JBL M2 Reference Master Monitor Review

[617]

I can tell you this: it isn’t for lack of effort.

In fact, I reached out to Sound United this morning about getting a review sample of the upcoming B&W 800 D4. I got a prompt response that was really nice and explained their review samples are already designated for the usual suspects (I won’t share names since I don’t feel it’s my place) This was the portion of the reply that you guys will care about m:


So it’s a no for now. But not an indefinite no. Which is good. And, I’ll try again in a few months.



I have also reached out to many other “hi-fi” brands and been ghosted. Parasound and Focal most recently. In both cases I made initial contact and thought things might work out. Then crickets. I even talked to the Focal marketing director on the phone.

I also tried to work something out with crutchfield to where they would send me loaners in exchange for me giving them a shoutout and props. I made it clear that I wanted nothing else (no money, no free product). Figure that would be a win/win. Nope. See attached.

Like I said… I’m trying. Just not getting anywhere anytime soon.

My only problem is if someone takes me up on my request and sends another heavy-ass speaker to me. I am legitimately shopping motorized hoists to mount to my garage ceiling to help me lift this stuff.

I appreciate it, Erin. As great as it would be to get new models for testing, I think it would also be interesting to see older 'high end' speakers measured. Dunlavy, Thiel, Fried, Acoustat, Vandersteen, Magnepan. These speakers still have a lot of fans and it would be fascinating to see how speaker designers operated before measurement technology was as mature as it is now.

For those, you'd have to find local owners, but I think they might be more open to testing than B&W.

 

[hardisj]

I had planned to make a "wish list" video and put it out there that I am looking for x/y/z speaker for people who might live nearby and be interested in loaning me some. That's how I was able to test the M2 here; the owner saw one of my videos and reached out.

 

[Tom C]

705 vs 708 vs M2:
Going from 705P to 708P, price roughly doubles. For that, you get bigger low frequency driver, bigger cabinet to match, and bigger horn on the compression driver. Compression driver itself is the same. Amplifiers and digital processing are the same; results in a bit higher rated max SPL and a bit more low frequency extension.
Going from 708P to M2, the price is roughly 10 times greater. But the amps are 10 higher output. Check it out. The audio scientists tell us a doubling of amp power doesn’t produce a perceptually impressive increase in output. Ten times increase produces impressively greater output. Which is just what you have here. You also get a massively larger cabinet, larger low frequency driver, larger compression driver, and much larger horn. Results in impressively greater output, and better low frequency extension.
If I pay more for a system, I expect greater useable power output, and/or lower distortion, and/or greater low frequency extension. Tighter tolerances of course are better, as is build quality.
Seems like what you get going from 70x to M2 is quite a lot compared to going from 705 to 708. Which, of course, won’t stop me from going adding some 708’s when the time is right. Because I love my 705’s, 306’s, Eons and Club Pro buds that much.

 

[jtwrace]

@goskers who traveled to Harman with me posted the below on AC.

Now that there's interest in the M2, you can check out this thread which may answer many questions of S2, M2, 708...

Yes, he did purchase both the S2 and M2.

Yes, I had them listed for a bit. I took part in my own in house trial with the Salon2 and M2. This was after I had taken part in the more controlled trial posted on AVS. I couldn’t keep all so I was trying to sell my M2 prior to the Salon arrival. The Salon was what I preferred during the blind test. When I ended up owning both for quite a while I ended up setting each side by side and having extended play with both. My preference during this time was for the M2. Both are fantastic speakers.

Yes, I did partake in the event held at John’s house. Why the difference overall I am not sure. We discussed this at length after the event was completed. I was a bit surprised at the ease which you were able to discern between the two.

Some items which were discussed was mono vs stereo as well as room interaction. The M2 appeared as more of a point source where the S2 came off with a slightly larger image size and a bit more diffused.

While doing my own stereo testing the main differences were pin point imaging and detail retrieval without becoming strident on the M2. Again, what truly drives these differences is back to being an unknown to me. My main takeaway is that speakers measuring well in Harman’s tests will generally be perceived as natural and preferred versus those which do not measure well to the criteria. Their measurement criteria has been shown to have a strong correlation to positive attributes in regards to sound quality.

 

[tuga]

Audiophile speakers?

Most of them have no output, measure like shiit, and are expensive like hell.

Remides me on some audiophile tube amps.
The last 30 years i have the impression audiophile gets more and more a cuss word.

