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Home theater speaker selections?

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Bugal1998

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Here are the sweeps from the 5628. These sweeps had no room EQ engaged but all of the JBL amp tunings were loaded. I wanted to run sweeps with no tunings loaded to see the raw response of the drivers and cabinet, but ran out of time to get the amp setup.

I have no idea if this was the right approach, but measurements were taken as follows:
  • 'Driver and port' was 7 sweeps two inches from the middle of the cone plus two sweep two inches from the middle of the port to approximate the area of each radiator
  • 'Driver' is the sweep at two inches from the cone only
  • 'Port' is the sweep centered at the port only
Output is really dropping by 23hz, but from 25hz and above the output from the pair of 5628s is basically limitless for my use.

JBL's stats would suggest the 5628 has slightly greater in-room extension than the Sub18, but reality would seem to be very much the opposite.
 

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Blackdevil77

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I have these subs also (5628s) powered by a Crown I-tech 12000HD. I didn't use the presets, I just put in my own high pass filter. The presets have a low pass filter in place to be used as a crossover, which I let the processor handle.
 
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Bugal1998

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I have these subs also (5628s) powered by a Crown I-tech 12000HD. I didn't use the presets, I just put in my own high pass filter. The presets have a low pass filter in place to be used as a crossover, which I let the processor handle.

@Blackdevil77 do you have any driver, port, or in room measurements?

What high pass filter are you using?
 
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Bugal1998

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Looks like it's down 6-7 db at 20HZ. That's notably better than what I'm getting in my unfinished temporary space... So maybe there's hope!
 

Jonas_h

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Quick update for any who may be interested...

JBL 5628-

I bought a pair of 5628 subs that I‘m powering with a Crown I-tech 5000HD (2500 watts into 4 ohms per cab). They’ll fill the room with round, deep, soft, and smooth bass... no bloat, just tight clean bass (at least to my ears)... and then an instant later pound you in the chest and make your vision feel like it’s blurring. Unreal. All the other subs I’ve owned would draw attention to themselves if they were run a little too hot, but with the 5628 I’ve bumped the bass by 10db, and they don’t sound like subs set too high... It just sounds like more tight musical bass was added to the mix, even on acoustic instruments (except upright bass which tends to sound boomy by nature).

Sure, it would be wonderful if they played about 8-10hz deeper, but not at the expense of what they do from 25-120hz. I have a deep and wide null in my temporary listening space right at 20hz, but I think the -10db point in my room would be closer to 20hz than the 18hz spec’d by JBL. My close mic’ing of the 5628 and M2 driver(s)/port(s) suggests the M2 is actually tuned slightly lower than the 5628 (but the 5628 bass quality and quantity is on another level vs the M2). The output right down to 25hz seems limitless in every scenario I’ve put them through (I do value my hearing so I haven’t probed for the actual limits).

Current plan: Add two more 5628s to smooth the frequency response in the room. Then I have a space that could serve as an infinite baffle, so I may put two to four 24” drivers in there to cover the 5-25hz range and never look back.


JBL AC2826-

Spent a couple weeks listening to them as my L/R speakers (crossed over to subs) with the requisite Crown DCi amp and tunings loaded. Tremendous output, good impact in the mid-bass, definitely needs EQ, and not as refined as the M2s (no surprise). Width of the ‘soundstage’ was more constrained, and plenty of details seemed a little hazy and obscured (again, no surprise)... But they would make an outstanding surround speaker for a high-impact theater. Unless the newest JBL in-wall/ceiling speakers (SCL 6 and 7) can offer better performance I’m inclined toward the 2826; easier to acoustically isolate the room without in-wall speakers, and they can be aimed at the listening position. They offer a LOT more output than the 708p, but they seem a bit less refined.

Hi, did you end up using the AC28/26 as wides? Satisfied? I'm using M2 as LCR and 8320 as surrounds/Atmos.. Now considering to add wides.
 
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Bugal1998

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Hi, did you end up using the AC28/26 as wides? Satisfied? I'm using M2 as LCR and 8320 as surrounds/Atmos.. Now considering to add wides.

