Behringer B2030A Active 2-Way Reference Studio Monitor Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased these with the assumption that I was not going to get the quality sound I wanted as opposed to KRK monitors (WAAAY overpriced) for my small studio. Boy was I wrong! The sound quality is better than expected to say the least. They're HEAVY, thus you won't be too worried about knocking them over (like the smaller KRK's or M-Audio Studiophiles I've seen). Took these over to a friends house for mixdown of video's he's been working on, and adjusted the settings for his video editing hardware and room dynamics. He then changed his mind after about some 5 hours of video editing. Not the best, but I'll be putting my money into what I can use rather than a name (KRK, JBL, Tannoy, Genlec are just TOO much. . .even for just one monitor). And it'se never about what you got, it's what you do with it.
There are going to be reviews bashing them, but when I have audio engineers telling me "good choice, cuz the KRK's are sometimes WAAY too bassy", I feel I've done my job and research into finding what I can afford.
Just a quick note. . .do give these "burn in" time. meaning give them some time to run before going all out on those mixes. Similar to tube preamps for guitar heads/cabs. . .burn em in slowly so you can get the full effect later. I haven't had these long enough, but I can say they are the best part of my studio.

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The TRUTH B2030A has all of the great features of an active TRUTH monitor packed in a compact cabinet.It's a high-resolution, active 2-way reference studio monitor that is perfect for nearfield monitoring applications: from small mixing environments to multi-channel surround setups.

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JBL LSR2328P Bi-Amplified Studio Monitor Review

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(More customer reviews)If you hate the name JBL... then you need read no further... if on the other hand you are after a pair of studio monitors that are reasonably priced, consider these as an affordable solution.
I have used various brands of studio monitors over the past two decades in recording and small studio set-ups. That is not to say that I consider myself an expert, rather on the contrary, I offer this information as an evaluation from my experience.
First Impressions:
These JBL LSR 2328P monitors have a reasonable weight to them, generally indicates quality construction. Externally I could see that they are well made and very clean looking - utilitarian in fact. Perfect for studios. The controls are all located on the rear (as for most powered/active monitors) containing all the standard features you would expect, XLR, TRS, RCA connectors, LF/HF trim and power. If access to the rear is limited, this may be of concern if you have to make numerous set up changes, but it certainly is not a problem. The base has a dense foam/rubber material which absorbs some vibration when mounted on a console or desktop. Also present are M6 mounting points conforming to industry standard mounting brackets if you want to use speaker stands. Once plugged in, before set-up was conducted, I turned the monitors on and played various program material through them. Very smooth and natural sounding speakers with a generally acceptable sonic palette. After some measurements and some LF trim (my speakers are closer to the rear wall than I would normally like, thus setting the LF trim at -3db on the woofer tightened the bass response. Not as much wall reinforcement) I then began using them for their intended purpose for monitoring and mixing tracks, mainly rock and blues, with a little jazz fusion.
After nearly a month of use:
I have been pleasantly surprised by these speakers, the are very neutral and natural, and offer very little colouration to the source material. This can be harsh, as you realise that either your recording is off, or the mix is to bright/flat. A quick listen on the main monitors reveal that also to be the fact. Back to the console, tweak the sound, and presto... smooth... on the JBL LSR 2328P. Thus it was easy to make sure that your music would translate to other devices/equipment.
High frequencies were smooth, with mids very natural sounding. Easily able to locate instruments within the sound stage and location. One thing I did notice was that on vocals, it was difficult to eliminate the breath inhales, either they were a little exaggerated on these monitors or my mixing technique is off. But at least these JBL monitors resolved this and allowed me the opportunity to pick them up early in my mix.
The bass was tight and full, sometimes had a tendency to overhang on complex bass pieces and get a little bit "muddy", but not unacceptably so. Also the rear port does not have a bung to reduce unwanted rear wall reinforcement of bass signals (the port also serves as a cooling port for the electronics and woofer, so not recommended to bung it up).
As for the controls, they are a standard feature set, common on all brands. Nothing special here. I found that once I got used to the power switch location on the rear, I could easily find it, but still, the power button on these JBL's could have been better placed, like on the front panel, the Logo could serve a dual purpose! (take note JBL)
After A/B testing these speakers with other brands of monitors of similar specifications, not price, I can unequivocally state that they are just about the same as other brands that cost twice (or more) than the JBL's. (I have on purpose not mentioned the other brands as this review is on the JBL's) This is not to say that other monitors were poor/better, rather they had a slightly different set of strengths and weaknesses in comparison. Where say brand A had smoother top end clarity, they lacked bass definition and or punch of the JBL's. If the JBL's were smoother overall than brand B, the other brand may have exhibited better definition or "breath" in the music. Therefore, I would like to point out that at similar price points, all these speakers had similar attributes. If you like bass slam, the JBL's will give it to you. If you require sonic clarity in the upper register, the JBL's will give it to you. If you want clear neutral representation (within reason) from these monitors at this price point, these JBL's will give it to you.Closing Thoughts:
When I am not mixing or recording, (like now whilst I am writing this review) I generally have these monitors playing music at a low level, Wow... they sure put the feeling and weight into the music at low level. I find that I do not get fatigued from listening to these speakers for hours on end (also a function of volume). After all, I am more interested in listening to music, rather than the equipment, so comparisons between brands becomes mute points of intellectual musings.
From a price point of view, I think it is hard to beat these particular JBL's compared to speakers that may offer only about say less than 5% (subjectively) better performance overall. Thus if you are after that 5%, and that is paramount in your application, you will need to spend considerable more on studio monitors than these JBL's or other monitors at this price point.
Thoroughly recommend these JBL LSR 2328P's for anyone with a tight budget (or otherwise), or a need for monitors that you will have to save for months on end to acquire, before you get to listen/mix/enjoy...
Great Work JBL...

