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LSR 305 and 308 discontinued.............read below

Sylafari

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Self noise from the speakers not exactly sure where but it’s a common known issue.
 

Wombat

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The noise comes from the electronics. It is more obvious with horns. Get quieter electronics if you can hear it from the listening position or it just plain bothers you.

If you place your ear at a horn mouth you may experience a 'sea-shell' effect caused by ambient/ear noise amplification. Low level, not a problem.
 

Sylafari

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The noise comes from the electronics. It is more obvious with horns. Get quieter electronics if you can hear it from the listening position or it just plain bothers you.

If you place your ear at a horn mouth you may experience a 'sea-shell' effect caused by ambient/ear noise amplification. Low level, not a problem.

I know its from the electronics inside, just don't know exactly what. Even when I connect it to nothing and turn it on, it still makes the hiss. It isn't a problem from 5 feet out but under 5 feet for me I can hear it easily. It's a very quiet hiss but still a hiss.
 

Wombat

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I know its from the electronics inside, just don't know exactly what. Even when I connect it to nothing and turn it on, it still makes the hiss. It isn't a problem from 5 feet out but under 5 feet for me I can hear it easily. It's a very quiet hiss but still a hiss.

Unfortunately getting better electronics is probably not realistic with an integrated product. This seems to be an observation in comments from users of some lower priced horn-loaded JBL products.

I have compression driven MF/HF horns powered by Nad amplification When I put an ear to a horn mouth I can only faintly detect the 'hiss'. There is also an active EQ and active crossover in-circuit.

At the price-point JBL probably think that at program level this is not a big deal. :cool:
 

Sylafari

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Unfortunately getting better electronics is probably not realistic with an integrated product. This seems to be an observation in comments from users of some lower priced horn-loaded JBL products.

I have compression driven MF/HF horns powered by Nad amplification When I put an ear to a horn mouth I can only faintly detect the 'hiss'. There is also an active EQ and active crossover in-circuit.

At the price-point JBL probably think that at program level this is not a big deal. :cool:

I still think its a fantastic set of speakers. Such a tiny drawback for such an amazing product!

amirm do you know if the LSR 305 MK II's have any self noise?
 

FrantzM

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Been listening to the LSR305p Mk II for an hour so far. I tell you, nothing prepares you for the stellar fidelity these budget speakers produce! On my reference tracks it can be stunning, easily outperforming high-end speakers. I will do a review in a day or two when I have more miles on them. For now, I have to keep shaking my head on the level of detail, and absence of distortion. Level wise, I am listening at -22 to 0-15 db or so. Plenty of reserve power. I can't get them distorted before I get uncomfortable with the loudness!

The only downfall is that it absolutely will not play deep bass. It acts as if it is not even there. I think they may have smartly filtered that out. I will do some measurements to figure out. I should say though I have them out in open room in a very large space. Against the walls it may do better.

Mind you as soon as bass frequencies go up some, it reproduces them with incredible clarity. So it is not like a little whiny bookshelf speaker.

Absolutely, absolutely, incredible value and performance here! I don't care what system you have now. You need to get a pair of these and listen to them.

I am driving them with the Topping DX7 which makes a fantastic package with them. I hooked up a sub to the unbalanced output and let the balanced drive the LSRs. That gave me the lows but measurements and tuning is necessary for best performance there. Hard to imagine that this is a $600 package from DAC to amp and speakers!
You're trying hard but really hard to lose your hard won audiophile creds...

o_O

:D
 

Palladium

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The annoying white LEDs on the front are gone on the mkII right?
 

Sal1950

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But the idle static noise it produces is unsuitable for nearfield use as it is a bit too loud for me (it is negligible when music is playing).
Audible noise has always been the bugaboo of horn loaded (high sensitivity) speakers.
Things I've experimented with, sometimes with surprising results,
Nothing connected and use input shorting plugs.
With 3 prong cords, use an adapter to float the grounds and check noise level with the 2 possible orientations.
Then with or without an external ground wire attached.
After you've found the quietest, if there is a difference, then do the same polarity check on all source components after your reconnect them.

I could hear changes in noise levels with my La Scalas on all the above.
 

watchnerd

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Since I upgraded my desktop setup to the Dynaudio LYD 5, I've got a pair of the original LSR305Ps sitting in their boxes in my shed.

If they can somehow serve a better purpose with something / someone, let me know.
 

amirm

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amirm do you know if the LSR 305 MK II's have any self noise?
They do unfortunately. It is a hiss that is audible to about 3-4 feet on-axis. If you go at just about any angle, it goes away very quickly.
 

oivavoi

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They do unfortunately. It is a hiss that is audible to about 3-4 feet on-axis. If you go at just about any angle, it goes away very quickly.

That is unfortunate. Could it be remedied by turning down their volume and turning up the volume on whatever is feeding them?
 
OP
Blumlein 88

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Here is a teardown (with very nice close up pictures) of the old model LSR.

http://rdimitrov.twistedsanity.net/blog/show.php?entry=JBL LSR305 Teardown and Analysis

Data on the chip which is at the heart of the speaker. This is a 91 page document with everything you might want to know. They could have easily made this a digital input speaker.

http://www.st.com/content/ccc/resou...df/jcr:content/translations/en.DM00024470.pdf

A condensed one page outline of the power chips capabilities.
http://www.st.com/en/audio-ics/sta350bw.html
 

amirm

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hat is unfortunate. Could it be remedied by turning down their volume and turning up the volume on whatever is feeding them?
Unfortunately no. I just checked and the noise is there unless the volume control is set at absolute zero. After the first notch the hiss comes and it's level does not change with volume.
 

