The new trend of home studios is to use speakers with an 8 "cone and not the standard ones accompanied by the canon 6". The reason lies in the sometimes exasperated search for a better analysis of the low frequencies; We prefer to avoid the risk of running into a mix with excessive bass or, conversely, finding a "thin" product with basses just to imagine. But will all this be true? What are the pros and cons of speakers with a larger cone than the standard one? Let's find out by comparing two very famous speakers in the section "Entry-level". The M-Audio BX8a and Behringer B2031A.
INTRODUCTION
Having a chat about technical considerations or simply expressing listening impressions on the speaker topic is almost always an exciting experience. The task to which studio monitors are called is extremely important, they are responsible for any phase of the production of a song. The speaker, like the microphone, is also a transducer, the difference lies in the work done which is exactly the opposite; indeed, perhaps that of monitors is even more significant. Let me explain: while the microphone, in some type of production, you can easily do without it (electronic music) this is not true for the speakers, these remain the only instruments capable of transmitting to our ears the sensations and details profuse by our "Works". For this reason, I would say solemn, the choice to be made regarding “this” or “that” type of box becomes very important, as well as complicated. For a difficult subject such as studio monitors, the choice must not be a unique function of personal taste, it will be necessary to respect precise technical requirements, better obviously if we then manage to get as close as possible to the "state of the art". Monitors, in addition to monitoring, can in some cases also become a guide to the refinement of our hearing abilities, a concept well known in the field of professionals. Certainly some of the most important requirements are: the frequency response, the linearity of the response, the analyticity, the ability to adapt to even the most hostile environments, such as most of the home and project studios, and the little effort in listening. I would like to start by saying that both products are target oriented "Low-cost" so I don't expect mind-blowing results or revealing surprises from this test.
BX8-A How it looks
Essential line, sturdy and very spartan, its cabinet is made of MDF without sharp edges. The external finish conveys the feeling of being in the presence of a well-designed, but not professional speaker (Fig.1). I did not like the choice of the gray external finish, it looks like a hybrid between a professional speaker and a very cheap one. Continuing our physical analysis, we find an 8 "shielded" woofer "with a curved profile membrane in "Kevlar" and a sturdy rubber suspension; the 1 ”tweeter is also shielded and is in natural silk. Between the tweeter and the cone we find a very comfortable one "Led" light blue which indicates the power on status of the diffuser.
The rear panel, on the other hand, is very basic (Fig.2), 2 input connections, one XLR and one jack TRS, a large linear potentiometer to adjust the volume, a power switch, the socket IEC for the power cable and finally a selector for mains voltage. The system is bi-amped 70w for the bass and 60w for the treble (a bit disproportionate as values).
Foreword Behringer
Before making my considerations I would like to express a note of merit in favor of the German company which, thanks to its commercial policy, has allowed practically everyone to have specific products for "Home-recording". I remember that, about fifteen years ago, equipment such as compressors, "Expander", preamps were real chimeras for those who, like me, did not raise chickens that lay golden eggs. It is thanks to Behringer that I was able to equip my first home studio; it is true that having, for example, an extremely cheap compressor does not allow you to obtain professional results, but it is also true that getting your hands on a hardware compressor for the first time means understanding what it is, learning its use and the trade , progressively growing in search of better and decidedly more professional solutions.
B2031A as they appear
The B2031A (Fig.3) are equipped for the highs with a 25 mm ferrofluid-cooled shell (a well-known technique for reducing the compression effect and improving power handling) while the bass management is entrusted to a 220 mm polypropylene membrane (which it is not a rare animal but a free composition polymer in cellulose). Nothing to complain about the power delivered: 150 W for bass e 75 W for the treble, with a noise ratio <10dBA @ 1m. For the frequency response the excursion is 50Hz – 21 kHz, while in terms of sound pressure we can go to a maximum of 116dB SPL @ 1m.
Back panel (Fig.4)
LOW FREQUENCY
Through this switch it is possible to have control over the low frequencies. Necessary when we want to combine a Subwoofer or to simulate the sound of a smaller cone and lower response.
ROOM COMPENSATION
This is always a selector with which you can lower the intensity of the bass according to the physical position of the monitors in your studio. In this regard, there are some nice illustrations on the back of the case that suggest the level of attenuation to be adopted depending on whether the monitor is in position. "Free" , adjacent to a wall or in a corner. There are also three other selectors: POWER MODE (auto, on and off), MUTE HIGH and MUTE LOW dedicated to repair or service needs.
