This is a comment also to
@jjaaha post:
First
@amirm thank you for testing the passiv version of the 708. Agree that its interesting to see what design considerations Harman takes when aiming to make at statement mid-field monitor. FUN! Their choice of port/tuning with the resulting resonances looks plain wrong but it is a deliberate compromise based on a knowledge base few if any other companies possess. Harman have published whitepapers on port design, both for medium sized speakers and all out PA subwoofers.
I do have a pair of 708i that is waiting to be hooked up but my M2s are taking up the only place in the mediaroom with really good acoustic properties. I found the 708P to be excellent when I demoed them. Tonally accurate IMHO, huge soundstage, resolving of micro/macro dynamics and a physicality to the sound when playing loud that's usually the domain of 12-15" midwoofers.
It is fully possible that
@amirm ended up testing a Crown network amplifier
where the DSP does not perform the (rather intricate) EQing as it should. I am sorry to report that these units (= some firmware versions, not the hardware) are now not to be trusted. I still have 3 Crown network amps but I do not trust EQ and levels before measuring the result. And in this review the tweeter response and the blend with the woofer does not look as it should.
1) In an earlier post
@jhaider stated that the software situation at Harman Pro was a mess. I agree. The last couple of years I have experienced some inconsistencies with the firm-/software in the DCi/CDi series from Crown. Levels between channels have mysteriously become unmatched, some crossovers and filters of my own design do not perform as designed. Early on I thought this was myself fumbling but its happened too often. A huge problem with the pre defined config files from Harman has been with the M2 config files which leaves the amplifier generating noise on some channels and distorted sound on the others. The issues came after upgrading the firmware in the amps at some point.
2) I do not see how it is meaningful to review a Crown DSP amp without mastering the Audio Architect software as it is a part of the system. And the JBL 708i is a part of the system Crown DSP amp/Audio Architect/JBL 708i. There are so many parameters that will inflict on the measurements. Did the guy that delivered the amp help with setting up Audio Architect?
3) Two of your complaints on the amplifier is not an issue when one use the whole amplifier system. First EQ, yes the loudspeaker/system EQ/limiting on the output is locked when one uses a Harman speaker preset but you do have 8 EQ points available pr band on each channels input. That gives you 16 EQ points for each loudspeaker for room related issues. Not bad! Then the trim pots on the backside where they belong on an INSTALL amp. If you use Audio Architect then you can easily adjust trim input levels by sending a signal to the amp and monitor the levels in the input level window to match them with high precision.
4) Why did you have to adjust the input trims? In the review one get the impression that level matching between the low and high channels are done with the trims. The level matching is done by the config file from Harman. Trim is for adjusting to the sources output level. As one can adjust the amplifiers gain modes 26/34/37dBu (in Audio Architect..) my gain structure is usually fine with the trim fully open.
Edit: some line shifts for better readability