Hey guys what’s up?
I need some help and guidance, Im looking for a pair of monitors manly for music production and mixing
after some search and reviews I picked two brands but can’t wrap my head around which would be better I’ve also seen the z reviews on these models but still can’t decide.
would like some help and also suggestions and knowledge about these monitors and some opinions about them and other brands that have similar monitors for home studio.
for music production, I would recommend the dynaudio BM6A. You can get them cheaply on the vintage second-hand market. I cannot give them enough praise. I use them for music production and have friends that produce music that have been using them for over a decade and won’t switch.
Felix
Thank you but it’s a bit over my price range Im looking for some thing about the price of 600$
I might check the second-hand market but Im still on a buget, if you have anymore recommendations I’d love to check them out
oh sorry about that, ill think of a few good ones and message in a bit
I’ve used both and currently own the Adam t5v. I don’t think you’ll go wrong with either. The only knock on the Adam is no indicator in the front, no notch to indicate unity gain, and it’s more expensive than the JBLs. I’m super with my pair and I would buy them again. If cost is priority go for JBL since they go on sale all the time. if you want all around value (looks, build, sound, etc) then go for the Adam. Good luck!
I don’t mind putting the extra buck but I do wonder how the sound quality comers between the two and the sound image you get from each of them, mostly sound wise is my priority (even tho im a jbl fanboy but don’t tell anyone haha)
Try to audition whatever speakers you buy. Both the 305p and t5v are good speakers but sound notably different, even if not drastically, during an A/B test imo. Some prefer the JBLs, some prefer the Adams. Only you can decide which works for you.
had the same mission - a pair of active speakers
The JBLs have a bigger Stereo Sweet Spot and soundstage is more like wide(even wider than the placed speakers) than deep
Adams are deeper in stage but less wide and are a bit brighter but yet the right amount of - never sibilant if the recording is not
LBLs have the better low extension but also fall of quick
The Mackies also where on my list for cheap and good
here in munich we have “just music” and they do have no jbls, but Adams, Mackies, Neumann, Genelec, Yamaha…in another shop near munich I also tested the JBL 308s and was blown away. They could order smaller ones like 305 or the 306 but it would have been far more money than online - like 30 percent.
The 6inch mackies and the 7inch Adams where very close in sound signature.
I ended up with passive KEF Q300(because of the frontport) + our old JBL Subwoofer
Owning an old integrated amp, that was the cheapest solution for us.
I do not produce anything for living. Just wanted a ok/good desktop setup. Got the pair for only cheap 350 Euros.
For the active speakers I would have added something like the Mackie Big Knob and would have payed more than 500 for cables, the Knob and speakers + later the fitting sub from the same company…
you can´t go wrong with both. Order them and send one pair back.
Yeah I understood from z reviews that jbl have a wider image and adam a deeper one also from a few sound demos online which z had the best ones.
the adam’s are brighter but it seems the brightness comes for the price of the low end which seems to be a bit lacking because of that as far as I understand it, every ones more then welcome to give me their thoughts about this.
as for the sound image I’m not sure which is more important wider/deeper for both being more for production and mix and as a first pair of monitors, I’m sure they will be used for listening to music but the main goal is for music production.
I’ve heard about the mackies mr which to their credit are quite good when it comes to lower volumes which I hope won’t be such a problem for me …
also I might look into the yamaha hs5 but I’m not sure how much deeper I’ll look into them.
I think this video does a good comparison of both monitors, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6EWbE8VmT4&t=170s.
I’ve owned the Yamaha (HS8 and HS5) and while they’re great for mixing, listening to music is way more enjoyable on the Adam or JBL.
“Watching” this thread because my next speakers probably will be T5Vs… (for a home studio too!), unless someone changes my mind.
I’ve seen their videos but they don’t come close to representing the source to the best and even the sound demos z review does are high quality but still gear has a lot of color and the room has it’s own color.
so it would be best physically going to the a store and hearing them in person which I’m going to do, I’ve also spoke to my teacher about this and going to hear them is the best thing to do in his opinion.
ledechaine I think you should do the same if you’re like me looking to buy a first pair of monitors and go out to listen for yourself.
I like the t5v but I fear the brightness can be to much at some points but that is just a matter of preference and personal taste, but I guess I can’t say for sure until I’ll listen to them for myself.
and if you like dm me and we can speak about them more
this discussion is really fun so fell free to add your thoughts and opinions !
Hello:
I recently bought a pair of Adam T7Vs and LOVE them. I mostly use them for watching movies, music videos (YouTube and Blu-Rays) and casual music listening. I run them through an Emotiva DAC and have them each hooked up to Yamaha 8inch subs. Once I was able to dial in and blend the T7Vs with the subs it was amazing. The upper end is bright but smooth and never fatiguing. I was startled when listening to recordings I know well and realized how much more I was now hearing. While I am no expert I love film and music and these speakers are just amazing. I now find myself listening to music over the speaker system as much as headphones. Next step is to buy a Mini DSP and play with that.
Hope this helps a little!
I can see where you’re coming from but you paired them with a sub something I’m not planning to do right now and the fact im not pairing them with a sub is my problem and as they are alone the high end might be to much for me but thanks any way 
Yes, a video will never give you the exact sound but it will give you a pretty good idea in my experience. There are nuances YouTube videos (or even some records) cannot capture. I’m just saying the differences between them are so small it’s all taste and what we hear.