HIGH FREQUENCY:
Control of the amplifier for the highs with which we can attenuate or emphasize their characteristics according to the working environment. I would have liked a selector with a more precise excursion since the raising or lowering of the frequencies can only occur in steps of 2dB. After having made "a head like this" between acronyms and numbers, let's get to the heart of the matter. What are these speakers? What character do they have? How do they express themselves?
First listening test
To try to get to know the strengths and weaknesses of these speakers, I tested the speakers for about 4 months. The first test is carried out in the small studio in my house, placing the two pairs of speakers on the appropriate supports and spaced approximately 30 cm. from the wall. I positioned myself at a distance of about 50 cm. to avoid that my ear, at more “pushed” volumes, becomes too saturated and automatically excludes frequencies. My room is long enough (about 5 meters) just to have no signal return problems; to be more sure that there were no unwanted reflections I tried to correct the acoustics of my room with a Flexpan acoustic panel from Palladio. I found the right compromise, I connected the two pairs of speakers to my sound card, I sat comfortably and through the Presonus Central Station (Fig.5-Central station remote) I started remotely from the sequencer of the songs I had previously recorded.
I begin with the painful notes, indeed perhaps the only two unbearable things regarding the Behringer B2031A. “Just Listen ..” states the motto. From my house I do an excellent "Just Listen .." of radio interference in the area. The slogan suits me but it concerns the “Mix” and not the schedules of the imaginative ones "SpeakersLocal radio stations. I don't know if this factor can be decisive, but I guarantee you that after a while the phenomenon becomes annoying. The second nice thing is that, by bringing the speaker closer to my monitor, I can get a two-tone desktop, without having to go to “display settings”. In short, convenient for when you are taken by NAIF inspirations…! On the M-Audio, however, I did not find any defects of this kind, indeed I must say that I was surprised by the excellent internal shielding. For a couple of months I listened to everything (Pop music, Acoustics, Rock) just to understand where they expressed themselves better or where the speakers sinned. The first impression hasn't changed after two months of testing: both are speakers “Entry level", With all the strengths and weaknesses of the category to which it belongs. On some web-forums they are even defined, with excessive ease, clones of Yamaha NS10M o Genelec 1031 and therefore also excellent for making a professional mix. I would reserve some doubts ... legitimate!
Second listening test:
After keeping the speakers at home for a couple of months, I then moved them, for a short period, to the apartments of some sound engineers to understand how they would behave in a medium quality project studio; Specifically, the test concerned environments without panels for acoustic correction, a habitat in short proportional to the extent of the budget of the speakers. Coming to the heart of the matter, I can for sure say that the concept of "best performance" regarding the B2031A is a bit tricky. I listened to a couple playing divinely in the apartment of a friend who limited himself to keeping the selectors we were talking about before in the "default”(Perhaps they built his room in the past foreseeing the future installation of the product), as I have heard a couple more in the study of another friend where the result was nothing short of horrifying; in this last case we sweated a lot to find the right compromise between mixer settings and frequency attenuators. So if you feel like tinkering to achieve the coveted "decent" listening, know that you have the tools to do so, patience and virtue are qualities that never depreciate. Perhaps because of their sober design, M-Audio performed better than their Behringer cousins, maintained a "good" linearity in all environments until they were used at medium volumes. One of the flaws of this type of entry-level speakers is that they cannot work at very low volumes, the sound spectrum undergoes radical transformations due to the increase or excessive decrease in sound pressure. We can deduce that the BX8a sound "almost" sincere on the medium volumes, with well balanced bass, punctured mids and unintelligible but not intrusive highs. However, as soon as we give a greater power excursion, we begin to perceive a sound lacking in low frequencies, flooded by medium-low frequencies; the lows begin to unglue and the highs become too generous and annoying, just the opposite of what you hear on the B2031A
Reviews
M-Audio: I listen to Norah Jones
This reproduction came to my ears unnaturally, particularly in the mid-range section. From 800Hz to 2000Hz, there is a "hole", as if someone had operated with filters. The extremes of band instead have been reproduced with satisfactory extension but without ever providing that important grain in the mid-highs, highs that are not silky and at times fake and acid. There is the sensation of a tweeter detached from the rest of the body, a sensation that creates a tone that is sometimes low-cut and sharp. The bass section is engaging but poorly defined in terms of naturalness. When you go to increase the volume of the speakers, the sound changes considerably, you feel less bass, the mids manage to keep a good linearity while you feel an excessive emphasis, almost exasperated, on the high frequencies. I don't think they are suitable speakers for acoustic music projects.
