JBL M2 Master Reference system okay for 2 channel home audio setup? ...

[joeinid]

I am excited about the possibility of getting the JBL M2 setup as my home audio 2 channel setup. I hope to be able to hear them locally in about a month with the Crown amp package, but know of some dealers (none local) with the Mark Levinson version of the JBL M2 speakers. Is anyone using the M2's as home audio speakers? The one dealer with the Crown Package may sell the speakers and BSS London 160 processor separately, allowing me to use my own amps. Any guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[jpw]

I'm a JBL dealer, and although I have not heard or even seen the system, I have been told directly by JBL that the Crown amps offer higher output and durability than the Mark Levinson's but at the expensive of musicality and finesse. For home use I don't see the 3-6db sacrifice in spl important given how incredibly loud they will play with the 300 watt ML's. However the Crown amps have the crossover and room correction capability built in them. The ML's do not and need an outboard JBL EQ/Crossover room correction processor that comes with the whole package. Based on my last conversation about 2 weeks ago, JBL is very reluctant to sell the speakers by themselves unless you happen to already own the proper model Crown or ML amps with the proper JBL crossover/EQ component. It may be a tough sell to get them to sell the speakers/eq only. Besides wanting to sell their own Harman brand amplifiers, they want to guard the reputation and quality of these speakers in terms of associated amplifiers and proper setup. You can have us ask though.

Based on everything I have heard from my JBL contact's, this speaker is considered special, even by their standards. I was told that even Kevin Voecks, the Revel speaker designer who hates horns, really likes the M2's. However it is a cumbersome system with up to three chassis of electronics, more cabling with biamping and requires measuring to properly setup with it's room correction feature. JBL offer's to send a technician to the homes of buyers of the M2 but of course it runs as much as $5k to do this. It's appearance is a bit industrial as well compared to most home speakers. For all of these reasons, I went with a pair of Everest's instead, which with the DD-66000 discontinued, we sell for as little as $25,000 a pair new.

Audio Video Logic
1-515-727-2279

[joeinid]

Hi John,

Thank you for the reply. I am a previous customer of yours and Mike's. I bought my TAD CR-1's from you guys two years ago to the month and appreciated the great service. We'll have to talk after I demo the Crown package of the JBL M2's. Thanks!

Joe

[shoshaw]

I am excited about the possibility of getting the JBL M2 setup as my home audio 2 channel setup. I hope to be able to hear them locally in about a month with the Crown amp package, but know of some dealers (none local) with the Mark Levinson version of the JBL M2 speakers. Is anyone using the M2's as home audio speakers? The one dealer with the Crown Package may sell the speakers and BSS London 160 processor separately, allowing me to use my own amps. Any guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I can't speak to a dealer's willingness to "break up the package" but I can confirm a few things stated by JPW. First, the M2 is considered special. Kevin Voecks and many other key contributors at Harman have made statements to this effect. As I stated in an earlier thread, not one person I spoke with at Harman regarding the M2 had anything but praise for them. I asked about the 4700, the array 1400 the K2 and the M2. In each and every case, at least one person had something critical to say about each model except the M2.

I presently have the M2 in LCR positions in my home theater. They replaced the Revel F30/C30 combo. All other things being equal, I had to reduce the M2 amp gain by 9 dB in order to get them to match the rest of the system. Suffice it to say that the M2 is efficient. I cannot fathom any situation where 300W is not enough in the home environment. That said, I chose the Crown option because of the flexibility and room correction. When I monitor the output using Audio Architect at mind blowing SPL levels, the meters are only just beginning to light up.

In terms of sound quality, you won't be disappointed with the M2. I personally think they sound better than the K2 in every way. They make the Revel F30s sound like toys. Dynamics and linearity are simply amazing. From an imaging perspective, all I can say is "stunning". I've rediscovered music! My wife thinks I'm insane because when I'm listening to them, I simply just can't stop smiling. I can only wholeheartedly say "go for it!"

[jpw]

Joe,

Absolutely I remember you. Call anytime to talk. John

[joeinid]

Joe,

Absolutely I remember you. Call anytime to talk. John

Thanks John!

I can't speak to a dealer's willingness to "break up the package" but I can confirm a few things stated by JPW. First, the M2 is considered special. Kevin Voecks and many other key contributors at Harman have made statements to this effect. As I stated in an earlier thread, not one person I spoke with at Harman regarding the M2 had anything but praise for them. I asked about the 4700, the array 1400 the K2 and the M2. In each and every case, at least one person had something critical to say about each model except the M2.

