Nearfields for audiophile listening?

Interesting speaker, wouldn't mind hearing it one day(like so many things haha). The higher models look interesting too, too bad my living room is shit and i probably can't afford them given the price of the W5's. I'm more then happy with Quested though...

 

Yes, it is interesting. My living room is shit as well, on the contrary to office.

 

I've just acquired a pair of JBL LSR305's, have been listening to them for a couple of days ago. Having mixed feelings about them.

After an initial teething problem: Using the -10dBV sensitivity is not a good idea with direct connection to Gungnir Multibit, this causes distortion. I had to use the +4dBV sensitivity setting. I have the speakers raised up on some books sitting on my desk. Speaker tweeters are at ear level if lean forward at my desk (could probably raise them up a bit higher still). Speakers are towed in, pointing at my head. They are connected directly to Gungnir Multibit via XLR, volume at about 4.5. Running them flat with no software eq. Sitting about 2-3ft away from speakers.

Positives: Great imaging, as widely reported. Amazing bass. Initially, I found the bass overblown but raising off the desk helped. Treble is smooth and inoffensive, unlike some studio monitors I have tried in the past (M-Audio, Focal). The sound has good body and presence, they are not thin sounding. They do sound seem to sound flat and unhyped. Perhaps the bass is a little exaggerated / loose? But I cannot really tell because I've been listening to HD650's the past few months (which are lacking in sub-bass).

Negatives: I don't find the speakers to be very clear. They have a general subdued or indistinct quality, it is hard for me to describe. The frequencies are there, they just lack resolution and clarity. It sounds muddy, muffled, almost nasal - thick and bloated. They do sound a bit better as the volume is increased, but I generally listen at low to medium levels.

Are my experiences an accurate / fair description of the sound qualities of these speakers? Is there anything I can do to improve them? I have to keep telling myself they only cost just over £200 and that I am expecting too much. But still, I am slightly disappointed. Caught in two minds between the brilliant imaging and bass versus the mud.

 

Not sure about the jbls in particular, but for the hell of it see what happens if you crank the volume higher and use digital attenuation to compensate?

 

@mrflibble i reckon your desk is not doing you any favors. Even if you raise them and properly decouple them you’re still hearing reflections from the desk causing comb filtering. Just to test you can try throwing some thick blankets on your desk and see if it improves, if not maybe try looking into some stands. Also try putting your speakers as close to the rear wall as possible and then use the bass controls on the back to dial it down, should result in a flatter response.

 

@mrflibble : I have a same set-up as yours for a while, Gungnir Multibit (gen V) > JBL LSR305 via XLR, and we even have the same listening habit (volume at 4.5), so I guest I can add some info here. I had a same problem as yours when I first used it. The muddy sound you hear is a result of vibration in your table. To minimize it, you can buy a cheap stand
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Adam-Hall-St...rplatte-fur-Studio-Monitor-Paar-/352040979016

In addition, I use a tricks I read on TNT-audio long time ago with pumice and blutack and a book to provide a platform for the speaker and stand
http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/sblocks1e.html

It cost me around 25€ for all, and the sound now is much more clean, less bloated. You can not expect HD800 clean sound, but it is for me clean than HD650 + valhalla 2 with better instrument separation, better imaging and soundstage. That is why I sold the Valhalla 2, and left the HD650 in dust for 6 months.

And remember, you can't let the speaker lean forward to your desk. You can even attentuate the bass with the switch at the back of speakers

Overall, I think it is my best p/p purchase. At 200€, you can buy only a Magni 2 (or Magni 3 right now) and the HD598, and this combo is inferior to my ear than LSR305s. But I think you expected too much from a 200€ monitors (speaker + amp)

 

Thanks for the tips! I think I will give the pads a try and look out for some pumice blocks. Should I go for the ECO1 or the ECO2 pads? I notice that the ECO1's are only 170mm wide but the JBL's are 185mm in width, would the slight overhang affect the performance of the pads? The ECO2's are much larger at 265mm width and 330mm depth (ECO1's being 300mm deep).

