Quote:
Originally Posted by jbloudg20 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Can you say FOTM?
Geez, they are cheap $50 speakers. They really aren't anyhting special, and are easily beaten.
|
I've had a few months with these speakers, and a Panasonic SA-XR25 amp connected to a LavryBlue from my E-MU 1212m sound card on my music workstation. I simply dropped these speakers in place of my Dynaudio BM15A nearfield (if you can consider them that), my initial impressions were the sound is kind of muffled across the entire mid-range, seemingly recessed. I thought the bass to be very similar to Alesis M1 Active MK2 speakers (present, but not real -- and lacking a certain degree of tightness). I won't even go into the inaccuracies of the high frequency range to my ears. With a little bit of equalization you can actually correct quite a few of the glaring problems with these speakers. I haven't modded them at all (no filling them with polyfill, putting gunk on the inner-walls, or changing the crossover circuitry, etc). I started out using my Weiss EQ1 equalizer in the chain but then realized that 7 bands wasn't nearly enough control over the sound that I needed, so I looked to good old Foobar2000 equalizer plug-in. After quite a bit of fiddling (and resisting the urge to buy an expensive full range microphone to hook up and compare wav forms ... I had to keep telling myself that these were cheap speakers) I came to the following settings:
55Hz -3
110Hz to 622Hz all -2
880Hz -4
1.2kHz -1
3.5kHz -3
5kHz -5
7kHz -3
10kHz -1
20kHz -2
This sounds "closer" to Dynaudio BM15A speakers, but not nearly as refined. Mid-range is brought more towards the front, but the rest is a little more pushed back. More neutral, less color for tonality over the entire range (though I think the highs are a bit much now -- sounding similar to Infinity Primus 250 speakers). I also had to toe the speakers out a little to get the stereo image right in comparison. I'd overall categorize the equalized speakers as a little fatiguing but neutral and listen-able compared to the stock frequency output. I'm actually going to buy some more Auralex pads (since the rubber stick on feet that come with them, aren't going to help with vibration at all on the desk out there - its metal) and replace my Swan M200 speakers on my workstation in the other room with these Insignia speakers... Though, I'll probably end up making more changes to the equalization because of room differences (the room I am in is treated with acoustical foam, bass traps, and everything aligned for proper room mode based on standing waves, etc)
Pseudo-science aside, I don't think these speakers can be so easily "beaten" unless you get into speakers like X-LS from av123.com (which I also own two pairs of by the way, for my home theater). The Polk Audio R15 doesn't even come close, it's not as easily managed with an equalizer (probably because of cabinet design, but that is not my forte) and that is in the same general price range when they go on sale at Fry's various times through-out the year. For the record, I used to be an audio purist and didn't believe equalization should be used AT ALL unless it is to correct frequency ringing in specific rooms -- but this little experiment has opened my eyes a little... Not very much though, because the EQ on my HD-650 headphones and Dynaudio speakers sound absolutely horrible
