Oops I did it again...

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Originally Posted by Thriftstore Cowboy

I've updated my home theater speakers in my living room to the Wharfedale Diamonds (because hey, they're so affordable) which has made for an interesting, if slightly unfair, comparison to the JBLs. My brother had the best analogy yesterday, he said the Diamonds were like a 37" 720p plasma using the "vivid" calibration settings, where the JBL 530's were like a 72" 1080p professionally calibrated... much bigger image, gobs more detail and much more realistic. We ended up listening to the JBL's for 2 and half hours and totally got lost in the music. So much fun! I enjoy the Wharfedale's for HT and some music, but the JBL's are really in an entirely different league when it comes to refinement.

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They are very resolving and the Studio 530's let me hear more of the benefits of tweaking my turntable.

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Originally Posted by blackraven

Cowboy, why don't you give a review of the Diamonds? Which model are they and are they broken in and what gear are you using with them? I have heard older Wharfedales, 9 series and really liked their sound. The 10.1's and 10.2's are supposed to be a very good speaker. Detailed, warmer sounding and a little laid back in character. I am sure that the JBL's are probably the polar opposite. I would like to hear the JBL's.

And did you compare the JBL's and the Diamonds with the same gear or in different systems?

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The Diamond 10.1's have been breaking in for about a week (radio all day while im at work) so they still might improve some. We tested both in my 2 channel rig, although on different stands. What I thougt made the comparison interesting is that both speakers have ~5" woofers, 86db/meter sensitive with a nominal impendance of 6ohm. The JBL's however are much bigger.

The Diamonds are slightly warmer which is good because their permenent home, my living room, is fairly bright with wood floors.

The JBL's are certainly more neutral and never bright. They have really impressive tone.

I might do a full review of the Diamonds at some point... but now it's time to listen to some more tunes!

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Originally Posted by JohnMichael

They are very resolving and the Studio 530's let me hear more of the benefits of tweaking my turntable.

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And they let me hear the limits of mine! LOL. Actually, once I upgraded the Ortofon stylus on my old Luxman PD 289 I was exceptionally pleased.

The 10.2's with the 6.5" woofer would have better bass and a fuller sound than the 10.1's.

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Originally Posted by blackraven

The 10.2's with the 6.5" woofer would have better bass and a fuller sound than the 10.1's.

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Yeah, I know. I sat in the hifi shop's room a/b'ing those two to death. But in the end I considered the size of room over my ego. The fact is, these diamonds have a noticeable "BBC upper bass bump" at 100 hrz, despite what Stereophile says, and on the 10.2 it could start to muddy things a touch. I figured in my room, better to play it safe.

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Originally Posted by Thriftstore Cowboy

in the end I considered the size of room over my ego.

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Congratulations! Most people I know couldn't do that. :)

A couple of times I've gone bigger just because I could, and I've regretted having too much of what I don't need in a room where I don't need it.

As for the JBL Studio 500 Series, each model is surprisingly adaptable to a number of room sizes and placements as long as we're not completely ignorant about it. What's been achieved with that somewhat odd-looking horn and cabinet design is remarkable. Hey look, I just made a remark about it. ;)

I had the RS6's out to better hear the deep bass with my new turntable tweaks. I really began to miss the 530's. I find when listening to the RS6's that I slowly lose interest in listening to music. The Studio 530's makes music enjoyable again.

I've been binging on viynl lately, something that I blame on the 530s and take no responsibility for, so I needed to head to the old record store last night for some new material. And guess what the owner installed in the viynl room? Two massive looking 590's! Bwahahaha! If you're ever in Denver, head down to Twist and Shout to check them out in action. In all black they look menacing.

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Originally Posted by JohnMichael

I had the RS6's out to better hear the deep bass with my new turntable tweaks. I really began to miss the 530's. I find when listening to the RS6's that I slowly lose interest in listening to music. The Studio 530's makes music enjoyable again.

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I know what you mean. My new Diamonds are fun, punchy little speakers without a lot of fault. But they don't wrap me up and make me cancel all my plans for they day the way the 530's do. They 530's have me digging my creates for all the music I've enjoyed over the years. They've inspired me to go seek out new music. They bring out the emotion in every song. You really can't ask for any more than that.

