3-4 dB dip at crossover region: what should I listen for to hear it?


I haven’t posted here for about 10 years but thought I’d jump back in to ask about my new JBL 4349s. According to measurements on ASR and even JBLs own graphs, the 4349s have a 3-4 dB dip in the crossover region at about the 1.5 kHz mark. What should I listen for to hear this? I understand that music in this range will be quieter, but I’m not hearing any suckout compared to my Omegas or other speakers Ive had in my system. I’ve played some clarinet and violin concertos, two instruments that spend a lot of time in this frequency range, but I can’t hear an obvious difference. Am I listening for the wrong thing? I’d like to be able to hear this deficiency for leaning purposes if nothing else, so any pointers are appreciated.

 

Many thanks!

rischa

@toddalin thanks for the explanation and video. I thought both sets of speakers came off pretty bad in rhat video, but - and feel free to accuse me of being biased - the JBLs were much more tolerable. The Klipsch sounded quite shouty to me, whereas the JBL had depth and warmth (warmth relative to the Klipsch that is).

I’ll also note that the JBLs in the video were the 4367s, the model above mine. According to Erin at Erin’s Audio Corner, the 4367s measure and sound great. Erin is also one of the guys on the ASR 4349 thread who thought the 4349s measured terribly (I like Erin and subscribe to his Patreon).

The depressed upper midrange is no stranger to JBL professional monitors all the way back.  Some are worse than others.

The ASR measurements suggest that the midrange dip is less pronounced in-room. Using a 12in driver in a two way design is always going to be compromised. Dips in frequency response are not always interpreted by the brain as dullness - a drop in the midrange may be heard as brightness because it can make the higher frequencies seem elevated relative to the midrange.

 

 

As I said, dips in the upper midrange are characteristic of the breed when using horns.

JBL 4348:

4345:

 

4355:

 

4333 (L300 pro equivelent) I have a pair of L200 modified to L300 specs and the dips drive me crazy. I don’t even listen to them anymore since I created the Mermans.

4313: 12" 4-way with no horn:

"I’ll also note that the JBLs in the video were the 4367s, the model above mine. According to Erin at Erin’s Audio Corner, the 4367s measure and sound great. Erin is also one of the guys on the ASR 4349 thread who thought the 4349s measured terribly (I like Erin and subscribe to his Patreon)."

Do they really? I hear slight the depression and Stereophile certainly found it:

422JBLfig3

422JBLfig4

In home measurement:

422JBLfig7