Active monitors as hifi speakers

[Jaysz]

Is that a metal duck on the ground?

It's a wood duck

 

[watchnerd]

Everyone should own a pair of 3 series monitors. The 3 series are not "exciting". They are not tinted yellow or green. But spend some time with them and experience what neutral actually sounds like across all the variety of music out there. They are cheap, don't need special room treatments, and simple to setup. The only reasonable step up from the JBL Pro 3 series are Neumanns and Genelecs, and those cost more. A lot more.

I own a pair of JBL 3 monitors and they're good for what they do at the price point, but this is is a pretty big stretching of the truth.

Neumann and Genelec are good, but there are other options from serious audio engineering companies that are also worthy of consideration: Focal, Dynaudio, Eve Audio amongst them.

Not to mention JBL's own 7 series.

Personally, for nearfield mixing, I prefer my Dynaudio LYD 5 (specs, polar plot, and room power response here) to my JBL 3 Series. Yes, they cost more than the 3 series. But they're not an order of magnitude more, they don't hiss, have more configuration options, and I like the treble better.

The 3 series are good value, indeed, but let's not get hyperbolic...they're definitely engineered to a price point.

 

[BDWoody]

My cables are entirely too long, and everything sounds gorgeous. Now I gotta figure out room correction.

What are you leaning towards? Trying to use the internal filters, or something external?

I decided to go with the minidsp ddrc 88d with the bass module. Will use the Udio8 to go AES to the 88d, then AES to the 708p's and 705p's...and to a DAC for the subs...

Seems like a decent way to get Dirac, and it keeps it all digital until it gets to the DAC in the speaker. Could be a tight little system well suited for my use. Going to start with just the USB on the Nvidia Shield as streaming device and go from there.

 

[LDKTA]

How does the JBL 308Ps perform compared to 6000 Euro pair BW 805 D3 in sound quality? the tweeter and mid/bass of 805 has amazing reviews.

I found the 805 D3s to be quite problematic when it’d come to placement. Initially, I had them in my living room and finally moved them into a dedicated listening room. Once I got them dialed in, they did sound pretty good but something was always missing and more often than not, I found them to be bright sounding and headache inducing after 25-30m listening sessions. If I weren’t in the sweet spot, imaging became undesirable and this was very apparent. I found the bass response to be less than ideal for the $6k I ended up paying for them (maybe overdamped?)... room gain didn’t help much either (although I do have a subwoofer — I expected more from the woofers). Not to mention, both rooms were treated we’re treated. Oddly enough, I actually preferred using them for shows/movies instead of listening to music — this way, I was able to listen to them without any real complaint. Overall, they’re just very decent loudspeakers. I only got rid of them because after listening to many other loudspeakers, I immediately came to the conclusion that I wasted money and it would eat at me everyday... Luckily, they sold quickly.

I was always interested in the JBL M2s... I did a ton of research (even read Toole’s book) while owning B&W speakers but I didn’t want to believe that the science was correct and I’d likely prefer a certain type of sound. “Just listen with your ears.” This is what got me to spend $6k on speakers I thought I loved. Every single dealer I’d come across and they’d always try to sell me on things that I knew I wouldn’t need... long story short, I gave up on local dealers but I’d still religiously call around and look to listen to anything and everything to find good sound — I heard the JBL 4367s. Mind blown. Revel F228Be and the rest of the Performa3 line (along with the Concerta2’s which I found to be lovely...) Mind blown. Even the Focal Sopra 2s (although I found them to be bright as well... I followed the science and sure enough, I found the science to be true and everything changed from there. I wanted the JBL 7 Series after reading of the M2s but I couldn’t find anywhere to actually listen to them... So I decided to give the 308s a chance from my local Guitar Center (bought a speaker without hearing it — many audiophiles would call this taboo).

