[cableman5]

Oh and btw the JBL seems to be a good competitor for the Adam F5 so they also punch above their price point:

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/low-end-theory/867409-jbl-lsr305-vs-adam-f5.html

 

[SoAmusing777]

I call all of them crap till they can hit at least 30hz. I hear down to 12hz no problem. I don't wanna be missing out. I'm ready to be yelled at for this

 

[BigTerminator]

Nice insight. Did you hear any super high end monitors, like Adam or Genelec speakers? Looks like my Presonus Sub is coming tomorrow so I will let this wonderful thread know how that goes and later when I get my speakers. One day I will have a new sub the next new speakers so I will be able to compare subs and speakers directly with each other. Steve Guttenberg of CNET noted that the Airmotiv 5 sounded fuller than the 4 and fell in love with the Airmotiv 5S even more, putting them on the same level with the Adam F5. I hope what he wrote is spot on. Good luck to everyone's rigs. 

 

[SoAmusing777]

  Nice insight. Did you hear any super high end monitors, like Adam or Genelec speakers? Looks like my Presonus Sub is coming tomorrow so I will let this wonderful thread know how that goes and later when I get my speakers. One day I will have a new sub the next new speakers so I will be able to compare subs and speakers directly with each other. Steve Guttenberg of CNET noted that the Airmotiv 5 sounded fuller than the 4 and fell in love with the Airmotiv 5S even more, putting them on the same level with the Adam F5. I hope what he wrote is spot on. Good luck to everyone's rigs. 

Ah, I guess that's why you get a dedicated sub in that case. I'm still on the hunt for my setup, passive or active for $250 or less. No clue yet.

 

[BigTerminator]

 
Ah, I guess that's why you get a dedicated sub in that case. I'm still on the hunt for my setup, passive or active for $250 or less. No clue yet.

Are you looking for a 2.1 setup or just 2.0? If you want bass and fullness to the sound then you need at least 8" monitors or a 2.1 setup. My current sub fills a lot of the lower half and adds a lot to the sound, but I can hear that there is at least 10hz if not 15hz of information being left out. I hope my new sub will punch much lower so that I can feel it in my gut. My sub is plenty loud for my small 10x10ft room but not deep, I want deep. My sub is rated for 35hz so not very low. The Presonus is "rated" for 20hz but that is bull. Lucky if it does 25hz.  

 

[SoAmusing777]

  Are you looking for a 2.1 setup or just 2.0? If you want bass and fullness to the sound then you need at least 8" monitors or a 2.1 setup. My current sub fills a lot of the lower half and adds a lot to the sound, but I can hear that there is at least 10hz if not 15hz of information being left out. I hope my new sub will punch much lower so that I can feel it in my gut. My sub is plenty loud for my small 10x10ft room but not deep, I want deep. My sub is rated for 35hz so not very low. The Presonus is "rated" for 20hz but that is bull. Lucky if it does 25hz.  

Either or. I can hear down to 12hz and I love bass, so that's pretty important. I'd rather not miss out on any sound.

 

[cel4145]

The LSR 305s have been compared favorably with the Adam F5: http://www.cnet.com/news/jbl-lsr305-resetting-sound-expectations-for-desktop-speakers/

Don't be overly focused on watts. It takes double the wattage to produce +3db more volume, and +10db is generally considered a perceived doubling in volume to the listener. So the difference between 50 to 100 watts is not as much as you might think, not to mention that amp wattage doesn't tell you much with speakers unless you know the sensitivity of the speakers, too, because volume is a factor of wattage and sensitivity. Finally, the Emotiva 4s have more than enough volume for desktop speaker use. You won't need additional volume.

Finally, the Airmotiv 4 is an acknowledged better class of speaker than the Audioengine A2. Bigger driver, better measured low end response, and it doesn't have the artificial bass hump the A2s have (the amp has been tuned to add in more upper midbass because it doesn't do lower midbass). The Airmotiv 4 is considered a competitor with the Audioengine A5 series.

 

[cableman5]

Nice insight. Did you hear any super high end monitors, like Adam or Genelec speakers? Looks like my Presonus Sub is coming tomorrow so I will let this wonderful thread know how that goes and later when I get my speakers. One day I will have a new sub the next new speakers so I will be able to compare subs and speakers directly with each other. Steve Guttenberg of CNET noted that the Airmotiv 5 sounded fuller than the 4 and fell in love with the Airmotiv 5S even more, putting them on the same level with the Adam F5. I hope what he wrote is spot on. Good luck to everyone's rigs. 

I heard some Adam monitors and while they were really good and I could tell the difference between them and the JBLs, I didn't feel like I am missing enough to justify the price difference. I actually didn't expect to be so impressed by the JBL, had really low expectations, but when I left the store I knew that I need them. The Adam and I'm sure Genelec monitors, might be objectively better, but the JBL sounded like it was giving me 99% of the sound quality for a lot less money.

It's funny how my choice has evolved since I started the thread. I had very high expectations of the AV40. When I heard it, I was really disappointed. I didn't even consider JBL but after some research and the suggestions here, it moved to the top of my list. When I heard it, I just knew. My advice to anyone is, if possible, to hear the various speakers/monitors and then decide what works for them.

