Audio Smile LBM Monitor Review

[Power Pop 23]

Since this is a DSP-based design, it would be straightforward to implement @Maiky76’s EQ suggestions directly in the product. I’d be interested to hear the general view on whether that would be desirable.

Yes, please. I like the aesthetic of the Audio Smile LBM Mk3 and appreciate the performance available within such a small 'footprint'.

Consider offering an 'accessory' to cover each port when not in use.

 

[Cbdb2]

Im having trouble believing the 50 watts per driver of amp power. The PS delivers 90 watts, take away 30% for AB inefficiency and your left with 60 watts for four drivers and the electronics.
Which is probably all you need for such a small speaker, but still unbelievable specs are a turn off.

 

[MZKM]

Preference Rating
SCORE: 5.6
SCORE w/sub: 8.3
Frequency response: ±23.9dB 20Hz-20kHz ; ±3.6dB 80Hz-20kHz

​

Link to all graphs/data

 

[DSJR]

The D3V bass also goes a lot deeper.

Would you really want it to? Tiny bass-mid drivers worked too hard always seem to mess the midrange up and it's my experience that a tiny bass driver trying to do deep bass never ever 'sounds' right (I grew up on large boxes with larger drivers barely ticking over at domestic levels and to this day I still feel you can't beat that, no matter how much dsp one throws at a small driver).

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Look like a very nice pair of small desktop monitors. Only drawback for US Buyers is they will cost $848 Pr. which is just a little too dear, especially considering Amazon has a few pairs of Kef LSX II's on sale for $648.

Thanks for the very thorough review, Amir.

 

[Billy Budapest]

These look like they would tick all the boxes for near field monitors/desktop monitors. Some seriously talented design work must have gone into this to eke out this level of performance from such a small size at such a relatively low price—although the U.S. price hurts probably due to tariffs. Kudos to Audio Smile!

 

[Billy Budapest]

Look like a very nice pair of small desktop monitors. Only drawback for US Buyers is they will cost $848 Pr. which is just a little too dear, especially considering Amazon has a few pairs of Kef LSX II's on sale for $648.

Thanks for the very thorough review, Amir.

Great price on LSX II’s.

 

[lowerfe]

Outstanding measurements, and I read the white paper, and there are boatloads of seriously good engineering that went into this. There is far more intelligent engineering in this speaker than 99% of the speakers out there regardless of price. Kudos to the designer. I can't wait to see what you do with a larger speaker.

 

[mga2009]

Very nice speaker indeed!

Are these drivers the same as in the Mr. Speaker? (Dayton Audio ND91-4 3-1/2" and HiVi B1S 1")

If they are it awesome how a proper design and a waveguide (properly designed too) has such an incredible effects on standard (or even el cheapo) components.

 

[mrick39]

+1

A speaker with a 6.5" midwoofer and a bass extension of about 40 Hz -3dB anechoic would be great..

Audio First will soon be selling their kits as fully built models. Not 6.5" but is a really nice product.

Fidelia (Kit) — Audio First Designs

audiofirstdesigns.uk

 

[beagleman]

Outstanding measurements, and I read the white paper, and there are boatloads of seriously good engineering that went into this. There is far more intelligent engineering in this speaker than 99% of the speakers out there regardless of price. Kudos to the designer. I can't wait to see what you do with a larger speaker.

You are okay with that much distortion??

 

[Ktacos]

You are okay with that much distortion??

Hey we got it, you don't like the distortion. For the driver size it's honestly fine, if not somewhat impressive. I'm surprised the little thing can even pump out 86db. These are gonna likely be used in small rooms on a desk 1m away or less, and probably not played at 86db. You'll most likely be hovering around 70-75db or so at which point distortion is likely totally acceptable.

I think the biggest downside with this speaker is just the cost, it's just a tad high and that price bracket has a lot of options that are more capable. Otherwise it's excellent, the designer clearly knew what they were doing.

 

[daniboun]

Audio First will soon be selling their kits as fully built models. Not 6.5" but is a really nice product.

Fidelia (Kit) — Audio First Designs

audiofirstdesigns.uk

The Fidelia are SOTA speakers )
They really worth the while

 

[NotInYourHead]

Sorry, can't help but laugh at this end section of the whitepaper. If you squint your eyes, you might just know who the competitors are
The paper itself is detailed and highlights the good engineering that went into these speakers. I especially like the use of steel beams as internal braces.
This article by Robert White and Rod Elliot illustrates why steel beats wood for bracing: lightweight, doesn't take up as much space, yet it's far stiffer, which is crucial in controlling panel resonances.
EDIT: I thought about the tweeter. Such a low Fs (275Hz) and high excursion is difficult to achieve from conventional tweeters. I believe a miniature full-range driver, reminiscent of those Harmon Kardon used in their 2.1 systems, was used here (they even look similar).