I setup the 308s in my living room first, using TRS to RCA cables to the audio outputs on my TV... No joke. My B&W setup consisted of a Benchmark AHB2 & DAC 3 HGC —Sold everything after doing tons of research about amplifiers, DACs, preamps, etc... and I do regret getting rid of the DAC 3 HGC. I just figured all DACs sound the same. Anyway... to my surprise the 308s were absolutely phenomenal. Pinpoint imaging. Crazy dynamics. Transparent as can be. Clarity very similar to the Diamonds. Separation that I’ve only heard in speakers costing thousands of dollars and one hell of a phantom center. They did sound bright dependent on the content/program material but I enjoyed this. The raw and hyperrealistic type sound emanating from the 308s would trip me out each and every day... I ran them full range because my AVR didn’t have preouts and bass management wasn’t feasible unless (I did find a workaround but it only worked when watching TV). Anyway, they performed extremely well running full range and the bass response was very transient, deep and enveloping. In my room, I had very usable extension down to 26hz or so. From seat to seat and throughout my room, they’d leave me in awe. I couldn’t get use to them no matter what, they were incredibly addictive to listen to. I was legitimately angry for a while that a pair of $300 (at the time I’d bought them, there was a promotion at $200 off) studio monitors could possibly sound that good. I ended up moving them to my dedicated room... same setup and this is where they really shined. I found them to be scary good and till this day, I’ve yet to hear any speaker at that price point and many even higher that could do what they do... I then bought the 708s (another speaker that I didn’t hear before purchasing — and that is another story for another day). The 308s are now being used for my MBP setup. The 708s (END GAME SPEAKERS for most normal people... including myself — But I will be getting the M2s next year and call it a day) are being used as mains for stereo and TV.

And that was a lot longer than anticipated... I think you get the idea though. More about myself and my journey to good sound. Since then, I have found even more really good studio monitors below a $1000 (BNIB/B-Stock/Refurbished or Used — Kali Audio, Neumann, Focal, Dynaudio, Adam Audio, Genelec, etc.) as mentioned above and it’ll all become a matter of personal taste. With that being said, I will always recommend the 308s as they are that good. The biggest con of the the 308s would have to be the cabinet construction but they are quite inexpensive and these resonances aren’t audible... also, there is a hiss you’ll hear from them, if you want to (put your ear up to the tweeter) or if you sit too close to them. This was never an issue for me but it is there.

 

[watchnerd]

How does the JBL 308Ps perform compared to 6000 Euro pair BW 805 D3 in sound quality? the tweeter and mid/bass of 805 has amazing reviews.

The real issue here is that you can do a lot better than the 805 D3 for 6K euro, even among passive speakers.

 

[beefkabob]

What are you leaning towards? Trying to use the internal filters, or something external?

I decided to go with the minidsp ddrc 88d with the bass module. Will use the Udio8 to go AES to the 88d, then AES to the 708p's and 705p's...and to a DAC for the subs...

Seems like a decent way to get Dirac, and it keeps it all digital until it gets to the DAC in the speaker. Could be a tight little system well suited for my use. Going to start with just the USB on the Nvidia Shield as streaming device and go from there.

I have the SHD Studio. Built in Dirac.

 

[LeftCoastTim]

Personally, for nearfield mixing, I prefer my Dynaudio LYD 5 (specs, polar plot, and room power response here) to my JBL 3 Series. Yes, they cost more than the 3 series. But they're not an order of magnitude more, they don't hiss, have more configuration options, and I like the treble better.

There is a visibly large gap between the JBL 3 series ($300-$400 per pair) and the 7 series ($2k-$4k per pair). But it's possible to buy used 708p's for $2k/pair, 705p's for <$1500, so the gap was much narrower than expected when I bought my B-stock 708p's.

Maybe you have a well treated room, which negates the benefits of a very wide dispersion waveguide. I'm using my 708p as living room speakers (no treatment).

 

[Wombat]

BUYING LOW-AGE USED IS THE GO, ESPECIALLY IF THE WARRANTY IS TRANSFERABLE. Excuse the inadvertent caps-lock.

 

[Ron Texas]

The real issue here is that you can do a lot better than the 805 D3 for 6K euro, even among passive speakers.

