Oops I did it again...

[Jack in Wilmington]

I was told I was hearing them and I based my opinion on that. You must lead a charmed life if everybody tells you the truth JM. The first opinion I form about a product is by reading a review if possible. Then I go and listen to the product if possible. I always make sure the product has at least a 30 day return policy as you never know how something will match up with your gear. But one rule of audio I always abide by is that I never spend four times more on my amp then my speakers cost.

[JohnMichael]

I was told I was hearing them and I based my opinion on that. You must lead a charmed life if everybody tells you the truth JM. The first opinion I form about a product is by reading a review if possible. Then I go and listen to the product if possible. I always make sure the product has at least a 30 day return policy as you never know how something will match up with your gear. But one rule of audio I always abide by is that I never spend four times more on my amp then my speakers cost.

Snap! I already had the amp and I bought the speakers on a whim and they turned out to be quite nice. Oh and since I bought them on sale I want you to know my amp costs 5 times as much. :-)

[JohnMichael]

I was tweaking placement last night I am pleased with the results. I originally had the speakers wide with more toe-in and now they are 8 inches closer to one another but with slightly less toe-in. I still have that excellent focus that I first noticed when they were new. Now with my braced turntable the soundstage is wider and the new position of the speakers takes greater advantage of the improvement.

[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.

[blackraven]

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.

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?

[JohnMichael]

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.

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

[Thriftstore Cowboy]

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?

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!

[Thriftstore Cowboy]

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

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.

[blackraven]

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

[Thriftstore Cowboy]

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

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.

[filecat13]

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

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.

[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.

[Thriftstore Cowboy]

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.

[Thriftstore Cowboy]

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 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.

[JohnMichael]

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.

Exactly and very well said.

[JohnMichael]

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.

[Mr Peabody]

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.

[JohnMichael]

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.

[Mr Peabody]

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.

[JohnMichael]

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.

[JohnMichael]

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.

[frenchmon]

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

[JohnMichael]

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

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.

[tom1967]

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

[JohnMichael]

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

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.