The best approach to test is to buy them, take them home, set them up, and try them out. If you don’t like them, you can exchange it. Guitar Center I know will do 30 days to returns/exchange. For mixing, treating the room and placement are the most important factors with monitors. You can make amazing monitors sound like garbage if not properly set up.
It sounds like your gut is leaning to the JBLs so I would try those first. Just my two cents.
I mean, they’re decent studio monitors by Adam. You can’t go wrong with that. Yamaha NS10s weren’t as flat and were legendary…
Remember you still will mix everything with headphones too. So if the T5V doesn’t have that tiny bit of sub bass, your HD280 Pros or M50x (or whatever) will have it, so you will correct your mixes with them afterwards… if you need to.
And look at that… there’s also a +2 or -2 db adjustment knob for bass/sub-bass and treble!
It can’t be over-emphasised how much personal perception and preference matter. For example, with reference to some of the above posts:
Again, I can’t over-emphasise that you should listen to the speakers and decide for yourself, but for what it’s worth I feel that if you’re not using a sub, you should go for at least 6.5" speakers, and what I can say is that many rate the JBLs highly, I don’t think you need to be overly concerned about the highs on the Adams because they are smooth and easy on the ears, but, the Mackies are similar to the Adams but with milder highs, if you’re concerned about it, and slightly deeper lows. Have a listen and you’ll decide yourself.
Small update I went to a music store to have a listen to the jbl and they had the yamaha hs so I listened to those as well.
the jbl’s 5’ were ok a bit lacking at the high end but the store was big and open so I’m sure it had some effect on the sound and I didn’t check if they did any corrections on them, the 306 where much better on that part.
the yamaha’s hs5 were very lacking at the low end to the point off none at all, the 7’ were much better and had what the 5’ were lacking the 7’ were pretty good. again didn’t check for any correction done haven’t thought about it at the time, further more I hope there wasn’t any correction on the monitors in the store becuase if there was and I “the customer” didn’t check for could greatly increase me going for the bigger models if any could shed so light on this it would be great
the conclusion I got from there is that the bigger woofer had what the smaller one was lacking but the store is wide and open and my room isn’t, it’s pretty big for a bedroom but not even close to the size of the store.
my impression was that the bigger ones had the better overall sound but I think it will be overkill to my room and would like some thoughts about this. the size could be a game changer so pour your knowledge about this.
Tisisaline when I listened to the jbl I did experience the wide sound image defiantly agreeing on this, I’m planning to go and hear the adam’s on sunday at a different store but until then I can’t say a lot about them all i know is from the reviews I watched.
The Yamahas have a bit of a reputation for brightness and less emphasis on the low end.
Bigger speakers theoretically have greater latitude for better sound, but in actual practice, most speakers of about 4" and above can be good enough subject to your needs and preferences. Imo, the big “problem” with A/B testing a 5" side-by-side with a 7" is that the 5" is invariably bound to sound like it is lacking next to the 7". If you were to listen to the 5" on its own however, you would probably find that it is actually quite adequate. That said though, for ideal dynamic range, 5" speakers should be used with a sub, but sub configuration can be challenging. With speakers 6.5" and above, subs become optional depending on how low you want to go. That’s why in my previous post I suggested at least 6.5" speakers if you’re not using a sub. However in a bedroom, you may be restricted to 5" speakers, but they can be more than good enough.
I know because I face this dilemma myself, also for use in my bedroom. When I listen to these speakers side-by-side, I like the T7Vs the best (I listen mostly to bass-heavy music), but they are simply too big for both ideal and practical placement in my room. When I am ready to pick up a pair, I will in all likelihood get 5.25" speakers, and I am certain from listening to them that within my bedroom, on its own, where I am NOT comparing it next to 7" speakers, it provides plenty enough low-end for me to enjoy even the heavier tunes that I listen to the most.
I understand the comparison issue but I want to note that i first listened to the 5" and was disgusted with the lack of low end it was only mids and highs if you know them and can shed a light if it’s true that the hs5 really lack the low end the 7" didn’t have this problem which can be understood but it seems that the difference was so big that is why I’m starting to believe that the store did some correction to make the 7" more favorable but correct me if I’m wrong and the hs5 are known to be lacking in the low end as much.
the other reason I’m led to believe there was some “correction” done is because the 305p were lacking a bit at the highs and the 306p weren’t even tho the tweeters are the same size, the only other explanation I have for this is the fact that the woofer is bigger and thus can handle more range letting the tweeters focus more on the high end but can’t say for sure if that is the case and would like a second opinion on the matter. plus on zeos sound demo I didn’t notice any lack in the high end I understand that there are a lot of factors here but it still seems like a big difference.
and thanks for confirming I did think that in my room a 5" would be enough but listening at the store got me confused about this mostly because of the hs5 and their lack of low end.
I personally listen to metal but I know that I’m not going to do only metal as a producer and am writing and creating in other genres as well that’s why I’m looking for some low end in my monitors I know I’m not going to get all the low end but there should be some.
also I’m going to do near field listening that’s mostly why I looked at the jbl and adam respective models, would love to know more about the yamaha hs5 and if it’s known that the 5" is lacking so much at the low end.
