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In search of a studio monitor for desktop use

vlad335

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Hello,

First thread started here so take it easy on me please. ;)

I have been using JBL 4326 studio monitors that i bought used from Guitar Center and while i can't say i dislike them, I was wondering if there was something out there better. I am running out of my PC using a creative AE-7 soundcard, running a sub (SVS SB1000) and two stereo monitors out of the respective sound card outputs. before this i had a set of JBL 305 and the 4326 were a significant improvement.

Well my curiosity got the better of me and i ordered a set of Adam T5v basically after reading the review here. What was noticed immediately was an improvement in resolution and space between instruments. NICE! The downside is they don't get loud enough for me before getting shouty. ( I am using Equalizer APO and the recommended Eq enhancements)

With this in mind I bought a pair of Adam T8V with the bigger drivers and a little extra power. These are not the same as the T5V's. Not the same resolution and clarity IMO opinion although the volume is a bit better.

Looks like i am going to have to return both and try something else and may have to go up the foodchain. I love the power of the JBL's (220 watts each) but they are not the most resolving. I guess I listen pretty loud and am somewhat sensitive to distortion. I am considering the Newmann KH120's but i am concerned about the 100 total watts. Also on the short list is Mackie HR824MK11

What about these two monitors and any other recommendations. I am thinking a 1500 budget.

Thanks for reading.
 

waynel

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Hello,

First thread started here so take it easy on me please. ;)

I have been using JBL 4326 studio monitors that i bought used from Guitar Center and while i can't say i dislike them, I was wondering if there was something out there better. I am running out of my PC using a creative AE-7 soundcard, running a sub (SVS SB1000) and two stereo monitors out of the respective sound card outputs. before this i had a set of JBL 305 and the 4326 were a significant improvement.

Well my curiosity got the better of me and i ordered a set of Adam T5v basically after reading the review here. What was noticed immediately was an improvement in resolution and space between instruments. NICE! The downside is they don't get loud enough for me before getting shouty. ( I am using Equalizer APO and the recommended Eq enhancements)

With this in mind I bought a pair of Adam T8V with the bigger drivers and a little extra power. These are not the same as the T5V's. Not the same resolution and clarity IMO opinion although the volume is a bit better.

Looks like i am going to have to return both and try something else and may have to go up the foodchain. I love the power of the JBL's (220 watts each) but they are not the most resolving. I guess I listen pretty loud and am somewhat sensitive to distortion. I am considering the Newmann KH120's but i am concerned about the 100 total watts. Also on the short list is Mackie HR824MK11

What about these two monitors and any other recommendations. I am thinking a 1500 budget.

Thanks for reading.
Neumann KH120 or Genelec 8030c are the best you can do for that budget. They play loud enough for me at 1 meter.
 

YSC

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how far are you listening to? I am using the 8030 for very near field listening and all I need to do is crank down the volume with a line level source with a passive preamp feeding into the lowest sensitivity setting... I wonders if the T5V won't satisfy you before the distortion kicks in no desktop monitors will be able to do it with similar driver size..
 
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vlad335

vlad335

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My problem is I am very sensitive to distortion. Probably more so than any human being I know and it sucks the fun out of life. I can hear it immediately and believe me, it's a curse. My wife will be playing music and enjoying it and i am aghast as to why she doesnt realize what is happening.

The T5V was the best of the bunch of the 3 monitors i am testing but hit the distortion wall first. I dont know the words to explain what i want to hear but the sound would be coherent and just present the instruments and voices evenly.
The JBL 4326 has the most staying power without hash but needs EQ I think. I have the mic for these but heard the Auto EQ is just a gimmick and doesn't do anything. Never tried it...

Ok, EQ on the JBL's... Considering ditching my Creative Soundblaster card and buying a miniDSP ddrc-24 with Dirac and doing this setup right. Very afraid of the learning curve though. The AE-5 just works easy for plugging in the different speakers and subs and having some semblance of control.
 
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vlad335

vlad335

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Do you use the TV5s with a sub? If not EQing a lot of bass is a garantee for not being able to play loud.
Yes, crossing over at 58hz and 77hz with the Creative program.
 
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vlad335

vlad335

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how far are you listening to? I am using the 8030 for very near field listening and all I need to do is crank down the volume with a line level source with a passive preamp feeding into the lowest sensitivity setting... I wonders if the T5V won't satisfy you before the distortion kicks in no desktop monitors will be able to do it with similar driver size..

I measured and it is 21" equilateral between the 2 speakers
 

617

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My problem is I am very sensitive to distortion. Probably more so than any human being I know and it sucks the fun out of life. I can hear it immediately and believe me, it's a curse. My wife will be playing music and enjoying it and i am aghast as to why she doesnt realize what is happening.

