Just got my lsr32's

[allen mueller]

I just got my lsr32's from the tent sale 2 days ago and though I'd post my impressions.

First I am not sure what qualifies them as B stock. On one speaker I can find no cosmetic issues, and on the other all I could find is a small drip of clue in the port.

Upon arrival one of the port tubes was separated from the cast aluminum part that holds the mid and tweeter. I fixed that easily with a careful application of JB weld. I suspect this happened in shipping. Thirty minutes later I was ready to go.

After listing to the speakers for 2 days I am nothing short of amazed. The clarity and over all balance is incredible. I usually listen at low levels, but I cranked them up a few times and at high levels the lack of power compression and distortion is something that I am not used to hearing. The sound is great.

If anyone is thinking about getting them from the tent sale I would not hesitate to get them. It best decision I have made in a while.

Allen

[mrbluster]

Glad it worked out so well. It would be helpful to know what you are used to listening to as far as speakers go.

[mikebake]

What are you powering them with?

[allen mueller]

Before these I had a pair of 4311b's for sever years. I am powereing them with a crown ps400 hooked to a urei 1620 as a pre amp.

Allen

[speakerdave]

. . . . I am nothing short of amazed. The clarity and over all balance is incredible. I usually listen at low levels, but I cranked them up a few times and at high levels the lack of power compression and distortion is something that I am not used to hearing. The sound is great. . . .

Yes, indeed. $700/pair new is a real bagain. I payed $1100 used for mine a few years ago, and they were worth that.

David

Edit: By the way, when I got mine the gasket was missing from one of the midrange cans. I don't know if that was a factory quality control problem or if it happened afterword, but it might be worth checking.

[allen mueller]

Thanks for that heads up. I'll double check.


Allen

[speakerdave]

What are you powering them with?

Important consideration. These speakers will definitely tell you things about your source material and electronics which other speakers will not have revealed to you. They add very little distortion of their own, and their frequency response is extraordinarily flat.

Also, I believe that buying a pair of these speakers is the cheapest way to starting listening to a pair of JBL neodymium, dual-voice-coil-plus-braking-coil woofers. That is to say, a modern woofer. And no foam surround! Read up on them.

And I think the LSR32 is identical to current product except for the shielded tweeter in the LSR6332. The neodymium magnet structures on the woofer and midrange are self-shielding. I used my LSR32's about a foot away from my CRT TV with no problem.

The C500G midrange operates from 250 to 2.2K Hz, so the presentation of the core frequencies for music is entirely seamless.

If you, like Allen, are listening to vintage JBL small format monitors, you might consider upgrading at this time. I know in the past that people seem to have been put off by the bass f3 spec., but I believe that is anechoic and as GT says concerning the new Everest, it is unpredictable how much deeper bass support there will be from room rise in a given environment, but there will be some. (This might be a good time to reread the apologia that has been put forward for the bass design of the new Everest.) Besides, subwoofers are not uncommon.

There is no tiring 50-70 Hz bass hump with these speakers.

David

[mikebake]

If you, like Allen, are listening to vintage JBL small format monitors, you might consider upgrading at this time.
I'm not; I'm listening to PT800's, which aren't shabby. I ordered a pair of the LSR32's about a week ago and am pondering how best to implement them. A new amp seems in order.

[speakerdave]

Actually, I meant it in a general sense. I'm not familiar with the PT800's. I'm pretty sure you'll like those LSR's.

David

[mikebake]

Sounds like it.

[Valentin]

I am glad some members have taken this opportunity there are good speakersmikebake please tell us your experience comparing these too the pt800i own the lsr6332 got them new so your getting a real good pricei find theme a little bass shy(with no punch) but i think it is my room even when paired with one lsr6312 sub i am thinking of one more subwell hope to read your experiences

[mikebake]

mikebake please tell us your experience comparing these too the pt800 well hope to read your experiences
I'm not likely to give much of an A/B review, at least for awhile, as these will reside in a different environment and with different front end than the PT800's, which are in HT duty. The more I consider the LSR32's, the more I think I'll aim for placing them in a studio type setting, for my own personal 2 channel listening. I was going to use them for general listening in a living room area, firing out of a loft into the living room space, but that seems it might be a bit of a waste for these.
I'll try them without subs initially, and play with boundary reinforcement. They seem like they will be easier to get proper studio monitor performance with less effort than many of the previous monitors. Good thing. No soffit mounting for best performance, no excessive/obsessive dial-in, a bit more place/plug/play. Right now I need the right amp for them.

[Valentin]

Mike

thanks for your comments i think you will not be disappointed
please let us know when you hear them even if it is not a proper ab comparison

[mikebake]

First quick listen; these are quite the tool/instrument. Definitely built with a purpose. The linearity stood out first; volume up, volume down, same sound. Faithful to the source; analytical. The linearity of response initially masks the dynamic abilities. Quite a piece of work. Getting the mid from 250 to 2200 with low distortion and holding together is interesting.
Sounds good in the first space I tried them in, which is the most difficult space I have. Good sign. Time to drag out a few more discs; back to the workshop.
Does like power.
Doesn't sound congested, ever. Sounds like a modern monitor. Imagine that.
Has the room integrating/taming effect/aspects (power response efforts) of, say, the 4430, but done better, cleaner, tighter. Sit down and enjoy your selection.

