JBL Stage A130 Review (speaker)

[abdo123]

I got the JBL Stage130A too and they sound great. I would love to try out the IQ settings but since i listen to music via spotify (mostly with my iphone) i don't know how to integrate a good EQ. Is there any possibility to integrate an EQ to try out those recommended settings? Or should i use the EQ of spotify and just pull down 1khz by 3db? That should at least help a bit, right?

Do you listen on a windows desktop or via your phone?

 

[Ralferator]

Do you listen on a windows desktop or via your phone?

mostly with my phone. Sometimes with a windows laptop

 

[abdo123]

mostly with my phone. Sometimes with a windows laptop

With your phone I would just use the Spotify Equalizer and drag the 1KHz and 2.4KHz sliders down till it female vocals feel neutral.

On Windows I would download Equalizer APO and then import @Maiky76 pre-made settings on page 1 or 2 of this thread. Fairly straight forward

 

[Ralferator]

With your phone I would just use the Spotify Equalizer and drag the 1KHz and 2.4KHz sliders down till it female vocals feel neutral.

On Windows I would download Equalizer APO and then import @Maiky76 pre-made settings on page 1 or 2 of this thread. Fairly straight forward

Thank you!
But isn't 2,4khz too high to pull down. Since amir pulls down at 870hz and 1,325khz i thought that to pull down 1khz makes more sense?
How do i integrate the Equalizer APO with Spotify? Or is it "global" for all my computer sounds?

 

[abdo123]

Thank you!
But isn't 2,4khz too high to pull down. Since amir pulls down at 870hz and 1,325khz i thought that to pull down 1khz makes more sense?
How do i integrate the Equalizer APO with Spotify? Or is it "global" for all my computer sounds?

Equalizer APO is global, any audio that goes through the windows will be effected.

and yeah it seems in the PIR the resonances at 2KHz are neutralized, experiment with it.

once you get the windows version hooked up and going you can A/B them and through trial and error get similar results on your phone.

 

[Ralferator]

Equalizer APO is global, any audio that goes through the windows will be effected.

and yeah it seems in the PIR the resonances at 2KHz are neutralized, experiment with it.

once you get the windows version hooked up and going you can A/B them and through trial and error get similar results on your phone.

Ah cool - i will try APO then and maybe just listen more with my laptop. Thank you!

 

[muad]

Thanks for everyone's feedback, didn't mean to start a riot about the resonances. Although the DI isn't as flat as the studio 530, it's not bad. Plus the distortion is excellent, and it's off axis performance is damn good.

In the end my dad decided to get the a130, since the 530 is bigger and crazy looking... Go figure

 

[Ralferator]

Equalizer APO is global, any audio that goes through the windows will be effected.

and yeah it seems in the PIR the resonances at 2KHz are neutralized, experiment with it.

once you get the windows version hooked up and going you can A/B them and through trial and error get similar results on your phone.

I am still having problems to understand how APO Equalizer works. Do i just have to chose the Bluetooth-Amplifier in the configurator and then open the Editor and load the pre-made settings and that's it? Or do i have to activate the EQ somehow? Is there a button to turn the EQ on and off to compare? I can't find it

 

[abdo123]

I am still having problems to understand how APO Equalizer works. Do i just have to chose the Bluetooth-Amplifier in the configurator and then open the Editor and load the pre-made settings and that's it? Or do i have to activate the EQ somehow? Is there a button to turn the EQ on and off to compare? I can't find it

yes, configure the interface and then include the setting file in config.txt

 

[Ralferator]

yes, configure the interface and then include the setting file in config.txt

Thank you! Sounds awesome

 

[Ralferator]

yes, configure the interface and then include the setting file in config.txt

just one more question. Did i understand it right that the EQ Score is made for slightly toed in speakers or is it for leaving the speakers straight and not toeing them in at all? And the EQ LW is for the speakers pointing directly at the listening position? Do you know?

 

[abdo123]

just one more question. Did i understand it right that the EQ Score is made for slightly toed in speakers or is it for leaving the speakers straight and not toeing them in at all? And the EQ LW is for the speakers pointing directly at the listening position? Do you know?

I would use LW for nearfield listening and Score for far field listening.

 

[Presently42]

just one more question. Did i understand it right that the EQ Score is made for slightly toed in speakers or is it for leaving the speakers straight and not toeing them in at all? And the EQ LW is for the speakers pointing directly at the listening position? Do you know?

