JBL studio monitors

[twinspeaks]

Hello, I just got a pair of JBL 308p MK2 studio monitors and using them with a Topping DAC with balanced TRS outputs. I'm using mostly CDs or 320 mp3 or better files from my USB device connected to the CD player which is connected with a coaxial cable to the DAC.

At first I was impressed with the sound quality and they sounded perfect to me. But then I started to listen to more music in my collection, like releases in various metal genres and some of them sounded great, but others (way too many) sounded awful and unlistenable.

I'm aware of that some of these recordings wasn't the best, but I never experienced that I had to turn it off after one or two tracks because it sounded so terrible. If I turn up the volume from very low to low/moderate it sounds like the speakers are going to break.

Anyone have the same experience or could it be something wrong with my equipment?

 

[MeZoX]

I think you're experiencing ear fatigue from the HF , how is the speaker placement and can you do a Frequency response measurement ?

 

[alex-z]

How is your in-room response? The 308p MK2 has a tiny bit of treble lift which IMO can sound fatiguing in an untreated room.

Also, they really don't play loud. The distortion at 86dB 1 metre is already high, and the limiter kicks in at 96dB 1 metre.

 

[twinspeaks]

Thank you.

Unfortunately I’m not able to check that as I don’t have the right tools for it.

I'm sitting approx 8 feet from the monitors, it's a small room (12x12ft). Monitors are placed 1ft from the front wall, slightly angled on stands and spikes.

I never play loud, it's moderate at most and only very low on the "bad recordings" as they sound distant, distorted, compressed and metallic.

Also here is no improvement changing the HF trim setup for these recordings either it’s on -2db, 0 or +2db. So I have both HF and EQ at zero for the moment.

 

[FrantzM]

Two things:

I have the 308 MK1... The highs can be a bit overbearing, use the -3 dB switch it provides a smoother treble. You may also need to treat a bit the floor, a rug can solve many of those problems.
Measure the system in your room and post it... People in here will help you.
This speaker punches way above its weight (price)

 

[dfuller]

Two things:

1. As much praise as the 300 series gets here, I consider them to sound pretty not great. They distort pretty readily at normal listening volumes and they're quite hot in the treble.
2. Those records actually do sound awful. A lot of modern metal mixes are way, way too bright and are crushed beyond belief.

 

[Sancus]

As much praise as the 300 series gets here, I consider them to sound pretty not great. They distort pretty readily at normal listening volumes and they're quite hot in the treble.

Yes, I think they're decent speakers, but I consider the Kali Audio speakers to be the spiritual successors to those older designs. The LP-6v2 basically has 10dB less distortion across the board above 100hz than the 308p with its larger woofer, lol.

 

[dfuller]

Yes, I think they're decent speakers, but I consider the Kali Audio speakers to be the spiritual successors to those older designs. The LP-6v2 basically has 10dB less distortion across the board above 100hz than the 308p with its larger woofer, lol.

Same designers, IIRC... But yes; considerably better drivers.

 

[MeZoX]

I think you are sitting too far from the monitors and at the same time your listening position is too near from the back wall , try to sit up closer to the monitors to listen at lower volumes without distortion and further away from the back wall to minimize reflections effect on your listening position

 

[anmpr1]

At first I was impressed with the sound quality and they sounded perfect to me. But then I started to listen to more music in my collection, like releases in various metal genres and some of them sounded great, but others (way too many) sounded awful and unlistenable.

In my experience, the two factors that are important when listening to recordings are: a) the loudspeakers and their room placement; and b) the recording itself. It may seem self-evident, but if you follow the mainstream hi-fi press, it's all about the amps, preamps, wires and so forth. I wouldn't look there for answers. At least until I got the loudspeaker/recording thing figured out.

In your case, (assuming you can't adapt to what you are hearing) you either need different loudspeakers, or different recordings. I'm not trying to be snarky, but serious. You can move your speakers around, they are not too large to do that. Possibly another location might help. If you have some tone controls, or an equalizer, you could fool around with that. But a loudspeaker's basic 'sonic signature' can't really be changed-- just tweaked. You have a smallish self powered, two-way shoe-box. Perhaps that form factor just isn't going to do it for you. Also, I presume you are at a price point in your budget? If you get away from powered loudspeakers, and move to a larger form factor, you're going to need some amplification.

Nothing you can do about your recordings. I don't know much about 'metal', but presume they are highly processed, meant to be played loud, without much dynamic range? And you say that when played loud, the JBLs give out? You need something else, for sure. Unfortunately, at a low to moderate price point, your options are well known, mass-market, and will require you to make your own judgement.

In today's lockdown environment, and with brick and mortars closing rapidly, it's very difficult to audition loudspeakers. If you don't have a dealer nearby, you could call a mail order place like Crutchfield. They will probably be willing to send you something you can listen to, and send back if you don't like it. Rinse, repeat. In your own room, with your own recordings, is the only way to be sure.

 

[puppet]

Hello, I just got a pair of JBL 308p MK2 studio monitors and using them with a Topping DAC with balanced TRS outputs. I'm using mostly CDs or 320 mp3 or better files from my USB device connected to the CD player which is connected with a coaxial cable to the DAC.

twinpeaks ... can you be more specific about the other equipment in the signal chain? What have you set the input sensitivity switch to on the monitors?

 

[ThatM1key]

It could be a case of a "too revealing" accurate speaker. When I switched to my ELAC's the well-mastered tracks sounded better but one wrong track in a Spotify playlist, it sounds really bad and I heard all the faults. I initially thought it was in my head but my Polk S55's "buttered up" bad tracks pretty well.

If your having distortion problems while using your CD player, I would rip those CDs and play them directly to see a difference. Judging by the volume problem could be really bad sources, bad amp or something went wrong in the chain.