JBL HDI-1600 Speaker Review

[Ngower]

I highly doubt the HDI-1600's are going to be duds & yes such a great price this weekend.

Putting the panels will help with any over excessive reflections in the mids, so in a smaller room that is probably a good plan. Dealing with bass is specific to certain frequencies. I don't want to trap bass below 200hrz 'globally' & trap the wrong frequency's along with the peaks. 5.25" material cannot trap the huge waves below 100 hrz which is where you will get some big peaks. 3 Biggest peaks will be likley around 45-50hrz & 65-70hrz and around 80hrz(this does not factor in SBIR, just room modes).

If you are going for it fidelity wise, I highly suggest skipping any big bass traps and doing the corrections below about 200hrz in Parametric EQ(PEQ). Unless you are going to be performing live there, fixing the bass issues in the electronic domain is so much more powerful and easy to do correctly.

You don't need endless advice from one person but I'd skip the overpriced Denon and do the $299 WiiM amp with built in streaming(are you really only doing vinyl?) and 4 bands of PEQ*(or it can do 10 bands of graphic eq) You'll need and external Phono Preamp but there are many good ones for low $. I guarantee you I could get superb sound with more ease from that vs buying the Denon and expensive corner traps. (*they also are trying to double the PEQ bands from 4 to 8 in a future software update)
Ther are also other options besides the WiiM that cost more or are not as user friendly.

FWIIW the power output of the $299 WiiM and the Denon is identical. I can pretty much guarantee you the Denon doesn't measureable or audibly beat the WiiM. (It does look richer and nicer though.) But I mean you are saving some serious cash and saving on the bass traps. You would have to navigate setting up the PEQ and doing measurements to get it correctly which I realize is hard on some folks but you should also be measuring as you add bass traps and the like. Not just randomly sticking them in there and praying that they affect the correct regions/frequencies.

Anyway this take of mine posted here and in Post #497 is not all directed just at your situation but anyone reading who is deciding things. Just my 2cents. I'm sure some others will have a totally different legitimate take.

P.S. if you don't know this site and are cool with refurb

DENON PMA-1700NE 2-Ch x 70 Watts Integrated Amplifer w/built-in DAC

Denon Factory Refurbished

www.accessories4less.com

I own the Denon already, it’s not a new purchase

 

[Ngower]

Have had the JBLs for a week or so but have only been able to throw about ten or so hours at them. No significant issues in my room I've noticed. While there's probably some taming that could be achieved by EQ/treatment, the sound that's coming out of the speakers is enjoyable so far.

P.S. I read through this entire thread and MAN y'all went on some tangents.

 

[tw 2022]

P.S. I read through this entire thread and MAN y'all went on some tangents.

that's the nature of the beast, plenty of opinions about objective data....

 

[Ngower]

that's the nature of the beast, plenty of opinions about objective data....

I think there were about 3-4 pages where folks were debating what's a waveguide and what's a horn. I think I blacked out and awoke in a cold sweat about halfway through the argument.

 

[tw 2022]

I think there were about 3-4 pages where folks were debating what's a waveguide and what's a horn. I think I blacked out and awoke in a cold sweat about halfway through the argument.

yeah, that's the kind of fodder that pops up occasionally .. best to skip those debates in most cases....

 

[Ngower]

yeah, that's the kind of fodder that pops up occasionally .. best to skip those debates in most cases....

Just to put a point on it/say my piece: a pretty good chunk of this thread was discussing the processes of measurement and speaker design broadly, without much conversation on the speaker itself. The final ten or so pages of this thread did have some good discourse from users who listened to the speaker, but for someone like me who was reading through this thread for insight on the speaker...there was certainly a lot of noise that was detrimental to that mission.

I don't really want to piss on this thread or push it further into the territory I'm decrying, but suffice it to say that like 20% of this thread is actual chatter about the speaker itself.

I'll try to report back after I've gotten more time on the speakers to add to the subjective impressions (gasp!).

 

[ROOSKIE]

that's the nature of the beast, plenty of opinions about objective data....

There is no such thing as an objective assessment of objective data.
Logical assessment sure, objective no.
Even just just making the decision of where to stop collecting data is a fully subjective action, let alone determining what data sets are most valuable and informative.
It is always interpretation with variation in levels of data interpretation skill, logic path making and pratical application with wide variation in biases that will color each and every individual assessment.

Not to mention there are many different use case scenarios for a speaker or other piece of gear by which many aspects must be weighed in differently.

....anyway I'm not saying every thread with a waveguide or horn needs another discussion about what really defines such parts, although I personally think some of that is very much okay. I do want to point out that IMHO this thread should indeed be very much filled with opinions of objective data. It is logical that it would be.

 

[Ngower]

There is no such thing as an objective assessment of objective data.
Logical assessment sure, objective no.
Even just just making the decision of where to stop collecting data is a fully subjective action, let alone determining what data sets are most valuable and informative.
It is always interpretation with variation in levels of data interpretation skill, logic path making and pratical application with wide variation in biases that will color each and every individual assessment.

