JPW Gold Mini Monitor Surprise & Running-in

[thewinelake.]

OK, so I've recently bought some Tannoy Mercury 7.4 speakers to get back to vaguely proper HiFi in the house. Part of this was to resuscitate an amp - I had a few options, but the one that seems best is the old A&R A60. It was a bit dead, so I replaced the output fuses and that seemed to be all it was - result!

Just for testing, I wired up a pair of old JPW Gold Mini Monitors - and I've got to say that I really like the sound of them. Very nice indeed on vocals, albeit with pretty restricted bass. There's a certain immediacy to the sound and the stereo imaging seems to be remarkably sharp compared to my initial efforts with the Tannoys. I am hoping that the Tannoys improve when they've been given a chance to be run-in - this factor makes the concept of returning unsatisfactory speakers a bit tricky (something I'd not really considered). Also, it may be that one needs a more powerful and modern amp to get the best from the 7.4's.

Beginning to have second thoughts on my choice - in fact I'm thinking that I might generally prefer smaller speakers (perhaps in conjunction with a sub?).

But my main question is how does one best run-in speakers?

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

The answer to "how does one run in a pair of speakers "is USE them.turn them up to a moderate volume . there's all sorts of things...burning in cd's...face the speakers to one another and out of phase is another I've heard of....but if I get new speakers...I just use them as often as I can at various volume levels..they ain't going to change that much and if you don't like them now.........it's likely that your not going to.

 

[TomSawyer]

I agree. If you fundamentally like the Tannoys, they will improve over the first few weeks of running, but it's unlikely they will change from speakers you don't like to ones you do.

 

[Al ears]

I agree. If you fundamentally like the Tannoys, they will improve over the first few weeks of running, but it's unlikely they will change from speakers you don't like to ones you do.

I'd agree in a sense that most speakers do not need an extended burn-in period so if you don't like the sound of them initially then you've made the wrong choice.

Yes, JPW made some very good speakers didn't they.

 

[davedotco]

Speakers should be pretty quick, a few hours really.

The rest of the 'improvement' that you hear over the following week or two is you adjusting to them, rather than the other way round. If your first impressions were not good, send them back while you still can.

My views on most modern equipment is so far at odds with mainstream opinion that I rarely bother to comment on sound quality issues, but it is worth remembering that the 'old' JPW Golds are very much of a 'type'. Small, unported enclosures, very solidly build with decent quality drive units may be old fashioned, but it can make a good speaker.

Bass roll off will start quite high but is gentler than with ported designs, a little bit of help from the room and it can be quite convincing.

 

[matthewpiano]

Those Tannoys are so new that very few will have heard them yet, though going on experience with previous Mercury series speakers in recent years I'd expect them to be good, solid budget speakers.

What are you unhappy with in the sound?

 

[Edbo2]

Age is no gauge when it comes to sound. Past ranges of good names can sound good. In pubs these old speakers sound remarkably good screwed to ceiling and wall joists in less than perfect surroundings. Yesterday I was in HMV and they had JBL speakers playing and they sounded expressive and involving and no HiFi mags recommend JBL. Just enjoy disregarding the age of the cones. I had a pair of JPW AP2s and regretted getting rid of them

 

[thewinelake.]

I'm still not 100% on this, as I've not been able to try them in the room that I bought them for (no carpet or curtains in there yet due to domestic issues!). I should have been less impetuous there....

But I was trying out the JPWs in my garage - not on stands, and I was just struck by how spatially solid the sound was. OK, so it wasn't covering much the way of bass, but vocals, guitars and things just seemed to be nailed in place - almost as though they were in the room with yout. A decent musical sound, where I was listening to the music rather than the hifi.

Compare that to the Mercuries in another room (in another house actually) but same amp (A&R A60) and they sounded kind of impressive, but the music seemed trapped and distant in some way. There were some mitigating circumstances - perhaps they were a bit close to the wall (about 20cm) and I had screwed the spikes in too far, so they weren't long enough to penetrate the carpet and underlay in there (so there was a bit of rocking wobble). They reminded me of the Q-Acoustics 3050's which I also found disappointing.

I think on balance I would be minded to return them except for one rather unfortunate thing which is that when attaching the feet, I laid the speakers down on the floor and accidentally there was a cable that was squashed under the grille, which now has a very small (but noticeable) deformation on the edge. I'm told that I can get a replacement for £30, which I'd feel honour-bound to do if returning, but that is nearly 10% of the overall cost and enough to persuade me to give them more of a chance!

This isn't the first time that I've been too impatient in buying something, and I have no sympathy for myself. Buying blind like that (even though there was nowhere in London prepared to demo these) was the height of foolishness. There again, perhaps this will prevent me from spending money I don't have on my favourite speakers so far (the Monitor Audio Silver 6's) or the Revolution XT6 F's (which I haven't heard either!).

Let this be a lesson to others like me...

...or not (if they come good in the real room, or with a better amp!).

Watch this space.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

It could be that you just like the sound of bookshelf speakers...like myself...tried a couple of floor standers (including the monitor audio silver rs6's)and just always feel that something is missing.....and it is.......detail,speed and transparency.....to get these traits in a floorstander requires a serious amount of wedge but you do get that extra deep bass and extension....but I can get a sub woofer that'll do that for me if that's what I want for a lot less cash.food for thought...the grass isn't always greener on the Floorstanding side.lol.

 

[thewinelake.]

You know, I think you might be right. That's a shame! ;-)

 

[thewinelake.]

The only thing I'll do is give them a chance with a modern amp - the Cambridge Audio CXA60.

Juno are being quite kind allowing me a little more time, so I'm impressed with them at least!

Maybe will give the Dynaudio Emit M10 a go - the review here seemed suspiciously positive!