JBL Studio 530 Speaker Review

[ryanosaur]

Amir says they are not an easy horn Speaker to drive... but the impedance minima and phase isn't super brutal. That said, they are a 4-ohm load, so make certain your amp can handle that and you would likely be fine...
Dunno about desktop, though... I would want to be a bit away from these.

 

[laudio]

Never had a problem driving them with any of my amps. Running a DIY TPA3255 now, it's not a desktop situation (my desk isn't that big). DIY TPA3255 makes them sing... small room in my case and they get loud enough. Seriously doubt they would shut down most amps the impedance curve isn't that bad. IME they benefit from maybe a 2-4 dB boost on the bass control (I don't do EQ) or better yet positioning in room off walls will produce nice results. At the price of $239 they are a stupid deal regardless, I'd order another set but not sure where I would put them lol. I want to replace my 530's with something better... haven't found it.

 

[6th0]

I've used an inexpensive 3E SY-DAP1002 I bought from Ali Express without any issue.

Finished Amp | 3e Audio

www.3e-audio.com

 

[Asking Dumb Questions]

It's for a desk so ideally Listening at a safe volume?

I'm looking at the Topping MX5 at $270 which is probably my budget limit. Would this be a good option?

 

[6th0]

It's for a desk so ideally Listening at a safe volume?

I'm looking at the Topping MX5 at $270 which is probably my budget limit. Would this be a good option?

I used it on my desk, too! I had a DAC that had volume and the amp which also had volume. I set the DAC to 65% of volume to the amp because above that there was clipping.

With the MX5, it should be fine to drive the speakers. What you will want to watch out for is that the volume will control both the headphones and the amp, so don't forget where the volume is when you switch from one to the other--you could blow out your speaker or your ears!

 

[Ml2316]

Yah my thoughts and experience on this match yours.
Also as you noted these came out 7 years ago. Quite an achievement.
I actually think they look awesome. Took a few days to grow on me but now I really enjoy the Batman car/ Darth vader/ Metropolis style. Pure art.

The styling is what it is. It might look good in one room and bad in another.

 

[Asking Dumb Questions]

Have you guys play around with Speaker Placements? What's the optimal space I should aim for when my desk is against the wall?

Will be getting my 530 in a few days, Super Excited

 

[TimW]

Have you guys play around with Speaker Placements? What's the optimal space I should aim for when my desk is against the wall?

Will be getting my 530 in a few days, Super Excited

Tweeter axis as close to ear level as possible, these have narrow vertical directivity at the crossover point. At least a few inches from the back wall to let the port breathe. Play with tow in after that, I like them more when not pointed directly at my ears.

 

[Asking Dumb Questions]

Tweeter axis as close to ear level as possible, these have narrow vertical directivity at the crossover point. At least a few inches from the back wall to let the port breathe. Play with tow in after that, I like them more when not pointed directly at my ears.

So flat straight forward you'd say? Instead of angled like a triangle.

 

[ryanosaur]

So flat straight forward you'd say? Instead of angled like a triangle.

How close will they be all told, to each other, to you?
I would consider toeing them slightly, but aimed behind you, not at you. They have pretty nice horizontal directivity, but I would say 30-40º off axis at a maximum. If you had the space to set them up for mid-field listening, I would toe them and sit ~15º off axis.

It is your setup, though, you should experiment to find what works for you!

 

[mstanley117]

So flat straight forward you'd say? Instead of angled like a triangle.

Unfortunately, there is no straight forward answer to this question, because the answer is based largely on your circumstances and preferences such as your room, ears, brain, etc. You also may not even know what you like simply because of lack of a lot of experience which is totally fine. For instance, maybe you want a very wide sound stage, maybe you like very narrow, etc. These are things that, at least in my own experience, you learn over time through experimentation.

To answer this question - I recommend experimenting with placement, toeing the speakers in, tilting the speakers back and forward, setting the tweeter height (raising or lowering the speakers), etc. until you find what sounds best to you.

 

[Asking Dumb Questions]

530 arrived!

Does it matter where I plug the speaker cable? Either at the bottom or top?

 

[Ml2316]

530 arrived!

Does it matter where I plug the speaker cable? Either at the bottom or top?

The top gives you better Soundstage and the bottom will give you better imaging.

 

[Ml2316]

The top gives you better Soundstage and the bottom gives you better imaging.

Kidding

 

[Asking Dumb Questions]

Ha,

you guys have any recommendations in regards to Sub pairing with the 530s?

 

[ryanosaur]

How low do you wanna go? How large can you fit?

 

[6th0]

Ha,

you guys have any recommendations in regards to Sub pairing with the 530s?

I used a BIC F12, which is a rather low-end sub but good enough for my desktop setup and cheap! Wait until it dips under $200, though.

I replaced it with an M&K MX-200 I picked up for a steal, otherwise I'd still use it.

 

[ryanosaur]

If budget is a concern, the Dayton Sub1200 is well regarded, as well. If you wanna step beyond budget... well... What do you wanna spend!

 

[Ml2316]

Kidding

Just got my jbls yesterday and I used the bottom set of posts. Seems to work. I have no idea why there are two sets.

 

[GabrielPhoto]

Just got my jbls yesterday and I used the bottom set of posts. Seems to work. I have no idea why there are two sets.

For bi-amping or bi-wiring..neither option is one I care for FYI.