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The LSR2328P Bi-Amplified Studio Monitor is equipped for a wide range of applications. The LSR2328P includes a long-excursion 8" woofer and 1" silk substrate dome tweeter and 165 watts of amplification. Balanced XLR, balanced 1/4" TRS, and RCA unbalanced input connectors allow connection of mixing consoles, computer audio interfaces, audio visual equipment, and home audio systems. A detented level control allows fine adjustment of speaker volume. Low and high frequency trim controls let you tailor the speaker's response to preference or room acoustics. A neoprene rubber pad on the bottom of the speaker provides acoustic isolation and increases stability when the speaker is placed on a speaker stand or a console top. Mounting points are included and the enclosure has been reinforced for safe mounting using industry-standard mounting hardware. Rather than using a single on-axis measurement of the speaker's performance, JBL's LSR design criteria requires seventy measurements yielding more than 1,200 times the data, enabling JBL to engineer a speaker that sounds right and is accurate in any room. A trademark of LSR Design is the custom tweeter waveguide that delivers superior imaging and smoother frequency response to your listening position. Today's production styles require a monitor system capable of extended low frequency performance. To address this, the LSR2328P uses a new long-excursion 8" woofer with a high-flux motor. A custom-tuned port works in concert with the woofer to produce deep and accurate low frequency response to 37Hz. The LSR2328P produces exceptional sound pressure level (SPL) through JBL-engineered high-sensitivity transducers, high-output amplifiers and careful attention paid to the thermal properties of the system. To ensure years of reliable performance, before becoming a production-ready design, the LSR2328P survives the JBL Power Test in which the speaker must play continuously at full output for 100 hours without failure.

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Behringer MS16 Powered Studio Desktop Monitors Review

