JBL L5 set vs Studio

[Calestus]

So currently the HT system is a 2.2 system with JBL L5s and home built 10" subs.

Was wondering if anyone had a set of L5s and heard a set of JBL Studio 590? Thoughts?

Worth the cost of admission?

Plan would be to sell the L5s and pick up a pair of the 590.

Thanks in advance!

[JuniorJBL]

My personal opinion would be to use the 590's especially for movies. I also think 580's will out perform the L5's.

JMO

Enjoy :D

[audiomagnate]

I've heard both and would go with the 590's. Plus I actually think they look fantastic, I just wish the build quality was a little higher.

[BMWCCA]

Not having heard the 590, I can assume its performance will certainly surpass the L5. The real question for me would be, at $2,000 per pair, is there a better choice?

[Calestus]

Well, with the sale JBL has on these right now...I had to order them. They shipped today! We'll see how they stack up! Thanks for all the suggestions!

[audiomagnate]

http://www.jbl.com/loudspeakers/STUDIO+590.html?dwvar_STUDIO%20590_color=Black#sta rt=1

$474.99 ea with free shipping!

[Calestus]

^ Yes! Free shipping, no tax, and I got a 50 off coupon code for signing up to their spam!

Pretty good deal I thought.

[Tony Sullivan]

This guy likes them
Been offing them a while now
Must be time for a model change
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5_k340af38

[BMWCCA]

Been offing them a while now
Must be time for a model changeHard to sell thousand-dollar speakers without a marketing plan or a distribution system. :banghead:

[Tony Sullivan]

Hard to sell thousand-dollar speakers without a marketing plan or a distribution system. :banghead:
amazon and best buy dumped a boat load of them about a year ago
Think it's more a big ones didn't-don't sell as well as the little ones thing
People's tastes change

[rs732]

Why does the US only have black as an option? :dont-know:

http://avplaza.co.kr/images/userdif/photo/jbl590_1.JPG

[BMWCCA]

People's tastes changeNever, ever seen them at a Best Buy. People are disinclined to purchase a speaker they can't listen to before they buy. I don't know of anywhere within 500-miles of me where I could go and hear these speakers, and I'm in the populous Mid-Atlantic area.

[audiomagnate]

That's a lot of speaker for under $500 delivered!

[Tony Sullivan]

Why does the US only have black as an option? :dont-know:
I left that same thought out, we must think alike - they're possibly not moving that well as consumers have grown weary of cheap nondescript BIG BLACK boxes - that finish option is pretty much played at least for this cycle anyway
Part of the meaning behind tastes change
On a side but related note - I read the copy on them at the Harman site - I wonder if Greg Timbers gets a nickel every time they mention his name?
Harman International is really something else

[LowPhreak]

Why does the US only have black as an option? http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/dont-know.gif

http://avplaza.co.kr/images/userdif/photo/jbl590_1.JPG


As far as I could tell when I bought the 580 and 590, the Cherry finish was available mainly from JBL Synthesis dealers, who of course at the time would like to charge full retail or nearly so for the optional finish, while the Black was readily available from JBL and other dealers for the occasional discounts they'd have then. Europe I think has had both finishes available from the git.

I did end up getting a Cherry set of 590's through JBL, though from returning 580s with defective cabinets. I may have posted about that wonderful Harmin' experience on LH a few years ago...:banghead:

As Junior said, the 580 is also very capable. The 590 gives you about 5Hz lower extension than the 580 (decent output to 28-30 Hz in a larger room, meaning they don't crap out with a 6dB or so boost on a 30-31.5Hz slider), a larger or taller soundstage, a slightly greater power handling, etc., but otherwise they're similar.

[Calestus]

I would have really preferred the Cherry.

I just hope they aren't damaged when they arrive, seems like shipping issues are very common. Pretty stoked!

[LowPhreak]

Yes, the UPS monkeys are still on their mission to wreck everything that rolls past them. However, the damage my 580 cabs had was from production, not shipping (except for one speaker), and it was on two different pairs not just the first pair. I don't know how they got by QC. A few people at JBL got an earful for that I can tell you.

