JBL EON 1500 vs HK PR 115 Premium series

[Dan Gruner]

HK's any day!!

Dan

Hi guys, can any body give me a opinion? If it here you which you would
buy?
JBL EON 1500 or HK PR 115 Premium Series
they are very close in price, JBL it's cheaper, but as less RMS power
capabilty (225 W Vs 300 W). But what about performance? Sound quality?
Power?
The use is for house music almost...
Thanks in advance!

[Mark]

If HK means Harman Kardon - then I don't know that there'd be much
difference if these two speakers are at a similar price point. JBL,
Infinity and Harman Kardon are all the same company that falls under the
"Harman" umbrella.

FWIW - I own a pair of the EON 1500s and they are an outstanding pkg.
Lightweight and moderately priced - I use them both as floor monitors and
mains, depending on the gig setup. They totally blow away my bandmate's
older "Pro series" JBL 15" 2-way mains. I run a Yamaha EMX5000-12 into them
and they are very efficient, have a very flat frequency response, and are
very transparent. If you like your sound clean and without 'coloring' your
sound - these are made for it. I grew up on Infinity home audio speakers so
perhaps I'm a bit bias - but I find most JBLs to be this way (nicely
transparent & with a nice flat frequency response).

Good luck.

Mark

Hi guys, can any body give me a opinion? If it here you which you would
buy?
JBL EON 1500 or HK PR 115 Premium Series
they are very close in price, JBL it's cheaper, but as less RMS power
capabilty (225 W Vs 300 W). But what about performance? Sound quality?
Power?
The use is for house music almost...
Thanks in advance!

[UkuleleRon]

Hi guys, can any body give me a opinion? If it here you which you would
buy?
JBL EON 1500 or HK PR 115 Premium Series
they are very close in price, JBL it's cheaper, but as less RMS power
capabilty (225 W Vs 300 W). But what about performance? Sound quality?
Power?
The use is for house music almost...
Thanks in advance!

The HK Audio boxes will blow the Eons into the weeds both soundwise and
reliability wise. (IMHO) of course

Ron(UK)


Lune Valley Audio
Public address systems
Hire - Sales - Repairs
http://www.phenomena.free-online.co.uk/repairs.html

[Marco Santos]

HK Audio is a German brand. European Manufactured... www.hkaudio.com

Thanks for the advise.

Post by Mark
If HK means Harman Kardon - then I don't know that there'd be much
difference if these two speakers are at a similar price point. JBL,
Infinity and Harman Kardon are all the same company that falls under the
"Harman" umbrella.
FWIW - I own a pair of the EON 1500s and they are an outstanding pkg.
Lightweight and moderately priced - I use them both as floor monitors and
mains, depending on the gig setup. They totally blow away my bandmate's
older "Pro series" JBL 15" 2-way mains. I run a Yamaha EMX5000-12 into them
and they are very efficient, have a very flat frequency response, and are
very transparent. If you like your sound clean and without 'coloring' your
sound - these are made for it. I grew up on Infinity home audio speakers so
perhaps I'm a bit bias - but I find most JBLs to be this way (nicely
transparent & with a nice flat frequency response).
Good luck.
Mark

Hi guys, can any body give me a opinion? If it here you which you would
buy?
JBL EON 1500 or HK PR 115 Premium Series
they are very close in price, JBL it's cheaper, but as less RMS power
capabilty (225 W Vs 300 W). But what about performance? Sound quality?
Power?
The use is for house music almost...
Thanks in advance!

[Marco Santos]

Sorry but i don't have a clue!
Here in europe it's a very well knowned brand. Like JBL, Mackie...

Thanks Marcos, for the info. Are HKs available in the states?

Post by Marco Santos
HK Audio is a German brand. European Manufactured... www.hkaudio.com
Thanks for the advise.

[Mark]

And I'm sure folks put a lot of emphasis on your opinions with an attitude
like that.

Don't worry little Timmy, you'll grow up someday and actually learn to
respect others' opinions - even when you disagree with them. And if you're
REAL lucky, you might just figure out that some of them are as valid as your
own!

Well, then again, maybe not.