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(More customer reviews)SUBJECTIVE REVIEW: Behringer MS16 2-Way Active Personal Monitor System
Pros:
- Accuracy, soundstage & imaging!!
- Connectivity & Front Panel Controls (Right CH Speaker):
.... INPUT 1 (1/8" TRS) Connector
.... INPUT 2 (RCA Right & Left) Connectors
.... ADJUSTABLE 1/4" TRS Microphone Input - mixable w/stereo inputs for playback and vocal monitoring applications
.... 1/8" TRS HEADPHONE Connector w/auto-mute loudspeaker function.
.... FRONT PANEL Controls (Bass, Treble & Level)
Cons:
None except deep bass - which can be resolved by adding a powered-sub like I did!!! ;-)
NOTE: All subjective comments based on:
1) SPEAKER LOCATIONS:
.... a) Free-standing near-field monitor location, 4' apart, slightly tilted-in (closes walls 10') - Music by my Polaroid 30 GB MP3 player (NO powered-sub )
.... b) Keyboard: L & R location installation, slightly tilted-in (with & without Altec Lansing FX2021 powered-sub**)
**NOTE: Adding a powered-sub relieves the Behringer MS16 4" woofer speakers of reproducing the lower frequencies thus lowering the possibility of distortion or breakup when played louder, - 85 dBc to 90 dBc Fast SPL Peaks!
2) Critical listening SPL = approx. 85 dBc to 90 dBc Fast SPL Peaks measured @ 8' to 10' away from the speakers.
.... a) Radio Shack SPL Analog Meter: Dial = 80 or 90 / Weight = C / Speed = Fast
ACCURACY:
One of the Behringer MS16 hallmarks is the accuracy in reproducing encoded musical sounds from my MP3s, ... like, a violin sounds like a violin, a trumpet sounds like a trumpet, a tenor sax sounds like a tenor sax, a Grand Piano, like the Grand Piano that Diana Krall uses in her "Live in Paris" CD (I use to own a 6' Yamaha Grand in my HT/family room), etc. What is unusual for this price range, is the MS16 ability to reveal subtleties and the resolution of the high frequency characteristics within the encoded music/instruments, . . . they are just more evident with the Behringer MS16 vs. other speakers in this price and some costing more; i.e. with close mike recording of an acoustic guitar, you can hear the artist fingers (George Benson; Earl Klugh; Russ Freeman) sliding up and down the frets; you can tell that that two violins are playing a melodic line, rather than just one violin; the air harmonics off the crash or ride cymbal sounds, just like our Tama Rock Set w/Zildjian cymbals; Diana Krall breathing during some of her songs Intro ("Live in Paris" Music CD). Here - I do chalk up the sound quality to Behringer MS16 1.5" (38mm) Diameter High-Resolution Tweeter., which is a nice size for a small personal Studio near-field Monitors.
SOUNDSTAGE:
The left to right placements of instruments & voices are excellent, providing a precise, very wide, beyond the speakers soundstage. The Behringer MS16 front to back (depth) soundstage is also excellent, as well as the dynamic's resolution (soft vs. loud) in playing back the encoded instrument sounds which helps provide excellent location placement of the instruments. Though the front to back soundstage can be a result of how close the microphones were to the instruments, no doubt, the quality of the best recordings, will be revealed by this speaker and the opposite is also true, poor recordings will be revealed as poor. The Behringer MS16 plays back all my Jazz CD Music with relative smoothness, with no surprising in-between the eyes, unnatural frequency peaks because of it's super flat & wide Pro Monitor like frequency characteristics. I also own the JBL N24 w/4" woofers (JBL NSP1 PKG) which was raved by Brent Butterworth for its super midrange playback (voices) and in direct comparison, the Behringer MS16 is equal to task providing the same balanced, natural, clear unstrained playback! (Samples: "Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim" 1967 Digital remastered DDD Music CD; Diana Krall "Love Scenes" & "The Look of Love" Music CD; Bob James "Fourplay" Music CD; David Benoit "Fuzzy Logic" Music CD [Album Of The Year - 2003 National Smooth Jazz Awards], etc.).
IMAGING:
Another characteristic that the Behringer MS16 displays is its ability to image the specific instruments across the soundstage, with a floating in front, side, quality sound presence comparable to some JBL PRO Studio Monitors, though its point source is more precise due to the smaller cabinet side. The Behringer MS16 low-diffraction front cabinet geometry feature curved cabinet edges to eliminate diffraction, which ensures precise imaging and localization. I love the Behringer MS16 ambience reproduction in my room, because it gave me the feeling that "you are there" and if the recording is from a live concert, the ambience provided the right amount of reflections to make you think your listening to the performance outdoors, or in the symphony hall. ("The Corrs - Live at the Royal Albert Hall" Music CD; Diana Krall "Live in Paris" Music CD).
