Event PS-6 or JBL LSR25P studio monitors?

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HomeRec

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In the great and noble Quest For Monitors, I seem to have narrowed it down to two primary choices - the Event PS-6 and JBL LSR25P monitors. Both are powered monitors under $600, with the PS-6s costing a little more than the LSR25Ps.

First, what I've noticed by listening to them. The LSR25P monitors seem to have a very crisp, clear sound, and everything comes through well. However, it seems to be severely lacking in bass. I checked the stats, and the range listed is 70Hz - 20kHz. I read a review that supports this perception, and recommends a sub-woofer in addition to the LSR25Ps.

The PS-6 monitors seem to have more bass than the LSR25Ps, and the range listed is 45Hz - 20kHz. However, it almost seems as though the bass is too pronounced. I haven't been able to find any reviews of the PS-6s, but they sound like they're on a par with the Tannoy Reveal passives, my third choice.

Which of these two (PS-6 or LSR25P) would you recommend, and why? I have heard good things about both.
 
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most nearfield studio monitors will not give you a big bass response.....and you dont want that either.....

the Yamaha NS-10's are industry standards in pro studios and they have IMO less low end than both of those you listed.....

Id go with the JBL's....


and here's a quote from sjoko2 from another thread about the JBL's and bass response is mentioned......


"Can I recommend you read the other threads about monitors? and in particular the LSR?

I'll try and summarise it. The LSR series was designed from scratch, they started with throwing away the book. This has resulted in a small monitor subtantially better suited to its purpose than any near competition.
The simple facts are that it is not realy possible to build a small enclosure to accurately transmit frequencies below 70Hz, and it is equally difficult to build a small size speaker to do the same. Where a manufacturer decides to go for an unrestricted (or boosted even) low end in a small monitor anyway, it is in the mojority of cases achieved to the cost of overall sonic performance / accuracy.
Other plus points to the LSR are the wide dispersement, leading to a pretty big sweet spot for such a small monitor, and the components, which are especially designed / build for the purpose. "
 
Homerec,
I didn't get to A/B them against the PS-6, but I'm quite pleased with my LSR 25Ps. Aside from all the technichal reasons (search LSR25*), the JBL's are a nice, compact package that sound twice their size.

Queue
 
I have had my JBL's for about a month and a half now... I'm very happy with em. And I think that you'd be surprised by the bass response... its not all that deep... but its tight and punchy... I have no complaints. I was kinda in the same place, I was looking at the PS-6's also. And I don't read anything bad about those either... I think you wouldn't go wrong with either choice. But I'm happy with my LSR25's. good luck
 
Gidge said:
most nearfield studio monitors will not give you a big bass response.....and you dont want that either.....

the Yamaha NS-10's are industry standards in pro studios and they have IMO less low end than both of those you listed.....

Id go with the JBL's....
Click to expand...

Excellent, Gidge. That's a major piece of information I've been lacking in my search. From listening to all of the monitors, I liked the clarity of the LSR25Ps the best, and could hear the bass in the mix, just not in booming fashion. My concern was that this indicated poor response in lower frequencies, leading to inaccuracy in the mix. From what you said, it isn't as much of a factor as it would seem. Point (strong) JBL.

Queue/gamut1 - What was the "deciding factor" that convinced you that the LSR25Ps were the way to go? And what else were you auditioning at the time?

To all - Thanks for the advice, and keep it coming. :)
 
Homerec,
First off... I'm no expert. I'm still learning how to mix things. Not all my reasons are technical, many were practical..

I had decided on powered monitors for 2 reasons:

  1. because I like the idea of the amps/crossovers/speakers/cabinets being designed with each other in mind
  2. Space considerations, active monitors seem to be the same size as passives, thus saving me the space of the amp.
    [/list=1]

    I went with the JBL's for a few reasons.
    I purchased them in January 2001 when they were offering a $100 rebate for each pair. Mars was selling them for $299 each, so that came to $500. This was about half the current list price. I was leaning toward them prior to listening because I liked what I read about the JBL LSR line. Other reasons I liked them was their small size, and the fact that they were shielded. I tried to get some info here and audioforums, but they were fairly new, and Sjoko hadn't started to sing his praises of them.