I'd recommend that as soon as you unpack them, inspect every cabinet edge/corner for dents and the interface around the horn and how the grilles sit when mounted. They should be flush with the baffle, not bowed out in the area just below the horn. IMO, whoever designed the grille interface should have specified another pair of studs there to counteract that tendency.

Also inspect the feet where they screw into the underside of the cabinet. They can crack the MDF or be pulled out from dropping the boxes on the ground. One of the 580s took that damage as I stood and watched the delivery primate drop it from shoulder height to the floor. :banghead: IMO, JBL should have designed the stabilizer feet to be user-installed to help avoid that problem, but natch Harmin' just had to save a few pennies there. Idiots.

The 590s are of course heavier and larger, so if you have shipping damage I'd recommend contacting JBL and insisting that a replacement pair be shipped truck freight on a pallet. That's how mine arrived intact.

A few more basic things: when positioning, keep them away from the walls! They'll have plenty of low end a few feet out from the rear wall and better soundstage away from side walls. Use the bi-wire or bi-amp option if possible. Give them at least 40-60 hours of playing time to start sounding like they should.
Lastly, turn them up to 103.4 dB and bask in the pleasant reality that you didn't buy a set of Klipsch "Reference" series. :barf: :hurray: :thmbsup:

[Don C]

Someone needs to dissect a pair of these and show us what the innards look like. Ti-Dome style.

[Calestus]

LowPhreak, really appreciate that write up. Looks like they are arriving truck freight tomorrow.

They'll be bi-amped through a HT receiver until I figure out my active setup.

I'll report back when they are setup and broken in!

[LowPhreak]

Calestus - No problemo any time. :) I think you'll like them. BTW, they're pretty flat across most of the midrange though you may notice the 2-3dB peak around 8-9kHz, but it's easy to tame with a mere 11 o'clock position on a typical 10kHz treble pot or similar.

For your perusal. I don't recall if this plot was anechoic or adjusted for in-room, but at any rate it shows the general FR curve and is helpful for the mids and upper end. I have more such as impedance, X-O points and port responses if you're interested.

76631


Don - I've been inclined to do so, but didn't think anyone would be interested. I've had the mid/woofs out and poked around a bit; the X-Os seem to be half decent, etc.

Maybe I'll dig out my camera and give it a go.

[Calestus]

I have the ones from here:

http://i.nextmedia.com.au/avhub/australian-hifi_reviews_2013_2013-08_jbl-studio-590-loudspeakers-review.pdf

Do they differ much from the ones you have?

[LowPhreak]

No, I've seen that review and the measurements I have are virtually the same so all good. The FR curve above I think was from a report out of Europe.

[Tony Sullivan]

Is this speaker built in the Mexico facility or elsewhere?
The Studio 590

[Tony Sullivan]

Looks as if you all caught a good deal, that or an error
This 590 model is back priced at a grand a pop
Discovered that while trying to determine country of manufacture using the link from page one of this thread (still no luck there)
http://www.jbl.com/loudspeakers/STUDIO+590.html?dwvar_STUDIO%20590_color=Black#sta rt=1

[Calestus]

Assembled in P.R.C

Like almost everything else these days.

[Calestus]

the interface around the horn and how the grilles sit when mounted. They should be flush with the baffle, not bowed out in the area just below the horn. IMO, whoever designed the grille interface should have specified another pair of studs there to counteract that tendency.


Speakers are here! No damage, but...
Arhg! I have the above, it is bowed out and the grills look "wavy" across the face when they are on. *sigh* Guess I'll shoot them an email.

They sound great already and are squarely in the more enjoyable than the L5s they replaced category. The L5s really needed my pair of subs to sound their best with EQ cutoff at ~60hz. I haven't even bothered to kick the subs on with the 590s yet.