RayDunzl

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Old version of JBL LSR 308 now $149 each...

I might get another pair...
 
Last edited:

rebbiputzmaker

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Been listening to the LSR305p Mk II for an hour so far. I tell you, nothing prepares you for the stellar fidelity these budget speakers produce! On my reference tracks it can be stunning, easily outperforming high-end speakers. I will do a review in a day or two when I have more miles on them. For now, I have to keep shaking my head on the level of detail, and absence of distortion. Level wise, I am listening at -22 to 0-15 db or so. Plenty of reserve power. I can't get them distorted before I get uncomfortable with the loudness!

The only downfall is that it absolutely will not play deep bass. It acts as if it is not even there. I think they may have smartly filtered that out. I will do some measurements to figure out. I should say though I have them out in open room in a very large space. Against the walls it may do better.

Mind you as soon as bass frequencies go up some, it reproduces them with incredible clarity. So it is not like a little whiny bookshelf speaker.

Absolutely, absolutely, incredible value and performance here! I don't care what system you have now. You need to get a pair of these and listen to them.

I am driving them with the Topping DX7 which makes a fantastic package with them. I hooked up a sub to the unbalanced output and let the balanced drive the LSRs. That gave me the lows but measurements and tuning is necessary for best performance there. Hard to imagine that this is a $600 package from DAC to amp and speakers!
You cannot judge the bass on speakers you just started playing. They will go deeper with break-in. Have you bothered to listen to something like a Kef LS50? I think the price vs performance is coloring your judgment.
 

SPFC

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Been listening to the LSR305p Mk II for an hour so far. I tell you, nothing prepares you for the stellar fidelity these budget speakers produce! On my reference tracks it can be stunning, easily outperforming high-end speakers. I will do a review in a day or two when I have more miles on them. For now, I have to keep shaking my head on the level of detail, and absence of distortion. Level wise, I am listening at -22 to 0-15 db or so. Plenty of reserve power. I can't get them distorted before I get uncomfortable with the loudness!

The only downfall is that it absolutely will not play deep bass. It acts as if it is not even there. I think they may have smartly filtered that out. I will do some measurements to figure out. I should say though I have them out in open room in a very large space. Against the walls it may do better.

Mind you as soon as bass frequencies go up some, it reproduces them with incredible clarity. So it is not like a little whiny bookshelf speaker.

Absolutely, absolutely, incredible value and performance here! I don't care what system you have now. You need to get a pair of these and listen to them.

I am driving them with the Topping DX7 which makes a fantastic package with them. I hooked up a sub to the unbalanced output and let the balanced drive the LSRs. That gave me the lows but measurements and tuning is necessary for best performance there. Hard to imagine that this is a $600 package from DAC to amp and speakers!

I am glad to hear you like them and am looking forward to your measurements. In your opinion, do they have a specif sound (say a JBL sound)? How do they sound compared to Revel speakers?
 
OP
Blumlein 88

Blumlein 88

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I am glad to hear you like them and am looking forward to your measurements. In your opinion, do they have a specif sound (say a JBL sound)? How do they sound compared to Revel speakers?

That is a good question.

I have the old LSR305s, and later added a LSR310 sub with my pair. I used them in a moderately large room for a time. Eventually replaced them with some Revel F12's. They stopped making these a couple years ago and replaced them with a better design.

I think highly of the LSR305s. The floor standing Revels which were $1500/pr new and passive speakers do however sound better to me. Both speakers seem to have similar good directional characteristics given how they work in the room. I have a hefty amp on the Revels. They seem to have better dynamics. The small speakers even with sub seem just a little sluggish by comparison. A little reigned in. The Revel's also seem to let fine detail in complex music flow forth easier. The smaller speakers when pushed seem to loose some clarity. Not terrible in that respect just in comparison. I mainly would think you are suffering from the smallness of the speaker. The F12s are a three way with a pair of 8 inch woofers, 5.25 mid-range and tweeter.

I do think the Revels are a bit sweeter more musical speaker than the monitor LSR305s.

Now these all ended up as my video system speakers. F12s right and left, LSR305 as rear surrounds and center. I did use the LSR310 sub. So on stereo music I actually have the F12 and the sub which does work well.

One other thing worth noting. The LSR305s work fine even at 4 feet distance as you would expect for a monitor. The floorstanding F12s really need to be 8 ft or more from you.

I would expect the newer Revels to be better though I haven't heard them.

I have a fair amount of experience with various audiophile speakers that cost much more. Both the Revels and the JBLs are somewhat startling in how good they are for such a modest cost.
 

amirm

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Have you bothered to listen to something like a Kef LS50?
A lot. My company used to be a dealer for them and we had a demo unit. They are in a completely different price class so not sure why it is relevant here.
 

amirm

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I am glad to hear you like them and am looking forward to your measurements. In your opinion, do they have a specif sound (say a JBL sound)? How do they sound compared to Revel speakers?
The only Revel speakers I have in hand right now are my Salon 2 towers so I don't think it makes relevant sense to compare it to them. At some point I will get a bookshelf Revel speaker to compare.

I must say, it is very difficult to convey subjective things like sound. :)
 

rebbiputzmaker

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A lot. My company used to be a dealer for them and we had a demo unit. They are in a completely different price class so not sure why it is relevant here.
Because of this comment of yours:

"I tell you, nothing prepares you for the stellar fidelity these budget speakers produce! On my reference tracks it can be stunning, easily outperforming high-end speakers."

They are nice overall, super nice for the price, but compared to high-end speakers, they do fall a bit short. Just wanted to clarify this. They do lack a measure of ultimate detail and fineness when going up against "high-end speakers."
 
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