JBL LSR 308 in the house

[300dollarcablesWOOT]

I wonder how the JBL 308p compares to the Yamaha HS8.

I'd love to see an objective comparison as these are the two models I most extensively demoed before eventually going with the 308s for my very subjective appraisal of how they handled bass (not an endorsement of the subjectivism, I'm a statistitian by trade and I'm all about blind testing).

Having read the thread, please explain like I'm 5? The 308s measure "OK" but have a multitude of notable frequency dips which are narrow enough to be below the threshold of human frequency resolution, as well as a hiss ie noise floor that is inferior to comparison models, but overall are "pretty good for the price"? Thats what I managed to understand from all of the above.

I'm new here - and the science is over my head at the moment - but in accord with the "rules" i'm willing to learn

PS: Hi eveyone!

 

[Name]

From all that I've read, test, and heard, for the price you can get them, I understand they are quite the bargain. That is why I am going to use them for my home theater. And the noise don't bother me because I can't even hear any unless I put my ear in the tweeter. The noise was a little irritating until I used balanced cables.

 

[Name]

The reason I would like to know which speaker objectively measures better between JBL 308p and Yamaha HS8 is that I am within the return window still (barely) for the 308p and the HS8 is currently available for $250/speaker

 

[300dollarcablesWOOT]

for the price you can get them, I understand they are quite the bargain.

Indeed, I bought the pair of 308s in a package with a focusrite scarlet 2i2 (v1) with a couple of cables for $550AUD at a time with a fortunate USD exchange rate, where the best local price for the pair alone was $850, or the Yamaha HS8s from Japan at around $950. I felt I did well in terms of bang for buck.

the HS8 is currently available for $250/speaker

At that price - perhaps your decision is more difficult than mine was. I found the JBLs excellent for low end, and I like EDM and sub bass synth tones, that clinched it for me. Nothing wrong with the Yamahas either, to my ear, it was personal preference only.

But back to the thread, I'll have to learn to read these measurements as I'm always interested in confirming I made a good decision (oh, the vanity of electronics purchasing and obsessive self-evaluation)

 

[Name]

I was impressed with how neutral/flat the frequency response was on my 308's with a sweep in REW with my calibrated mic. Very good! Only thing I saw that was bothersome/worrying is the null at 150hz. It was severe. I am certain it is my room/speaker position though because I (out of curiosity) put my LP filter on the sub at 200hz and re ran the sweep and though not as severe, the same null was there.

 

[Name]

I am also into EDM and sub bass. I got a killer deal on an SVS PB16 ultra recently that I couldn't pass up LMAO.

I ordered a 12" subwoofer and they sent me the wrong one...... One worth a lot more..... And they let me keep it!

 

[Name]

I am using the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4.... Sounds like we have a similar setup!

 

[Name]

The sales engineer at Sweetwater tried to get me to buy the matching JBL subwoofer, but since I am using the studio monitors for home theater, I really need output in the 15 to 20hz region and the JBL matching subwoofer doesn't do that, and it's a little anemic. I went with the SVS because it is known for flat frequency response. I ordered the PB-2000 but got a free upgrade.

My measurements on the PB16 Ultra are quite impressive as well. Very neutral and it blends well with the monitors.

 

[300dollarcablesWOOT]

I really need output in the 15 to 20hz region

Well done on your free upgrade - we should all be so lucky.

I understand that below 20hz is inaudible and instead manifests as somatic sensation, but have you trialed a section of a relevant movie with an earthquake/explosion rather than a test tone to make sure that the 310S cutoff of 27hz is unsufficient to produce the feeling you desire from "something better"? I only ask because my sub shakes the windows in the next room during movies

I get the feeling we are derailing this thread and I'm concerned to be making a bad impression on this new community I've just joined.

 

[Name]

I really noticed it on this:

This sub has quite the output down around 15hz....

 

[Name]

I couldn't hear the sub, but things started vibrating.

 

[300dollarcablesWOOT]

I really noticed it on this:

This sub has quite the output down around 15hz....

