OB1 vs. SCM35

Yes and no. 35s are a kind of odd one out in the range, they have almost "plum" balance compared to other models.

 

I am having so much fun with these JBL monitors, maybe I need the West Coast American JBL "house" sound. Rock On.

What do you mean by "plum" balance?

 

Which jbls?

 

http://www.jblpro.com/pages/recording/lsr25p.htm

Best £140 I have spent. I reckon they would massacre jazz/classical music but I don't care.

BBV, have you heard the SCM35/OB1 back to back?

 

Thats the spirit!

I havent heard the 35 - only the 50 and 100. I have heard the ob1s.

 

Yep, I blame the purchase of the Squeezebox. That thing has completely changed the way I listen to music (I have three now)

I really don't care about absolute accuracy, etc anymore. As long as the gear sells the groove of the song I am happy. JBL's definately groove!

 

The ob1's imho, do bass really well. However, they are accurate to the source. If big bass is on the recording thats what you will get. If it isn't, then you won't. They seem to work really well with Bryston although I have heard them work well with the latest Naim stuff albeit at the higher end of the Naim range. It might be worth trying a sub with the ATC's.

Rod

 

don't know about other PMC but i listened LB1, a discontinued one i think, and i was really impressed with the bass - i think that was probably the best speaker for electronic music i have heard in my life. clean & really deep & sohpisticated at the same time but..... IMHO after some time it had became they have a slight tilt in extremes that make it a bit too tense to listen on a long run. for me, an obvious advantage of ATCs is that they really excell with extended listenings, they just sound better and better. they are never exciting at the beginning. i prefer having some music on 24/7 so that's a bit plus for me.
however if you like JBL sound so much, why dont you go for active Eon's - a great PA speaker that can be used at home if you accept the looks. There's not better box for Top40 stuff.

 

I had thought of that. I just feel that if a speaker the size of SCM35's need a sub in a moderate sized room then there is something wrong somewhere.

 

If you like JBLs then go for these (JBL4338 studio monitors)



I heard some recently and they were something special. Forget your ATCs and PMCs.

 

Not the 3 way PMCs I am afraid. Much as I like JBLs.

Andy come and listen to my MB2-XBD-A

 

Robbo, For work I do get to see the odd studio. I still see the old monitors with the "bum cheek" tweeter horn.

I am always amazed at how effortless the JBL's sound is, their bottom-end is addictive. I don't care how accurate/inaccurate it is - I love it. Some of these rooms are quite small and poorly treated, but the large JBL's don't seem to upset the room modes as much as you would think.

Problem is, if I turn up at home with some boxes wide enough to hold 15" (or even 12") woofers....then it's the divorce courts.

 

We'll agree to disagree.

Well there is that I suppose. I'm in the same boat unfortunately.

 

don't know about other PMC but i listened LB1, a discontinued one i think, and i was really impressed with the bass - i think that was probably the best speaker for electronic music i have heard in my life.

LB1's are still available as far as I am aware. I use a pair as rear surrounds and as a centre speaker. If I had to sell the OB1's I would be happy to have the LB1's as my main speakers. The bass extention is not as good as the OB1's but for their size they are pretty good. IMHO, they are deserving of audition if you are after a new standmounter in the £1200 ballpark. The older models can be picked up from about £400.

Rod

 

You would also most likely suffer hearing loss, and with the wife gone, that would be of no conceivable benefit.

If it were me, I'd save for some S/H SCM 50 ASL's. The PMC is not even a sidestep IMO, a lifestyle product with a quasi transmission lne.

 

There are smaller JBL's which I believe have something of the character for the bigger monitors.

The L100 I think is the one. And it was brought back into production recently for a while with a different designation I forget exactly what. Party animals in any event and especially designed for headbangers who appreciate good sound quality too.

 

Sm - absolute nonsense. As usual.

 

If you could pair up the MEG RL901K's with a very good pair of Subs then I think they would beat even the PMC BB5 (passive at least), much as I like PMC. They probably wouldn’t cope with such a large room as the BB5 though; maybe the MB2.

 

Sorry BBV but every part of my statement is factual apart from considering them a sidestep (that is in my subjective opinion).

Anyway, I was just answering the original poster's question, so would you please do as he requested, and not turn this into an ATC/PMC slagging fest.

 

As much as I like JBL's, I am resigned to the fact that I will never be able to get a configuration that will fit into our house.

Anyway, thanks for all the comments regarding the SCM35 and OB1 comparisons

I am getting the impressions that the OB1's will inherently have a more extended bass. ATC's own spec. quotes the -6dB point of the 35's at 48Hz (free field). I assume that in my situation, I am relying on room modes to accentuate the low bass, and that possibly explains the "suck-outs" I am probably hearing.

PMC are rather more coe but quote a "usable frequency response" down to 22Hz. I get the impression that they inherently go down lower than the 35's.

Regarding the "dark" presentation I perceive with the 35's, I think that is mostly down to what I hear as a rolled off top-end. That's a real no-no with rock/pop material. Sounds like the OB1's would be more lively at the top end (not necessarily more accurate but I don't care).

There seems to be virtues to pursing the OB1's I think.