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Originally Posted by Thriftstore Cowboy

I know what you mean. My new Diamonds are fun, punchy little speakers without a lot of fault. But they don't wrap me up and make me cancel all my plans for they day the way the 530's do. They 530's have me digging my creates for all the music I've enjoyed over the years. They've inspired me to go seek out new music. They bring out the emotion in every song. You really can't ask for any more than that.

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Exactly and very well said.

I did want to mention that I began to hear an edge to the sound. The Geortz TQ2 was to blame. Now that the DNM Resons are in place the sound is improved. The Studio 530's let you know what is going on in the rest of your system. I am becoming curious about how the Studio 570's might sound.

The 570's are the model I heard but I have not heard the 530's. I would guess the mids and highs should be about the same, if any difference the 570's I'd think better, The 570's have a full bottom end. I can't remember if they came with port plugs or not. The Krell should control the bass very well but the 570's aren't going to be bass shy to be sure. I didn't get the impression of bass dominance, there was balance but you get a sense of a rich, or full bass. If your neighbors complained about Mozart on the 530's wait until they hear the 570's playing modern music :). When I heard the 570's they were driven by an all Onkyo Reference system. The guy had them pretty close into a corner so the bass may be even smoother with more air around them. I'm sure with the Krell driving the 570's you will get a nice physical component to the music.

JBL Studio 5 Series

I found this of interest. Prices are in Australian dollars.

JBL Studio 5 Series Loudspeakers | Hi-Fi

Designed by renowned audio engineer Greg Timbers, JBL’s stylish new speakers deliver accurate sound to the living room, game room or home theatre…

JBL’s new Studio 5 Series speakers are now available in Australia. Designed by JBL’s Chief Engineer Greg Timbers, the developer behind the acclaimed JBL Project Everest DD66000, each model in the Studio 5 Series uses a high-frequency compression driver with a Bi-Radial horn to provide the high-impact sound and realism found in professional loudspeaker systems. The JBL Studio 5 Series comprises a range of three floor-standing speakers, a pair of bookshelf speakers, a centre-channel loudspeaker and a subwoofer. ‘The flexibility of this speaker line-up allows consumers to arrange systems ranging from a two-channel stereo to a seven-channel configuration for a dynamic home theatre experience,’ said Geoff Matthews, CEO of Convoy International, Australian distributor for JBL. ‘A speaker system today must do more than just play music, as consumers look for dynamic sound from all of their entertainment devices, whether that comes from audio/video receivers, Blu-ray players, HDTVs and gaming consoles. The JBL Studio 5 Series provides the flexibility to build a great sound system whether in the family room, a dedicated home theatre or a dedicated listening room for audiophiles.’

The JBL Studio 590 is a floor-standing design that pairs a pair of 200mm PolyPlas coned bass/midrange drivers with SFG magnetic structures, cast frames and rubber surrounds to a 25mm high-frequency compression driver with a one-piece Teonex diaphragm that’s mounted in a glass-filled ABS Bi-Radial high-frequency horn and powered by a neodymium magnet. Standing around 1.2 metres high, the Studio 590 sells for $2,499 per pair.

JBL’s Studio 580s are also floor-standers and use the same high-frequency array as the larger, more expensive Studio 590. However the low and midrange frequencies are delivered by 165mm-diameter drivers with PolyPlas cones and SFG magnetic structures. Recommended retail is $1,999 per pair.

The smallest floor-standers in JBL’s Studio range are the Studio 570s ($1,499 per pair). Again JBL uses a 25mm compression driver in a glass-filled ABS Bi-Radial horn for the high frequencies, but this time bass and midrange frequencies are handled by two 130mm drivers, again with PolyPlas cones and SFG magnetic structures. ‘The moderately-proportioned Studio 570s maximise the benefits of deep bass and expansive soundstage shared with its larger siblings without visually dominating the average-sized living space,’ Matthews told Australian Hi-Fi Magazine. ‘It may look smaller but you will feel like you are listening to true full-range speaker in the JBL tradition.’