Hey.. Not yet... Soundproofing and drywall was finally hung this week, so no impressions to share of the 2826 in a surround role. In stereo they were a bit disappointing, even with EQ.

The system engineer is telling me I'll be happier with the SCL lineup as a surround speaker, despite the distortion visible in klippel measurements. After hearing the 2826, I'm inclined to believe him. The Scl installation would certainly be easier and take up less space, so I'm--to my own surprise-- leaning in that direction.

The plan is to be up and running in 2-channel with the M2s plus all the subs by September... Hopefully. Everything for that configuration except one required amp is sitting here waiting to be installed. It's part of an extensive basement renovation and it's going very sloooowly.
 

Jonas_h

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Thanks for the reply. Sounds like I need to listen to AC18 before I make up my mind.

My budget cannot do SCL as surrounds, so I went with 8320 (which I think does a good job). But for wides my budget can be increased. SCL-7 is equal in price as the AC18. Also considering alternatives from Procella as they have a good form factor. Call me OCD, but I do like that all speakers are JBL :)
 

Dj7675

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Thanks for the reply. Sounds like I need to listen to AC18 before I make up my mind.

My budget cannot do SCL as surrounds, so I went with 8320 (which I think does a good job). But for wides my budget can be increased. SCL-7 is equal in price as the AC18. Also considering alternatives from Procella as they have a good form factor. Call me OCD, but I do like that all speakers are JBL :)
Do you do Atmos? If so, what did you use? SLC-7 is very clever design for use as front wides
 
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Bugal1998

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[
Call me OCD, but I do like that all speakers are JBL :)

Ha! It's possible I have a touch of the same OCD.

I should add that I was underwhelmed by an SCL demo as well; it was in a full synthesis demo theater. Could be many reasons for that, but the idea that the SCL-2 can rival the M2 was in no way backed up by what I heard. I'm blaming poor implementation and execution in that room/system... For now.
 

Dj7675

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Hey.. Not yet... Soundproofing and drywall was finally hung this week, so no impressions to share of the 2826 in a surround role. In stereo they were a bit disappointing, even with EQ.

The system engineer is telling me I'll be happier with the SCL lineup as a surround speaker, despite the distortion visible in klippel measurements. After hearing the 2826, I'm inclined to believe him. The Scl installation would certainly be easier and take up less space, so I'm--to my own surprise-- leaning in that direction.

The plan is to be up and running in 2-channel with the M2s plus all the subs by September... Hopefully. Everything for that configuration except one required amp is sitting here waiting to be installed. It's part of an extensive basement renovation and it's going very sloooowly.
Did you ever think of JBL 708i/705i for surrounds? Powered versions would seem not very practical but the 705i in particular would seem to be pretty ideal for surround or even ceiling duty if your ceiling was high enough.
 

Jonas_h

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I have JBL 8320 in ceiling. They have built-in angle already and I could angle them a little more to make sure all seats were covered.

Regarding JBL 708i and 705i, I have considered the 708i. It is very deep though, and will require that I design the room around that. I dont want visible speakers in my theater :) I had the 705i as surrounds in my previous room and I felt they were too constrained - had to cross them at 120hz. They sounded good at moderate levels though.
 
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Bugal1998

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Did you ever think of JBL 708i/705i for surrounds? Powered versions would seem not very practical but the 705i in particular would seem to be pretty ideal for surround or even ceiling duty if your ceiling was high enough.

Thought about it, yes. And they would be an amazing option in some installations.

After sound proofing the ceiling (Wave Hangers, plywood, multiple layers of drywall) I was left with 8’6” ceilings. Add a 12” riser in the rear of the room and the space for on ceiling speaker is basically gone, so I had to do in ceiling speakers with isolation boxes.