Much better to review plastic’y toy-sized speakers that no one who reads this site will ever buy?

 

[tomtoo]

Much better to review plastic’y toy-sized speakers that no one who reads this site will ever buy?

At least they give a base line. Better spend 50$ for shiit than 5000. Btw. who reads ASR? Did i miss some poll? That says in majority we look for audiophile speakers in the 10000$ plus class?

 

[tuga]

@hardisj the DIYSG shows similar issues below 500Hz as the M2.
What is the chance that something could be a problem with your measurements/setup?

 

[hardisj]

Much better to review plastic’y toy-sized speakers that no one who reads this site will ever buy?

I've done plenty of that, too. As has Amir.

Personally, I am more interested in the esoteric stuff. I think it's interesting to see how they measure and then try to draw (meaningful) correlations between those measurements and what owners say about them. Not that they won't be biased, of course. But if they describe the sound in large agreement then you can compare that to the data.

Plus, some of the designs (like the B&W 800) are downright cool (to me, at least).

 

[tuga]

At least they give a base line. Better spend 50$ for shiit than 5000.

A baseline for what, something no one will ever buy?

 

[hardisj]

@hardisj the DIYSG shows similar issues below 500Hz as the M2.
What is the chance that something could be a problem with your measurements/setup?

I haven't looked at the perceived similarities but if it were a measurement rig issue then every other speaker would show the same behavior. Aside from that, this speaker was measured on its side. The HTM-12 was measured vertically.

But, to top it off, I do sanity checks with a groundplane measurement on larger speakers like this. They match. Otherwise I don't post the data until I figure out what is wrong. And those groundplane measurements are taken with a completely different microphone, too.

IOW, the chance is 0.00%.

 

[tuga]

I haven't looked at the perceived similarities but if it were a measurement rig issue then every other speaker would show the same behavior. Aside from that, this speaker was measured on its side. The HTM-12 was measured vertically.

But, to top it off, I do sanity checks with a groundplane measurement on larger speakers like this. They match. Otherwise I don't post the data until I figure out what is wrong.

IOW, the chance is 0.00%.

Just a though as the issue with the M2 was to me an unexpected one.

Both have large woofers and very wide baffles. I can’t recall if you measured a large JBL...

 

[tomtoo]

A baseline for what, something no one will ever buy?

A baseline for people that are on low budget. Young people with a computer setup as example.
Iam sure more people will buy <300$ dollar speakers than M2.

 

[tuga]

A baseline for people that are on low budget. Young people with a computer setup as example.

How many of them read this website?

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

How many of them read this website?

Many, in fact i use my computer with my mid size-floorstanding speaker :V XD
maybe my speaker is not the budget <300$ but am a young guy with my speakers-pc xD

 

[tomtoo]

How many of them read this website?

Do a poll? At least i have seen some. Gamers looking for headphones. People starting a small homestudio and so on. This is not the place where the talk is only about esoteric speaker cables. No its about sound, and good sound can start cheap.

 

[hardisj]

is not the place where the talk is only about esoteric speaker cables. No its about sound, and good sound can start cheap.

I've done plenty of that, too. As has Amir.

 

[tomtoo]

Not that someone gets me wrong. I enjoy tests of expensive speakers. I just dont like if there is complaining about cheap speaker tests. Both are importend.

 

[LearningToSmile]

How many of them read this website?

...why wouldn't they? You are aware that purchasing power isn't the same all around the world, right? So plenty of people who DO care about audio don't have the means to buy anything more expensive and it's important for them to know what to spend the little they have on.

Hell, I read this site, I'm very happy with my $400 plastic’y (albeit toybox-sized, rather than toy-sized) speakers.

 

[mtg90]

Just a though as the issue with the M2 was to me an unexpected one.

Both have large woofers and very wide baffles. I can’t recall if you measured a large JBL...

Like Erin said it's definitely not an issue with his measurements/setup, I identified the source of the dip on the HTM-12v2 as a surround resonance. I posted my findings and a temporary fix for it using some foam cord or paracord placed between the ridges of the surround here in the AVS thread.

Though I too was surprised to see the M2 had a dip in the same range with the issue likely being a similar cone/surround resonance.

 

[Bugal1998]

@Newman
To be clear, i think that measurements shown for this JBL M2 are superb. Here's CSD for that loudspeaker - Erin provided it at another forum:

View attachment 149668

@hardisj Is there a similar CSD for the 708p?