Quote Originally Posted by Sir Terrence the Terrible
JBL is pro mass market garbage. Whenever I work at a studio that has them, I ask that they be replaced. The PMC/Bryston combo is my speakers of choice, followed by Genelec and M&K. JBL, EV, and altec have all had their day. I have heard the 4355, it doesn't even come close to the PMC/Bryston combination. It also doesn't come close to the Genelecs either. I guess its a matter of what you like in a speaker.

I use Dunlavy SC V when mastering.
Well Sir Terry, I do agree with you about genelec monitors, they can be amazing! But Bryston electronics are too metallic sounding and aggressive for me!

Yes, they have engineered all the distortions out of their amplifiers, but in spite of the flawless specs, and measurements on a scope, they are too clinical and, bright, and cold sounding.

Very good for the concrete ears crowd, but musically they are just too lacking in conveying the emotion of a recording. Especially the mid band and higher frequencies, and I have listened to many Brystons through many speakers, they just irritate me after a while and push me away!

I even had the oppurtunity to listen to the grand exalted head of their household amplifier, the Bryston 14B SST 3 weeks ago, through a pair of B & W 801,s and although the 14B SST was dead clean, and produced tremendous output, and makes effortless bottom with plenty of headroom to spare, when we put the big Classe amps back on the B & W,s it was major relief to everyone in the rooms ears! The mid and high frequencies have something that to my ears sounds somewhat metallic, and edgy. After a bit, I really found the amp to offend, and on the contrary, the Classe drew you in, had a more open, and relaxed quality to it, yet was utterly clear and resolving of the most minute details present in recordings, so we felt the Classe/B & W combination engaged the listener. Something I refer to as natural sounding.

The Bryston/B & W combination, OTOH, and IMHO, seemed to push us farther away,
most notably, in the nid and high frequncies, the big bryston just doent have the fluid texture, and gives the impression of a coarse, clinical sounding top end! And eventually to replace the big Bryston with the systems original Classe!

Stated simply, we find listening to bryston not enjoyable. yes, its very exact, and quite reference I suppose, and really adept for those who wish to critique their recordings and pick them apart for every minor flaw, as opposed to listening to music, and enjoying, no make that, becoming involved in it!

Onkyo? In a professional studio? Since when?