My wife strongly prefers hidden speakers… I could possibly have sold her on the 1826/2826 based on the price difference… the 705i didn’t have enough output (the SCL-7 with dual 5” woofers is borderline), and 708 was too expensive. So I’m leaning toward the SCL-7 for the inwalls (adequate output, clever off axis waveguide for ideal sound coverage, clean and easy install, reasonable price) and the SCL-5 in the ceiling for the same reasons. Would prefer to use SCL-6 for on-walls, but I’d have to angle the boxes. At the end of the day, I’m a two-channel guy, and the SCL-7 will do the job nicely if not exceedingly well, and I’ll never look back.
 

Dj7675

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I have JBL 8320 in ceiling. They have built-in angle already and I could angle them a little more to make sure all seats were covered.

Regarding JBL 708i and 705i, I have considered the 708i. It is very deep though, and will require that I design the room around that. I dont want visible speakers in my theater :) I had the 705i as surrounds in my previous room and I felt they were too constrained - had to cross them at 120hz. They sounded good at moderate levels though.
I have been looking at the 8320 as well...
-When you say in ceiling, do you mean mounted on the ceiling, correct? If so was it very difficult to mount to the ceiling?
-Did you use use EQ to "fix" the x-curve type of response their documentation shows?
-Can they comfortably do 80hz crossovers at their locations?
 

Jonas_h

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I have been looking at the 8320 as well...
-When you say in ceiling, do you mean mounted on the ceiling, correct? If so was it very difficult to mount to the ceiling?
-Did you use use EQ to "fix" the x-curve type of response their documentation shows?
-Can they comfortably do 80hz crossovers at their locations?
My mounting technique:) re-sale value decreased, but given they are not very expensive, I accepted that consequence. Very easy, but required two people to mount them.


The theater is not completed so have not taken out the microphones yet, but the plan is to timbre match them with the M2s with EQ.

All speakers in ceiling are hidden behind fabric.
20220506_172124.jpg
 
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Bugal1998

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My comments on the AC2826 should be taken in context… as Toole observed, we’re less critical of the quality of speakers as the number of speakers increases, so it’s entirely possible they would make excellent surround speakers. If I wasn’t accommodating my spouse, I’d be mounting the AC series on the wall and calling it a day. But what I said is true, they were underwhelming for stereo use.

For what it’s worth, Keith Yates has said he loves the AC2826. It’s also possible that Keith Yates (designer of Rob Hahn’s theater), applies custom EQ since he had them measured independently; and the listening distance in a theater like The Hahn might also call for the output of something like the AC series. It’s about finding the right speaker for the right application and system priorities.
 

Dj7675

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Thought about it, yes. And they would be an amazing option in some installations.

After sound proofing the ceiling (Wave Hangers, plywood, multiple layers of drywall) I was left with 8’6” ceilings. Add a 12” riser in the rear of the room and the space for on ceiling speaker is basically gone, so I had to do in ceiling speakers with isolation boxes.

My wife strongly prefers hidden speakers… I could possibly have sold her on the 1826/2826 based on the price difference… the 705i didn’t have enough output (the SCL-7 with dual 5” woofers is borderline), and 708 was too expensive. So I’m leaning toward the SCL-7 for the inwalls (adequate output, clever off axis waveguide for ideal sound coverage, clean and easy install, reasonable price) and the SCL-5 in the ceiling for the same reasons. Would prefer to use SCL-6 for on-walls, but I’d have to angle the boxes. At the end of the day, I’m a two-channel guy, and the SCL-7 will do the job nicely if not exceedingly well, and I’ll never look back.
My mounting technique:) re-sale value decreased, but given they are not very expensive, I accepted that consequence. Very easy, but required two people to mount them.


The theater is not completed so have not taken out the microphones yet, but the plan is to timbre match them with the M2s with EQ.

All speakers in ceiling are hidden behind fabric.
View attachment 207759
Thanks for the picture. Did you get a chance to listen to them in stereo to get a general idea on how they sound?
 

Jonas_h

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Yes I did... My criteria was that they should sound dynamic, enjoyable and non-harsh. And they did. But don't expect the performance you get from the LSR or M2s. But for my budget and for surrounds, I think they are good.
 
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