Post by Mark
FWIW - I own a pair of the EON 1500s and they are an outstanding pkg.
they are very efficient, have a very flat frequency response, and are
very transparent.

Are you deaf?

Post by Mark
If you like your sound clean and without 'coloring' your
sound - these are made for it. I grew up on Infinity home audio

speakers

so

Post by Mark
perhaps I'm a bit bias - but I find most JBLs to be this way (nicely
transparent & with a nice flat frequency response).

Ahh yes, infinity speakers, you are.

[Tim S Kemp]

Post by Mark
And I'm sure folks put a lot of emphasis on your opinions with an attitude
like that.
Don't worry little Timmy, you'll grow up someday and actually learn to
respect others' opinions - even when you disagree with them. And if you're
REAL lucky, you might just figure out that some of them are as valid as your
own!
Well, then again, maybe not.

heh - sorry if it sounded a bit sarcastic, but none of the Eon series can be
described as "flat response" or "transparent", that's not to say they don't
work (I have two original eon 15s) or they're crap, just that those are not
two words anyone who's heard them or better would use.

As for Infinity (another Harman company) they make home stereo speakers that
aren't a patch on the transparency and clarity of similar priced offerings
from the likes of Monitor Audio, Mission (not a favorite of mine), Tannoy
etc. Not heard many but those I have have been all bottom and top, bit like
the Eons....

[Tim S Kemp]

I'm all ears.

<snip>

To my two ears, they don't sound flat, smooth, transparent. Graphs etc. are
meaningless for these subjective descriptions. Try listening to music
through them instead of marvelling over the marketing department's graphs.
Vocals? unclear, hollow sounding. Top end? harsh, tiring. Bottom end? tubby
and slow. There's always a limit to what you can do with a low cost 15" two
way plastic box, many others (dB Techologies, EV etc) do it better than JBL.

[Mark]

Post by Tim S Kemp
To my two ears, they don't sound flat, smooth, transparent.

That's the whole point. If that's what you think - just say it. It happens
to be different than how I hear them, but so be it. If you just throw out a
blanket insult in an attempt to be funny or witty - do you think anyone will
take your opinions seriously? What reason have you given anyone to do so?

Post by Tim S Kemp
Graphs etc. are meaningless for these subjective descriptions. Try

listening to music

Post by Tim S Kemp
through them instead of marvelling over the marketing department's graphs.
Vocals? unclear, hollow sounding. Top end? harsh, tiring. Bottom end? tubby
and slow. There's always a limit to what you can do with a low cost 15" two
way plastic box, many others (dB Techologies, EV etc) do it better than JBL.

Again - I happen to disagree with virtually every subjective criticism you
make regarding the JBLs - but I'll be damned if I'm going to accuse you of
being deaf, or ignorant.

[Tim S Kemp]

Post by Mark
That's the whole point. If that's what you think - just say it. It happens
to be different than how I hear them, but so be it. If you just throw out a
blanket insult in an attempt to be funny or witty - do you think anyone will
take your opinions seriously? What reason have you given anyone to do so?

You must be american to have such a lack of sense of humour. The witticism
"you must be deaf" is meant tongue in cheek, although I'm sure others will
agree that JBL plastic boxes are not a particularly clever choice for any
reason other than the badge.

Post by Mark

Post by Tim S Kemp
Graphs etc. are meaningless for these subjective descriptions. Try

listening to music

Post by Tim S Kemp
through them instead of marvelling over the marketing department's graphs.
Vocals? unclear, hollow sounding. Top end? harsh, tiring. Bottom end?

tubby

Post by Tim S Kemp
and slow. There's always a limit to what you can do with a low cost 15"

two

Post by Tim S Kemp
way plastic box, many others (dB Techologies, EV etc) do it better than

JBL.
Again - I happen to disagree with virtually every subjective criticism you
make regarding the JBLs - but I'll be damned if I'm going to accuse you of
being deaf, or ignorant.

Don't think I said you were ignorant. Are you a musician? It's always
musicians that know best, normally guitarists.

