JBL 306P MK II Review (Studio Monitor)

[Tom C]

Seems like anyone who actually owns these is quite satisfied with what they received for the money spent. I am one of those. There is audible distortion, but not overly objectionable at low listening levels. There is audible hiss, but not to distraction, and I use them as desktop speakers for my PC workstation. Whether or not you’ll be happy with these probably depends a lot on how fussy you are.
I’d like to apply the EQ correction. Sorry I’m such a rube, but is it as simple as loading the file posted by @Maiky76 into JRiver DSP? Is there a post somewhere that explains the process in detail?

 

[dfuller]

Why should high frequencys destroy a tweeter? Did you ever heard that 5khz destroy a bass? Iam not.

Because tweeters to be entirely honest don't deal with lots of continuous power very well.

 

[andreasmaaan]

And now, while playing a song of mine in my Fantom 8.
Going from -10 to -83.

Hi @F1308, if your argument is simply that, in most recordings, there is less content above 10kHz than below it, I agree. If your argument is that, of all the octave-wide bands within the high-frequency spectrum, this octave is the least subjectively important, then I agree.

However, if your argument is that "since most music is design to be played within D1-A6, regardless of your hearing be limited to 12000 Hz after aging, you will still enjoy it at its fullness," then I'm afraid I do not agree.

A6 has a frequency of around 1760Hz. Its tenth harmonic will fall at around 17,600Hz. Trumpets, for example, most definitely produce significant 10th harmonic content (and well beyond). Many cymbals produce significant content above 10kHz also, and so do various other brass, percussion and miscellaneous other instruments.

To illustrate this, I've taken an excerpt of a Quincy Jones recording with a healthy amount of brass and percussion, and processed it. You can find the files here.

The file "Quincy Original" is unprocessed.

"Quincy Filtered" is the same file, but with a steep (48dB/octave) low-pass filter with a corner frequency of 10kHz applied to it. If your hearing extends high enough in frequency, you'll notice that the high-frequency percussion sounds very flat, almost unrecognisable, and the brass section, especially when it hits high notes, is missing some of its richness and "edge".

"Quincy Difference" contains the difference, i.e. the same file but with the inverse (high-pass) 48dB/octave filter at 10kHz, and is included for reference.

 

[F1308]

Hi @F1308, if your argument is simply that, in most recordings, there is less content above 10kHz than below it, I agree. If your argument is that, of all the octave-wide bands within the high-frequency spectrum, this octave is the least subjectively important, then I agree.

However, if your argument is that "since most music is design to be played within D1-A6, regardless of your hearing be limited to 12000 Hz after aging, you will still enjoy it at its fullness," then I'm afraid I do not agree.

A6 has a frequency of around 1760Hz. Its tenth harmonic will fall at around 17,600Hz. Trumpets, for example, most definitely produce significant 10th harmonic content (and well beyond). Many cymbals produce significant content above 10kHz also, and so do various other brass, percussion and miscellaneous other instruments.

To illustrate this, I've taken an excerpt of a Quincy Jones recording with a healthy amount of brass and percussion, and processed it. You can find the files here.

The file "Quincy Original" is unprocessed.

"Quincy Filtered" is the same file, but with a steep (48dB/octave) low-pass filter with a corner frequency of 10kHz applied to it. If your hearing extends high enough in frequency, you'll notice that the high-frequency percussion sounds very flat, almost unrecognisable, and the brass section, especially when it hits high notes, is missing some of its richness and "edge".

"Quincy Difference" contains the difference, i.e. the same file but with the inverse (high-pass) 48dB/octave filter at 10kHz, and is included for reference.

Very nice of you.
Thank you.
I just hear an unbearable hiss that cannot be called music whatsoever.
I will very willingly keep them at reach...If a Mars Attack ever happens they might even be lethal for them...and freedom for us, music lovers.

 

[sarumbear]

Why should high frequencys destroy a tweeter? Did you ever heard that 5khz destroy a bass? Iam not.

Is this sarcasm?

 

[F1308]

Is this sarcasm?

Bass at 5Khz?
What taiko is It, please ?

 

[andreasmaaan]

Very nice of you.
Thank you.
I just hear an unbearable hiss that cannot be called music whatsoever.
I will very willingly keep it at reach...If a Mars Attack ever happens they might be even lethal for them...

I'm sorry, I just realised the files bounced incorrectly. Please try again now

 

[F1308]

I'm sorry, I just realised the files bounced incorrectly. Please try again now

No, thanks.
More than enough.