I bought these to save on electricity is what I'm telling my wife. If you don't hear from me again, she came home and used something pointy or heavy and blunt on me :bash:

[LowPhreak]

Eh...subs, shlubs. If I still had the REL Stentor III I'd bring it in somewhere around the low 30s and the 590 would do the rest. But not really needed unless you're...a LowPhreak. ;) Quit reminding me of how much I miss that thing. :(

I don't care much about saving no stinkin' electricity. But I'll remember that one for future reference. :D Good luck with the wife!

Seriously though, see if you can contact Chris Smith at JBL (if he's still there). I still have his phone # I can PM you. He did the search for replacement grilles but be warned: it took almost a year to find some. He even checked EU at one point but no luck. I'm sure he's just itching to do that again. haha Ridiculous but eventually I received a new pair.

[Tony Sullivan]

Same Chris? If so, he may be busy
http://pro.harman.com/news/harman-appoints-chris-smith-as-vice-president-of-emea-professional-solutions-division

[LowPhreak]

Same Chris? If so, he may be busy
http://pro.harman.com/news/harman-appoints-chris-smith-as-vice-president-of-emea-professional-solutions-division

Yep that's him AFAIK. Well then someone else may have to help, but I have to say Chris hung in there until replacements were found, also with continuous prodding from me.

Not an easy thing since apparently JBL hates keeping any inventory around nowadays. :bs:

[Calestus]

Eh...subs, shlubs.

Ha, Love the low's. I built two sealed 10s being fed by ~900w each just for my 2.2 setup.

[LowPhreak]

:rockon2:

[SEAWOLF97]

Was wondering if anyone had a set of L5s and heard a set of JBL Studio 590? Thoughts?

you could always go for these ;)

selling pair JBL-radience series excellent condition and sound , broather of JBL L-5 they driver two 10" woofer ,5 "MID and LE-25 tweeterthe grill are excellent no hole or tear and JBL LOGO STILL HERE ,let me know if you want looking or hear them THANK

https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ele/6098812048.html

[Tony Sullivan]

you could always go for these ;)

selling pair JBL-radience series excellent condition and sound , broather of JBL L-5 they driver two 10" woofer ,5 "MID and LE-25 tweeterthe grill are excellent no hole or tear and JBL LOGO STILL HERE ,let me know if you want looking or hear them THANK

https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ele/6098812048.html
I wonder why they still had so many 25s lying around in the early 80s to put into those things?
Or why they didn't just use a cheaper design?
Like them or not, an LE25 is not a cheap transducer to build

[Calestus]

Had these for a bit now.

They sound really good and pretty much smoke the L5s in everything but maybe a tiny bit of midrange reproduction. They weren't to finicky on placement either.

After a few hours the bass goes a little lower and what I would describe as a little "grain" in the highs goes away...or I got used to it.

Either way, these are quite good. Thanks for everyones help!

[Slare]

Not much to add here but consider keeping the L5's if you've got a nice set. Opinions vary but my .02 is that is one very affordable (nowadays) speaker that JBL got very right. Small enough to be setup properly in most rooms. Used value is only a few hundred at most... well worth keeping for a future 2nd 2-channel music system.

Simply re-doing the grilles in a different color modernizes them reasonably well.

If you can't tell - I quite liked mine.

[audiomagnate]

...and what I would describe as a little "grain" in the highs goes away...or I got used to it...

I like the way you think.:)

[BMWCCA]

JBL is at it again. Studio 590 for $399 each, shipping included, with free 30-day return. JBL.com (http://JBL.com)

I'm finding it hard to resist and I don't even need any more speakers.

[Mr. Widget]

JBL is at it again. Studio 590 for $399 each, shipping included, with free 30-day return. JBL.com (http://JBL.com)

I'm finding it hard to resist and I don't even need any more speakers.Sounds like it’s time for an intervention.


Widget

[BMWCCA]

Sounds like it’s time for an intervention.And now I see the Stage A190 for $299 each! Know nothing about these or the line.