[Reese Thomas]

Post by Tim S Kemp
You must be american to have such a lack of sense of humour. The witticism
"you must be deaf" is meant tongue in cheek, although I'm sure others will
agree that JBL plastic boxes are not a particularly clever choice for any
reason other than the badge.

OK Here it is, my predictable rant in response to Overt American Bashing. On
second thought , I am not going to waste anymore rants on some repressed,
boiled meat eating, rotten toothed, supercilious, pedantic, pederast, weak
jawed, inbred, dole dependent denizen of a former great nation.

Please keep in mind that failure to appreciate my obvious wit here is proof
of a lack of humour on the part of the target.

Ps I deeply regret any possibility of offending the many Brits who are warm ,
caring wonderful people from a country with both a rich tradition and a
vibrant culture of today. I'm of course referring to those who do not engage
in the ritualistic practice of insulting my homeland.

[Tim S Kemp]

Post by Reese Thomas
OK Here it is, my predictable rant in response to Overt American Bashing.

On

Post by Reese Thomas
second thought , I am not going to waste anymore rants on some repressed,
boiled meat eating, rotten toothed, supercilious, pedantic, pederast, weak
jawed, inbred, dole dependent denizen of a former great nation.

Awww. That makes for the fun! We can talk about lawyers, and cars, and
canada, and paranoia etc.

Post by Reese Thomas
Please keep in mind that failure to appreciate my obvious wit here is proof
of a lack of humour on the part of the target.

indeed it would be!

Post by Reese Thomas
Ps I deeply regret any possibility of offending the many Brits who are warm ,
caring wonderful people from a country with both a rich tradition and a
vibrant culture of today. I'm of course referring to those who do not engage
in the ritualistic practice of insulting my homeland.

heh - I've been to the US, I like the US, my comment is that the sense of
humour is very different between the US and the UK, case in point many
comedy films do not travel cross atlantic in either direction. I have
nothing against the US as a nation.

[Tim S Kemp]

BTW many of my countrymen have a wonderfully refined sense of humor

(humour

fer you Brits). For instance, pull my finger....................

now I find that funny....

[UkuleleRon]

Post by Tim S Kemp

BTW many of my countrymen have a wonderfully refined sense of humor

(humour

fer you Brits). For instance, pull my finger....................

now I find that funny....

that JBL EON sound...

Ron(UK)
Lune Valley Audio
Public address systems
Hire - Sales - Repairs
http://www.phenomena.free-online.co.uk/repairs.html

[liquidator]

Post by Reese Thomas
OK Here it is, my predictable rant in response to Overt American Bashing.

On

Post by Reese Thomas
second thought , I am not going to waste anymore rants on some repressed,
boiled meat eating, rotten toothed, supercilious, pedantic, pederast, weak
jawed, inbred, dole dependent denizen of a former great nation.

Either one heck of a vocabulary or you bought an electronic thesaurus.
Either way I'm impressed.

I'm a Kentucky boy who finds being called a "Yank" a bit grating. But on the
bright side that's a kinder word than many use.

[liquidator]

That's interesting - because every graph I've ever seen of the EON 1500s
shows a pretty flat response throughout its range with just a tad of

dropoff

at the extreme ends. Pretty typical of a pro audio speaker. In fact, I
must say what you are describing is pretty atypical of ANY speaker.

Where did you see the graph? JBL sales sheets?

Most speakers exhibit a falloff at the ends of their frequency response -
some more than others with the better speakers limiting it to 1-2 db or
less.

Here you've lost all credibility. Almost NO speakers hold the falloff to 1-2
db or less. Total bullshit.


I've never known one to dropoff in the middle as you indicate they

"have been all bottom and top".

This is very common for cheaper speakers to have drops in the middle of the
range. None of the regualrs here would back that comment. Just what the heck
do you think EQ's are for?



The more typical applications of EQ bear

this out as the common 'smiley face' is often employed to offset a typical
audio speaker's falloff at the extreme ends of the range.

Sigh. Ever look at a sensitivity curve of the ear?

The EONs are no

exception - I usually have to tweak a very slight amount (+ 1-2 db) of the
highest and lowest EQ band or two to compensate, a perfectly acceptable
amount.

