The active speakers club

[MajorFubar]

Useful and contructive write-up

 

[Andrewjvt]

Write up
Thanks

 

[Pedro2]

Useful and contructive write-up

+1

 

[muljao]

Thanks *biggrin*

 

[Pedro]

Very nice write up on the Mackies, muljao.

I'm curious about the JBL LSR305s. Would anybody care to comment how do they compare with Adam's X range? I can demo the Adams but I don't think I can listen to the JBLs over here...

 

[Vladimir]

Very nice write up on the Mackies, muljao.

I'm curious about the JBL LSR305s. Would anybody care to comment how do they compare with Adam's X range? I can demo the Adams but I don't think I can listen to the JBLs over here...

JBL edges them on bass, midrange and imaging. The Adam ribbons have bit more separation and richness, sparkly highs. JBLs can double as midfield and nearfield, as for the Adam's I think they are best in a desktop setup. I wouldn't buy the smaller Adams for casual room filling listening.

 

[Pedro]

Very nice write up on the Mackies, muljao.

I'm curious about the JBL LSR305s. Would anybody care to comment how do they compare with Adam's X range? I can demo the Adams but I don't think I can listen to the JBLs over here...

JBL edges them on bass, midrange and imaging. The Adam ribbons have bit more separation and richness, sparkly highs. JBLs can double as midfield and nearfield, as for the Adam's I think they are best in a desktop setup. I wouldn't buy the smaller Adams for casual room filling listening.

Thank you very much, Vladimir

 

[Andrewjvt]

Excellent value
Great sound

But they wont beat your atcscm11s in any department but they for the money have something about them that makes listening to music really nice.

Partnered to the benchmark dac i dont miss the hegel (rrp £4000) h360 one bit.

They are a great non risk step
Into actives etc.

 

[Vladimir]

If I already had the ATC SCM11 + a suitable amp I don't see the point in getting the JBLs or any cheap actives. Those ATC are better made, neutral and my fav - sealed enclosure cabs.

 

[Pedro]

I don't own ATCs. It must be another Pedro. Well, we're millions of Pedros here in the Iberian Peninsula (I'm from Portugal)

My main system is Naim/Neat and I was thinking about those JBLs for another room

 

[Vladimir]

Well, there is a Pedro2 IIRC.

 

[Pedro2]

Well, there is a Pedro2 IIRC.

You're correct Vladimir. I own the ATCs and I'm English. The Pedro2 part is a nickname. Hello to Pedro and have a great weekend everyone (the Bank Holiday weekend in the U.K.)

 

[Andrewjvt]

Will the real slim pedro please stand up?

 

[Deliriumbassist]

Had a pair of LS50 Wireless after seeing them presented at the Bristol Show. Excellent speakers for the money.

 

[muljao]

Quick techie question.

If I plug an unbalanced (expected max approx 2 volts) into the TRS or XLS balanced input with the correct cable (expected max approx 4-6v) does this mean that the monitor will actually be at a lower volume in relation to the preout selected volume as it is getting a lower input signal than if it was connected to a balanced output.

In other words will rca unbalanced out to rca unbalanced in be louder than rca unbalanced out to trs or XLS in.

Thanks

 

[Vladimir]

That's why there is an input sensitivity swith. Swith to more sensitive setting with unbalanced.

 

[muljao]

That's why there is an input sensitivity swith. Swith to more sensitive setting with unbalanced.

My speakers do not have that switch, I'm not using balanced sources, so am I better off using a normal RCA cable. Thanks

 

[drummerman]

Very nice write up on the Mackies, muljao.

I'm curious about the JBL LSR305s. Would anybody care to comment how do they compare with Adam's X range? I can demo the Adams but I don't think I can listen to the JBLs over here...

JBL edges them on bass, midrange and imaging. The Adam ribbons have bit more separation and richness, sparkly highs. JBLs can double as midfield and nearfield, as for the Adam's I think they are best in a desktop setup. I wouldn't buy the smaller Adams for casual room filling listening.

 

Thank you very much, Vladimir

Did you listen to the 308? (I read the reviews and measurements).

 

[Vladimir]

Very nice write up on the Mackies, muljao.

I'm curious about the JBL LSR305s. Would anybody care to comment how do they compare with Adam's X range? I can demo the Adams but I don't think I can listen to the JBLs over here...

JBL edges them on bass, midrange and imaging. The Adam ribbons have bit more separation and richness, sparkly highs. JBLs can double as midfield and nearfield, as for the Adam's I think they are best in a desktop setup. I wouldn't buy the smaller Adams for casual room filling listening.

Thank you very much, Vladimir

Did you listen to the 308? (I read the reviews and measurements).

Haven't. I was aiming at small speakers when I got the 305s and the general consensus online was the sound signature is pretty much same as the 308s.

 

[Vladimir]

This month I'm building an energy efficient system. Little JBLs use 4W each when idle, generally low consumer due to Class D and switch mode PSU. Source will be the tiny Google Chromecast Audio and my phone. Decomissioned the desktop to an older laptop and my PC monitor is a low power user. Let's see how green the next electric bill will get.

 

[muljao]

Hi guys just to follow up. Am I correct in thinking so that if a speaker has an unbalanced RCA and you use unbalanced sources, the best results should be RCA to RCA. If your speakers do not have RCA inputs but you use them, you use appropriate cable and their should be some sort of level sensitivity switch. Thanks

 

[Vladimir]

I'll connect the unbalanced Google Chromecast to the balanced JBL 305s. I'll switch the input sensitivity to go louder in order to compensate for the lower voltage source.
If I didn't have a switch then I'd just have to turn the speaker volume louder. I wont get full dynamic range but it should still work.
If you have the opposite scenario, balanced source pushing into unbalanced speakers, you get overload and distortion if your source has fixed output. But if its variable (DAC with volume knob) you can lower it down and will be ok. Lowering volume on the speaker end wont help because the preamp is overloaded with 4Vrms while expecting 2Vrms.

 

[muljao]

Mine have RCA's in, but I bought a RCA to trs because I mistakenly thought it didn't, there's no switch as I imagine each input is tweaked.

I notice the volume seems less than when I plugged a Chromecast in with a jack to RCA so thought maybe I'm using the wrong connection

 

[muljao]

Well that solves that. I asked because I didn't want to go messing with the wiring again, but I slaved in RCA to RCA in place of the RCA to TRS and everything sound wise improved immensly volume wise. I read elsewhere that this should make no difference, so either what I read was wrong or my TRS cable is faulty. Either way I'd say if you are using an unbalanced source and yourspeaker has regular unbalanced rca inputs, use them

 

[Andrewjvt]

Just had another longish listen this morning and again amazed by the sound quality.
Crystal clear vocals and nice tone balance bass well defined. Long listen sessions do not give fatigue at all.
For the price a bargin.
anyone want cheap quality sound or a 2nd system - ideal