Not to mention there are many different use case scenarios for a speaker or other piece of gear by which many aspects must be weighed in differently.

....anyway I'm not saying every thread with a waveguide or horn needs another discussion about what really defines such parts, although I personally think some of that is very much okay. I do want to point out that IMHO this thread should indeed be very much filled with opinions of objective data. It is logical that it would be.

What irked me wasn’t that there were discussions on these types of nuance, but that they were broad and general and not specific to the speaker in question. Re-read the first ten or so pages, it’s largely free of conversation about the speaker from anyone who actually heard it.

EDIT: For clarity's sake, adding: I have no issue that the conversation happened, just that it probably should have had its own thread.

 

[tw 2022]

There is no such thing as an objective assessment of objective data.
Logical assessment sure, objective no.
Even just just making the decision of where to stop collecting data is a fully subjective action, let alone determining what data sets are most valuable and informative.
It is always interpretation with variation in levels of data interpretation skill, logic path making and pratical application with wide variation in biases that will color each and every individual assessment.

Not to mention there are many different use case scenarios for a speaker or other piece of gear by which many aspects must be weighed in differently.

....anyway I'm not saying every thread with a waveguide or horn needs another discussion about what really defines such parts, although I personally think some of that is very much okay. I do want to point out that IMHO this thread should indeed be very much filled with opinions of objective data. It is logical that it would be.

I have no issues with subjective opinion of objective data, as you point out that's basic understanding... We tend to get a bit long winded and we get some off center opinions going though...

 

[Ngower]

About fifty hours of play time on 'em, enough to form an opinion, I think.

They do pretty much everything well, if somewhat elevated/full in the low end. Tone controls sort it out without getting too fussy (I don't have PEQ or treatment, but eventually I'll get there). Things like Balmorhea, assorted (well engineered) jazz, classical, etc come through very well. Most indie rock and things of that ilk sound pretty good as well.

They aren't perfect, but I've had no significant concerns in these early listening sessions. For the most part, every genre I've thrown at them has produced an enjoyable sound.

 

[Angel II]

About fifty hours of play time on 'em, enough to form an opinion, I think.

They do pretty much everything well, if somewhat elevated/full in the low end. Tone controls sort it out without getting too fussy (I don't have PEQ or treatment, but eventually I'll get there). Things like Balmorhea, assorted (well engineered) jazz, classical, etc come through very well. Most indie rock and things of that ilk sound pretty good as well.

They aren't perfect, but I've had no significant concerns in these early listening sessions. For the most part, every genre I've thrown at them has produced an enjoyable sound.

50 hours of use seems like a little to me. I have had Polk Audio Elite ES20 and now Dynaudio Evoke 20, I would say at least 100 hours. During this phase of tonal settlement of the speakers, I apply small adjustments with the equalizer. I use EQ Modern G-31 or DBX 1231.

 

[Ngower]

50 hours of use seems like a little to me. I have had Polk Audio Elite ES20 and now Dynaudio Evoke 20, I would say at least 100 hours. During this phase of tonal settlement of the speakers, I apply small adjustments with the equalizer. I use EQ Modern G-31 or DBX 1231.

Speaker break-in is not a can of worms I intend to open here. My "fifty hours" comment was mostly that I'd heard enough of them to have a pretty decent idea of where they succeed and where they fall short.

Of course the longer I listen to them, the better that understanding becomes. I'll probably pop back here at the 100 hour mark.

 

[Sonny1]

Can of worms you don’t want to touch. I stay out of break-in and capacitor discussions. I’ve never experienced any noticeable break-in differences in speakers but usually stay quiet when people talk about it. I’m in this hobby for fun and to get a break from the stress of my non audio life. I don’t want to introduce stress into the hobby I love. Let’s talk about less controvercial subjects like religion or politics…

 

[anioq]

But why have a huge sale and not advertise it at all and in fact have it partially hidden in that it only shows up when you add the items to your cart?

It's weird.

But maybe, as you say, it's their way to try to prevent upsetting their dealer network.

Yes, dealers. Also, they contracted with the factory for N units and then realized they don't have warehouse space for them. Time for a fire sale.

 

[Penelinfi]

Can of worms you don’t want to touch. I stay out of break-in and capacitor discussions. I’ve never experienced any noticeable break-in differences in speakers but usually stay quiet when people talk about it. I’m in this hobby for fun and to get a break from the stress of my non audio life. I don’t want to introduce stress into the hobby I love. Let’s talk about less controvercial subjects like religion or politics…

That's cables and capacitors for "normal" people. Lots of waffle

 

[Jim Taylor]

I’m in this hobby for fun and to get a break from the stress of my non audio life. I don’t want to introduce stress into the hobby I love. Let’s talk about less controvercial subjects like religion or politics…

Oh, man ... do I ever know just how you feel!

Jim Taylor

 

[anioq]

Man, the amount of bass coming out of this bookshelf is insane, super clean bass too.

Also, anyone tried bi-amping them with cheap receivers?