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LCR - JBL Studio 2 Series to 5 Series worth it?
I've got a 5.2.4 setup with JBL Studio 2 Series (280+235C for LCR, 230 for surrounds, 220 for heights, HSU VTF-2 MK5 subs). The front sound stage is OK, but I'm not in love with it. Would the 5 series (580 or 590) be a worthwhile upgrade or more of a lateral move? I've heard the 520C is pretty meh.
I was also thinking about Emotiva (Airmotiv T2+ and C2+), but would that be much better than my current setup?
Budget is around $1.5k - $2k. Room is 18' by 13' by 7.5'. 80% movies, 20% PS5.
Any thoughts from people who have heard any of these speakers would be appreciated.
I was also thinking about Emotiva (Airmotiv T2+ and C2+), but would that be much better than my current setup?
Budget is around $1.5k - $2k. Room is 18' by 13' by 7.5'. 80% movies, 20% PS5.
Any thoughts from people who have heard any of these speakers would be appreciated.
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
I would just replace the 235C with the C2+ and then go with the T0 or T1+ for the towers only if you actually do hear any "mismatch" between the C2+ and your 280s during HT (I highly doubt you will, I've used tons of "mismatched" centers with zero problems.)I've got a 5.2.4 setup with JBL Studio 2 Series (280+235C for LCR, 230 for surrounds, 220 for heights, HSU VTF-2 MK5 subs). The front sound stage is OK, but I'm not in love with it. Would the 5 series (580 or 590) be a worthwhile upgrade or more of a lateral move? I've heard the 520C is pretty meh.
I was also thinking about Emotiva (Airmotiv T2+ and C2+), but would that be much better than my current setup?
Budget is around $1.5k - $2k. Room is 18' by 13' by 7.5'. 80% movies, 20% PS5.
Any thoughts from people who have heard any of these speakers would be appreciated.
With dual VTF-2 you have zero need for the bigger drivers of the T2+ plus you don't do any 2 channel music listening anyhow, so it'd be a waste.
That's what I'm thinking as well. I'll order the C2+ and post impressions for posterity.I would just replace the 235C with the C2+ and then go with the T0 or T1+ for the towers only if you actually do hear any "mismatch" between the C2+ and your 280s during HT (I highly doubt you will, I've used tons of "mismatched" centers with zero problems.)
With dual VTF-2 you have zero need for the bigger drivers of the T2+ plus you don't do any 2 channel music listening anyhow, so it'd be a waste.
UPDATE: So I replaced the 235C with an Airmotiv C2+ and I hear a lot of difference in the dialogue, but it's not always better. It does sound very mismatched compared to the JBL 280 LR channels though, in certain instances. In some movie scenes the dialogue sound very rich and full. In others it sounds sometimes hollow and without range, even at various times in a single scene from the same voice.
I did some swapping back and forth between center speakers and while the JBL LCR sounds more consistent across the entire front soundstage, I think the C2+ is better overall.
I ordered a set of the T1+ towers to see how a full Airmotiv LCR sounds vs the JBL LCR. If it's good I'll probably also swap out the JBL 230 surrounds with the Airmotiv B1+.
I'll post another update for future forum searchers.
I did some swapping back and forth between center speakers and while the JBL LCR sounds more consistent across the entire front soundstage, I think the C2+ is better overall.
I ordered a set of the T1+ towers to see how a full Airmotiv LCR sounds vs the JBL LCR. If it's good I'll probably also swap out the JBL 230 surrounds with the Airmotiv B1+.
I'll post another update for future forum searchers.
A perfect case-in-point for timbre-matching your LCR.
Did you re-run your room-correction software when you swapped centres? If you didn't, the AVR would be using the data from the 235C, and it wouldn't be compatible with the C2+. Another thing you are describing is the source material. Some movies and shows are simply not mixed well.
Did you re-run your room-correction software when you swapped centres? If you didn't, the AVR would be using the data from the 235C, and it wouldn't be compatible with the C2+. Another thing you are describing is the source material. Some movies and shows are simply not mixed well.
In the scenes where the C2+ sounds "hollow and without range," did the 235C sound better?UPDATE: So I replaced the 235C with an Airmotiv C2+ and I hear a lot of difference in the dialogue, but it's not always better. It does sound very mismatched compared to the JBL 280 LR channels though, in certain instances.
In some movie scenes the dialogue sound very rich and full. In others it sounds sometimes hollow and without range, even at various times in a single scene from the same voice.
ive tried several times
timbre match front LRC always sounded best to me. ive tried many times with different sets of speakers.UPDATE: So I replaced the 235C with an Airmotiv C2+ and I hear a lot of difference in the dialogue, but it's not always better. It does sound very mismatched compared to the JBL 280 LR channels though, in certain instances. In some movie scenes the dialogue sound very rich and full. In others it sounds sometimes hollow and without range, even at various times in a single scene from the same voice.
