Audio Smile LBM Monitor Review

[somebodyelse]

I can not retro-fit upgrades, the back panel needs to be removed and an analog devices programmer tool connected to update the DSP.

So, any change to the EQ would only be applied to product sold from here onwards.

If I was building the DIY version I'd be tempted to include something like a Pi Zero W or to connect to the programming port and run sigmatcp to allow reprogramming or control over the network. But then I'd think about adding a DAC and using the Pi for streaming and USB audio input too...

 

[totti1965]

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

Can you show me these measurements? At least bass capabilities and sound pressure capabilities of any Wilson 3-way speaker are -I am shure- much better. Don’t try to squeeze out more than let’s say 91 dB of the tiny Magnat Active 2000.
Would be nice to see the one or another larger speaker tested here. Erin does the work for three!

 

[Crosstalk]

Can you show me these measurements? At least bass capabilities and sound pressure capabilities of any Wilson 3-way speaker are -I am shure- much better. Don’t try to squeeze out more than let’s say 91 dB of the tiny Magnat Active 2000.
Would be nice to see the one or another larger speaker tested here. Erin does the work for three!

We don’t need measurements to know they are bad. They are insanely expensive. For end game sound we only need a Kef R 11. anything more than that to me is a waste of money

 

[totti1965]

We don’t need measurements to know they are bad. They are insanely expensive. For end game sound we only need a Kef R 11. anything more than that to me is a waste of money

In my humble opinion, speakers are the only type of device where it makes sense to spend a little more money: Genelec, Neumann, Geithein, some Future Projects of Audio First Design, Revel Ultima (@amirm ’s living room speakers), some future projects from AsciLab, and even the KEF Blade 2. It would be difficult to deny their raison d'être.

 

[Mnyb]

@AudioSmile_UK

The kit in the videos on your site , does not look the same as the tested speaker , no waveguide and the port seems different are there different versions of this speaker ?
Are you continuously updating the design or can distinct versions be enumerated , or will updates seamlessly get incorporated the product .

 

[daniboun]

@AudioSmile_UK

The kit in the videos on your site , does not look the same as the tested speaker , no waveguide and the port seems different are there different versions of this speaker ?
Are you continuously updating the design or can distinct versions be enumerated , or will updates seamlessly get incorporated the product .

I already asked Amir to change the Tittle.... The one reviewed here is the Audio Smile LBM MK3 and the one in the video is the MK2

BTW , you can check now the Spinorama score

Measurements for speaker Audio Smile Little British Monitor

www.spinorama.org

 

[Arindal]

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 agree in general, but we should note there are a few exceptions on the market, like 4" Purifi. Combined with a capable concept of reflex (such as passive radiators) and active boost moving extreme excursions away from the midwoofer, the lower bass can be pretty satisfying at medium SPL, while keeping midrange more or less clean.

There is reason to doubt this is the case here, as this very much looks like some Dayton ND91 derivate, tuned to 66Hz vented. I agree they can sound impressive given the enclosure volume, but neither super deep nor particularly clean when driven beyond their comfort zone of excursion.

 

[AudioSmile_UK]

The kit in the videos on your site , does not look the same as the tested speaker , no waveguide and the port seems different are there different versions of this speaker ?

Are you continuously updating the design or can distinct versions be enumerated , or will updates seamlessly get incorporated the product .

Would you please share the link you found? I don't believe there is any link to the older LBM from the audiosmile website, but perhaps Google is pulling in an old page link that I need to deactivate or link back to the current version.

In answer: The current kit is the same as the product shown here.

LBM DIY Kit — AudioSmile

www.audiosmile.com

 

[Mnyb]

yes it was just the older videos on your press page https://www.audiosmile.com/press from the general site you cant really grasp that there's ever been a mk1 or mk2 version before the current one i can see now that the last video mentions the mk2 version .

The current offerings are all up to date , but the products seem to have the same name without any official mk1 mk2 and mk3 designations that confused me a bit

 

[PJR918BMW]

Well I think these are great.

And on the basis of "if you don't ask you don't get.." Discount for ASR Members? Or something like half price on the stands if you buy the kit or pre built ones at the same time? Lets be honest, you have to have those stands if you get these speakers - they're a genius design (well to a simple person like me. they are)

 

[DSJR]

I agree in general, but we should note there are a few exceptions on the market, like 4" Purifi. Combined with a capable concept of reflex (such as passive radiators) and active boost moving extreme excursions away from the midwoofer, the lower bass can be pretty satisfying at medium SPL, while keeping midrange more or less clean.