I've tried all of the eq profiles in this thread. The best thing to do, is try them all and use the one that sounds best to you. It doesn't take long, and hearing the differences is fun!

 

[Ralferator]

I've tried all of the eq profiles in this thread. The best thing to do, is try them all and use the one that sounds best to you. It doesn't take long, and hearing the differences is fun!

I already like the EQ Score setting so much i can't believe it could go any better, absolutely clear and without anything annoying or stressing.

Did you try all of the eq settings? And which ones do you prefer? Is there a possibility to switch back and forward between the settings?

 

[muad]

I already like the EQ Score setting so much i can't believe it could go any better, absolutely clear and without anything annoying or stressing.

Did you try all of the eq settings? And which ones do you prefer? Is there a possibility to switch back and forward between the settings?

What's the EQ score setting?

 

[abdo123]

I already like the EQ Score setting so much i can't believe it could go any better, absolutely clear and without anything annoying or stressing.

Did you try all of the eq settings? And which ones do you prefer? Is there a possibility to switch back and forward between the settings?

you can turn off a particular settings (e.g inclusion) by pressing the off button.

so if you're fast enough you can A/B the two configuration files.

 

[Ralferator]

What's the EQ score setting?

you find it on page 1 of this thread in Maiky76's post

 

[Ralferator]

you can turn off a particular settings (e.g inclusion) by pressing the off button.

so if you're fast enough you can A/B the two configuration files.

thank you

 

[Presently42]

I already like the EQ Score setting so much i can't believe it could go any better, absolutely clear and without anything annoying or stressing.

Did you try all of the eq settings? And which ones do you prefer? Is there a possibility to switch back and forward between the settings?

I have indeed tried all of the eq settings, and I seemingly prefer Maiky76's LW one - but only slightly; and only just. I'm now using a set of my own, informed by this post by member flipflop. It's terribly similar, but does not use the high-pass filter Maiky76's use. Whether or not this is wise remains to be seen. I don't listen terribly loudly, so distortion doesn't seem to be much of an issue

 

[Presently42]

I have indeed tried all of the eq settings, and I seemingly prefer Maiky76's LW one - but only slightly; and only just. I'm now using a set of my own, informed by this post by member flipflop. It's terribly similar, but does not use the high-pass filter Maiky76's use. Whether or not this is wise remains to be seen. I don't listen terribly loudly, so distortion doesn't seem to be much of an issue

I'm trying currently another set of filters, this time based on Floyd Toole's research, presented in the graph in this post. It's the winner so far. I averaged the on axis and early reflections curves, and used those to create filters with only negative values between Schroeder and 5 kHz, with a -0.2 dB / oct slope; then used flat on axis for everything above. I justify this as follows:

1. The graph indicated, that the main sonic components between Schroeder and a bit under 5 kHz are an amalgamaish of on axis and early reflections; with sound power providing marginal effects. I might play with attempting to include sound power; having done this once, and having not terribly liked the results, I have chosen now to ignore it. We'll see.
2. Seemingly, research has shown, that a slope of -0.2 dB/oct is preferred for the listening window. Given, that the listening window is very similar to the average of the on axis and early reflections, I chose to keep this value. I cannot currently find the proof of this. Nevertheless, the results sound good. Further investigaish in to this tilt is warranted.
3. The graph indicates, that above roughly 5 kHz, the on axis is the dominant sound field producer.
4. Given, that research indicates a preference for flat on axis response, I've not put a tilt to this on axis curve.

Lastly, in the final eq profile, I've included a tilt, starting at 1.3 kHz (a value obtained from more than one Harman graphs. I briefly tried applying tilts starting at different values, and preferred the one starting at 1.3 kHz. However, I'm not convinced; and should like to investigate further.), of -0.6 dB/oct; figuring, that this tilt, with the tilt of -0.2 dB/oct already (somewhat) present, makes for a tilt of -0.8 - which I seem to prefer in room, and which one on-line calculator suggested; and which at least one other member agrees, is a fine amount of tilt. That being said, this tilt is room, programme and mood dependant; like salt, I add to taste.

I'll take some measurements later and see exactly what's going on. Tbh, the differences are quite subtle; and I might prefer this new one merely because it is new. Measurements and more blind testing are yet needed!