Palmer ORBIT 11 Cardioid Coaxial 3-way studio monitor (MSRP 799€/899$)

[goat76]

Of course. In the end, it's all about what you can get the job done with comfortably, and it isn't always the scientifically rational choice.

That’s something many members of this forum have a problem understanding, that the studio monitors with the best objective measurements aren't necessarily the tool that works best for everyone.

 

[MrBlueSky4470]

I am incredibly glad that I am not a dealer for Audio Products.
Some nitpickers would really get on my nerves, and I would probably end up harming my own business with my responses to perceived problems rather than being as accommodating and friendly as the most dealers on ASR, for example.
So it's better for the customers.

If you don't like what I say, just ignore me. Don't tell me what to think or how to see things. Who the hell do you think you are?

 

[Sir Sanders Zingmore]

So the problem is only visual? You haven't complained about how they sound at any point.

I suspect they’ve done it so that people stop talking about the tangerine ring. Well it won’t work, I’ve seen through their little ploy!!

 

[TimVG]

That’s something many members of this forum have a problem understanding, that the studio monitors with the best objective measurements aren't necessarily the tool that works best for everyone.

It depends what stage of the mix you are in. Many things can be done on just about any monitor. 50% of my time is spent in mono on a small Genelec. It's when you get to finishing a song, album, live concert.. Then you want honesty, and I've had the best reality checks on my main system which also happens to be my best measuring system. YMMV.

 

[Audionaut]

If you don't like what I say, just ignore me. Don't tell me what to think or how to see things. Who the hell do you think you are?

I really can't remember addressing you or anyone else personally.
So if I were you, I would retract the sting of the wild bumblebee and think about what ad hominem and netiquette mean.

 

[MrBlueSky4470]

You know exactly who you were referring to. And again, don't tell me what to to. I am open and friendly with anyone here. You are being passive aggressive. Don't play the innocent victim. No need to discuss this anymore.

 

[Matt_Holland]

Having said that, a heck of a lot of Western European albums have been mastered on B&W Nautilus (and previous) 800 series speakers (is it really true that the ones sent to pro rooms are more neutral than the domestic models?) and come out okay generally.

I spent a couple of days at Abbey Road in 2020 and one of the senior engineers told me their 800 series had modified crossovers to give a neutral response. They still sounded pretty bright and lacking in midrange to my ears.

 

[Ogremic]

AFAIK this just adds delay to individual tracks to prevent plugins from making them go out of sync. It's very handy, but I don't think there is any way to actually reduce latency once it's in the signal chain, DAW or otherwise, other than removing the delay-causing process.

IMO latency as short as 20-50ms can throw off a performance / recording, and depending on your skill level, might be a problem for gaming. But 100-200ms can be acceptable for video depending on your personal sensitivity to it. For pure mixing / mastering I think latency is generally not a showstopper but can be annoying.

For listening or even movies I'll tend to use the phase linearization option if there is one, but I would turn it off if I were recording a performance of some kind.

Yes, a DAW only adds, not subtracts delay, so it only adds delay to any track to compensate for the most delayed plugin rack, so they all come in the exact time as recorded.

For recording, these speakers will work, as I usually have a 256 samples buffer and it's manageable, so that translates to 5ish ms and when recording we always check through headphones, to minimize any other delay except from the software.

But for watching a movie, already standing at more than 4m from the screen has a larger delay. In a movie theater, even though they delay the speakers, the distance from the subs can add more than 20ms, even 50ms or more in the last row and nobody complains

 

[Audionaut]

You know exactly who you were referring to. And again, don't tell me what to to.

Of course I know who I mean, but there's a big difference between knowing that and attacking someone personally. You don't seem to understand that difference. Never mind.

But if you feel personally attacked, you'll know why.

By the way, I would never want to tell you what to do or not to do.

 

[RexrothPigeon]

You know exactly who you were referring to. And again, don't tell me what to to. I am open and friendly with anyone here. You are being passive aggressive. Don't play the innocent victim. No need to discuss this anymore.

Where exactly did he “tell you what to do”? I reread and didn’t see it. I suppose he indirectly criticized you, but surely you don’t think basic criticism is a hostile act

 

[goat76]

I don't know if it's audible, or to what extent. I'm not sure if a simple measurement with REW in my living room (!) would reveal any obvious problems. Probably not.

I mean, they work. Doesn't mean they work as intended.

Well, you could make that measurement I suggested earlier, measuring one speaker at a time from the same position without moving the microphone. A distance of one meter, or even a shorter distance than that would probably work as these are single-point speakers.

If you see any deviations between the speakers in such measurement, it is a chance that the faulty tweeter alignment is the reason, and it may also explain the non-distinctive phantom center you are experiencing.

 

[Paul7777x]

It’s a bit of a laugh here now. So many people defending an obviously faulty product.

And that on a site that prides itself on precise engineering.

Are you all after a free pair?

 

[dasherzx]

I don’t mind having it half off if it’s within the manufacturers error threshold.
This is a bummer for me though shipping it back from southeast asia if something happened is gonna be a pain

 

[MrBlueSky4470]

Just because it's within the manufacturer's error threshold doesn't necessarily mean it's within mine or yours.

 

[Pearljam5000]

Anyone here got them and liked that sound?

 

[MrBlueSky4470]

I like the sound. They're good. I'm just not sure yet I like them more than my Genelecs (that cost way more). They sound very different. I once had Neumann's next to my Genelecs and they sounded much more alike.

 

[Ratterbass]

Guys, the manufacturer already stated in this thread that it's not within tolerance. End of discussion. Can we stop the endless debating over superfluous things like this? It's getting highly annoying to be frank.

 

[DSJR]

Just because it's within the manufacturer's error threshold doesn't necessarily mean it's within mine or yours.

It's arguably more visual than performance related, but I'd get that speaker/driver replaced while the speaker is effectively days old. The visuals of that as shown would have done my head in back in the day and I think a replacement has been offered, hasn't it?

Early days for this model, but I bet QC will be tightened up as every recipient who's looked on here will be watching as the speakers are unboxed

 

[Mort]

I like the sound. They're good. I'm just not sure yet I like them more than my Genelecs (that cost way more). They sound very different. I once had Neumann's next to my Genelecs and they sounded much more alike.

Any idea where the difference in sound might be found in measurements? I'm not challenging you, I'm genuinely wondering.

For instance, if the Palmer had wider directivity, that might explain. But I don't think that's it.

 

[olieb]

For instance, if the Palmer had wider directivity, that might explain. But I don't think that's it.

The Orbit is much narrower than the non-cardioid speakers in lower mids (250-800Hz). This will certainly create a different "sound".