Not so sure about my new Yamaha HS8s

[CakeEater]

Well, Mr. CakeEater said they'd lack of mids - not exactly something you'd say about NS10s...

I'm hoping they'll come in when the woofer softens up a bit. I've heard that can take some time depending on usage and volume. I'm not in a position to crank them with neighbours.

Edit: This would also explain the frequency shift I'm perceiving.

 

[Frodebro]

Well, Mr. CakeEater said they'd lack of mids - not exactly something you'd say about NS10s...

I have both HS8s and HS5s. The 8s are only lacking in mids if you put them side by side with the 5s, which are pretty strong in the midrange.

From a recording standpoint, I have found that the HS8s translate extremely well on other systems. The HS5s not so much, you have to get used to their sound or else you wind up weak in the midrange when playing back through other systems.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Move them around in the room, try different distances apart from each other, from the wall, different heights etc.

Even in a treated room you’ll get quite a different response based on how they’re set up.

beyond that, try some room treatment and some kind of eq calibration. if you just swap out one pair of monitors for another you’ll end up chasing your tail.

It’s worth measuring the response so you actually know what you’re dealing with - it could be that your ears are adjusting to them, or it could be that your room is causing some kind of unsympathetic response at your listening position.

 

[DrewJD82]

I have both HS8s and HS5s. The 8s are only lacking in mids if you put them side by side with the 5s, which are pretty strong in the midrange.

From a recording standpoint, I have found that the HS8s translate extremely well on other systems. The HS5s not so much, you have to get used to their sound or else you wind up weak in the midrange when playing back through other systems.

Owning both these, I 100% agree.

I’ve considered setting them up so I can reference the mids on the HS5’s, but I’d rather just learn the HS8’s enough to rely on just them until I’m in a treated room and upgrade to Genelecs or something equivalent.

 

[Jarick]

Owning both these, I 100% agree.

I’ve considered setting them up so I can reference the mids on the HS5’s, but I’d rather just learn the HS8’s enough to rely on just them until I’m in a treated room and upgrade to Genelecs or something equivalent.

I kinda wish I got the HS7 from a size standpoint.

I love the idea that if you have tried two sets of monitors and don’t love either, probably look at the room.

 

[JasonE]

I had someone giving me good recommendations back when I bought my HS7 monitors. I was going to buy the HS8 set and they told me not to and to get the HS7 set. I also bought the Sub for it. I have been pretty happy with this setup.

 

[CakeEater]

I had someone giving me good recommendations back when I bought my HS7 monitors. I was going to buy the HS8 set and they told me not to and to get the HS7 set. I also bought the Sub for it. I have been pretty happy with this setup.

What was their rationale?

 

[JasonE]

What was their rationale?

They didn't really say much more than the HS8 were going to be too big for the room I was using them in. They also told me that the HS7 monitors were the flattest monitors at the local shop where I bought them. The only negative thing they said was that if you use them for tracking and you have it turned up a good bit that you can blow a speaker if you are using a hard percussive approach. I have never had the need to really turn them up that far. They fill my room well.

Both of these guys have a ton of mixing and mastering experience in Pro Tools. One of them has worked a couple of professional studios under someone that has been doing this for years so I took their advice and ran with it.

 

[Jarick]

That’s odd feedback. From the frequency graphs the 8s seem flatter than the 7s which are flatter than 5s. Also from what I’ve seen it’s not so much speakers being too big for the room as much as being difficult to properly position. Which the giant 8 inch speakers are for sure.

 

[DrewJD82]

I can almost understand the 'HS8's need a bigger room' sentiment, there's a certain point where turning them down low loses the bottom end and some mids, but I'm in a 12x12 bedroom in an apartment and regularly have them up loud enough to get everything they offer. I'd imagine they can get loud as hell. GC has some HS7's for $400 for the pair, if I weren't so focused on getting a JPIIC+ right now I'd go scoop 'em up just to have the whole lineup to reference with.

 

[Jarick]

I can almost understand the 'HS8's need a bigger room' sentiment, there's a certain point where turning them down low loses the bottom end and some mids, but I'm in a 12x12 bedroom in an apartment and regularly have them up loud enough to get everything they offer. I'd imagine they can get loud as hell. GC has some HS7's for $400 for the pair, if I weren't so focused on getting a JPIIC+ right now I'd go scoop 'em up just to have the whole lineup to reference with.

I mentioned elsewhere but I went from JBL 305 (5") to Genelec 8020 (4") to JBL 306 (6.5") to Yamaha HS8 (8"). For me the low end absolutely correlates to driver size, which makes sense intuitively although sometimes people try and correlate it to room size. I'll also say when I mean low end, I'm not talking about the trunk rattling subwoofers we had in high school, more so having frequencies extending from 150 hz down closer to 50 hz.

One analogy I've heard is that any driver can play any frequency, it's more about volume and response. That may be a generalization. But if you think about it, a tiny little driver for IEM's can play really low frequencies at super low volume because it's directly in your ear. On the flip side a big arena may need tons and tons of huge speakers to play bass frequencies.

 

[Jarick]

Also if you want to geek out on speakers, acoustic science review forum is fun to Google. Lots of amateur audiophiles doing some measurement based reviews and discussions.

 

[DrewJD82]

Also if you want to geek out on speakers, acoustic science review forum is fun to Google. Lots of amateur audiophiles doing some measurement based reviews and discussions.

As much as I should spend some time educating myself on this stuff, I have no headspace for the tech talk when it comes to acoustical aspects. The second I see math figures, I’m out. Maybe when I’m at the point I can apply it all in a room I’m building I’ll find the desire to dig in, but after a paragraph or two I’m dying to do anything else.

 

[jay mitchell]

Of course the B&Ws sound better, more real, more accurate, etc.

"Of course?" That phrase is doing a yuuge amount of work in your statement.

 

[DrewJD82]