Advice for comparing speakers without expensive test hardware

[spaghetti]

After listening to a pair of M-Audio BX4 speakers and agreeing with the results of @Weeb Labs review, I am tempted to compare the following budget monitor speakers:

1/ M-Audio BX4 $120
2/ PreSonus Eris E4.5 $180
3/ NEUMI BS5 $110

Other than my listening impressions, what can I do to test these speakers without expensive equipment?

 

[ZolaIII]

Read reviews/comments hire and elsewhere, go listen to them more at dillers.

 

[fpitas]

Try to find reviews with actual measurements. Even simple on-axis frequency response is a huge improvement over some guy rambling on about musicality etc.

 

[Triliza]

Where are you going to compare them, at your place or a dealer?

 

[spaghetti]

A/B testing at my place, so I will need some speaker switch device.

 

[Overseas]

The objective of the comparison being... what exactly?
If it is for listening music, then listening to them is exactly the first and last thing you should do.
If it is academic, try whatever other advices here.

 

[fpitas]

I saw a thread here where someone found a passive switch box from Amazon that looked ok.

 

[Keith_W]

I have run hundreds of sine wave sweeps and I reckon that my ears can give me an idea what the curve is going to look like, even before I look at the graph generated by REW with my microphone. Of course you are better off with a mic / sound card / REW software but the cost of a simple inexpensive measurement setup will be more than any of those speakers you mentioned. If you are not willing or able to invest in these, I would suggest running a few sine wave sweeps and listening.

Another free alternative would be to download an SPL meter app for your phone and conduct your own manual sine wave sweep. This is how you do it:

- Mount your phone at a standard distance to the speaker, say 50-100cm.
- Run some white noise. Take note of the volume (say 80dB). Do not run too loud to avoid the risk of clipping. This will be your reference volume which is what you will use to normalize the volume of all the other speakers.
- Take measurements at different freqs in a logarithmic fashion, depending on how much effort and time you are willing to invest. Examples, 50, 60, 80, 100, 140, 180, 220, 260, 320 ... 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000 ..., etc. Draw the result on graph paper.
- Replace the speaker and adjust the volume with white noise until it reaches 80dB to match the first speaker. Repeat.

Of course, this approach is rife with inaccuracies and most notably it is not absolute, in that the response curve of the mic in your phone (which is likely all over the place) + repeatability of placement, etc. will interfere with the results. However, it does allow you compare one speaker against another in your own home for free.

In any case, if you buy a switch to compare the speakers (as a few others have suggested above) you STILL need to normalize the volume with white noise and an SPL meter at a standard distance to be able to compare the speakers fairly, otherwise the loudest speaker will sound better. However there is nothing wrong with just listening to the speaker and form a subjective impression of it, if you enjoy it that's good enough. You are only spending less than $200 for your speaker, it is not as if it's an expensive investment, and it will not be doing anything mission critical.

 

[spaghetti]

this approach is rife with inaccuracies and most notably it is not absolute, in that the response curve of the mic in your phone (which is likely all over the place)

Isn't an inexpensive portable SPL meter like this better than a phone?
And is there a way to measure harmonic distortion on a budget?

On a side note, when I am looking at the measurements published here I am surprised that harmonic distortion graphs don't take priority over Db levels (they are always published after many other charts). My newbie ears seem to be more sensitive to distortions than frequency sound levels, but this is just my impression of course. Besides, frequency sound levels can be adjusted with an EQ while harmonic distortion has no cure. So why all reviews focus on an ideal frequency Db flat line?

 

[Keith_W]

Isn't an inexpensive portable SPL meter like this better than a phone?
And is there a way to measure harmonic distortion on a budget?

Q1: Yes, much better than a phone. My intention was to suggest the free method but you are right, I should also have suggested that. However, the definition of "inexpensive" depends on your point of view. For me, an outlay of a couple of hundred $$$ to buy a calibrated mic + sound card + free REW software for the laptop that I already own is inexpensive when compared to the cost of my system and the trouble i've already been through. This situation changes when you are looking at speakers worth $200.

Q2: Depends on harmonic distortion from what device? Speakers? DAC's? Amps?

 

[spaghetti]

Depends on harmonic distortion from what device? Speakers? DAC's? Amps?

I am thinking about the speakers. In general I don't understand why frequency Db charts are given priority in the reviews vs Harmonic distortion (I elaborated a bit in the previous post after my questions).

 

[Keith_W]

I am thinking about the speakers. In general I don't understand why frequency Db charts are given priority in the reviews vs Harmonic distortion (I elaborated a bit in the previous post after my questions).

For simple distortion and freq response measurements, you can use the same setup: Behringer ECM8000 + Focusrite 2i2 + REW software. You will need to gate the measurements to remove room reflections or take your speakers outside if possible.

Why are frequency response charts given priority? Probably because they impact on your music listening experience more than harmonic distortion.

 

[Tangband]

A/B testing at my place, so I will need some speaker switch device.

Dont do A/B comparison. Every pair of loudspeakers should be installed correctly with the correct distance between L and R and you cant do this if you have three pairs of them on your desk. Instead - listen for 1 hour at each pair of loudspeakers - with music. This will be enough time for your brain to listen through any flaws in the sound.

Measurements will demand lot of experience and expensive mic/gear to do it right, and it might be a waste of time in this price range. A phone is not good enough and will give you false results.
Most measurements you see in computer magazines are wrongly made at the wrong distances.

 

[delta76]

I'd do the way around. start with Amir's or Erin's reviews, limit to what are measured good, and within my stretched budget. then find a deal