For smaller rooms, the JBL bookshelf/standmount Studio 530 ($999 per pair) uses the same h.f. array as all the other speakers in the Studio 5 series, but have only a single 130mm bass/midrange driver. JBL’s Studio 520C centre-channel ($599) has dual 100mm low-frequency transducers featuring stiff, lightweight PolyPlas cones with rubber surrounds and 25mm diameter voice coils, which cross to a 25mm high-frequency compression driver in a glass-filled ABS Bi-Radial high-frequency horn. The Studio 550P ($1,199) subwoofer has a front-firing 250mm-diameter PolyPlas woofer in a completely sealed enclosure that’s powered by an amplifier rated at 300-watts amplifier. All Studio 5 models come in a choice of Black or Cherry finish.

JBL said it best regarding the 570, " ‘It may look smaller but you will feel like you are listening to true full-range speaker in the JBL tradition.’" I'd love to hear the 590.

I like the LS series as well which are similar configurations but to me the horns are..... difficult to put this right without giving wrong impression of one or the other, but more polite, or less midrange presence. The LS in comparison give a more dark feel to the background. I think the Studio have more pronounced or enhanced midrange.

Mr P I have to say I have not had the opportunity to hear the LS series. What caught my interest in the Studio 530's was a five star rating in What Hi Fi and the physical design. I would like to hear the 570's but they are not really needed in my room. Oh and to answer a previous question they all come with foam plugs.

Since you have heard the Studio 570's do you think they are time aligned? The reason I ask is the woofers are recessed and I think the voice coils are at the same point as the compression driver diaphragm. The imaging and detail remind me of a physically time aligned speaker. The crossover is at 1,500Hz so there is no beaming from the small mid/woofer in the 530's.

When I think of the trouble with the RS6's and their dual woofers the single woofer of the Studio 530's sounds like I should be happy with what I have. Oh and even a 5.25 driver can annoy the young women from below and their calls to the office.

I do not know if anyone else thinks this way but many of my first classical recordings are my favorite because they are the most familiar. Therefore my favorite recording of "Scheherazade" is one conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich and the Orchestre De Paris. I had not listened to it for awhile so I pulled it out of the rack.

I had never heard it through the Studio 530's. I was so surprised by the amount of detail I had not heard before. Very detailed and musical was the presentation. These speakers continue to please and surprise.

Glad you are enjoying the speakers and having fun again JM....thats what its all about!

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Originally Posted by frenchmon

Glad you are enjoying the speakers and having fun again JM....thats what its all about!

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Yes I am enjoying them. I will enjoy them more at the end of April when the young women go back home. I will miss all the midday complaints and the rental staff having to come down only to find my music at a respectable level. I will miss Ginger (a readhead) slamming closet doors and just being a general pain in the ass. While her roommate Daisy so named for her daisyduke shorts for all the phone calls. A manager was inspecting a recently vacated apartment when they knocked on the girls door to ask to turn down their TV. One of the petty ###### said she had to play it loud because of how loud I play my stereo. The manager informed her that I was not home. Yes they have complained about me while at work. Yes I have been harassed. I need to smack the parents for creating the two princess monsters.

Are giving smaller 130s away at New Egg at $129/pr........are they also good?

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Originally Posted by tom1967

Are giving smaller 130s away at New Egg at $129/pr........are they also good?

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Sadly I have no idea. I was not a big JBL fan. The Studio 530's caught my eye first due to a 5 star review in What Hi Fi and the visual design. I liked that they were two ways without titanium tweeters. The tweeter in my opinion is very smooth but detailed. All my enthusiasm is for the Studio 5 Series.

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Originally Posted by tom1967

Are giving smaller 130s away at New Egg at $129/pr........are they also good?

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They are nice little speakers, but nowhere near the quality of the Studio 530s.

The Studio 1 Series models have CMMD tweeters in a bi-radial waveguide. This gives them fairly broad dispersion and a less precise, slightly "raspy" MR and HF response compared to the Studio 5 Series. If you never heard the Studio 5 Series, you wouldn't appreciate the distinction, but if you heard both, you get it right away.

