By pro audio I mean like DJ speakers. I haven’t seen anyone doing these types of tests on real pro gear. Seems like that could attract a whole new audience of professionals that are probably in the same mindset as this forum. Although more focused on SPL, but also not the snake oil types.
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Why not test more pro audio?
- Thread starter Samps
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staticV3
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Amir tests what people send in for testing.
Not many professionals are willing to lend him the equipment they need to make a living. Especially since the long backlog means you could be left without that equipment for many months.
Of course the manufacturers themselves could provide the equipment without much trouble, but rarely do so.
Not many professionals are willing to lend him the equipment they need to make a living. Especially since the long backlog means you could be left without that equipment for many months.
Of course the manufacturers themselves could provide the equipment without much trouble, but rarely do so.
- Thread Starter
- #3
I have no experience with audio manufacturers, but I do work with other vendors that are usually willing to cooperate if they can see a future sales potential.
This isn’t some small time YouTube channel reaching out for samples. I think this place is established enough for major manufacturers to trust with their gear. I guess the risk is that the results might not be great. On the flip side, some might turn out to be better than expected.
I do agree that individuals may be hesitant to give up their personal speakers for extended periods.
This isn’t some small time YouTube channel reaching out for samples. I think this place is established enough for major manufacturers to trust with their gear. I guess the risk is that the results might not be great. On the flip side, some might turn out to be better than expected.
I do agree that individuals may be hesitant to give up their personal speakers for extended periods.
Prana Ferox
Addicted to Fun and Learning
You can use a pro amp to drive hifi home speakers - it's fairly common actually, especially for subwoofers.
'Pro' speakers have a very different set of design priorities that make them both harder to measure like a hifi home speaker, and may make their measurements look worse. At the least, it would be better for someone more familiar with the industry priorities to evaluate them for purpose.
Which is not to say people don't also use 'pro' speakers for home use. See for instance here. It does require a... certain decor aesthetic. At the least, assume they'll need subs or at least some sort of bass bin for full range, and almost certainly will need EQ.
Amir has reviewed some PA speaker designs, not what I suspect you're looking for, but for instance here.
'Pro' speakers have a very different set of design priorities that make them both harder to measure like a hifi home speaker, and may make their measurements look worse. At the least, it would be better for someone more familiar with the industry priorities to evaluate them for purpose.
Which is not to say people don't also use 'pro' speakers for home use. See for instance here. It does require a... certain decor aesthetic. At the least, assume they'll need subs or at least some sort of bass bin for full range, and almost certainly will need EQ.
Amir has reviewed some PA speaker designs, not what I suspect you're looking for, but for instance here.
Pro amps are no problem to get tested, and if they get send in they get tested. Pro studio speakers genelec, neuman....name it also. Real pro PA speakers, are a different thing. There main goal is good sound with very high spl. Thats just not a typical hifi home audio goal. I enjoy pro audio tests, but i also see why it would be hard for @amirm to do them. With a scientific aproach. Getting the data of a 300 people dancehall experience and if the harmann knowledge realy fits here?
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Prana Ferox
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Also, when you're talking 'Wedding DJ' speakers...
The low end of this market is dominated by essentially no-name crap (starting with whatever Pyle's slapped their name on and falling down quickly from there). You can see a lot of this stuff searching on Amazon, with various brands and model #s. It's not really worth measuring that stuff for the same reason it's not worth measuring the really low end of desktop chipamps, by the time Amir would get the measurements done, the 'brand' may no longer exist, and frankly the odds of finding hidden gems (by the priorities of this forum) is low. The priorities of the customers are different enough that reviews here wouldn't have much value anyway.
The low end of this market is dominated by essentially no-name crap (starting with whatever Pyle's slapped their name on and falling down quickly from there). You can see a lot of this stuff searching on Amazon, with various brands and model #s. It's not really worth measuring that stuff for the same reason it's not worth measuring the really low end of desktop chipamps, by the time Amir would get the measurements done, the 'brand' may no longer exist, and frankly the odds of finding hidden gems (by the priorities of this forum) is low. The priorities of the customers are different enough that reviews here wouldn't have much value anyway.
