[volted]

Hello all. Got some BX6 carbons recently so I thought i'd post a little review from a total speaker noob who can't express what he hears ...
 

1. Good, flat response as expected from monitors
2. Having no sub, sounds very bright, a bit too crisp and attacky in the highs. The sound isn't unbalanced but it is bright. I am biased though having spent years with HD650+tubes.
3. Upper mids are a bit boggy, can get muted. I think this is at the border between the tweeter and driver output
4. Mids are clear and punchy but the lack of lower bass frequencies creates a harsh "drop out" in the sound. Sub required. They often sound like they try to output some lower frequency but it kind of flabs in to the frequencies the driver can produce, almost getting in the way like a drunk uncle at a wedding.
5. The acoustic space switch seems more of a gimmick than anything. It seems to adjust the FR to take some of the brightness off, but meh.
6. Very resolving and clear, but at times sterile. This could be because they are bright. Might try and pre-amp some color in to them.
7. Great for classical, jazz, vocal. Lacking for metal/rock/prog. Yes, you can hear the grain of the string and the fingers on the fret, but some of the soul is gone.
8. Cracking near field presentation. Good for a desk setting. Airy, spacey and open. You will need a couple of foot at each side of a desk to place/angle them and get the sweet spot.

 

[BigTerminator]

I have the M-Aduio BX5 D2's. They are good without a subwoofer, but with one they are deadly good. When I added a sub it definitely made the speakers clearer since they could focus on the higher frequencies. Acoustic guitars sound amazing on these speakers. What DAC did you use with these? Overall I love these speakers but my next will be some Adams Ax speakers.

 

[volted]

  I have the M-Aduio BX5 D2's. They are good without a subwoofer, but with one they are deadly good. When I added a sub it definitely made the speakers clearer since they could focus on the higher frequencies. Acoustic guitars sound amazing on these speakers. What DAC did you use with these? Overall I love these speakers but my next will be some Adams Ax speakers.

 
The DAC is an m-audio audiophile USB, not great I know but it does the job. Was thinking about maybe running jack->RCA from my WA3 to warm them up a bit, not sure how that will work out tho.

 

[pterodactilo]

Thanks for your mini review. I couldn't find many opinions  appart from yours on these monitors since they are a very new model. Do you have the BX5 d2 as well to do some comparison?

 

[volted]

  Thanks for your mini review. I couldn't find many opinions  appart from yours on these monitors since they are a very new model. Do you have the BX5 d2 as well to do some comparison?

 
I had the BX5 d2 before these, and i'd say the signature is much the same. These being bigger drivers produce better low frequency and overall a bigger better sound. They are less noisy too, but the BX6 seems to be an evolution rather than a revolution of the old BX range.

 

[BigTerminator]

The M-Audio BX5 D2's are dirt cheap at around $200 and you can probably not do better for that kind of money. At $300 for the BX5 Carbon and $400 for the BX6 Carbon, they are not worth it imo considering how cheap the BX5 D2's are. I would rather buy some used monitors that retail for $500 then buy the carbons. From what I have heard the Carbons are essentially the same just with a little bit better bass. Which makes no difference if you get a subwoofer. 

 

[volted]

  The M-Audio BX5 D2's are dirt cheap at around $200 and you can probably not do better for that kind of money. At $300 for the BX5 Carbon and $400 for the BX6 Carbon, they are not worth it imo considering how cheap the BX5 D2's are. I would rather buy some used monitors that retail for $500 then buy the carbons. From what I have heard the Carbons are essentially the same just with a little bit better bass. Which makes no difference if you get a subwoofer. 

Partly true, the D2s are a good bargain, but the Carbons have better amping, less noise and to my ears at least are a step up in clarity and imaging and worth it (having owned/used both). The D2s were just too stark and lacked punch. I wouldn't advise anyone go for the D2 over the BX6 Carbons personally, if you can afford it. TBH, the argument of "buy second hand X cheaper than Y" stands for any equipment.
 
The only downside I see of the BX6 Carbons is they do need quite a bit of desk space.

 

[thejm]

do those have a built in amp?

 

[BigTerminator]

Yes they do.