 

[sarumbear]

May I ask to go back to discussing the science and pleasure of listening high quality audio instead of music structure and low-fi audio reproduction. It’s easy to create a new thread if one wants it.

 

[tomtoo]

Is this sarcasm?

No. If 5khz not destroy a bass in a second why should 25khz destroy a tweeter in a second? Hope you can explain?

 

[F1308]

May I ask to go back to discussing the science and pleasure of listening high quality audio instead of music structure and low-fi audio reproduction. It’s easy to create a new thread if one wants it.

Now that we know a SINAD higher than 116 dB is not needed, above human capabilities, and that It could be had for a fair amount of money, could we fix the frequencies that are requiered to be perfectly reproduced to hear music on the basis of the existing 128 MIDI notes AND the existing current musical instruments?

 

[Xyrium]

This may officially be the most derailed thread on the forum. LOL. I love it. When Thomas returns from holiday, we will undoubtedly feel his wrath...

 

[andreasmaaan]

No, thanks.
More than enough.

Ok, I'm disappointed you (apparently?) saw my doing this as antagonistic. I was hoping you just might be interested in hearing practically what you've been discussing theoretically so far.

I'll leave the files up, anyway, in case you want to try with them later

 

[tomtoo]

Because tweeters to be entirely honest don't deal with lots of continuous power very well.

No but thats absolutly no reason why 25khz should destroy them faster than15khz.

 

[F1308]

Ok, I'm disappointed you (apparently?) saw my doing this as antagonistic. I was hoping you just might be interested in hearing practically what you've been discussing theoretically so far.

I'll leave the files up, anyway, in case you want to try with them later

Oh, please, enjoy yourself.
My latest hearing test showed 20-15200 for my ears. Sine tones.
No music goes that high.
But remember: good for a Mars Attack.

 

[andreasmaaan]

No music goes that high.

...OK

 

[BDWoody]

Let's get back on topic here please.
@F1308 , start a new thread if you want to continue.

@maxxevv , I just saw your tag. If you (or anyone) reports things like this, it can't get buried.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Hi @F1308, if your argument is simply that, in most recordings, there is less content above 10kHz than below it, I agree. If your argument is that, of all the octave-wide bands within the high-frequency spectrum, this octave is the least subjectively important, then I agree.

However, if your argument is that "since most music is design to be played within D1-A6, regardless of your hearing be limited to 12000 Hz after aging, you will still enjoy it at its fullness," then I'm afraid I do not agree.

A6 has a frequency of around 1760Hz. Its tenth harmonic will fall at around 17,600Hz. Trumpets, for example, most definitely produce significant 10th harmonic content (and well beyond). Many cymbals produce significant content above 10kHz also, and so do various other brass, percussion and miscellaneous other instruments.

To illustrate this, I've taken an excerpt of a Quincy Jones recording with a healthy amount of brass and percussion, and processed it. You can find the files here.

The file "Quincy Original" is unprocessed.

"Quincy Filtered" is the same file, but with a steep (48dB/octave) low-pass filter with a corner frequency of 10kHz applied to it. If your hearing extends high enough in frequency, you'll notice that the high-frequency percussion sounds very flat, almost unrecognisable, and the brass section, especially when it hits high notes, is missing some of its richness and "edge".

"Quincy Difference" contains the difference, i.e. the same file but with the inverse (high-pass) 48dB/octave filter at 10kHz, and is included for reference.

If these were MP3s and you asked me to guess the bitrate of the filtered file I would say somewhere between 64-96 Kbps based on the HF rolloff.

In the difference file the trumpets are strong enough that I could tell you at least a few of the fundamental notes based on the harmonics. Reminds me of listening to a stylus on a record.

Long story short, I could ABX these files all day long on the cheapest of equipment. I'd say that indicates a clear difference.

I wonder if @F1308 could humor us by saying something about the JBL LSR306P MkIIs in this thread instead of trying to legislate timbre out of existence.

 

[F1308]

Please, has anyone measured the reported hiss ?
I mean, frequency and level heard after playing music at say 55-65 dB and stopping it to get the measurement ?

 

[andreasmaaan]

In the difference file the trumpets are strong enough that I could tell you at least a few of the fundamental notes based on the harmonics.

That's actually a really interesting point. Amazing that a fundamental can be identified from harmonics in the 10-20 range, but it's there for me, too