I did some swapping back and forth between center speakers and while the JBL LCR sounds more consistent across the entire front soundstage, I think the C2+ is better overall.
I ordered a set of the T1+ towers to see how a full Airmotiv LCR sounds vs the JBL LCR. If it's good I'll probably also swap out the JBL 230 surrounds with the Airmotiv B1+.
I'll post another update for future forum searchers.
I tested on the opening scenes of Blade Runner 2049 and a big chunk of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. In Blade Runner the dialogue in the farmer's house sounded very clean, but almost too clean. I didn't feel like I was in that house, but that I was in a sound studio with the actors talking next to me. Maybe that's a bad analogy, because that scene was in a small room. It just sounded too clean. That was the first scene I tested, so maybe the difference was more notable. And maybe my expectations of what it 'should' sound like are wrong.In the scenes where the C2+ sounds "hollow and without range," did the 235C sound better?
On GotG I felt like the voices were all over the place in the opening battle scene. Voices with deeper range (Drax) sounded great, but Quill and Rocket sounded hollow? I may not be using the right terms, but there wasn't a rich sound from their voices. More high-pitched and flat.
The biggest difference between the LCR was the GotG scene when Rocket and Yondu were in the cage together. Yondu would be talking off-camera and then back on-camera. There was a noticeable difference in the sound as the camera position changed and the audio moved from center to right speaker.
Switching out the center channel just made the audio more consistent, not necessarily better.
The Airmotiv T1+ speakers arrive tomorrow. I'll do more listening and post again.
Interesting. Have never seen "the dialogue sounded too clean" as a complaint.
What crossover are you running the C2+ at? I hope no higher than 80Hz? It's one of the very few centers that could easily be set at 60Hz.
Beware the crossover settings that so-called "auto-calibration" tools often choose; they are often way off.
What crossover are you running the C2+ at? I hope no higher than 80Hz? It's one of the very few centers that could easily be set at 60Hz.
Beware the crossover settings that so-called "auto-calibration" tools often choose; they are often way off.
I tested on the opening scenes of Blade Runner 2049 and a big chunk of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. In Blade Runner the dialogue in the farmer's house sounded very clean, but almost too clean. I didn't feel like I was in that house, but that I was in a sound studio with the actors talking next to me. Maybe that's a bad analogy, because that scene was in a small room. It just sounded too clean. That was the first scene I tested, so maybe the difference was more notable. And maybe my expectations of what it 'should' sound like are wrong.
On GotG I felt like the voices were all over the place in the opening battle scene. Voices with deeper range (Drax) sounded great, but Quill and Rocket sounded hollow? I may not be using the right terms, but there wasn't a rich sound from their voices. More high-pitched and flat.
The biggest difference between the LCR was the GotG scene when Rocket and Yondu were in the cage together. Yondu would be talking off-camera and then back on-camera. There was a noticeable difference in the sound as the camera position changed and the audio moved from center to right speaker.
Switching out the center channel just made the audio more consistent, not necessarily better.
The Airmotiv T1+ speakers arrive tomorrow. I'll do more listening and post again.
A lot of movies aren't mixed that well.. I would not judge a center based on being " too clean" that's likely either bad mixing or a setting that needs to be changedI tested on the opening scenes of Blade Runner 2049 and a big chunk of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. In Blade Runner the dialogue in the farmer's house sounded very clean, but almost too clean. I didn't feel like I was in that house, but that I was in a sound studio with the actors talking next to me. Maybe that's a bad analogy, because that scene was in a small room. It just sounded too clean. That was the first scene I tested, so maybe the difference was more notable. And maybe my expectations of what it 'should' sound like are wrong.
On GotG I felt like the voices were all over the place in the opening battle scene. Voices with deeper range (Drax) sounded great, but Quill and Rocket sounded hollow? I may not be using the right terms, but there wasn't a rich sound from their voices. More high-pitched and flat.
The biggest difference between the LCR was the GotG scene when Rocket and Yondu were in the cage together. Yondu would be talking off-camera and then back on-camera. There was a noticeable difference in the sound as the camera position changed and the audio moved from center to right speaker.
Switching out the center channel just made the audio more consistent, not necessarily better.
The Airmotiv T1+ speakers arrive tomorrow. I'll do more listening and post again.
I did a similar upgrade. And honestly I still enjoy my JBL studio 2 series. The studio 5 series does sound better in every way(i'm using the infinity RC263 center) but it's not a massive improvement. I don't know how to quantify it, but they are better. Enough so that I don't feel the need to upgrade any more. I found my happy place.
Using 590's up front and 530's for surrounds. And added a HSU sub.
I'm thinking about grabbing another pair of 530's as they are on sale. While I need a new receiver for 2 more channels i'd like to at least get the speakers ordered.
Using 590's up front and 530's for surrounds. And added a HSU sub.
I'm thinking about grabbing another pair of 530's as they are on sale. While I need a new receiver for 2 more channels i'd like to at least get the speakers ordered.
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
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