Axiom M3Ti, Adire Kanada, Klipsch RB-3, Polk Lsi-7' ? (1 Viewer)

[Saurav]

I'm new here, but haven't seen much said yet on JMLabs speakers and am quite surprised as they are far better speakers than most discussed on here.

Just out of curiosity, have you heard the Adire Kit281 or the GR Research Paradox 1? If you have, I'd like to hear your opinions on the JMLab Chorus speakers when compared to either of these two. Even if you haven't, I'm still interested in comparisions with other speakers that you've heard.

 

[WaltS]

I am still in quite a quandary on what speakers and system to spend my money on. I guess this is the "fun" part of picking a home theater system, once its bought then the regrets and what ifs begin. I am trying to keep the budget down but I have the ability to "go for it" as it were, its just a sense of fiscal responsibility that keeps me in check.

I spent the money for what seems a good compromise on quality versus budget getting the Toshiba 57HX81 RPTV to start out the system. Now I'm basically at the point of do I buy speakers for the long haul or just get a budget set like the axioms.

I am now toying with the idea now of getting 2 signature series Vandersteen's, imaging them well for phantom center as I only need my sound to be right for one sweet spot and adding in something like 2 M3ti's for surrounds. Getting such good audiophile speakers however almost mandates I buy appropriate electronics such as a good pre amp and separates for them, hence the quandary. Ah the joy and frustration of choice.

 

[Brandon Blair]

Saurav,
I have seen, heard and read a little bit about both the Adire and GR Research speakers you listed. While i probably haven't listened to each of them nearly enough to give a great comparision, from what i did hear, for an entire HT system i would easily take the JMLabs Chorus over the combination of these two speakers. As far as the floor standing Chorus, I don't think there is really any comparision with the Adire kit 281, the Chorus wins hands down, and that's with either the 2-way or 3-way chorus floorstanders. But of course your gonna pay a little more for the JMLabs, however it is very reasonable. Now in your bookself speakers which i'm assuming your using as rears I'd say that the GR Research Paradox 1 and the Chorus Bookself speakers are very comparable and very similarly priced. Personally i like the Chorus a little better, but i know them better than i know the GR Research. If I had to choose between these sets for a HT I would take the Chorus; one because i think they sound better and two to keep all five speakers in my set the same as opposed to mixing and matching.

As far as comparing them to other speakers, I own a pair of B&W N805's but thats not a real fair comparision with the JMLabs Chorus line. I'd say the B&W's are just slightly better than the JMLabs equilvalent Electra speaker, but not nearly as good as the JMLabs Mini or Micro Utopia. For the money, i think that the best line of speakers out right now is the JMLabs Electra line. This years new 926 just got rated a Class A speaker and i think it sounds as good, if not better than the B&W 802 and for a lot less money.

Hope this answered your question.

 

[Saurav]

Now in your bookself speakers which i'm assuming your using as rears I'd say that the GR Research Paradox 1 and the Chorus Bookself speakers are very comparable and very similarly priced.

Thanks, that answers my question. The Paradoxes are my front/main/only speakers, I don't have a home theater.

Have you heard anything in the Dynaudio Contour series, or any of the Silverline speakers?

Edit: Just browsing the JMLab site... I assume they use Focal drivers? That would explain why they sound similar to the Paradox. Going purely by numbers (which I know is no way to judge a speaker), I prefer the Paradox's more tube-friendly impedance curve. I have a local dealer who sells JMLab, but his store is appointment-only, so I didn't explore that option any further.

 

[Brandon Blair]

Yes JMLabs does use Focal Drivers. Focal and JMLabs are actually sister companies.

 

[Danny Richie]

Hey Brandon,

I will have to totally disagree with you on the Chorus - Paradox comparison.

I have already had a JM Lab distributor send me one of the Chorus models (705) to upgrade for him. He wanted a pair for his personal use.

Gary Dodd of Dodd Audio built some small custom tube amps to mount to the back of each speaker, and sent me the speakers to redesign the networks.

Out of the Box the JM Lab sounded horrible. Gary's assessment was the same. They were a far cry from our Paradox-1's. Vocals were smeared and hollow sounding. Bass was really lean, and the highs were way bright. There was no comparing these speakers. They were not even in the same league.

A look at the JM Lab network revealed a lot about why they sounded as they did. I am guessing there was about $3.00 worth of components mounted to a small circuit board and glued to the (pretty on the outside) bi-wire binding post.

The inductor on the woofer was an iron core that looked to be about 18 or 20 gauge wire. The cap in the woofer network was electrolytic (worth about 20 cents).

The tweeter circuit used an in line sand cast resistor (gag) and small cap that might have been polyester and a small coil wired in a rather interesting way.

The tweeter used in the new JM Lab was the new 90 that has the high resonance peak at nearly 1,500Hz. It in no way compares to the older version 90 that has an Fs of only 845Hz. The new one is also a cheap snap together piece of plastic. The new one also has no dampening just behind the diaphragm. This could explain the higher resonance.

The woofer while having nothing really wrong with it still did not compare to the woofer used in the Paradox-1.

After redesigning the Chorus 705 and implementing a second order series type network and a little additional control added to the woofer circuit it sounded vastly better. Foil inductors, by-passed poly caps and considerably better resistors didn't hurt at all.

Still it did not sound as good as the Paradox-1. It was after all limited by the drivers.