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More questions from Chris L.


Hello AudioGon people,

I'm going to begin purchasing speakers in the immediate future and found an incredible price for what would seem to be a fair set of studio JBL S312 II floor monitors. At the Best Buy I work at the really good deals we get are usually the best model of speaker or television in the line.
For instance the Studio JBL's retail for $799.oo a pair but I can get them for $243.oo, the same price I get on a pair of $400.oo shelf speakers from JBL.

Overall they seem to hit good sub freq's and are semi punchy. The mids feel accurate but a little veiled. High freq's are reminicent of bose dual sattelite speakers, clear as day. They are hooked up with 18g. demo wires that look and feel rather pathetic. The wires run through a confusing splitter used to seperate the signal for a button punch menu so customers can listen to different speakers and styles of music. The whole contrived tangle runs to a 720watt Yamaha 5590 reciever.

In a nut shell there is simply no way to find the speakers true range in this configuration. So if anyone has any experience with the history, technology, or just overall "feel" of JBL studio and what it SHOULD be connected to (amp, cables, etc.) for great 2ch. please give me a line on it - strong feelings for or against welcomed.

My budget isn't top notch by any means but I it would be my first foray into this technology as a hobby and the discount is just daunting.

Overall I listen to indie-rock and jazzy hardcore yet I have always wanted to here the prog-rock stylings of TOOL in true form - through speakers that can handles the power and innuendo (sp?) of their lengthy tracks. I also enjoy some blues and industrial, hip-hop of the Talib-kwali and Common vein and ska.

I love my movies too. Good range in both formats would be ideal to anyone but I straddle both sides of that particular juncture. Thanks for reading this far and I look forward to the usual informed and discerning responses!

-Chris L.
sol5960015e

Showing 3 responses by sean

sean
6,231 posts
 
I think that you'll find that most people here would say that quality counts more than quantity. Having said that, go with what you think will work for you. Nobody here knows exactly what you like or want out of a system. If you think that you can be happy with the products that you mention, then go for it.

Most every respondent to your last thread advised against purchasing a receiver yet you seem dead set on the product. As such, most folks aren't interested in speaking to a brick wall.

I know that the products mentioned seem like a bargain to you, but the overall quality and sound produced will not compare to what you could find on the used market. If having products that are "shiny" with a warranty is important to you, then go for it. If you value high quality sound, be patient and shop around. Just keep in mind that there is a reason that the "generic" high dollar items cost as much wholesale as the smaller items i.e. there is little difference in quality or quantity of parts used between the two. What looks more impressive on paper via specs or physical size is really nothing but overpriced products with a phenomenal profit margin. Sean
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sean
6,231 posts
 
I stopped by BB today and saw the speakers that Chris is looking at. I can see why a "youngster" might be impressed by them i.e. they are good sized floorstanders and appear to be a bargain at 1/3 of retail price. Having said that, i was quickly reminded of why they wholesale at that price once i knocked on the cabinet i.e. they had the sound of a completely unbraced, undamped resonant box. After listening to the undamped bass and sizzling treble, they are surely built to sound "exciting" in the showroom but would probably be fatiguing in the long run. I can say without hesitation that Chris would be better off with a stacked pair of Large Advent's for about the same money. Not only would that installation "look impressive" to his buddies, it would sound 10X better. Not as exciting mind you, but MUCH more natural and realistic for about the same amount of money.

As far as any HT receiver goes Chris, don't believe the power specs. Most do not meet spec when put to the test. HT receivers are about in the same place that car stereo amps were 15 years ago i.e. marketing makes up numbers that the products could only meet under very specific and limited conditions.

Think of this as your "challenge" and you are Luke Skywalker. We know that the "dark side" ( mass produced commercialized junk ) may have a powerful draw that seems to be very attractive, but once you know and experience "the good side" of hi-fi / audio reproduction, you'll have no problem staying "true to the cause" : ) Sean
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PS... Chris aka "Luke": I am NOT your Father : )

sean
6,231 posts
 
Chris: I said that some might intially find the JBL's to be "impressive" based on the physical size of the cabinet and the larger than "normal" sized woofer that one commonly finds in most current designs.

Other than that, i'm glad that you have enough interest in the subject to look around and try to educate yourself on the subject prior to spending your money. While we can provide you with different tips and tricks, it will be up to you in terms of what you finally spend your money on. Sean
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