Should I? Or no?

[Blumlein 88]

http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/in...&catid=77:loudspeaker-measurements&Itemid=153

The PSB T2's do look like a good design. So not a bad choice. You will still want a sub or three going by the measures though as they really don't work much below 50 hz either. Also less efficient than the JBLs so you will need about 4 times the amplifier power.

 

[Dynamix]

https://www.parts-express.com/cat/powered-subwoofers/95

Dayton subs are so good for so little money it isn't worth building your own on the inexpensive end of the spectrum.

Ray can testify to that and provide measurements of them working as well.

I have used them in other people's setups and can say the 12 inchers are darn good for so little money. I believe Ray has the 15 inchers.

Yeah, I've actually considered their 12" drivers, Hypex sub amps are are pretty affordable up here, should be a good pairing I think.

 

[RayDunzl]

Ray can testify to that and provide measurements of them working as well.

(caveat) With DSP.

 

[Blumlein 88]

(caveat) With DSP.

Yes important point. I too have employed them with at least limited DSP.

 

[Dynamix]

http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/in...&catid=77:loudspeaker-measurements&Itemid=153

The PSB T2's do look like a good design. So not a bad choice. You will still want a sub or three going by the measures though as they really don't work much below 50 hz either. Also less efficient than the JBLs so you will need about 4 times the amplifier power.

Yeah, I've considered that. And if I get the new apartment I'll have something like 3000+ cubic feet to fill, so I guess subs are a must down the road either way...

 

[Dynamix]

I think I just heard my bank account scream in agony.

 

[Dynamix]

A miniDSP HD and a pair of DIY 4x12" bass-towers just flashed before my eyes...

 

[RayDunzl]

Red - subs, no DSP
Black - Subs with DSP
Green - Subs + Mains (run full range overlapping subs)

Don't go so much by the level of the red, but by the curve. DSP flattens the raw sub peak and brings up the lower end. The levels aren't exactly comparable because I brought the DSP'd traces up 10dB on the graph.

I'd get the miniDSP first...

And do some measuring and tweaking.

I might not have bought the subs had I done as suggested, but, they were cheap, and provide other (future) placement options.

 

[oivavoi]

I've never heard the T2s, but they look very good to me. I've noticed them before. In the unlikely case that I should end up buying passive box speakers, and not some exotic constructions from unknown speaker mavericks nobody has ever heard of, they would probably be very high on my audition list.

 

[DonH56]

The T2's are simply awesome and the 4319's are clearly dogs not worth having in the house. In fact they are so bad that, as a favor to you, I'll let you ship them to my place where the fresh mountain air will help keep their malodorous stench away from your new T2's. I won't even charge you for the service. Ship them to me and rest easy.

All in jest - Don

 

[RayDunzl]

Considering the bass output of my LSR 308, which, like the 4319, also happen to have a LF spec of 38Hz, I find it odd that a 12' woofer can't do bass for you.

DSP even cuts them a bit below 200Hz, 40-50Hz is a room problem here. Measured at the couch:

Gold - raw
Blue - DSP'd (not particularly optimized at the moment, just whatever was set a while back)

Do you have measurements, or just going by ear?

 

[March Audio]

Yeah, I've actually considered their 12" drivers, Hypex sub amps are are pretty affordable up here, should be a good pairing I think.

I have recently built my own sub using 12" Dayton ultimax driver and minidsp plate amp. Measures well and sounds good. If you can do a bit of carpentry and get a good paint job I am unconvinced you gain much from many more expensive commercial designs. It beats the 12" paradigm sub12 it replaced.

http://www.daytonaudio.com/index.ph...-12-ultimax-dvc-subwoofer-2-ohm-per-coil.html

Parts express do cabinets for this driver if you want to keep it simple.

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-12-ultimax-subwoofer-and-cabinet-bundle--300-7096

https://www.minidsp.com/products/plate-amplifiers/pwr-ice125

I will be building another one to even out the bass in the room

 

[oivavoi]

Right, negatives with the JBL's:

-They are very unforgiving of less than stellar recordings (and I have a lot of those). They are called "Control Monitors" for a reason.
-They start rolling off at about 50hz. Not much bottom end at all, and subs are expensive.

And that's pretty much it... Hmm...

Just to broaden the discussion from the bass issue: I am slightly skeptical of the idea that revealing loudspeakers make bad recordings sound bad. My experience so far has been that really good loudspeakers make bad recordings sound better. My hunch is that the "unforgiving" things you are hearing actually is distortion that is generated by the driver, probably the tweeter/waveguide.

