ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and ‘We Are The Champions’.

INTO THE FOLD 

The PRX912s also make excellent foldback wedges, aided by an on-board G-sensor that automatically changes (reduces) the LF response when the speaker is laid on its side. The mid-range projection and clarity are what makes them work well as vocal monitors but they’ve got the power handling and depth to get a decent amount of kick drum and bass as well. I used them for long-time Melbourne supergroup Checkerboard Lounge: one for guitarist Shannon Bourne and another for singer/drummer Carl Pannuzo, and they got their vocals clear above the band despite a firm stage volume. You can tell a lot about wedges from the band’s reaction, if their reaction is ‘yeah, great’ without me needing to explore full volume or apply excess EQ, then I like them. I left the AFS (Automatic Feedback Suppression) switched in — you can hear it working if you look for it when testing but I don’t think I got near it during the show.

US grunge band Mudhoney sold out the Theatre Royal and they were loud. Dan Peters is a cracking drummer and his playing sets the level on stage. The band’s mixer, Bob de Wit, doesn’t use hi-hat or overhead mics and I could still hear them clearly. Full-volume rock sorts out speakers. I placed in the PRX912s as Mark Arm’s vocal monitors, and I knew it would be a trial by fire. They sounded good to me. Bob gave them a good listen, tweaking with his ipad at the vocal position before soundcheck, and had to agree. We ran them with no EQ (again) and had a happy singer — PRX made it seem easy.

Bluetooth 5.0 is included. Built-in wi-fi enables the JBL Pro Connect mobile app to control up to 10 speakers from a range of JBL models from different series with a smartphone or tablet. When paired, BT Control give access to volumes and some more precise EQ than the presets provide.

PRO BUILD

The JBL PRX Series are pro quality speakers. The EONs are good, these are better, and even at twice the price they’re still good value for venues, bands/DJs and hire companies looking for more performance than the entry level models. The build quality is high and they come with a seven-year warranty.  Powerful, versatile and practical.