Monitor question here.... 4?

G

GtrGtrGtr

New member
Hey there all.. having read and researched the JBL 305s and already having M-Audio DX4 Studiophiles I grabbed a pair of JBLs also.





Is there a way or reason to use 4 monitors if so why and how would they be wired in? or are the DX4s going back into the dark cold place from which they emerged?


Thanks to all who help with this as usual ! -Steve
 
Use a switch, or split the monitor send and only turn one pair on at a time, or just re-patch. Don't run both pairs at once.
 
I used one of these. Relatively cheap, and you can balance the volumes between the two (if you need) and work with either/or. Plus it gives you room for a third pair.
 
I couldn't find any specs for the frequency range of the M Audios, but imagine they're a small step up from the AV30 M Audios I used to have. Totally un-needed once I got my JBLs. I sold the M Audios, either here in the classifieds or on craigslist.
 
More importantly, what about physical position? I've got two pair of near fields with 8" woofers so not super compact. I've got the Yamaha's set up at the height I want and in a more-or-less equilateral triangle to the listening position. If I try to put the JBLs beside them, they'll be either too close in or too far out. If I put them on top of each other, I have to compromise on the height thing. I tried a couple different ways of stacking them, and just couldn't find anything that worked right for both. I have thought about pushing them behind and above the Yamahas but pointing downward some, but then 1) they start getting close to the walls, b) they aren't on the same plane as the subs that I'd like to share between the two pairs, iii) it stops really qualifying as near field. I guess it's first world problems, but anybody got any advice?
 
bouldersoundguy said:
I assume you tried one pair inverted on top of the other pair to keep both sets of tweeters in about the right place.
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Yeah, but first of all, I can't easily (and therefor didn't try) lower the existing pair, and there's like 6 or 8 inches between the two tweeters even when situated that way. I could figure out some new stands that would put the whole thing like half that distance lower, and kind of "split the difference" with one pair a little too low, and the other a little too high...

But then the whole pile gets really tall and ungainly looking and before too long, I'm going to fake soffit mount some bigger speakers in the front corners, shooting down over the nearfields, and...

I think if I set them on their sides and stacked, the tweeters are actually closer to one another than even what you suggested, but then that starts to spread the frequency spectrum across the stereo field in a way that I don't like at all...
 
GtrGtrGtr said:
Hey there all.. having read and researched the JBL 305s and already having M-Audio DX4 Studiophiles I grabbed a pair of JBLs also.





Is there a way or reason to use 4 monitors if so why and how would they be wired in? or are the DX4s going back into the dark cold place from which they emerged?


Thanks to all who help with this as usual ! -Steve
Click to expand...

I've got two pair of monitors and use the ASIO drivers to select between the two. The two pairs are completely different from each other. One pair is 5" near field monitors, the other is a pair of bookshelf speakers with a subwoofer.

In your case, you have two near field monitors with similar size drivers. I'm not sure what difference you are expecting between them. Honestly, I'd say take them both back and get a pair of 8" monitors, your low-end will thank you.

But if not, that's okay. Mackie makes a device called the Big Knob that allows you to select between multiple sources and multiple speakers. Maybe check that out.
 
ashcat_lt said:
Yeah, but first of all, I can't easily (and therefor didn't try) lower the existing pair, and there's like 6 or 8 inches between the two tweeters even when situated that way. I could figure out some new stands that would put the whole thing like half that distance lower, and kind of "split the difference" with one pair a little too low, and the other a little too high...

But then the whole pile gets really tall and ungainly looking and before too long, I'm going to fake soffit mount some bigger speakers in the front corners, shooting down over the nearfields, and...
Click to expand...

Yeah, the idea of using two similar monitors makes me picture all sorts of problems like those. Better one big set of monitors and one small than two the same.

ashcat_lt said:
I think if I set them on their sides and stacked, the tweeters are actually closer to one another than even what you suggested, but then that starts to spread the frequency spectrum across the stereo field in a way that I don't like at all...
Click to expand...

I never liked horizontal orientation. Like you say, you start to hear the speaker contributing to the sound field, and if you move in the horizontal dimension it changes the tweeter/woofer phase relationship around the crossover frequency.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
Yeah, the idea of using two similar monitors makes me picture all sorts of problems like those. Better one big set of monitors and one small than two the same.
Click to expand...
My two pair are noticeably different. The Yamaha's are a little brighter and more aggressive, almost harsh at the top end, and just at touch mid-scooped. The JBLs are smoother at the top, a little warmer with a tiny bit more mid-range detail. I'd like to have them just for a change of perspective every once in a while. I also have an Altec-Lansing 2.1 computer system, and like I said eventually will have the bigger Alesis dudes further out for comparisons and contrasts.

I never liked horizontal orientation. Like you say, you start to hear the speaker contributing to the sound field, and if you move in the horizontal dimension it changes the tweeter/woofer phase relationship around the crossover frequency.
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Yeah, it kind of makes me seasick. I actually run a pair of subs - one under each monitor - because I can't tolerate the low-end mono-collapse that happens when you use a single.
 
mjbphotos said:
I couldn't find any specs for the frequency range of the M Audios, but imagine they're a small step up from the AV30 M Audios I used to have. Totally un-needed once I got my JBLs. I sold the M Audios, either here in the classifieds or on craigslist.
Click to expand...

M-Audio Studiophile DX4 Review & Rating | PCMag.com Here's some info on them.

Think I will sell the DX4 M-Audio set and wait for a bigger set to roll in Thank you sir .
 
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GtrGtrGtr said:
M-Audio Studiophile DX4 Review & Rating | PCMag.com Here's some info on them.

Think I will sell the DX4 M-Audio set and wait for a bigger set to roll in Thank you sir .
Click to expand...

Yeah, I saw that - no frequency chart. With 4" woofers, I'd guess the low end cutoff is 60-72Hz. And hardly smooth down to that point. As the review said, they're better than the typical home computer speakers. So were the 3" M Audios I started with. They still didn't have any low end.
 
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