Question on Studio Monitors

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skewzme

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Greetings,

I've been using a pair of M-Audio BX8-A's for the last 4 or 5 years.
I had an old pair of JBL 4312 Control Monitors that have been in storage for a long time. Wasn't using them because I had nothing to power them. I recently picked up a Beringher Europower2500 power amp and paired it with the 4312's, expecting to be blown away.

Surprisingly, the M-Audio speakers sound far, far better.
Is this because newer speaker technology is just better, or are the JBL's really giving me a more controlled, realistic sound?

Thanks
 
I don't know either of those speakers, but the amp might suck.
According to Behringer, it can "can take a whole night’s worth of abuse ", so I'm guessing it's not a studio reference amp.

I hated my NS10s with an alesis amp, but I like them a lot better with an old Denon consumer amp.
 
I would try to get an amp a bit more old school in design, something that does not have a switch mode power supply. The old JBL 4312 monitors have had plenty of top albums mixed on them over the years, however they will have an older style sound to them. The trick is to have both monitors set up so that the mix can be checked on both sets of monitors, if it sounds good on both it will translate to home and car systems better.

I should point out that studio monitors are not designed to have an "expecting to be blown away" sound.

Alan.
 
witzendoz said:
I should point out that studio monitors are not designed to have an "expecting to be blown away" sound.

Alan.
Click to expand...

I suspect your definition of "blown away" is different than mine. What I mean by that is the ability to hear detail in the mix, and at moderate listening levels. The BX8a's just seem to have more clarity. A LOT more clarity.
 
could be your distance to the speakers, maybe?
Nearfield , midfield....I don't know.
 
This ^^^^ plus, the trick is how does the mixes done with the M-Audios translate to other systems and how does the mixes done on the JBL's translate. Maybe there is a lot less hype in the JBL's?

Alan.
 
The Behringer 2500 amps are actually pretty good, at least in a live situation which is where I've used them.

I don't know your speakers either but quite often the best monitors don't blow you away because they give an accurate, neutral sound rather than one intended to sound artificially good.
 
Thanks for all the input. I discovered after posting this that there was some DIP switches on the amp turned on that should have been off. Low pass filters and such. After turning the switches off, I'm getting much better results and very happy with my old 4312's now. Just ordered a dual source speaker switch so I can switch between speakers easily. Can't wait to get it. Thanks again.
 
Doh! I should have remembered the DIP switches--they've actually been useful to me in the past for live stuff (though I'd have preferred a real EQ or LMS) so this is yet more evidence of my encroaching senility!
 
One more related question -
How does speaker size relate to optimum listening distance and volume?
Is a 12" woofer too large for desktop listening?
 
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