M-Audio BX8 D3 Monitor Review

[oppie]

Available locally here for $229aud per speaker, seems like a great deal compared to other 8" powered monitors.

 

[3125b]

Just read the manual and they say you can use XLR, TRS or TS.

Sure you can, but it‘s an IEC Class I device probably without ground lift, so if you connect them to another earthed device with an unbalanced connection you will create a ground loop. Laptops and smartphones etc. are fine, with a desktop PC you‘ll likely run into that issue.
Stay away from the very cheapest line isolators, they usually degrade the signal significantly, the Behringer I mentioned is the cheapest one that I know to work well.

 

[juliangst]

That was yesterday, sold out @ thomann already.. I could swear ASR pulled the trigger ..these mass dealers should send regular fees to ASR damn it!

Yep, I got the last one!

 

[beagleman]

Personally, I’d rather not have this playing below 600 or 700 Hz. And 6KHz to 10 KHz is not stellar. The off-axis behavior is reasonable. I wouldn’t want to pay list. Too many better alternatives. At ca.$120 it’s best to grab it fast. Give it to the kids. With a sub that plays to 500Hz.

I think you are reading FAR too much into measurements alone.
Doubtful you would hear any of the issues with this speaker.

While not perfect, I am sure it sound fairly good. Listening matters more at times, than simply looking at a chart......

I have had revelations with speakers that should NOT sound good, but do....just saying is all.

 

[DSJR]

Regular price has been 129€ for years, that isn't any sort of sale:
View attachment 279289

I wonder how much profit M-Audio can actually make with that

I have a suspicion on good authority that they landed in the UK for sixty quid the pair (maybe nearer a ton now). No dealer margin so not £499 inc VAT as they'd otherwise be

 

[capslock]

Interestingly, its smaller sibling DX5D3 holds up quite (I'm inclined to say unbelieveably) well in the distortion department at 92 dB/1m (1st post, need to scroll pretty far down):

M-Audio BX5 D3 | Active Monitor | Measurements, Teardown & Subjective Impressions

The M-Audio BX5 D3 is rather ubiquitous among budget studio monitors, so I thought it only fitting that I purchase a unit and publish the first complete set of measurements. This monitor typically retails for approximately €80 but I paid only €60 for this particular unit, so it has the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Back to the DX8, the kink at 580 Hz is probably cone edge resonance of the woofer. I am also surprised it generates plenty of HD2 in the midrange (unlike its smaller sibling) but not so much HD3 which means the woofer may even employ demodulation.

 

[Floyd]

What's the best way to connect two of these to a PC sound card output, i.e. two separate 3,5 mm outputs for Left and Right?

 

[YSC]

only major issue was with the resonance, but considering the price point I would give it a weighted great grade personally

 

[juliangst]

What's the best way to connect two of these to a PC sound card output, i.e. two separate 3,5 mm outputs for Left and Right?

3.5mm to dual TS 6.3mm like this

 

[Floyd]

Thank you.

But would I not need two of these, since the sound card has separate outputs for Left and Right?

https://www.amazon.de/Gold-Plated-M%C3%A4nnlich-Verbinden-Stereo-Adapterkabel-1-Meter/dp/B07VCDJ73Q/ref=sr_1_7_sspa?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=Q9V0BRN60NRU&keywords=3.5mm%2Bto%2Bts%2B6.3%2Bmono&qid=1681663567&refinements=p_72%3A419117031&rnid=419116031&sprefix=3.5mm%2Bto%2Bts%2B6.3%2Bmono%2Caps%2C65&sr=8-7-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1

 

[juliangst]

Thank you.

But would I not need two of these, since the sound card has separate outputs for Left and Right?

https://www.amazon.de/Gold-Plated-M%C3%A4nnlich-Verbinden-Stereo-Adapterkabel-1-Meter/dp/B07VCDJ73Q/ref=sr_1_7_sspa?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=Q9V0BRN60NRU&keywords=3.5mm%2Bto%2Bts%2B6.3%2Bmono&qid=1681663567&refinements=p_72%3A419117031&rnid=419116031&sprefix=3.5mm%2Bto%2Bts%2B6.3%2Bmono%2Caps%2C65&sr=8-7-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1

What sound card do you have? I’ve never seen seperate 3.5 outs for left and right

 

[Floyd]

Well, you are damn'd right. It's a Creative Sound Blaster Z and the output for L/R ist one 3,5 mm socket. I had forgotten that I am using this with a split cable to go to my AVR cinch inputs which I am using right now.

I should have read the f... manual first .

Thank you for your help.

 

[Vict0r]

In stock, €130 a piece in NL: https://www.bax-shop.nl/b-stock-aan...m-audio-bx8-d3-actieve-studiomonitor-per-stuk

 

[juliangst]

Price on amazon also was 129€ but now increased to 139€. I hope that they won't be discontinued and out of stock in the future; I might want a second BX8 at some point.

https://www.amazon.de/M-Audio-BX8-D3-Professionelle-Studiomonitor/dp/B01J66ZEE0/ref=sr_1_2?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=184K0TXYD62DX&keywords=bx8%2Bd3&qid=1681730716&sprefix=bx8%2Bd3%2Caps%2C75&sr=8-2&th=1

 

[Floyd]

I ordered two for 129€ each from Amazon.de this morning. I guess I got lucky.

 

[juliangst]

A lot bigger than I expected.

 

[fineMen]

Essentially poor. As I've been educated lately to look out for resonances in the sub dB range, that one at 590Hz breaks it. Even when taking my previous stance the resonance is a quite hefty fault, regardless where it originates in. The raise in 2nd order harmonics may point at a problem with the suspension, though. Hence the overall picture would suggest to better expect elevated intermodulation distortion also which would rebel against the usual phase distortion of a common 2-way.

I wonder how that objectively low performance could lead to, undisputed, listening pleasure? Simplest explanation: reference missing? As is the case for 99,9999999% of all loudspeaker usage. The fun is there, because the music is there, but slight deviations from ideal--who actually cares?

 

[joqueval]

Hello friends.

I recently discovered this forum and congratulate you all for your input and knowledge about audio.
Another passionate about good sound for years, although more specialized in dj audio.

About this BX8-D3 a correct speaker considering its quality / price ratio.
Especially to take into account its size as indicated by @juliangst.
The day I received the speakers I had to review the data sheet to verify the measurements, since they are larger than expected.
It's more than twice as big as a BX5-D3
Since the end of 2022 I have been enjoying them and I agree with @amirm's assessment in terms of sound.
Now I enjoy them together with an S.M.S.L DO300, a great combination

 

[crappypanther]

Good speaker for the price, and if you add some eq

 

[Gabe33]

I own this & a pair of t7v's , these sound smoother than the T7V's , the adams sound brighter and abit plasticy (harsh) , but i prefer the bass of the T7V's in my room , its tighter and more accurate compared to the boomy BX8d3 , the m-audio are easy to calibrate with sonarworks but still dont translate well outside of my home studio . I think i should have went for similarly priced jbl lsr305p