The T5V was the best of the bunch of the 3 monitors i am testing but hit the distortion wall first. I dont know the words to explain what i want to hear but the sound would be coherent and just present the instruments and voices evenly.
The JBL 4326 has the most staying power without hash but needs EQ I think. I have the mic for these but heard the Auto EQ is just a gimmick and doesn't do anything. Never tried it...

Ok, EQ on the JBL's... Considering ditching my Creative Soundblaster card and buying a miniDSP ddrc-24 with Dirac and doing this setup right. Very afraid of the learning curve though. The AE-5 just works easy for plugging in the different speakers and subs and having some semblance of control.

Another more simple minidsp product would probably suit you. Perhaps a 2x4 HD. A well designed monitor relieved of playing bass should be able to play pretty damn loud and clean. I would recommend AGAINST auto eq, but would recommend making measurements. They will tell you a lot about what is going on. What should and should not be eq'd is a complex subject which people here can help with.

For your uses the minidsp umik product should work well.
 

YSC

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I measured and it is 21" equilateral between the 2 speakers
that is very close indeed, even closer than I am doing in RL. I wonders is that actually distortion you hear... the T5V at that close even with 86db SPL which is very loud for mid to high frequencies are well below 1% THD, by that the distortion of the creative and any cable interference should be higher.. if you have a healthy mean listening volume below 86db it should be even lower distortion figure..

Do you feel the distortion only when loud peaks in music is there or do you perceive distortion at all volumes? I kind of think the room modes and the resulting peaks and nulls are more of a problem to you than the distortion, so going measuring at the listening position should give a better idea than chasing the least distortion speaker.
 

watchnerd

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if you have a healthy mean listening volume below 86db it should be even lower distortion figure..
.

Exactly.

If you're sitting that close and using quality speakers and playing loud enough that they really are distorting or clipping, you're listening too damn loud and it's not healthy.
 

AnalogSteph

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At 21" (~53 cm) equilateral, you're going to have some issues that aren't normally talked about much, like proper summing of woofer and tweeter at the listening position, or hiss levels. If woofer-tweeter spacing (center-center) is too large, this can lead to a major suckout around crossover. I bet spacing on the existing speakers lines up like this: T5V < 4326P < T8V - right?

Under these circumstances, what you need is going to look much more like a Yamaha HS7, Genelec 8030C or Neumann KH120A, or even something coaxial (Fluid Audio FX50 or FX80, Tannoy Gold 8, Genelec "Ones" are going to be out of budget). True "nearfield" speakers.
 

LTig

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At 21" (~53 cm) equilateral, you're going to have some issues that aren't normally talked about much, like proper summing of woofer and tweeter at the listening position, or hiss levels. If woofer-tweeter spacing (center-center) is too large, this can lead to a major suckout around crossover. I bet spacing on the existing speakers lines up like this: T5V < 4326P < T8V - right?

Under these circumstances, what you need is going to look much more like a Yamaha HS7, Genelec 8030C or Neumann KH120A, or even something coaxial (Fluid Audio FX50 or FX80, Tannoy Gold 8, Genelec "Ones" are going to be out of budget). True "nearfield" speakers.
... or a KH310, mid and tweeter domes are very close together, it can play much louder than a small 2-way and IMD in the critical mids is lower as well.
 

andymok

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The 8” woofer doesnt catch up the tweeter as well as the 5” did, that’s probably why...
 

Chromatischism

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Under these circumstances, what you need is going to look much more like a Yamaha HS7, Genelec 8030C or Neumann KH120A, or even something coaxial (Fluid Audio FX50 or FX80, Tannoy Gold 8, Genelec "Ones" are going to be out of budget). True "nearfield" speakers.
Please don't choose the Yamahas; I don't even know why they were allowed in the same sentence as the Genelecs and Neumanns.

A good alternative to Genelecs is the iLoud MTM, but don't expect to leave your seat and crank them up and use them as room speakers or you will hear distortion from the vents. Used in their proper context while seated they are fine. You could let up on the bass a bit but then you lose balance.
 

Josq

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What kind of distortion are you hearing? If it is Tartini tones, the distortion is not happening in the audio chain but inside your head.
 

watchnerd

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At 21" (~53 cm) equilateral, you're going to have some issues that aren't normally talked about much, like proper summing of woofer and tweeter at the listening position, or hiss levels. If woofer-tweeter spacing (center-center) is too large, this can lead to a major suckout around crossover. I bet spacing on the existing speakers lines up like this: T5V < 4326P < T8V - right?

Under these circumstances, what you need is going to look much more like a Yamaha HS7, Genelec 8030C or Neumann KH120A, or even something coaxial (Fluid Audio FX50 or FX80, Tannoy Gold 8, Genelec "Ones" are going to be out of budget). True "nearfield" speakers.

You should totally get the Yamahas.
 

Pearljam5000

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I hated the Yamaha and love the Genelecs, it's hard to explain but the Yamaha had a type of washed out sound, it's tweeter was so bad, on the Genelecs everything was crystal clear
 
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