 

@mrflibble @trung225

I use the exact same setup although I haven't really fine tuned or made adjustments to get it to sound as clean as it can be. So Gungnir Multibit (Gen 5) > JBL LSR305 via XLR for me in a standing desk setup. I have my JBLs a bit too far apart though with proper height of tweeters at ear level on some IsoAcoustic stands. Both speakers are on top of very tall shelving though (which have caster wheels) and probably aren't the best. Everything is on carpeted floor. The right speaker is kinda close to a corner causing some issues.

Keep the tips coming. I'll eventually get off my butt and try rearranging things to get the sound right.

 

Domestic audio, single-ended, usually RCA, -10
Pro audio, balanced, usually xlr. +4

... right? Unless has my brain done dyscalculia again*. So the xlr from Gungnir Multibit into an active speaker should indeed be +4

(I've intentionally left out the dB units, because I think that another cruel trick that the world plays on us is that they are different, and I can't remember)



*Whoa... I'm not usually dyslexic!

 

The jbl volume/gain is just controlling the internal DSP volume. Looking at specs, the A/D portion accepts max 2V (-10) or 8V RMS (+4). So yes -10 setting will overdrive the A/D with Gumbys 4 volts. One will want to maximize the input going to A/D for best digital headroom, so PC/player volume at maximum and jbls just down enough for peak listening level.

 

Okay, I've ordered the smaller Adam Hall foam stands, they should arrive next week sometime. I've also ordered a pair of these other foam blocks to compare them to, or combine with (look like just the job):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/craft-mod...-foam-block-285mm-x-185mm-x-70mm/302021949179

Did some minor research into pumice and found an article / paper about using pumice aggregate for insulation blocks:

https://www.researchgate.net/public...htweight_concrete_containing_pumice_aggregate

It may not be entirely applicable to absorbing vibrations from speakers , but within the article it does say:

Later on in the article there is a table stating pumice has a sound conductivity coefficient of 0.2.

I'm guessing that the high density foams used by stands such as the Adam Halls have similar characteristics to the pumice. i.e. the various sized pores and cavities that do not generally intersect.

I've not ordered any pumice stones (although I found some nice pumice discs on ebay). Going to see (hear) how the foam performs first.

The bass vibrations from the speakers can still be felt through the desk despite them being raised up on numerous books. Previously, I have owned Focal CMS50 speakers, but these came with their own screw in high density rubber feet and rubber mat for reducing vibration. Will report back next week on my adventures in foam

 

Buy the pumice. If it doesn't work out, you can still use it in the bathroom for taking dry skin off your feet.

 

On the other hand...

I don't know if the price of audiophile pumice is inflated to impress the usual market, but you should be able to get blocks of it designed for skin rubbing at low enough cost. If you don't see it around, Mrs Fibble might have done.

 

I use soup cans to elevate my desktop speakers. The contents can be pretty good at damping vibrations.

 

This sounds like a good backup plan.

 

sorbothane hemisphere are the best decoupling material after syromer (but syromer cost 3 times more). make sure to calculate the right weight before ordering them

 

There are reports on the web about Sorbothane leaving residue and staining surfaces. Anybody experienced these issues?

 

yes
it made marks on my jbl lsr32, but i put the glue side on the speaker, big mistake. as long as you dont put the glue side on the speakers, ive not have any mark on my previous speakers: amphion one18, harbeth p3esr, shl5+, ect.

 

Yes. I once put a sorbethane pad under keyboard for a few months and it stripped the finish off the underlying wood table when I removed it.

 

Audioquest included clear plastic circles for keeping their hemispherical Sorbothane feet from messing up surfaces. It was/is similar to the plastic on the front of document protectors. I would think that it would not be to hard to make home-made versions.