BigTerminator, I'm looking forward to your impressions of the goodies that you have incoming.

 

[cableman5]

The LSR 305s have been compared favorably with the Adam F5: http://www.cnet.com/news/jbl-lsr305-resetting-sound-expectations-for-desktop-speakers/

Don't be overly focused on watts. It takes double the wattage to produce +3db more volume, and +10db is generally considered a perceived doubling in volume to the listener. So the difference between 50 to 100 watts is not as much as you might think, not to mention that amp wattage doesn't tell you much with speakers unless you know the sensitivity of the speakers, too, because volume is a factor of wattage and sensitivity. Finally, the Emotiva 4s have more than enough volume for desktop speaker use. You won't need additional volume.

Finally, the Airmotiv 4 is an acknowledged better class of speaker than the Audioengine A2. Bigger driver, better measured low end response, and it doesn't have the artificial bass hump the A2s have (the amp has been tuned to add in more upper midbass because it doesn't do lower midbass). The Airmotiv 4 is considered a competitor with the Audioengine A5 series.

Just out of curiosity, how would you compare the Airmotiv 4s and the JBL LSR305? To me, the JBL sounded vastly superior. I haven't heard any Audioengine speakers so I can't comment on that (my impressions on those are purely based on my research, not actual listening).

 

[SoAmusing777]

Why do none of these speakers go down to at least 30hz, let alone 20? This is pretty standard in human hearing as well as headphones. I mean, if I'm going to buy two speakers that don't go down to at least 30hz, I want to have enough money to spend on a dedicated sub. So the search is on for $250.

 

[cableman5]

Why do none of these speakers go down to at least 30hz, let alone 20? This is pretty standard in human hearing as well as headphones. I mean, if I'm going to buy two speakers that don't go down to at least 30hz, I want to have enough money to spend on a dedicated sub. So the search is on for $250.

I think your expectations are unrealistic. These drivers are not enough to provide 20Hz and decent all around sound. Either look into 8 inch monitors or more realistically save for a separate sub that will give you those frequencies. You want too much for $250 and 5 inch drivers. If all you care about is low frequency, get a nice sub and connect it to some cheapo speakers, there's no way around it - $250 is not enough to get it all.

 

[SoAmusing777]

I think your expectations are unrealistic. These drivers are not enough to provide 20Hz and decent all around sound. Either look into 8 inch monitors or more realistically save for a separate sub that will give you those frequencies. You want too much for $250 and 5 inch drivers. If all you care about is low frequency, get a nice sub and connect it to some cheapo speakers, there's no way around it - $250 is not enough to get it all.

Herh? Who said I wanted specific inch drivers? How do you know my expectations? Nah, for $250 I'm looking for a 2.0 or 2.1 setup that'll ideally hit 20hz or at least 30hz, and go up from there. Reference/neutral sound is what I'm aiming for as well.

 

[BigTerminator]

  Why do none of these speakers go down to at least 30hz, let alone 20? This is pretty standard in human hearing as well as headphones. I mean, if I'm going to buy two speakers that don't go down to at least 30hz, I want to have enough money to spend on a dedicated sub. So the search is on for $250.

Headphones might "technically" reach 20hz but it won't shake you like a movie theater will. Speakers need huge drivers to push massive amounts of air to produce these frequencies. Headphones are small, compact, sealed potentially, they do not have to fill up a whole space. Speakers do. Dedicated subs have a hard enough time reaching the subsonic levels so asking a speaker to do so is difficult. For $250 you would be looking at a used pair of 8" monitors or buying some cheap passive bookshelves with a sub. $250 alone for a sub would not get you those sub sonic levels, but will get you 25hz. 

 

[cableman5]

I think your expectations are unrealistic. These drivers are not enough to provide 20Hz and decent all around sound. Either look into 8 inch monitors or more realistically save for a separate sub that will give you those frequencies. You want too much for $250 and 5 inch drivers. If all you care about is low frequency, get a nice sub and connect it to some cheapo speakers, there's no way around it - $250 is not enough to get it all.

Herh? Who said I wanted specific inch drivers? How do you know my expectations? Nah, for $250 I'm looking for a 2.0 or 2.1 setup that'll ideally hit 20hz or at least 30hz, and go up from there. Reference/neutral sound is what I'm aiming for as well.

Good luck with that. When you find a reference system that goes to 20Hz for $250, let me know.

 

[SoAmusing777]

  Headphones might "technically" reach 20hz but it won't shake you like a movie theater will. Speakers need huge drivers to push massive amounts of air to produce these frequencies. Headphones are small, compact, sealed potentially, they do not have to fill up a whole space. Speakers do. Dedicated subs have a hard enough time reaching the subsonic levels so asking a speaker to do so is difficult. For $250 you would be looking at a used pair of 8" monitors or buying some cheap passive bookshelves with a sub. $250 alone for a sub would not get you those sub sonic levels, but will get you 25hz. 

True. Hmm, well, I shall settle then! Hah, didn't realize it was that way. Makes sense now. Well, I don't want my highs and mids to sound crappy. I mean, the bass on my now blown Klipsch Promedia 2.1's was nice. I just need help figuring out what to get.