There is reason to doubt this is the case here, as this very much looks like some Dayton ND91 derivate, tuned to 66Hz vented. I agree they can sound impressive given the enclosure volume, but neither super deep nor particularly clean when driven beyond their comfort zone of excursion.

That Purifi driver may be the best there is for the size, but that tiny cone pummelling back and forth at low frequencies will almost certainly modulate the midrange if my experience of other similar cone sizes has any relevance these days. Properly cross said driver into a dsub with carefully set High-pass filter and see how much more 3-D it can appear to sound

 

[Crosstalk]

In my humble opinion, speakers are the only type of device where it makes sense to spend a little more money: Genelec, Neumann, Geithein, some Future Projects of Audio First Design, Revel Ultima (@amirm ’s living room speakers), some future projects from AsciLab, and even the KEF Blade 2. It would be difficult to deny their raison d'être.

You buy R11, eq it. That’s it. It has very low distortion and great directivity and the low bass extension. So that’s all anyone need. All the speakers ypu mentioned also need eq. Then why spend more ? No logical reason. I have a R11, I am really confident that I don’t need any other speaker in my life. I have listened many hi end speakers including blades and my eqed r11 easily beats tje in eqed blades.

I am not interested in multi-way speakers after using coaxials- so revel and co won’t cut it for me

 

[CedarX]

Then why spend more ? No logical reason.

I agree… but there are a lot of reasons to try spending less than a pair of R11s !!!

 

[tw 2022]

I agree… but there are a lot of reasons to try spending less than a pair of R11s !!!

agreed , there's a whole buncha good bookshelf 3 ways at about $2-3k... bmr monitors , kef r3 , ect ect .. just add a sub

 

[Crosstalk]

I agree… but there are a lot of reasons to try spending less than a pair of R11s !!!

Actually none of them has low distortion in bass region as the r11. So I can just run them full range with bass boost eq. Anything cheaper will have distortion in bass region and requires additional sub in the room to cover that bass region

 

[Crosstalk]

agreed , there's a whole buncha good bookshelf 3 ways at about $2-3k... bmr monitors , kef r3 , ect ect .. just add a sub

R11 is still available new at some stores for 2500 euros with 5 year warranty. At 2500 euros there is nothing closer you can buy and adding a sub means you are going to spend more and going to waste more floor space. Regular r11 is ultimate in every way

 

[kawauso]

Actually none of them has low distortion in bass region as the r11. So I can just run them full range with bass boost eq. Anything cheaper will have distortion in bass region and requires additional sub in the room to cover that bass region

I think the low end of the R11 is excellent, though it really shines more around the upper 30 Hz range — I’d personally like a bit more extension.
I also understand your point; I actually prefer the sound of the Reference 1 Meta over the Blade Meta myself. Still, the Blade’s perfectly linear directivity index makes it objectively the more refined design.

 

[Crosstalk]

I think the low end of the R11 is excellent, though it really shines more around the upper 30 Hz range — I’d personally like a bit more extension.
I also understand your point; I actually prefer the sound of the Reference 1 Meta over the Blade Meta myself. Still, the Blade’s perfectly linear directivity index makes it objectively the more refined design.

It has audible extension until 30 without any eq but with eq you can get it Som3e 25 without distorting. If u eq any other speaker under 10k(including reference 3 meta) for bass, it will distort. R11 will not.

 

[daniboun]

R11 is still available new at some stores for 2500 euros with 5 year warranty. At 2500 euros there is nothing closer you can buy and adding a sub means you are going to spend more and going to waste more floor space. Regular r11 is ultimate in every way

$ 2500 per unit here in EU....
Really strange to compare a tiny bookshelf vs the Kef R11 by the way.

By comparing like with like and using two filters "Active Bookshelf / less than $1000" we can get a good idea of the competition check out :

A collection of loudspeakers measurements

www.spinorama.org

 

[Mnyb]

Any how the r11 won’t fit on my desk LBM is seriously interesting at my computer setup.

Btw why no xlr or trs input ? If monitor is the word …