That much money for a passive 2 way stand mount is absolute lunacy. Besides, B&W's have this weird bump in the treble. There are too many good passive stand mounts for $2k and under to even think about spending more in that category.

 

[Vintage57]

For 6k Euro I would also consider the Neumann KH 420, true full range monitors, -3dB @ 25Hz

I’m a bass junkie, probably because I can’t hear the highs any more. I added subs and smile every time I listen to them.

 

[Jaysz]

Been looking at this as it has the option to not use the hpf filters when using output to monitors.

My dac has xlr and rca outputs can they be used at the same time so xlr to hs7's then rca to sub.

If sending xlr from sub with or without filters to monitors take away from the sound to monitors
J
http://www.krksys.com/Powered-Subwoofer/10s

 

[majingotan]

Been looking at this as it has the option to not use the hpf filters when using output to monitors.

My dac has xlr and rca outputs can they be used at the same time so xlr to hs7's then rca to sub.

If sending xlr from sub with or without filters to monitors take away from the sound to monitors
J
http://www.krksys.com/Powered-Subwoofer/10s

you can experiment with both ways. RCA to sub and xlr to monitors straight from DAC
To me I just prefer the sub out to monitors for high cut trim so that the woofers in the HS7s won’t need to struggle reproducing subbass

 

[Jaysz]

Ok I try that
Would the hpf on or off to monitors be as good as the sound the dac is sending direct

 

[Severian]

It seems like there is a gaping hole in the JBL lineup for a 500-series monitor.

 

[majingotan]

Ok I try that
Would the hpf on or off to monitors be as good as the sound the dac is sending direct

With the HS8S sub, my hearing can’t detect a difference in the mids and treble. We would need an analyzer to see the difference for that. There’s a huge improvement on midbass control on my untreated room though where it doesn’t sound as boomy on that range compared to straight from preamp due to the monitors not reproducing LFE signals

 

[LTig]

Been looking at this as it has the option to not use the hpf filters when using output to monitors.

If I understand it correct then switching off the highpass filter also switches off the sub. My sub has the same feature. It allows you to compare the sound quality with and without sub.

My dac has xlr and rca outputs can they be used at the same time so xlr to hs7's then rca to sub.

Yes but it makes no sense. Highpassing the sats it at least as important for mid range sound quality as adding the sub for the bass.

If sending xlr from sub with or without filters to monitors take away from the sound to monitors
J
http://www.krksys.com/Powered-Subwoofer/10s

I don't understand what you want to say. However, with this sub the correct wiring is as follows:

• DAC XLR-out -> SUB XLR in
• SUB XLR out -> HS7 XLR in

 

[majingotan]

If I understand it correct then switching off the highpass filter also switches off the sub. My sub has the same feature. It allows you to compare the sound quality with and without sub.

Yes but it makes no sense. Highpassing the sats it at least as important for mid range sound quality as adding the sub for the bass.

I don't understand what you want to say. However, with this sub the correct wiring is as follows:

• DAC XLR-out -> SUB XLR in
• SUB XLR out -> HS7 XLR in

That's how mine is wired except the DAC/preamp is RCA to 1/4" TS since the DAC/preamp is unbalanced. Sub XLR out to HS7 TRS in

 

[watchnerd]

Maybe you have a well treated room, which negates the benefits of a very wide dispersion waveguide. I'm using my 708p as living room speakers (no treatment).

Nearfield mixing.

 

[watchnerd]

That much money for a passive 2 way stand mount is absolute lunacy.

Well, sure.

But it's an entertainment business.

If competently designed, nothing wrong with a little well-made, properly engineered lunacy if it turns your crank. looks sweet*, and blends nicely with the decor.

One could make similar criticisms of being overly-engineered bling about golf clubs, sports cars, luxury watches, etc etc. And be correct. But that doesn't mean they're not fun to own.


*this precludes Wilson Audio cause they're butt ugly

 

[Ron Texas]

Well, sure.


*this precludes Wilson Audio cause they're butt ugly

Yeah. Well, you can spend your money anyway you want, at least for the time being.