Hi!

I want to buy some studio monitors, at the end there is 3 monitors, the Adam F7, Adam A7, and the JBL LSR 308.
I would buy on used market, the A7 and F7 goes for 400-450 euro, and the LSR I have found for 250 euro.

What is the difference between the 2 Adam monitors? On many forums are written, that the JBL's are the best for the money. What do you think, worth the extra cash for the Adam's? I would use for mixing and mastering a metal music.

Thansks!

 

JBL - Rear firing bass ports

ADAMs - Front firing bass port

(LSR 308 now has a mkii version too - LSR308P MKII)

If your speakers are really close to a wall, I would go with ADAMs because of its front firing bass port.

In this price category, any of those three should perform okay. If your room isn't treated at all, then just flip a coin.

I do have a pair of 308s. They sound good for their price point.

 

I have many brands of monitors ;) Adams are great i own 2 pair of them... think of them as a little more crisp in detail and in the top end then the JBL... I also own the JBL 305 and 308 and love them too...i can get great mixes on either of them... Hard to beat the JBL for the $ tho... JBL also have really smooth bottom end, and for the kind of music i mix i dont even fire up my subs while mixing ;) I only do this wen im cranking a mix to test it before goes to mastering

 

I have (and use) Adam F7's and JBL LSR305's.

As of A7X - some people (icluding the manufacturers) say, that A7's have more precise sound when compared to F7. I believe they have indeed. But that thing doesn't suit all users, e.g. I don't like monitors with piercing highs (like some Genelecs), because they make my ears fatigued quickly. For that reason I tend to prefer F7's (which are much cheaper) over the A7's.

All in all, the F7's are a bit "hi-fi-ish" - they have scooped midrange. The bass sounds quite warm (maybe too much for some critical mixing), but it sometime helps, if you make some electronic music. The highs are quite bright, but not piercing.

As of the JBL's, I bought the 305's, because they have much flatter freq response than the (more expensive) 308's.

The 305's are much better if you make some guitar music - they have clear, pronounced and very neutral midrange. Also, I would never expect such deep bass from 5-inch monitors, until I actually heard them. It goes almost as low as the F7's (which have 7-inch woofers), although it is not that warm sounding (which, again, for certain purposes is a good thing).

Best bang for your buck? LSR305 (NOT the 308) - you will not regret buying them.

 

I'd assume you're looking for bigger speakers but I was completely blown away by the Neumann KH120s. I kept them instead of the 6,5" Focals I bought alongside them. Just incredible monitors for the price and they sound much bigger than they look.

 

I have the Adam A7x since 6 years and I like them however I wouldn't buy them again,instead I would try Focal CMS65 or even Dynaudio that are a bit more expensive.But not speakers less than 6/7".
I like a lot the Adam's tweeters,they are never aggressive,but their sweet spot is very narrow!
But the A7X are muddled on the low/low-mid frequencies,I really don't like this side of the A7X(which has 2 ports),they want to go too down at the price of a ugly low mid.
I've read that the Adam A7 (which has 1 port) go less down than the A7X but have better mids but they absolutly need a sub.
I have never heard the A7,I can't say.
But on the whole the A7x is a good monitor for this price range,one of the best for sure!
I think you should't buy the Adam F7,they will be worse the the A7! Maybe have a look at the Mackie HR824,if you need low end ?


Anyway I'm pretty sure all monitors in this price range (around 500/600$) don't have accurate low mids.
I think I'll buy soon a sub,to see if the A7X low mids are better with it.Or I will sell them and buy used professinals speakers,Adam S line or Neumann or Focal solo/twin.

 

Last edited: Sep 5, 2018

Thanks for the suggestions guys! For the first, I'll buy the LSR 305 on the used market, and if I don't like it, I can sell for the same price for what I would buy it. It was easy win for the JBL

 

I have the lsr305, they're everything a small studio needs.

my opinion is that you might get better quality and result for most of the audio gear when you pay more but when it comes to speakers, it's all about knowing yours. My mixes would sound the way i want whether i made it on my lsr or expensive ones of other brands as long as i'm used to them, used to the room i'm working in and knowing how things sound with the combination of both.

 

I've talked myself down from Neumann to LSR305 speakers. The KH120 would not be worth 5 times the price of the JBL305 in my room.
Combined with my old Emes monitors, Auratone clones and chinese mini speakers they provide all the info I need for mixing.

 

Forgot to mention that sometimes I'm using a additional bass amp and two 2*12 cabinets to check how the low end will sound like in clubs.

 

room treatment will go a long way with your choice.

 

Have heard good reviews about Fluid Audio FX8. They are with coaxial 2 way design and near to 308P mkii price range.

Will you all suggest this one to the OP (or me)? What's your experience?

Thanks.

 

I agree on the fact that it is important to know your speakers...But if you don't hear some frequencies you can't mix them (well).
With 5" speakers I wonder how you do for mixing properly everything under 150Hz.

 

Last edited: Sep 7, 2018

The last comment makes me uncertain about 5" speakers. Would be enough the jbl lsr 305 for metal music?

 

Personally, I don't think you can go super wrong with either. Lemme muddy the waters here and also suggest you look at a pair of Mackie MR8-mkIII's. I tried out the JBL's when getting a pair of the Mackie's and I really enjoyed both. I ended up with the MR8's. But the LSR and Adam monitors are also very nice from my (albeit limited) experience with them.