BASS FREQUECY:
WITHOUT POWERED-SUB: (Bass adjusted slightly less than MAX @ the 5 o'clock position / Treble left flat)
The Behringer MS16 bass is rated down to 80 Hz, and after adjusting the Bass Control to near MAX (5 o'clock position), ... it easily matches my JBL 24s (Benchmarked down to 89 Hz -2.7 dB - Fronts location by Tom Nousaine for Sound & Vision Magazine) lowest rated frequency reproduction in my familiar jazz music (David Benoit, Bob James, Joe Sample, Diana Krall, etc.) MP3 encoded music is not as demanding as a keyboard or CD (pure digital recordings), so what I hear was more than acceptable @ 85 dBc Fast SPL Peaks! (louder than normal listening). The deep bass is lacking of course, which is expected for a 4" DIA woofer, but it wasn't MIA and actually sounded better than most free-standing speakers w/4" or 5" woofers. The upright bass (Diana Krall) and electric bass lines (Bob James "Fourplay" w/Nathan East on bass) reproduction was way above average and overall, ... it nicely filled my 20 x 30' room with well balanced, clean & smooth frequency jazz music.
WITH POWERED-SUB - YAMAHA PORTABLE GRAND KEYBOARD:
Reproducing a digital keyboard is demanding so to get that floor & air feeling bass SPL without distortion or breakup, I coupled the Behringer MS16 Speakers w/the Altec Lansing FX1021 2.1 Speaker System, or more specifically, Altec Lansing FX4021 Powered Subwoofer (w/Two 5.25" long-throw woofers in isobaric configuration). This unit is rated down to 32 Hz and takes care of the lower frequency duties. Matching the Altec Powered-sub to the MS16s took about 20 mins. using the Keyboard built-in MIDI DEMO files and by playing it personally! I'm finally happy with what I hear from my Yamaha DGX-505 88-key Portable Grand.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
If you want "budget" monitors that provides excellent imaging, revealing resolution, super flat & wide Pro Monitor like frequency characteristics, the Behringer MS16 is for you! At no time during my critical listening phase (w/85 dBc - 90 dBc Fast SPL Peaks) did I hear any distortion or breakup (with or without powered-sub) from my Behringer MS16 speakers!!!
- Although the following is an OPTION & NOT REQUIRED to ENJOY these powered speakers, you can add a powered-sub to round out the lower frequency foundation and once you balance the SPL between the powered-sub & MS16s, ... you've got a very nice killer setup for MP3, PC, Laptop, Keyboard & near-field Home Studio application @ a very reasonable price!
In my case, I'm guessing, that the Behringer & Altec powered-sub combination for my Yamaha Portable Grand Keyboard frequency response is approx. 40Hz - 18kHz ±5 dB in my 17' x 13' living room (see my attached Amazon photo's) and for the price, ... it just sounds GLORIOUS @ 85 dBc - 90 dBc Fast SPL Peaks!!!
Highly Recommended!!! (Another way to think about it is, ... you can't build a 16 Watt [2x 8 Watts] self-powered speakers like this for under $60 a pair!!!)
Background: Audiophile since 1980; retired Audio/Video dealer; retired semi-pro musician (piano, keyboard, acoustic / electric guitar, bass guitar & drums).

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The Behringer MS16 Speakers are a compact 2-way stereo speaker setup for home studio or multimedia applications! Two high-power amplifiers drive the 4-inch woofers and the high-resolution tweeters. The front-mounted volume control and individual bass and treble controls make accurate sound adjustments a breeze. Two stereo line inputs (RCA and eighth-inch TRS) allow simultaneous use of two stereo sources, so you can play back CDs, MDs or MP3s and use an electric guitar/keyboard at the same time. In addition, the quarter-inch TRS microphone input lets you mix vocals with a stereo track. Behringer MS16 Features Compact stereo speaker system for home studios or multimedia applications 4 inch woofer and high-resolution tweeter powered by two 8-watt amplifiers Dedicated volume, bass and treble controls for more flexibility Stereo RCA inputs for sound cards, keyboards... etc Connect a CD or MP3 player through 1/8 inch TRS stereo input Separately adjustable 1/4 inch TRS mic input for vocal monitoring 1/8 inch TRS headphone connector with auto-mute loudspeaker function Magnetically shielded for placement near computer monitors Magnetic shielding and compact size make these speakers perfect for placement near video monitors or computer displays. AmericanMusical.com is an authorized dealer of Behringer products.

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