Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

[davekruse]

I have a moderate amount of speaker building experience and need to replace the driver for a Mackie SWA1501 (specs http://www.mackie.com/pdf/swa1501_ss.pdf The custom plate amp also fried and I got that repaired, but the shop wanted a huge amount of money for parts and labor to replace the driver. I think we can do better here. I think I would prefer just to get a new speaker vs shipping the old one back and forth since it is so heavy. What would be the best plan?

Thanks for all input...

[Paul O]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

The KappaPro 15LF is a suggested replacement by some.. http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=290-420

I have also seen reconed Mackie drivers on Ebay for the same cost and the recone kit itself is available for only $69.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MACKIE-SWA-1501-SUB-SPEAKER-FRESH-RECONE-/200466862324?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0

http://reconekits.com/mackie1575w-1501reconekit.aspx

[Brian Steele]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

Just curious: what kind of alignment is that - vented or bandpass? The PDF says vented, but the box looks like a bandpass box.

[billfitzmaurice]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

The PDF says vented

The response chart says bandpass. But being bandpass doesn't mean it isn't vented.

[Paul O]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

Just curious: what kind of alignment is that.

Well... one need look no further than the spec sheet for that kind of data..

[davekruse]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

Paul, that was exactly what I needed. I think I'll go with the new Eminence Kappa. The guy on the reconed speaker offer isn't so literate, so who knows how good it is.
I love Parts Express and don't want to recone the speaker myself so it looks like I'll pick one of these up.

THANKS FOR THE HELP!

[Stowbari]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

I'm not entirely sure of the model number, but PE can recone the M-1575W-16 for $68.25.

[rabbit]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

Paul, that was exactly what I needed. I think I'll go with the new Eminence Kappa. The guy on the reconed speaker offer isn't so literate, so who knows how good it is.
I love Parts Express and don't want to recone the speaker myself so it looks like I'll pick one of these up.

THANKS FOR THE HELP!

Hi i have just ordered myself a KAPPA PRO-15LF-2 replacement driver for the Mackie SWA1501 as i have read a few forums and it seems to be the go. However i have noticed that the impedance of the KAPPA PRO-15LF-2 is 8ohms and the amp in the SWA1501 subs is 16ohm. Has anyone encountered any issues using the KAPPA PRO-15LF-2. From what i understand the amp will get hotter faster running an 8ohm sub with a 16ohm amp.
Any feedback is much appreciated, cheers.

[AMC]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

However i have noticed that the impedance of the KAPPA PRO-15LF-2 is 8ohms and the amp in the SWA1501 subs is 16ohm. Has anyone encountered any issues using the KAPPA PRO-15LF-2. From what i understand the amp will get hotter faster running an 8ohm sub with a 16ohm amp.
Any feedback is much appreciated, cheers.

Speakers have impedance, not amps, at least not in the same sense. Amps are however rated ay a given impedance. I looked up specs and owners manuals on this and none of them said anything about 16 ohm. In any case, if it were rated for 16 ohm, yes, it might get hot, and do it faster, and could even damage the amp.

[Paul O]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

However i have noticed that the impedance the amp in the SWA1501 subs is 16ohm.

Ahhhhhh.. no. The output impedance of an amplifier will be in the milliohm range and getting the value isn't as simple as sticking a multimeter across the terminals, so unless the amp is blown this isn't a concern. Higher impedance loads(speakers) on any given amplifier are easier to drive than low impedance loads.. less current delivered, but that also means less power is delivered, so all you really need to be concerned about is that the replacement speaker is the same impedance as the original and then you'll know the amp isn't under stress and the speaker system as a whole will deliver roughtly the same output as original.

[rabbit]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

Awesome, thanks for the input guys. True the manual gives you nothing more than the basics. I am going off what my repair agent told me when he determined my speaker has an open circuit. He told me the original driver is 16ohm as should the amp in the mackie swa1501 (assuming). i have never been more confused reading threads where people are saying they tested the coil on the driver which showed up at 8ohm. the Schematic says 12ohm according to the same post on mackie forum.
A few people have used the KAPPA PRO-15LF-2, not any feedback. i guess i will find out the hard way if no one has any feedback on using the KAPPA PRO-15LF-2 8ohm speaker as a replacement. i will notify everyone of my outcome once ive taken my stereo out for a full Blitzen in the bush ;)

[AMC]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

i have never been more confused reading threads where people are saying they tested the coil on the driver which showed up at 8ohm. the Schematic says 12ohm according to the same post on mackie forum.

That is the difference between impedance and DC resistance. A speaker with an 8 ohm impedance will measure a DC resistance of about 6 ohms. So a 12 ohm impedance speaker would most likely measure a DC resistance of about 8 ohms. All seems about right. There are devices that measure impedance (WT3). It is also helpful to understand that impedance varies with frequency. When they say it is an 8 ohm speaker, that generally refers to the minimum, and it could in fact go well over 50+ at some frequencies. If you look on the Kappa pro 15LF page, there is a link to the charts that show the true impedance sweep.

[Randy L]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

I have the Kappa 15LF-A's and I'm very impressed with them as a woofer, though they do show their limits when the music program hits the mid 40's and lower.
I've used them for years without a single one blowing on me, even when WinISD 7.0 showed (on paper) that the power I was sending to them (700 watts) had their cone excursion of over 9mm in the mid and lower bass region. That's double their rated Xmaxx and I was suprised that none of them (I have 4) tore their suspension. This is a testament to how well they are built. For even deeper bass, I have since replaced my 2 main woofer cabs with the Kappalite 3015LF's.

If you have 2 Mackie sub cabs, I'd strongly recommend you replace both with the same Kappa driver, since otherwise, you may just hear a very noticeable difference in sound between the two and this may affect the sound during a show.

[rabbit]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

So i took my Mackie Swa1501 with the KAPPA PRO-15LF-2 driver out for a bush party with my mates. it lasted one night and now the driver is blown. it was sounding better than the original driver when it was working. Whether it was being over worked as i had gone into town for supplies so my mates were in charge of the sound or maybe the amp is faulty as its the 2nd driver to fail. they should not be blown that easy. i thought the amps cut off the power when they get hot.

Oh well im over it as i will not spend another $300 on a replacemnet driver. i think i will sell my mackie subs and save up and get what my mate brought QUEST QM 212AS Powered Sub-bass.
he only had one and i couldnt even hear my subs at all with his one running. Newer technology i suppose.

[Randy L]

Re: Replacement driver for Mackie SWA1501

What was the EQ settings for the low bass? 500 watts of power (properly EQ'ed to filter out the lows below the speaker's rated low end) should not have blown the Kappa. I've been feeding mine 700watts all day long with ZERO issues. I see the sub is rated at 47hz F3. Are you filterring out the frequencies below 45hz? My hunch is that your mates pushed too low a bass signal through the speaker.