[Bassmankr]

I too just picked up a pair of LSR32's at the tent sale and when turning the tweeter/mid/port assembly from the shipped horizontal position to the vertical position, I found on one of the ports, the back half port section part has come off from the aluminum front/plate port section just like with Allen (shipping?). I think I'll call JBL to see what they use for glue though since JB Weld is grey and the ports are black, any squeeze out would show up visually in the port. Does anyone here know what JBL uses for glue? I also want to know how much break in time would be reasonable before the speakers settle into what they are allways going to sound like? Is any volume better for break in (loud/normal/soft)? I had one box with a scratch on the metal woofer ring which was match painted and hard to spot but no cosmetic flaws on the other box that I can see. I'm going to be using these in a studio (their intended purpose) as midfields in a 12 x 21 control room. I read reviews that they perform well close to the wall which because of needing the space I'll have to do (the damn mixer alone is 8 feet wide x 3 1/2 feet deep without patchbay(s) lol). I'll need to have the boxes in a vertical position but is there any concensus on the tweeter/mid/port panel position that works best with a vertical box? Just from my quick listening it sounds a bit better with the tweeter/mid on the inside and ports on the outside which I think is backwards.

[Valentin]

thanks for your post mike
it seems you have had a good impression
tell us more in the future once you have gotten used too them
any other coments from the other buyers would be welcome

[allen mueller]

When I re glued the port with jb weld I used less hardener so it came out a very dark grey. I also used a tooth pick to apply the glue on the outer edge of the cast piece. I had very little squeeze into the inside. You can only see it if you are looking for it. After that I applied small bead all the way around on the exterior of the port to ensure it was air tight. I used the 5 min fast drying version, so the whole process took me less than 30 min.

Allen

[yogaplayer]

It seems that only the right speaker is available at the tent sale. Did you guys get 2 right speakers to form a pair? Is the difference between left and right only in the configuration of the mid/high driver panel?

[mikebake]

It seems that only the right speaker is available at the tent sale. Did you guys get 2 right speakers to form a pair? Is the difference between left and right only in the configuration of the mid/high driver panel?
They had left and rights until the last day or so. Not sure if lefts are gone for good , or what.

[Valentin]

how about some more coments mike

[mikebake]

how about some more coments mike
Well, I ordered another pair, if that tells you anything. And my buddy in Oregon ordered a pair.
I used them last night with an up and coming musician to preview his rough mix CD with him. He paid for big bucks production in Chicago/LA. I thought the first few cuts were so rough that I wondered if they could be salvaged. Probably so, I guess. Anyway, he really appreciated hearing the mix over the LSR's; said he hadn't heard it like that at all yet. I told him to bring the final mix back and hear it some more. Once you have read the white paper on the LSR's, and seen the graphs, you pretty well understand why these are nice. The on axis and early reflected response mirror each other, which is atypical of most systems. Plus, the drivers are low distortion units with good resolution. Pretty much the story. I think the design really works, making it more usable than many other monitors.
Again, if it's a good recording, enjoy, a mediocre one has me pushing the eject button in search of another well recorded piece.
I think these will serve me well for some time to come. While it could be said that they are the latest lineage of the L100/4311, other than being a 3 way they have nothing much in common.
Pedals on the B3 (as well as the heavy lower registers) are played with authority, as is upright bass. I still want to try quality subs with them. I also would like grills for protection. May have to make some sometime.

[Mr. Widget]

While it could be said that they are the latest lineage of the L100/4311, other than being a 3 way they have nothing much in common....and both have a 12" woofer, and are roughly the same size, and were designed for the same application... but I know what you mean.:D

Ah, what a difference a few decades of R+D makes... of course if you are still reliving your glory days then keep on rock'n with the vintage system that fits.;)


Widget

[mikebake]

The neo and carbon make them lighter, too. OTOH, I have never heard anything beyond 4430's I owned, and I'm sure the big vintage boys are fun, but these things with proper subs should give me about all I'd want. I would like to hear 4345's done right, however.

[BMWCCA]

One of you guys? I thought so! http://stlouis.craigslist.org/msg/237232292.html

[allen mueller]

I have to agree. My speakers before the LSR32's were 4311b's. I enjoyed the 4311b's alot but I love my lsr's. The sound from them is totally different in a good way.


Allen

[mikebake]

One of you guys? I thought so! http://stlouis.craigslist.org/msg/237232292.html
It was bound to happen; suprised it wasn't on ebay.

[johnaec]

It was bound to happen; suprised it wasn't on ebay.The same guy, (?), did just sell a pair on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/2-JBL-LSR32-Studio-Monitors-NEW-FANTASTIC-DEAL_W0QQitemZ290052772593QQihZ019QQcategoryZ47093 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

John

[Bassmankr]

well it looks like that guy in St. Louis is only making $150 profit a pair when you figure his cost with shipping. Dealers certainly would up the margin much more, he is just a flipper.

[BMWCCA]

JBL Dog (http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/member.php?u=65)?

[bone215]

BMWCCA:
So how much difference between the 4412a and the lsr32?
Significant or minor?

[BMWCCA]

BMWCCA:
So how much difference between the 4412a and the lsr32?
Significant or minor?For me? About $800, even at these discount prices! ;)
Seriously, i don't own any LSR32s, so I'm not the one to answer. I can tell you my 4412As at least came with grilles! I'd actually be interested in hearing from someone who could make that comparison.

-Phil
Original 030 systems in my home since 1958 or so when I was five.
Original L112 bought maybe twenty years ago
New-to-me L150As
New-to-me 4412As

[oznob]

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1170640725

Just saw this pair FS on Agon. Wonder if he bought them for $700 and is now trying to flip them?

[mikebake]

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1170640725

Just saw this pair FS on Agon. Wonder if he bought them for $700 and is now trying to flip them?

Noooo doubt.

[johnaec]

This one doesn't sound like a flip: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/244698255.html

John

[mikebake]

This one doesn't sound like a flip: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/244698255.html

John
Gee, I played them a whole 2 hours and then realized they were TOO BIG............