Michael Franks - Studio Techniques: Speaker Review/Comparison ...

Michael Franks - Studio Techniques: Speaker Review/Comparison
Speaker Review/Comparison
Most Flattering
I found the JBL Control 5 speakers the most flattering to the ears as they seemed to
boost the bass frequencies and have good response in the mid and high
frequencies. I think they would be good for use in settings such as someone’s home
sound system or the sound system in a small venue.
Best Low End
I found the Adam A7Xs the best for low-end response, as they could reach
frequencies as low as 40Hz whereas the JBL (subwoofer) and Genelec 8030As did
not reach as low. When listening to bass heavy dance music on the Adams, every
kick drum was clear and the sub bass frequencies could be heard clearly and were
not at all muddy. The 8030As could not play the sub bass frequencies in the dance
music at all and ended up sounding distorted in comparison with the A7Xs.
Best High End
The best high end I felt belonged to the Genelec 8030As, because they seemed to
be clearer in the higher frequencies without fatiguing my ears. Although the Adam
A7Xs can reach up to 50kHz (way beyond human hearing) with ribbon tweeters, I
found the high end was too harsh and caused me discomfort and fatigue when
listening for long periods of time.
Variations Due to Recordings
The speakers performed differently when monitoring various genres of music. For
example, when listening to Dubstep/Drum n Bass, I felt the Adam A7Xs were the
most flattering as they could play the bass frequencies clearly. When listening to
some popular music, the JBL’s seemed to have the best bass response, as the AX7s
sub bass response could at times drown out the higher bass frequencies, making the
music sound muddy.
Specifications
The Adam A7Xs had the biggest frequency range from 40Hz-50kHz, but while
performing well in the bass, the mid-range frequencies were less clear, and the high
frequencies at times seemed harsh. The Genelecs frequency range was from 58Hz-
20kHz, which was very clear in the mid-range frequencies, but meant that the
speakers couldn’t handle sub-bass frequencies at all. The JBL Control 5s with the
SB-5 Subwoofer could handle between 45Hz and 20kHz and these seemed to have
good clarity throughout the frequency range.
Mixdown Choice
To mixdown, I would use the Genelec 8030As in most situations, as I feel they are
the least coloured of the monitors and so music created on them would sound similar
on most speakers, whereas music mixed on the JBLs, which seem to colour the
bass would not sound the same on different monitors without bass colouration.
However, if I were producing bass led dance music, I would mix down on the Adam
A7Xs to get an idea of how the bass would sound in a club type setting.
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Reference List:
Michael Franks - Studio Techniques: Speaker Review/Comparison
Adam-Audio ca. 2012. Technical Data. Adam Audio. Available from:
http://www.adam-audio.com/en/pro-audio/products/a7x/technical-data
[Accessed 25 February 2012]
Genelec ca. 2012. Genelec 8030a Specs. Genelec. Available from:
http://www.genelec.com/8030a/specs/
[Accessed 24 February 2012]
JBL ca. 2012. Control 5. JBL. Available from:
http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/general/Product.aspx?PId=196&MId=5
[Accessed 24 February 2012]
JBL ca. 2012. Technical Manual. JBL. Available from:
http://tms.plala.jp/pdf/Control%20SB-5.pdf
[Accessed 24 February 2012]
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