 

[NotInYourHead]

View attachment 485428
Sorry, can't help but laugh at this end section of the whitepaper. If you squint your eyes, you might just know who the competitors are
The paper itself is detailed and highlights the good engineering that went into these speakers. I especially like the use of steel beams as internal braces.
This article by Robert White and Rod Elliot illustrates why steel beats wood for bracing: lightweight, doesn't take up as much space, yet it's far stiffer, which is crucial in controlling panel resonances.
EDIT: I thought about the tweeter. Such a low Fs (275Hz) and high excursion is difficult to achieve from conventional tweeters. I believe a miniature full-range driver, reminiscent of those Harmon Kardon used in their 2.1 systems, was used here (they even look similar).
View attachment 485431

Nailed it.

 

[AndreaT]

Nice review and nice find Amir! The kit version is € 349 plus € 55 for shipping to the U.S….About $ 464…I might give it a try…

 

[Penelinfi]

I've been just thinking about modern day "cone" or at least, not dome type small tweeters. I've been looking for something with an outer width not larger than 25mm for a super tweeter. But seems to get you into laptop speakers not necessarily designed for top octave, but for most usable range from a tiny speaker.
Ideally metal diaphragm.

 

[Soniclife]

Since this is a DSP-based design, it would be straightforward to implement @Maiky76’s EQ suggestions directly in the product. I’d be interested to hear the general view on whether that would be desirable.

Have you tried them out, or what amirm used? I'm interested in if find them better than what you settled on in the current versions, and how audible the changes are.

My personal playing with DSP feels a bit like playing amateur speaker designer at times, and I think I'd hate to commit to a single final tuning, but I consistently come back to less is more with filters.

 

[AudioSmile_UK]

Hello Everyone,

I’ve been working with the excellent measurement data Amir posted for the LBM to refine the DSP filters used inside the speaker.

With only very minimal adjustments, the results are shown below. These aren’t exactly the same EQ filters shown by @Maiky76, as I’m working with an existing DSP chain, but the overall target is similar.

I’ll be shipping all LBMs with this updated filter set from now on.

This update addresses two small issues Amir highlighted (and which I agree):

1. A minor dip around 1 kHz
2. A slight downward slope in the low bass

In fact, no extra filters were added — I removed two, added one, and made a small adjustment to the tweeter gain.

LBM before and after optimisation using ASR data:

Will this be audible?

Honestly, I think it would be difficult for most people to hear much difference. In AB testing, I can just about detect a small change around 1 kHz.
The bass difference is about the same as moving the boundary control one step up - objectively the graph looks a little tidier, but subjectively it just sounds like “ahh yes, a touch more bass.”

If you’re one of the early adopters who already owns a pair of LBMs and would like the new settings, I’ll be happy to update them free of charge.
I just ask that you cover shipping if you’re outside England.

 

[Crosstalk]

Here is the cheapest contender by far. Passive Crossover but one stereo Amp build in in one of two speakers:

I have purchased this tiny little speaker more than 2 years ago from the Company Magnat.
It is the Magnat Active 2000.

Test Aktivbox Magnat Monitor Active 2000 – HiFi war nie günstiger - LowBeats

Bodenständiges HiFi, ganz ohne verspielte Smart-Technologien, dafür mit viel Klang fürs Geld? Das ge

www.lowbeats.de

I was completely blown away from its performance: I like the sound even slightly more than the sound of my 7 times more expensive Ellis Audio 1801 speaker.
I live in Germany and here you was able to buy this little speaker for little money - a pair for just EUR 199,--!
It would be so cool, if @amirm could take a look at this little wonder.
Here is -as an attachment - the Frequency response and the distortions. It can´t do 96 dB but with 86 dB it is remarkably clean and it can go down easily to 64 Hz -the C - as an f3 point.
I think, it is worth a deeper look. Here in Germany it is a so called "Geheimtipp" for audiophiles with no money.

I don’t know if this remarkable speaker got a successor. Magnat uses Klippel measurements, but I even don’t know if it is the real, expensive, fully robotized Near-Field-Scanner (NFC).



View attachment 485383

Despite the worse measurements, stereoplay hypocritically rate Wilson audio speakers above this. What universe are they living in?