And to give you the boring but probably sound advice: I think it would be smarter to wait till you know if you'll move or not! You don't know how much space you will have in the next apartment, the acoustics of that room, etc...

 

[Sal1950]

Oh, and for the record; I haven't actually heard the PSB's. Guess that should be first on the list.

Yep in this case even more than most I'd say that be a mandatory requirement. If I had to guess these are two very different sounding speaker who's biggest attributes may be at odds.

First I'd spend a little on a miniDSP box using your choice of software to do the tuning. You might be able to introduce some FR mods to tame the objectionable aggressiveness while retaining all the JBL's strong points. Might even add some subjective bass by improving room interaction at the listening seat without using any real bottom boost. I get the impression you might like to play a bit to the loud side. . In the end it would be a valuable addition which ever direction you ultimately take.

I'm looking to the big picture from the Cheapskate POV, one not having to include the costs of the speaker change, bigger amps ---.

Either system could use a sub to dig deep with authority while relieving the mains a bit, but that's a different subject right now.

I won't even charge you for the service. Ship them to me and rest easy.

If any of the above doesn't float your boat, I'll up Don's offer and pay for the shipping plus throw in a few more $ to grease the wheels of progress.

 

[DonH56]

Florida = heat, humidity, bugs, 'gators, old farts in bikinis, hurricanes where you worry if your house will be there after the storm
Colorado = sun, clean air, mountains, ski bums on snow slopes, snow storms you sit through drinking hot chocolate

If you loved those speakers, where do you think they'd rather retire?

 

[Sal1950]

Florida = heat, humidity, bugs, 'gators, old farts in bikinis, hurricanes where you worry if your house will be there after the storm
Colorado = sun, clean air, mountains, ski bums on snow slopes, snow storms you sit through drinking hot chocolate

If you loved those speakers, where do you think they'd rather retire?

Florida = living another day in Paradise. Palm trees, beautiful women in bikinis, warm & sunny about 300 days a year.
Colorado = COLD, ICE, SNOW, and sitting inside drinking cause it's too crappy to go outdoors. BLAH

 

[DonH56]

Snow is usually gone in 24 hours, unlike FL rain... Nice powdery fluffy snow you can go out and play in, instead of wearily staring out the window through the raindrops. Or worrying about wiping off your glasses every time you go out due to the humidity. Which reminds me, nice dry air here. None of that business of taking a shower in the morning, toweling off, and realizing you never turned on the water. And the smell of pines in the air, ah, versus smelly tainted beaches and ocean water...

As for sunshine:
City Sunny Partly Sunny Total Days With Sun
Alamosa 148 137 285
Colorado Springs 127 120 247
Denver 115 130 245
Grand Junction 136 106 242
Pueblo 139 119 258

City Sunny Days Partly Sunny Days Total Days With Sun
Apalachicola 128 113 241
Daytona Beach 97 132 229
Fort Myers 98 168 266
Jacksonville 94 127 221
Key West 104 155 259
Miami 74 175 249
Orlando 89 147 236
Pensacola 105 123 228
Tallahassee 102 129 231
Tampa 101 143 244
West Palm Beach 75 159 234

Hmmm... CO wins again!

I'll let you have the last word, have to get back to work, and pretty sure we could go on 'til we die (of boredom if nothing else ).

I did really, really want to find and post a picture of a, um, less-flattering woman in a bikini, but was much afraid of what you'd post in return. Not worried about some large skier, more that it'd be you in a bikini, and I'd lose my lunch.

 

[amirm]

You both lose. Florida is too damn hot and humid. And Colorado too damn cold.

Where we live is too good for the speakers but if you really push me, I can take them off your hands. You have to pay for shipping though.

 

[DonH56]

CO doesn't get all that cold, not all that often, and it's a dry cold. You want cold go to Minnesota (used to live there) or the northern plains (cold and wind, great).

You'll be cloudy half the year in Seattle. I suppose you could argue the speakers would get more use, nothing else to do...

City Sunny Partly Sunny Total Days With Sun
Olympia 52 84 136
Quillayute 51 75 126
Seattle 71 93 164
Spokane 86 88 174
Yakima 109 92 201

 

[RayDunzl]

Coloradan: If god had wanted Texans to ski, he would have given them mountains!
Texan: If god had wanted Coloradans to ski, he would have given them money!