    Based on the price/value, attractive (for me) size, and what little reviews were available at the time, I had to listen to decide.

    I went to two stores to listen. Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center in Wheaton and Mars in Baltimore. The guy at Chuck's was a real jerk. I asked to hear the JBL's. They weren't hooked up. I asked him if he could hook them up, he said no, they were moving things around, and suggested I listen to the Events, I said goodbye. I then drove to Mars in Catonsville, near Baltimore. The guy there was super nice, let me listen to everything they had, Events, Alesis, etc. They had the JBL's in their "Recording Room" basically a fully set up control room where they teach classes and do demos and stuff. I could not believe the sound coming from those grey boxes. I went home with the JBL's. I'm very pleased with my purchase. After reading what Sjoko had to say about them here, I'm even happier...

    Queue

    ps my experience with Chuck's vs Mars was the exact opposite of what I expected... I usually get much better help at Chuck's.
 
originally posted by Gidge
the Yamaha NS-10's are industry standards in pro studios and they have IMO less low end than both of those you listed.....
Click to expand...
I had forgotten the exact model name, but I knew "NS-10" rang a bell...

I had read that monitoring with NS-10s should only be done after a project has been mixed with other monitors. They are studio standards because they bring out anything wrong with a mix, but are very biased and harsh.

I will definitely believe that even the LSR25Ps (or any other monitor, for that matter) represent lower frequencies better, as the NS-10s, from what I've heard, emphasize the mids and highs.

In short, my impression is that NS-10s may be studio standards, but not necessarily for entire project monitoring.
 
LSR25 deal

If you decide on the JBL's. Musician's Friend is running a deal; a pair for $479. I don't think you can beat that. Zzounds, which offers free shipping, refused to match it. Even with shipping at MF, you'll come out under 5. The special doesn't show on the web, only in the catalog.
 
NS-10s

Are "Industry Standards"....

but Not for long...

They were basically the first to catch on as "Near Field" studio reference monitors. Because of the low cost, many studios & people purchased them. It got to the point that so many people used them that they became a reference point. Many, many, engineers had become accustomed to their sound, and could produce a good mix using them. If you ran a studio, you would get some NS-10s, whether you liked them or not, because so many people were used to them, and would ask for them.

Yamaha has discontinued the NS-10s. (Something about the supply of raw materials used to make the speaker cones running out.)

So now, everyone gets to decide what they want based on cost and performance, not based on the concept that "everyone is used to those, so even though they are harsh and fatiguing, I gotta go with 'em", and perhaps a new standard will evolve, perhaps not.

Queue's 2¢ interpretation on the evolution of NFM's
 
digiboy - Thanks for the tip; that is a good price. However, I can get them locally for $500/pair any time (provided they are in stock), so chances are that's the way I'll go.

Queue - Yes, I'd read about the NS-10s. I hadn't heard the entire background as to how they became so popular, or exactly why they were discontinued.

Chances are, if the NS-10s were still being manufactured, I'd end up going with LSR25Ps or PS-6s for monitoring, and eventually pick up a pair of NS-10s for final mix checking. I may still end up doing so, but the rarity and harsh sound quality of NS-10s are fairly large stumbling blocks. Plus, there are a lot of relatively inexpensive solutions (including the two above) that seem to at least rival, and mostly exceed, the NS-10s for near-field studio monitoring.
 
Yeah it’s already be said here, but I’ll say it again, you can’t get big bass from a small speaker without sacrificing a great deal of linearity.

Theoretically it is possible. You could use an active feedback system where you substitute box and driver size with a more powerful and complex amplification system. However, nobody is making a full range speaker like this because it’s just not practical.

If you are getting significant bass below 80hz or so from a two way (woofer/tweeter) speaker, you ARE GETTING A LOT OF DISTORTION along with it. No if’s, and’s or but’s.

barefoot
 
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