.I sincerely doubt you can hear 1 db. Especially at higher volume levels.
Generally 3db is held as what most people notice.

All that said- the Eons are horrid. Had you used a lot more types of
equipment you would understand
Can some people get by with them? Certainly. But not professionals.

I'm all ears.

Wouldn't hurt for you to live up to that and listen more. Sorry but I am
backing Tim on this play.

[Tim S Kemp]

Post by Mark
Don't worry little Timmy, you'll grow up someday and actually learn to
respect others' opinions - even when you disagree with them.

Oh, and by the way, Marky, I've not heard the HK PR115 so can't comment. And
no. HK audio IIRC are not part of the Harman group. See www.hkaudio.com

[Phildo]

Post by Mark
And I'm sure folks put a lot of emphasis on your opinions with an attitude
like that.
Don't worry little Timmy, you'll grow up someday and actually learn to
respect others' opinions - even when you disagree with them. And if you're
REAL lucky, you might just figure out that some of them are as valid as your
own!

Sadly not in your case because you are talking total crap on a newsgroup
where people know a hell of a lot more than you. Would you go to a
convention of particle physicists and try to pass yourself off as one? You'd
be found out straight away, same as you have instantly shown your lack of
audio knowledge on here. You don't have a close relative named MJ Hanson do
you?

Phildo

[Mark]

Ooh - sorry. Left out the most important part. Though I COULD likely talk
with those particle physicists and actually contribute good info to the
conversation, I'd never try to pass myself off as one.

Likewise here - my impressions are strictly as a musician/user. I'm not an
audio engineer. I'm not a speaker designer. I'm a musician. I know what I
like. I am critical of all gear I use or consider using, and no - I don't
know a thing about HK Audio as I've never even seen a piece of their gear in
25+ years of playing out professionally. They may very well be the best
damn speakers on the face of this earth - but I've never seen one in the USA
yet. All I can say is for around $300 USD ea., the EON 1500s are a good,
rugged, convenient-to-carry/store/load/setup pkg that sounds pretty damn
good to my ears. Evidently they sound good to many others because they are
an EXTREMELY successful product for JBL.

[Tim S Kemp]

Post by Mark
25+ years of playing out professionally.

Y'know, I used to work with a middle aged "pro" clubbing guitarist, he was
partly deaf too. Years of too much stage noise does that to you, especially
frying your ears with harsh sounds night after night.

[Phildo]

Post by Mark
. All I can say is for around $300 USD ea., the EON 1500s are a good,
rugged, convenient-to-carry/store/load/setup pkg that sounds pretty damn
good to my ears.

The important words here are "to my ears". All I can summise from this is
that your hearing is fried.

Post by Mark
Evidently they sound good to many others because they are
an EXTREMELY successful product for JBL.

Windows is an extremely successful product for microsoft. It's a buggy piece
of crap but people still use it. Listen to your ears not the marketing
bullshit.

Phildo

[Phildo]

Post by Mark
If HK means Harman Kardon - then I don't know that there'd be much
difference if these two speakers are at a similar price point. JBL,
Infinity and Harman Kardon are all the same company that falls under the
"Harman" umbrella.

Nope, HK audio is a German company and they blow JBL EONs away.

Post by Mark
FWIW - I own a pair of the EON 1500s and they are an outstanding pkg.

Maybe one day when you use some pro gear you will realise just how dumb that
statement is.

Post by Mark
Lightweight and moderately priced - I use them both as floor monitors and
mains, depending on the gig setup. They totally blow away my bandmate's
older "Pro series" JBL 15" 2-way mains. I run a Yamaha EMX5000-12 into them
and they are very efficient,

LOL

Post by Mark
have a very flat frequency response,

ROFL

Post by Mark
and are
very transparent.

ROFLMBFAO

Post by Mark
If you like your sound clean and without 'coloring' your
sound - these are made for it.

Someone call an ambulance, my sides have split.

Post by Mark
I grew up on Infinity home audio speakers so
perhaps I'm a bit bias -

I think you have the words "bias" and "clueless" confused.

