Which Set to Soffit Mount...

[seamus]

Hello,

I am seriously considering soffit mounting a set of monitors in our 20.4'L x 13'W x 10.75'H control room.

We have a pair of Quested S8r, JBL 4410 and a pair of Event 20/20bas.

We'll most likely be using a pair of ns10's for nearfield monitoring, and really just need some bass checking client thumpers for the soffit mounts.

Which pair should I go with?

Here's the JBL specs, btw:
http://www.jblpro.com/pub/obsolete/4410.pdf

Thanks,
Seamus

[John Sayers]

I'd soffit mount the Questeds and use the Event 20/20ba for nearfield monitoring.

The JBLs were great in their day but Roger Quested makes fine speakers.

[seamus]

Thanks, Mr. Sayers.

I really appreciate your input.

I was sort of hoping that the JBL's would be good, but only because they are passive, and therefore the construction would be a little more simple.

You are right, though... the Questeds are great.

[John Sayers]

what condition are the JBL's in? how are the surrounds of the speakers cones - do the cones move clearly etc.

[seamus]

They are in very good shape, actually.

We replaced both tweeters (one was blown when we acquired them) and we are in the process of re-foaming the surrounds.

My secret wish is that we wouldn't "need" the Questeds any more, since they are actually worth something.
They are really too large for nearfield monitoring, imo, and I was hoping that the JBL's would be a good choice for "mains".
I am concerned about their ability to withstand punishment, though.

The Quested's do sound amazing, but they could pay for a lot of general acoustics improvements... and natural gas bills...
or maybe a smaller set of Questeds or ATC's.

I enjoy listening to the JBL's freestanding (before the surrounds went.. they were in storage for a couple of decades).
I have yet to use them in any critical listening sort of tasks, though.

I used the Events for the last 10 years or so. I never really loved them. I always had trouble with bass translation. They were used in quite a few different rooms. All with the same results.
It's probably time to let them go, I guess.

[John Sayers]

seems like you've got it sorted.

[seamus]

Ha!
Yeah, I'm famous for that.
I'm a self fulfilled prophet.

The thing is, I'd love to try them both out, but that would mean two (or three) different constructions.

Do you have any experience with the 4410, in general?

[John Sayers]

I'm aware of their predecessors 4311 4315 _ soffit mounted the 4315s and they sounded magnificent.

My only caution is that around that period JBL started to boost the low end of their speakers and when they were soffit mounted they became boomy and there was no control to back the low end off.

[seamus]

Yeah, I was planning on having to build Barefoot's filter for either of them.
The Questeds only have -2 or -4 at 80Hz, I believe.

[seamus]

I'm going to mount the JBL's.
My studio partners want the Questeds for nearfields.

I'll have to mount the JBL's kind of high to keep the (huge) Questeds out of their way, and I'll also have to mount them horizontally.

Do you think that this is a dumb idea?
They will mainly be for checking bass and filling the room with rock.

[John Sayers]

go for it mate - filling the room with rock is a good idea - people don't understand that when you play loud music in the studio there's nothing more frustrating than doing a few takes full bore then walking into the control room to hear it back and some purist plays it back at 85db on nearfields

[seamus]

Right on.
I think that there may be some fear of having monitors that are too high, but I figure that it'll be good enough for rock and roll no matter what I do... as long as it doesn't shake the room apart.

I figure that if they are 6 or 7 feet off of the floor, angled in and down a little bit, but not necessarily aimed at the mix position, they should be fine for everyone in the room.
Sitting, standing, couch, whatever.

Again, I fully appreciate your help, Mr Sayers.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Seamus