More Dynamics Please
Addicted to Fun and Learning
There's a lot of speculation about how portable live performance PA speakers can perform in a home environment precisely because there's such a lack of serious independent objective measurements and subjective evaluations by experienced reviewers. A single review with Klippel measurements by @amirm or @hardisj would at least help take us beyond pure speculation. For example the new JBL EON700 series uses the same compression driver as JBL's Studio 5 series and the 10" EON710 retails for $449:
jblpro.com
JBL Professional JBL-EON710
10-inch Powered PA Speaker with Bluetooth Launched in 1995, JBL’s best-selling EON family of PAs...
jblpro.com
Order one (or preferably, a pair) and have it shipped to me and I’ll be happy to review it.
I’d imagine Amir would be willing to as well. But obviously you’d have to clear it with him first.
Ricardus
Addicted to Fun and Learning
I would send in an occasional piece of gear that I have multiples of, but in some instances it would require Amir to get a special enclosure called a 500 series enclosure, for many of the things I have built.
More Dynamics Please
Addicted to Fun and Learning
I believe there are several ASR forum members who already own various portable live performance PA speakers which could eliminate the need to purchase them just for testing.
More Dynamics Please
Addicted to Fun and Learning
I think you're missing the point of using portable live performance PA speakers for home audio, not for DJ or live band use. There are in fact already several sites that test PA speakers for various PA use but don't evaluate them for home audio use which is a different perspective. There are many examples of individuals using PA speakers for home theater and home audio but independent testing and reviews for this type of use are lacking.
First off, there are good and bad pro audio speakers. The bad ones are really bad, but when you find a good one, they are great.
I think the number one reason most people don't even consider them for home hifi use, is their looks. Let's face it, most, if not all are not very attractive. Personally, when it comes to audio, I don't care about the looks. Something can be ugly as all get-up, but if it produces clear and accurate sound, i'm happy. Look at a lot of JBL or Klipsch speakers, basically pro audio 2 or 3 ways in a nicer looking package.
Yamaha club series is a good example, made in America, with eminence drivers and birch plywood. Very solid and heavy. I think they sound better than any of the Klipsch speakers (marketed and sold for home hifi use) that I have heard. Some years back there was a guy who measured a pair and was surprised how flat they measured, granted most won't go under 50-60hz, so a sub is recommended if you plan on using pro audio in a home environment.
What's great is they don't need a lot of power, but they can handle loads of power if given to them. I have a pair of the Yamaha Club V speakers, paired with an Anthem amp. They sound great, at whisper volume levels or cranked up. You can put your ear in the horn loaded compression driver and it's dead silent. I happen to have gone to school with a Eminence employee (no names mentioned) and he would be the first one to tell you, the drivers used in the Yamaha's are far above the ones used in the Klipsch offerings. (not trying to schit on those who love their klipsch)
So i would say the main difference between pro audio market speakers and home hifi speakers, is cosmetic and profit margins. Either can be good or bad. Price wise, PA speakers can be a very good value, if not concerned with cosmetics. Plus with pro audio speakers, usually your ears will tap out, before the speaker craps so to speak.
Here you can find lots of modern PRO loudspeakers tested. Measurements are done by Anselm Goertz so the quality of measurements is great and you get indepth view.
www.production-partner.de
Exampe for RCF Art 945
www.production-partner.de
Test | Production Partner
Hier gibt es alle Test-Berichte von PRODUCTION PARTNER auf einen Blick
www.production-partner.de
Exampe for RCF Art 945
Test: RCF ART 945-A | Production Partner
Mit der Serie ART 9 bringt RCF 2021 die nunmehr neunte Generation der seit 1996 erfolgreich am Markt vertreten ART-Baureihe heraus. Neue ...
www.production-partner.de
- Thread Starter
- #18
Nice link, thanks!
I enjoy all the reviews/measurements regardless of style or price. I’m a diy guy and you can learn a lot from any well done test.
Won’t we eventually run out of good speakers to test? New models don’t come out that often, and the older models will dry up eventually as well. 5 years from now we’ll need something to test.
I enjoy all the reviews/measurements regardless of style or price. I’m a diy guy and you can learn a lot from any well done test.
Won’t we eventually run out of good speakers to test? New models don’t come out that often, and the older models will dry up eventually as well. 5 years from now we’ll need something to test.
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