JBL One Series 104 Powered Monitor Review

[HammerSandwich]

Hard to argue with "not great but amazing value."

Also interesting to compare passive/EQ measurements with the very different - and massively more expensive - Dragonfire Mini at Stereophile.

 

[oldsysop]

Amir , please , 20hz ... 50hz ... 1k ... 5k etc.
Thanks.

 

[spacevector]

Amir , please , 20hz ... 50hz ... 1k ... 5k etc.
Thanks.

Hi I am just curious, what do you mean by this?

 

[oldsysop]

Hi I am just curious, what do you mean by this?

Sorry for my English.
I mean that on the horizontal axis do not use exponential numbers on the scale

 

[MZKM]

Amir , please , 20hz ... 50hz ... 1k ... 5k etc.
Thanks.

Maybe the graphs I made in post #21 can hold you over:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-104-powered-monitor-review.11076/post-312973

 

[amirm]

Amir , please , 20hz ... 50hz ... 1k ... 5k etc.
Thanks.

Yeh, I forgot to do it. Pain in the neck to remember to do that manually. I did add it to later charts.

 

[folzag]

Preference Rating
SCORE: 1.13
SCORE ignoring LFX: 3.85
Again, rating is made for living rooms, near-field usage is different, so it's not as accurate of a score.
The only way I have been able to think of to adjust for this is to use NBD_LW over NBD_ON, in which case the score ignoring LFX jumps to 4.54. The calculation for PIR would still be off though, throwing off the SM_PIR score.

What does LFX stand for?
Also, is there a thread that specifically deals with these measurements and how to interpret them?

 

[MZKM]

What does LFX stand for?
Also, is there a thread that specifically deals with these measurements and how to interpret them? Thx.

Low Frequency Extension, basically the -6dB point.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...quivalent-sinad-discussion.10818/#post-302047

 

[Darkweb]

Do they come in jade?

 

[beefkabob]

Do they come in jade?

Buy some paint.

 

[Berwhale]

Also, is there a thread that specifically deals with these measurements and how to interpret them? Thx.

Amir's first review after obtaining and setting up the Klippel measurement system covers the basics:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...mkii-and-control-1-pro-monitors-review.10811/

With each new review, Amir has refined his test methods and presentation of results in response to his own learning and feedback from some very knowledgeable forum members. I recommend reading the subsequent speaker reviews in sequence - I think we're still in single figures.

 

[bigjacko]

One thing I found about these speaker is that they have some noise floor, even higher when crank the volume up. Has anyone compared it to other speakers about the noise performance?

 

[Berwhale]

One thing I found about these speaker is that they have some noise floor, even higher when crank the volume up. Has anyone compared it to other speakers about the noise performance?

Are you referring to the hiss from the tweeter when you turn the volume up? That's pretty common with powered monitors...

I keep my 104's at around 70% and control the volume from my JDS Atom which keeps the hiss inaudible for me. I don't have to take the Atom volume past 2 o'clock (at low gain) for it to get uncomfortably loud in my small study.

 

[Thunderlips]

Are you referring to the hiss from the tweeter when you turn the volume up? That's pretty common with powered monitors...

I keep my 104's at around 70% and control the volume from my JDS Atom which keeps the hiss inaudible for me. I don't have to take the Atom volume past 2 o'clock (at low gain) for it to get uncomfortably loud in my small study.

Neumann monitors have very little to practically no hiss. Devialet Phantom Golds are dead silent.

Mostly cheap monitors hiss.

 

[Berwhale]

Neumann monitors have very little to practically no hiss. Devialet Phantom Golds are dead silent.

Mostly cheap monitors hiss.

I said it was common, not ubiquitous

 

[bigjacko]

Are you referring to the hiss from the tweeter when you turn the volume up? That's pretty common with powered monitors...

I keep my 104's at around 70% and control the volume from my JDS Atom which keeps the hiss inaudible for me. I don't have to take the Atom volume past 2 o'clock (at low gain) for it to get uncomfortably loud in my small study.

Yes, the hiss from tweeter. I know it is common but still not good. My creative gigawork T20 II does way better at hiss problem. For jbl 104 I will try to stay at around 30 to 40 percent volume, 70 percent the hiss sound is still too loud.

 

[bobbooo]

I said it was common, not ubiquitous

Why is this hiss so common with powered monitors, but not with passive speakers?

 

[Berwhale]

Yes, the hiss from tweeter. I know it is common but still not good. My creative gigawork T20 II does way better at hiss problem. For jbl 104 I will try to stay at around 30 to 40 percent volume, 70 percent the hiss sound is still too loud.

In addition to the hiss, I was getting some hum from the 104's recently which caused me to lower the volume below 50% to make it inaudible. I was worried that I had a ground loop until I realised that i'd moved a DECT cordless phone right next to the right-hand speaker (the one with the amp in it). I moved the phone a couple of feet away and the problem was solved.

 

[Thunderlips]

Why is this hiss so common with powered monitors, but not with passive speakers?

Common with cheap monitors mostly... But think about it, the amp is open full gain. So unless it has a great SINAD, it will be hissy. And speakers like this Samsung 104, use the cheapest chip amps they can find.

If you have passive speakers, turn the volume all the way up, without anything playing, and see if you can hear the hiss.

 

[Berwhale]

Common with cheap monitors mostly... But think about it, the amp is open full gain. So unless it has a great SINAD, it will be hissy. And speakers like this Samsung 104, use the cheapest chip amps they can find.

If you have passive speakers, turn the volume all the way up, without anything playing, and see if you can hear the hiss.

Yes, most people wouldn't run an integrated amp + passive speakers at full gain and then control the volume elsewhere (e.g. from a DAC).