I presently have the M2 in LCR positions in my home theater. They replaced the Revel F30/C30 combo. All other things being equal, I had to reduce the M2 amp gain by 9 dB in order to get them to match the rest of the system. Suffice it to say that the M2 is efficient. I cannot fathom any situation where 300W is not enough in the home environment. That said, I chose the Crown option because of the flexibility and room correction. When I monitor the output using Audio Architect at mind blowing SPL levels, the meters are only just beginning to light up.

In terms of sound quality, you won't be disappointed with the M2. I personally think they sound better than the K2 in every way. They make the Revel F30s sound like toys. Dynamics and linearity are simply amazing. From an imaging perspective, all I can say is "stunning". I've rediscovered music! My wife thinks I'm insane because when I'm listening to them, I simply just can't stop smiling. I can only wholeheartedly say "go for it!"

Hi shoshaw,

Reading you posts has gotten me excited about the possibility of the M2 in my home. When you received the Crown/M2 package did you have any dealer setup done or are you doing it all by yourself? What scares me is that the Levinson package is very involved to setup correctly. I assume that the Crown package can be too but for some reason I think I can get by better with this package. I am not sure how I'll enjoy the Crown amps until I actually hear them with my music. I was not fond of early Crown Audio gear and think Levinson would sound better or even my own amps would sound more towards my liking. Thanks!

[shoshaw]

Thanks John!




Hi shoshaw,

Reading you posts has gotten me excited about the possibility of the M2 in my home. When you received the Crown/M2 package did you have any dealer setup done or are you doing it all by yourself? What scares me is that the Levinson package is very involved to setup correctly. I assume that the Crown package can be too but for some reason I think I can get by better with this package. I am not sure how I'll enjoy the Crown amps until I actually hear them with my music. I was not fond of early Crown Audio gear and think Levinson would sound better or even my own amps would sound more towards my liking. Thanks!

I did all the work myself. I used REW software with a USB soundcard and a calibrated MIC I purchased from Parts Express. The amp files for the Crown amps can be downloaded from the JBL Pro site. For the most part, I had a few room-related tweaks to make and I implemented a "house curve" I find appealing. I've been through days of debate on other threads in this forum related to the pluses and minuses of changing the factory EQ settings. My belief is simply that the flexibility is there so why not use it? It's sold as a huge benefit in the M2 sales material and I KNOW that the designers went out of their way to include EQ for such reasons.

The Crown amps have noisy fans so be prepared to lock them away in a closet or in a different room. The programming can all be done via Audio Architect over ethernet and it's very intuitive. It is my opinion that the Crown amps sound great. I really cannot imagine the system sounding any better. I'm smiling right now just thinking about it.

[joeinid]

Wow!

You are giving me tremendous hope. I may need a little hand holding and reach out for help. Thank you for the encouragement.

I did all the work myself. I used REW software with a USB soundcard and a calibrated MIC I purchased from Parts Express. The amp files for the Crown amps can be downloaded from the JBL Pro site. For the most part, I had a few room-related tweaks to make and I implemented a "house curve" I find appealing. I've been through days of debate on other threads in this forum related to the pluses and minuses of changing the factory EQ settings. My belief is simply that the flexibility is there so why not use it? It's sold as a huge benefit in the M2 sales material and I KNOW that the designers went out of their way to include EQ for such reasons.

The Crown amps have noisy fans so be prepared to lock them away in a closet or in a different room. The programming can all be done via Audio Architect over ethernet and it's very intuitive. It is my opinion that the Crown amps sound great. I really cannot imagine the system sounding any better. I'm smiling right now just thinking about it.

[shoshaw]

Wow!

You are giving me tremendous hope. I may need a little hand holding and reach out for help. Thank you for the encouragement.

I'd be happy to help.

[joeinid]

Awesome! Thank you.

I hope to hear them locally before next month when the dealer gets setup. I can't wait.

I'd be happy to help.

[Valentin]

Hi i wll be recevieing a pair of M2 for my listening room and have heard the M2 at NY

incedible speakers i wll be making a special rack for the noisy fans


regards

Valentin

[joeinid]

Congratulations Valentin! I'd love to see photos when you are done.

[Mctwins]

Hallo!

I am happy for you guy's who will have a system like this. If I would have this system I would choose One Crown I-Tech 4x3500HD with Speakon.

One Crown produce less fan noice and easier to make a box and installation would also be easier.

[pos]

I did all the work myself. I used REW software with a USB soundcard and a calibrated MIC I purchased from Parts Express

Beware: unless they recently resolved the problem, calibration files from parts express have been known to be completely off and basically useless: better send it to cross-spectrum or similar to get proper calibration data.

[pos]

I was told that even Kevin Voecks, the Revel speaker designer who hates horns, really likes the M2's.9

This might be due to the ultra wide directivity (>110°) that is specific to that new M2 waveguide: it probably makes it more alike multiway direct radiator speakers.