I assume youre talking about 20s to 40s into the video.

Yeah my sub was doing something but I've had it vibrate more (resonant frequency of my room is approx 35 to 40hz IIRC).

You measured and found that clip is definitely resulting in tones below 27hz?

Please say no as I dont want to feel substatus anxiety right now (jk I'll be fine, I can handle the truth).

 

[Name]

"We should all be so lucky"

>>> Trust me when I say I am never the lucky one.... Until now. I've never had anything like this happen to me.

Yes, 20-35 second mark and I have not tested the frequency response there, but I can do that tonight if I find time and if not tonight I will try to do it when I can. It will be fun to see just how low it is going there... I just got a decent measurement mic with calibration file.

 

[Name]

https://imgur.com/1o2mhnI

I measured mine last night with a flatter response than shown in this, and I run it in extended mode with crossover to the 308p at 80hz and 12db slope

 

[300dollarcablesWOOT]

https://imgur.com/1o2mhnI

I measured mine last night with a flatter response than shown in this, and I run it in extended mode with crossover to the 308p at 80hz and 12db slope

Interesting - I run mine with a splitter so theres no crossover as using the LSR sub and speakers as recommended in the instructions left a subjectively audible gap in the bass, regardless of where i set the crossover on the sub. Now I run the sub on a relatively low volume just to mildly boost and extend the considerable bass extension of the 308s, and because I can quickly manually adjust to "party" vs "home theatre" vs "reference" mode on my desktop setup.

My downstairs neighbours hate me - I live in an apartment and there is no excuse to have the 308p and 310s in a 3x4m bedroom with no accoustic treatment. I am both ashamed and secretly proud of the things I have done.

 

[Name]

"My downstairs neighbors hate me" - Love it! lol

I haven't had any gaps in bass with the crossover. Using all balanced cables I go from the scarlett to the sub, to the JBL's and use the sub to do the 80hz crossover and it blends subjectively well and I don't detect any dips/peaks in measurement caused by this either.

 

[300dollarcablesWOOT]

"My downstairs neighbors hate me" - Love it! lol

I haven't had any gaps in bass with the crossover. Using all balanced cables I go from the scarlett to the sub, to the JBL's and use the sub to do the 80hz crossover and it blends subjectively well and I don't detect any dips/peaks in measurement caused by this either.

I guess thats why we measure

I am left wondering then what I heard (if i actually heard anything at all). Could it be that lower synth-style bass notes would be less faithfully (ie muddyiness, distortion, something) reproduced in the sub? I am grasping at straws here - but if the sub is designed from a point of view that most bass is drum beats, whereas the woofers on the speakers are designed to handle sustained tones for the lower mids etc, then could have I been noticing that buzzy synth sub-bass sounded better on the speakers than the sub? Or am i revealing myself as an audiofool?

Alternatively, perhaps what I was noticing was that the drums on the sub would be overpowering due to the larger cone size and I'd turn the sub down only to hear a perceived weakness in the bass synths. Does that even make sense? I really dont know what I'm talking about but I'd like some input regardless.

 

[Name]

I had wondered perhaps if your sub volume was just too high creating a not so neutral frequency response when crossing over. I had tried to set my gain by ear, and it sounded good, fairly neutral. Then I measured and I was still high. I had to lower the sub to-26 from -20 to get very close to a flat line.

 

[Name]

Maybe it was just the placement of the sub in the room too.

 

[300dollarcablesWOOT]

I had wondered perhaps if your sub volume was just too high creating a not so neutral frequency response when crossing over. I had tried to set my gain by ear, and it sounded good, fairly neutral. Then I measured and I was still high. I had to lower the sub to-26 from -20 to get very close to a flat line.

Hmmm - maybe its worth me listening again as a hobby project on a day when I am overwhelmed with energy - get my mate over with some mics and even do some measurements! Alas - today is not the day, the cables are tucked away behind a cabinet and dusty as all hell!