Post by Mark
but I find most JBLs to be this way (nicely
transparent & with a nice flat frequency response).

I think you are a bit lost. This is a pro audio newsgroup.

Phildo

[Reese Thomas]

"

FWIW - I own a pair of the EON 1500s and they are an outstanding pkg........
and are
very transparent.

I think you may be mistaken there. Maybe if they are standing in front of old
asphalt or the ocean on a semi-stormy day , the grey finish might give you
the impression of being able to see through them, but in all actuallity they
are completely opaque......

[Mark]

Post by Phildo
I think you are a bit lost. This is a pro audio newsgroup.
Phildo

Interesting.

In 25+ years of playing music professionally and seeing/hearing other
working groups, I've used and seen boatloads of JBL, EV, Carvin, Mackie,
Yamaha, TOA, etc. products....but have never once seen an HK Audio product
being used here in the states. Maybe they are so good only the best acts
can use them. But for the thousands of bands that work every night and
every weekend here in the states in local bars and clubs - well, I guess
those pro musicians don't know they aren't using 'pro audio' gear. I guess
one must be an elitist member of this newsgroup to be considered a 'pro'.

BTW - you guys making a lot of money here bantering about in the thirteen or
so messages blasting me since I last checked in here? Seems to me if you
all were that good, you'd hardly have the time for it. Sorry - but I've
been busy playing music and making money with my non-pro audio JBL EON 1500s
and my non-pro audio Yamaha EMX5000 board. I'm sure that's a piece of audio
shit too in your estimation......but funny, they seem to be selling so well
to working musicians that almost every major retailer of the them is having
a hard time keeping them in stock. Same with the JBL EONs. Funny how all
this non-pro audio gear is somehow finding its way into the hands of working
bands everyday. Go figure.

Sorry, ta ta for now - gotta go make some more money playing music.

[Tim S Kemp]

Post by Mark
In 25+ years of playing music professionally and seeing/hearing other
working groups, I've used and seen boatloads of JBL, EV, Carvin, Mackie,
Yamaha, TOA, etc. products....but have never once seen an HK Audio product
being used here in the states. Maybe they are so good only the best acts
can use them. But for the thousands of bands that work every night and
every weekend here in the states in local bars and clubs - well, I guess
those pro musicians don't know they aren't using 'pro audio' gear. I guess
one must be an elitist member of this newsgroup to be considered a 'pro'.

Odd really - you should be posting to a musicians group as you're not
interested in pro-live gear just playback stuff that flatters a pre-
produced sound, not provides live monitoring for live production. Also it
shows the difference between US and UK, US will buy a "made in US" product
first, and for mid level audio gear that's JBL, for high level it's Meyer.
For massmarket that's Bose. The UK will buy whatever fits the job best,
I've bought JBL for BGM applications, JBL subs, Bose 802s and 101s for
churches, but for live-sound we prefer the detailed and unforgiving sounds
of the european manufacturers, they don't flatter the mix but extract the
last inch of detail from it.

Post by Mark
BTW - you guys making a lot of money here bantering about in the thirteen or
so messages blasting me since I last checked in here? Seems to me if you
all were that good, you'd hardly have the time for it. Sorry - but I've
been busy playing music and making money with my non-pro audio JBL EON 1500s
and my non-pro audio Yamaha EMX5000 board. I'm sure that's a piece of audio
shit too in your estimation......but funny, they seem to be selling so well
to working musicians that almost every major retailer of the them is having
a hard time keeping them in stock. Same with the JBL EONs. Funny how all
this non-pro audio gear is somehow finding its way into the hands of working
bands everyday. Go figure.

Nothing wrong with a small board, and it's not a mackie so you'll survive.
My rig is modest, I hire when I do big stuff. Done plenty of playback-type
gigs with Eons and a Spirit Notepad, and I have said previously I have got
some eons. The Martins are the bulk of my earning stuff though - and when
you listen side by side with Eons or even the SRX series they have a much
more detailed sound. A recording engineer wants to know what he's laying
down is spot on, a live engineer wants to know his mix is perfect. The
audience may not know it's slightly off but the engineer needs to.

