Moment of Clarity
Adelaide’s INTLX Productions invests in a JBL SRX906-based system, allowing its rental stock to stay flexible and nimble.
22 April 2024
Rodney Bates was blown away by the JBL SRX906 during a demo in Melbourne: “It’s only a double six and a half-inch box but the power and clarity coming from that array of SRX906s just absolutely knocked my socks off!”
It helps to have a moment of clarity like that because buying a new PA is, by necessity, a big investment and requires some nerve.
Rodney’s company INTLX Productions is well entrenched in the Adelaide musical theatre, school and church market. That said, he’s a sole operator, so a lot is riding on this type of decision.
“I’d been sub-hiring larger systems often enough for a purchase of my own to make sense,” explains Rodney.
One of INTLX’s regular gigs is looking after the Hopgood Theatre (pictured), which didn’t have an in-house audio capacity for any gig requiring serious PA – one reason why Rodney was sub-hiring. So, as a first priority, any new PA would need to be a good fit for the Hopgood Theatre. Beyond that, it would need to be flexible enough to handle the occasional outdoor gig, along with larger church and school gymnasium-type events.
“Flexibility was certainly a prime concern,” agrees Rodney Bates. “Anything I purchase needs to be suitable for a whole bunch of use cases.”
A FOR FLEXIBILITY
The new system comprises six SRX906 and two SRX918S subs a side. Rodney purchased the SRX906 array frames for easy deployment outdoors, as well as base plates for ground stacking.
“As it turned out, the first outdoor gig I had for the system was a school celebration on an oval for 2500 people,” recalls Rodney Bates. “The SRX906 isn’t designed as a large-scale outdoor rig but the system stepped up and did the job.
“Instead, most of my work is in that 500-capacity or less range and the SRX906 is absolutely perfect in those circumstances.
“If anything, I’m looking at purchasing another four SRX906s to get eight boxes a side, which will mean I’d have just a bit more up my sleeve. And if things progress, I wouldn’t be averse to growing with the SRX family – the SRX910s, for example.”
EARNING RESPECT
JBL SRX900 certainly wasn’t the PA Rodney Bates went looking for when he decided INTLX needed a boost in its capability but it’s the now the system can’t imagine being without.
“When I first heard the SRX906, I’ll be honest, it wasn’t what I expected and it didn’t sound anything like I imagined a JBL PA to sound like,” confesses Rodney Bates. “This is a lovely PA and ticks all the boxes for me.”
As for perceived rider friendliness, Rodney concedes that the JBL name hasn’t yet won back the sort of cache the big European brands carry or even the Canadian brand he loves so much, but there is respect: “The Hopgood Theatre has The Whitlams coming through in a few weeks. And one of the reasons why they chose the venue is because the SRX900 PA was available.”
INTLX’s SRX906 rig deployed outdoors with the array frame.
RESPONSES