The Studio 1 models have a weird design, IMO, but they perform very well despite the looks; nonetheless, the engineering and design in the Studio 1 models is somewhat outdated, and they're definitely entry level models.

The Studio 5 models are far more representative of JBL's forward-looking "all horns all the time" philosophy, which is now in all of its top end and midrange models. They cost more, and they're worth every penny and then some.

OTOH, if I only had a couple hundred bucks to spend long-term on some speakers and wanted excellent bang for the buck, it'd be hard to go wrong with Studio 130s. If I was just going to spend a couple hundred bucks on impulse for a pair of speakers knowing I'd be upgrading in a year or so, I'd save my money.

I have really been enjoying my recordings of the Emerson Quartet. The Studio 530's do such a great job with stringed instruments. I am so glad I took a chance on my JBL's.

I recently checked settings on my turntable and the Studio 530's are revealing of changes to tracking force, antiskating and choice of platters.

Crutchfield has low stock and showing the price at $479.20 a pair.


http://www.jbl.com/images/media/STUDIO530_PI_EN.pdf

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Originally Posted by JohnMichael

Crutchfield has low stock and showing the price at $479.20 a pair.

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That's not bad considering this (and it's for 1 speaker):

JBL Studio 530 Home Audio 5 1 4" Bookshelf Speaker 050036312776 | eBay

For posterity:

I was watching Glee last night, yes I watch Glee, and one of the characters sang REM's "Everybody Hurts". As soon as the recording was over I had to pull out the REM disc with that sing. I am still surprised when I play a cd through the Studio 530's for the first time. REM never sounded so good. The lack of sidewall reflections must be the reason the band sounds so coherent. The midrange clarity really shows off Michael's vocals. It is very easy to form a mental image of sitting in the center of a club watching and hearing them.

This is a great speaker for a tough room. The 530's are also a great bargain.

Nice to see you are having fun and enjoying the 530's!

When playing vinyl, do they let you know when you have a bad recording like not enough bass or mids or to much treble and so forth? Also I sware it seems like some times I can hear them messing with the sound board during some recordings.

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Originally Posted by frenchmon

Nice to see you are having fun and enjoying the 530's!

When playing vinyl, do they let you know when you have a bad recording like not enough bass or mids or to much treble and so forth? Also I sware it seems like some times I can hear them messing with the sound board during some recordings.

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I have to admit that since I added the Michael Lim top and bottom braces I have only been listening to my better records. Oh and the Grado Statement Sonata is more lush than analytical.

I can say they reveal the difference between cd's quite readily. As I have said before I would like to know if the speakers were time aligned? The mid/woofer is recessed and the voice coil of the mid/woofer looks like it would be in the same plane as the compression driver. Some cd's sound better and some worse but none are unlistenable. I can sometimes hear when the vocalist is singing in a booth.

I once read that cohesiveness is what makes a speaker "musical" and the 530's are one of the most cohesive speakers I've listened to. That usually comes from good time alignment. What they may lack in ultimate bass weight and authority they more than make up for in timing and speed. I think that's one trait that makes listening to them so absorbing. Well, the massive dynamics and holographic soundstage certainly don't hurt either ;)

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Originally Posted by Thriftstore Cowboy

I once read that cohesiveness is what makes a speaker "musical" and the 530's are one of the most cohesive speakers I've listened to. That usually comes from good time alignment. What they may lack in ultimate bass weight and authority they more than make up for in timing and speed. I think that's one trait that makes listening to them so absorbing. Well, the massive dynamics and holographic soundstage certainly don't hurt either ;)

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Yes they are amazing speakers for the money. The same speaker with a different name and a higher price would be getting raves in the press. I think timing is what I noticed first. Complex music is easier to enjoy when the band is in time with each other.

The princesses moved out yesterday. To celebrate the young couple from down the hall visited and we drank wine and played some tunes. He was impressed with vinyl playback in my system. He said "records are sounding like cd's but better". What he seemed to mean by that was the absence of surface noise and I think the speed stability also is impressive. Of course the Michael Lim braces further reduced mechanical noise. I think I am pleased with sounds like cd's but better.