You sound like you're a one-man-band, playback plus guitar / Vox type
thing. Go listen to a HK Elias or Lucas and run your playback through it
and you'll find the extra life in your sound. Spend a few hours with them
though - you've got used to the Eon sound and need to open your mind.

[Mark]

Also it shows the difference between US and UK, US will buy a "made in US"

product

first............The UK will buy whatever fits the job

best................

for live-sound we prefer the detailed and unforgiving sounds
of the european manufacturers, they don't flatter the mix but extract the
last inch of detail from it.

LMAO

Hey! I think I'm starting to 'get' you Brits' sense of humour.

Thanks!

[Hubert Barth]

Post by Mark
In 25+ years of playing music professionally and seeing/hearing other
working groups, I've used and seen boatloads of JBL, EV, Carvin, Mackie,
Yamaha, TOA, etc. products....but have never once seen an HK Audio product
being used here in the states.

25 years ago they did not even exist. This is a rather small company
located in Germany. I don´t think many of their products ever made its
way over the pond. They seem to be fairly well known in Britain.

Post by Mark
Maybe they are so good only the best acts
can use them.

Over here they are rated mid range. d&b, Kling&Freytag and GAE for
example are held in higher regard generally,

Post by Mark
Funny how all
this non-pro audio gear is somehow finding its way into the hands of working
bands everyday. Go figure.

Its not funny at all, Musos are not professionel sound people most
times. So they buy MI gear not pro stuff, these are different markets.
Advertising a MI product in a pro forum as the best thing since sliced
bread is not a good idea.

regards

[Tim S Kemp]

Post by Hubert Barth
Over here they are rated mid range. d&b, Kling&Freytag and GAE for
example are held in higher regard generally,

oooh.... GAE. Nice stuff but needs a lot of boxes for decent volume.

[Phildo]

Post by Tim S Kemp

Post by Hubert Barth
Over here they are rated mid range. d&b, Kling&Freytag and GAE for
example are held in higher regard generally,

oooh.... GAE. Nice stuff but needs a lot of boxes for decent volume.

Yeah, does sound very nice. Only time I used it the rig was a but
underpowered for the venue but it did sound nice.

Phildo

[Phildo]

But, I didn't 'advertise' anything. I merely responded to an original

post

asking opinions regarding two inexpensive mid-to-small club speaker
enclosures. Since I have a pair of the one of the models asked about, I
thought it to be valid to respond. The rest of this crap was brought

about

by a few 'holier than thou' types who happened to disagree.

I would substitute "holier than thou" with "better informed".

Phildo

[Phildo]

Post by Mark
In 25+ years of playing music professionally and seeing/hearing other
working groups, I've used and seen boatloads of JBL, EV, Carvin, Mackie,
Yamaha, TOA, etc. products....but have never once seen an HK Audio product
being used here in the states.

That's because they are a German company who haven't sold anything in the US
until recently.

Post by Mark
Maybe they are so good only the best acts
can use them. But for the thousands of bands that work every night and
every weekend here in the states in local bars and clubs - well, I guess
those pro musicians don't know they aren't using 'pro audio' gear. I guess
one must be an elitist member of this newsgroup to be considered a 'pro'.

Being a pro is more than just making money. It's about the pride you take in
your sound.

Post by Mark
BTW - you guys making a lot of money here bantering about in the thirteen or
so messages blasting me since I last checked in here? Seems to me if you
all were that good, you'd hardly have the time for it. Sorry - but I've
been busy playing music and making money with my non-pro audio JBL EON 1500s
and my non-pro audio Yamaha EMX5000 board.

You may have been making money but you sure didn't sound good.

Post by Mark
I'm sure that's a piece of audio
shit too in your estimation......but funny, they seem to be selling so well
to working musicians that almost every major retailer of the them is having
a hard time keeping them in stock. Same with the JBL EONs. Funny how all
this non-pro audio gear is somehow finding its way into the hands of working
bands everyday. Go figure.

Yeah, it's amazing how gullible some people are. They fall for the marketing
and don't believe the evidence of their own ears.

Phildo