Behringer: I listen to Norah Jones
The same track played with the Behringer is equally unrealistic but with a slightly more present and more coherent mid section than the M-Audio. The B2031s provided the same extension on the extremes of the band, however they were more plasticky and sometimes mixed, in particular on the mid-bass from 170Hz ai 550Hz, they were also not very powerful in this comparison without causing excessive listening fatigue. Also in this case we tried to increase the volume and move away from the sound source: the balance of the speakers has completely changed, highs completely disappeared, hole in the medium frequencies and very generous medium-low frequencies. Again they failed the test.
Try electronic track
It is not that I love music made exclusively with the help of the computer that much, but I realize that there is a good slice of users who live it amateur or professionally, who are not interested in a camera booth, an excellent range of microphones and SDR of thousands of euros. My opinion in this regard will concern exclusively, also in this case, the behavior of our two pairs of speakers.
M AUDIO
As I thought, for this type of application it is the right speaker, and of the same opinion he is also a very good sound engineer-producer of this genre (Ercole Longobardi), a professional capable of skilfully blending electronics and real sources on which he then sews particular arrangements. Ercole had the courtesy to try them for at least ten days and I was really pleased to see that his conclusions are almost identical to mine. The speakers generously provided all of their massive range in frequency response, with a bit of a hole in the middle mids at any listening volume. We obtained the best result with medium power since at low volumes the “kevlar” cone is a bit “hard” as it suffers from little excursion; at high volume the tweeter is capable of sawing even the hardest eardrum in the world. It must be said, however, that Hercules' small direction is very reflective and, once an equilateral triangulation has been established as a listening position, we found ourselves about 140 cm from a plastered wall behind us with a consequent first reflection capable of giving a hard time . In any case, having found the right listening volume level, the speaker was able to effectively integrate into each production session, from shooting to mixing, but any use for mastering should be absolutely banned.
BEHRINGER:
In this case I did not like the Behringer at all even if I must say that the central mids were tonally more rounded and balanced than the M-AUDIO, but unfortunately they were literally put in crisis by the large tonal and dynamic presence of this musical genre with lows delivered to the limit of crumple and highs almost distorted. Too delicate. Recall that behind there are some settings that should provide a better adaptation to the environment but I found that the best answer was given when these selectors were not called into question. In general, I can say that the frequency spectrum is well represented and the power delivered is always generous, but what you immediately notice is how at different volumes of work the mix behaves excessively differently. At low volumes, the mids seem to get lost and the lows reign supreme, at higher volumes the mids become the protagonists and it seems that everything below 80 Hz loses definition. The tightness of the high frequencies remains honest even if we are not offered that natural brilliance found in higher-end products.
General conclusions
We can conclude that the two speakers sound for "how much they cost" and this is already an advantage in terms of commercial correctness. There is a saying in my part of the world that says: “Whoever has more powder shoots more”. So lucky who can afford a superior monitoring system. In any case we can deduce, from the cost and from the tests made, that these monitors are addressed to the home and the project studio. They will be able to concretely help you in the realization of your demos or even finished products as long as it is dance or electronic music where great detail is not required. Between the two, summing up, the M-Audio are better in terms of handling of dynamic range, power and frequency response (more promising). The Behringers, on the other hand, win for the central midrange, a little more natural, and for a better ability to adapt to the environment. For both systems, we recommend listening at medium volume levels as both monitors are able to provide more linearity, in terms of frequency response, in a close field, a requirement that is almost essential for a home studio that often it does not enjoy adequate acoustic treatments.
USEFUL NEWS
Producer: M-Audio
Model: BX8A
Website: www.maudio.com
Distributor: www.soundwave.it
Price: Approximately Euro 350,00 including VAT
Producer: behringer
Model: B2031A
Website: www.behringer.com
Distributor:
Price: Approximately Euro 330,00 including VAT
Good music to all
Antonio Campeglia