The Studio 530's kept us entertained. It was nice hearing them at a reasonable volume. Who knew they could play loudly? Actuall when the girls were gone for holidays I did crank them. The Krell does a nice job driving them. Who knows but if I get my neighbor interested maybe I can sell some equipment. It would be nice to turn him into an audiophile and have an audio bud down the hall. I also like his girlfriend and they just rescued a dog. Oh and they are educated and can converse on a number of issues.

Looking forward to hearing some music tonight.

It's nice to have neighbors that have similar interests and maybe a future audio enthusist. I usually have to go to the local HiFi shop to talk audio. Are the princesses gone for good, or is that too much to ask for?

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Originally Posted by Jack in Wilmington

It's nice to have neighbors that have similar interests and maybe a future audio enthusist. I usually have to go to the local HiFi shop to talk audio. Are the princesses gone for good, or is that too much to ask for?

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Yes the princesses are back to their castles for the summer. I pity the men that marry them. Their parents did not do them any favors. At least staff from the rental office do not have to make as many trips to my building to listen if the music is too loud. I will miss all the slamming of doors and the tv at full volume.

I forgot to mention my neighbor has played in a band. I will share audio knowledge and I am sure he can introduce me to new music. I introduced him to Traffic last night and he liked the music. The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys!

He must be young if he hasn't heard of Traffic. When I bought my turntable the owner threw in a 200 gram LP of John Barlycorn. It's nice to see the next generation appreciating music that is not on an Ipod with a wire running up to the ears.

I was going to ask when the princesses graduate, but they may be majoring in "Finding a Rich Husband"

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Originally Posted by Jack in Wilmington

I was going to ask when the princesses graduate, but they may be majoring in "Finding a Rich Husband"

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We have an Ohio State branch in town where students can do their first two years before they hit the massive main campus. Since there is little in the way of student dorms they move into apartments in town. I do know their apartment has been rented already so they will not be back

That is good news

I still find myself making short lists of interesting speakers. I sit at work and look at magazines. When I am home since I have toe-in perfect and discovered the IC's problem I really like these Studio 530's. I am ready to relax and enjoy them.

Now the other speakers will be up for sale. The Monitor Audio RS6's and Ascend CBM 170SE will be the first to go. I may keep the MoFi OML1's but who knows.

I am confident that these speakers sound as good as they do. I received good advice to trust my ears. They may not have audiophile panache but they are singing to me.

Had a fun night last night. A little wine, Lucinda Williams "Live @ The Filmore" and a fair amount of volume. What a great live set. I have not played it since all the complaints started rolling in and the music does encourage more volume. The soundstage was large and I easily heard the different guitars and pedal effects. I sat in my chair for the entire concert. Well I did make a few trips to the concession stand for wine refills.

Odd that a speaker keeps me in my seat for such a long time. Another plus is low levels of listener fatigue. My dog would leave the room when the RS6's were in the system but he sits with me now that the Studio 530's are in the system. My dog and I are in agreement over the JBL's.

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Originally Posted by Mr Peabody

JM, do you still have your Anticables? If so, you should give them a try. I went with AC's Reference line and I love them, I prefer them over my Siltech or some very expensive Clarus I've tried.

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Mr. P you are so correct about the AntiCables. Since the hard drive died in my computer I grabbed the AC's to hear how they sound with the Studio 530's. Better than the more expensive AQ Rocket44's. I am glad you are enjoying the AC's and I am glad your comments made me want to give them a listen.

Good deal. Some cables I've tried do some things different but I keep gravitating back to the pristine presentation of the AC's.

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Originally Posted by JohnMichael

Mr. P you are so correct about the AntiCables. Since the hard drive died in my computer I grabbed the AC's to hear how they sound with the Studio 530's. Better than the more expensive AQ Rocket44's. I am glad you are enjoying the AC's and I am glad your comments made me want to give them a listen.

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Peabody....did you sell the Siltech?