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JMax Audio Bookshelf Speakers QHR165W 80W 2-Way Speakers $99 (RRP $399) Free Delivery within Aus

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Hey guys, my first share

I have been looking for bookshelf speakers to buy for awhile, but any good quality ones cost around $4-500 (studio monitor territory) but i found these for $99 from JMax Audio (RRP $399)

J Max Audio is a south australian company who specialises in making speakers for higher end market (not your general consumers) so the quality of these speakers should be much better than the stuff you buy for $75 at JB-HiFi.

Personally have never heard them before but for $99, this is a steal for bookshelf speakers. Going to try them out =)

They also look great with the white cone, a bit like the yamaha HS50Ms

Not sure when the deal ends, but if you do end up getting it, please write some blog or review!

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  • so these or the Yamaha 5.1 system for $188 from Bing Lee to go with my $166 VSX521?

    Do these produce enough bass without the Active Sub? I don't mind a 2.0 setup as long as there's some bass in it.

    • I've got my eyes on the Yamaha from Bing Lee for the VSX I just got…
      I like the cleanliness of the two bookshelves, but think you would probably lose too much bass, especially as I'm going from a Logitech Z623 setup. Plus the yamahas look really nice aesthetically if you haven't seen them yet.

      • Mate, you will not be dissapointed with the Z623's.

        I got a pair as a warranty replacement for my set of Logitech Z-2300's, plugged them in last night and they blew my mind for speakers that cheap. Definitely recommended.

        • can you hook up Z623's to an amp? don't most receives only have the "banana" style plugs?

        • Lol @ logitech z623 setup..theres a good reason audiophiles dont buy logitech speakers.

          No you cant hook up 623s to an amp, quite sure they use 3.5mm. If not then if your amp has preamp outs for 2RCA then yes maybe you can use them…

          Youre better off buyign the cheap 5.1 yamaha than getting logitech speakers. Each of these speakers run at 80W (compared to im guessing something like 40x2 + 120w for the sub) not to mention these are 2 way speakers which means the range of reproduction is much bigger than any logitech full range driver will give.

          Anytime i cant find the freq response range alarm bells ring, because then you dont know what youre buying.

          Again bear in mind youre buying a set of speakers worth 399 = breakdown = 190 per speaker. Logitech = 299 /3 so youre probably paying for 70x2+ 160.

          im a bookshelf convert

        • No, unless you use the headphone output.
          I just bought the VSX521 on a whim, and was going to connect them to the Z623 this way.
          But now I think I'll just grab a set of 285 Yamaha 5.1 and go down that path, seems to make more sense to me.
          Can't really see the benefit in going two bookshelves over Z623, if I'm going to change, might as well go surround.

        • makes sense what youre doing, but if you get 285 yamaha 5.1 remember youre still buying 4x 3inch full range drivers, with a 2x 3inch centre and 7 inch sub. Youre never going to get the clarity or full reproduction range of a 2-way speaker.

          You could get the 4.0 set he sells, with a good centre and subwoofer added on later? It would cost more sure, but itd put the budget 5.1 to shame. Suppose you could even use the z628 sub

        • I only have the Z623's for my PC, where a 5.1/Bookshelf & amp setup is just overkill and more cables and clutter everwhere.

          I have a bigger 5.1 Yamaha setup for the telly, but the logitechs are more than adequate for gaming and ocassional tv show on the PC.

        • Yup. If you just game and watch movies i suppose its better to go with a 5.1 even if it is using 3" drivers. But if you are listening to music i guess 2.0 is the way to go.

      • I'm just worried these are some crappy white van scam speakers…

        • He's been in business for awhile, and in south Australia who gave birth to krix. Also saw one of these jmax audio speakers on gumtree. So I guess it shouldn't be a scam. It's eBay after all, it will be easy to resolve

  • I think it's better to get a good 2.0 and using them as surrounds later instead of upgrading the entire system later with a cheap 5.1. That being said I'm bordering audiophile and when I saw these for 99 it's a steal. For 399 they should sound like the krix brix speakers im using now. Jmax is also doing 5x bookshelves for 199 (check his listing). After that get a subwoofer and you'll have a system that will last you much longer than the budget 5.1s

    Remember these are 2 way speakers, you'll get a lot more fidelity out of them

    • OK so they're reputable and not some dodgy Chinese knock offs yeah?

      • +1

        Read the eBay feedback, and search forum reviews. They get a good rap for a price.

        • Tried searching for reviews…maybe my google-fu sucks but can't seem to find much info on JMAX…

        • likewise =) but many people feedbacking on ebay are all good, he hasnt had negative feedback regarding the quality of the speakers yet. Which is why we should do him a favor and 'review' them

        • With ebay, I find alot of time you won't get feedback on quality. Usually feedback is ticked once the product arrives and is opened, not after a few weeks of use.

      • quite sure they arent. i read somewhere saying that in some audio stores in adelaide are selling his goods as well. For 99 i think its worth a try, and also its through ebay and paypal so if there is an issue it will be fairly easy to resolve. im sure he doesnt want to hit neg feedback

  • May be a stupid question, but is it $99 for a pair of them? or $99 each?

    • 99 pair pretty sure. Bookshelves sell as a pair, studio monitors sell as single speakers

  • -1

    Only been in business since 02 August under this current name according to the ABN register.
    Seems the same guy used to run an electronics repair business (TELE PLUS SIGHT & SOUND) a few years earlier.
    The registered business address is a regular house in Flagstaff Hill.
    With not much more info to go on with, I'd be wary that these are just rebadged White Van speakers. Especially given he's advertising on Gumtree!

    • hes not advertising on gumtree, people are selling their second hand JMax audio speakers on gumtree. These are in the same sort of competitive field as Krix equinox speakers, Wharfdale vardus, Polk Audio, etc

      Once again check his ebay feedback. 600+ sales and one negative feedback that was resolved

  • +1

    Surprised this hasn't been asked yet…Rep? 1st deal, putting in a lot of effort the quash negative comments…

    • haha not really, of course people going to be cynical, again i just ordered some today. Cant really say much on how good they are until i get them.

      But i went from a 5.1 digital setup using 3" drivers to 2-way bookshelves and im never going back..

  • import an Energy Take Classic 5.1… good value for your money

  • are these better than audioengine a2/harman kardon soundsticks 3?

    • Not too sure because i havent heard the A2s or HK soundsticks, but for $99 i think its worth a try. If the drivers arent great you can change the drivers and internals into HiVi drivers (makers of Swan speakers)

    • One thing i forgot to mention, these arent Active Speakers, so you need an av receiver/amplifier to run them. On that basis it will be able to achieve volume levels much higher than either of these. (Greater than 85 dB easily)

  • Could you let us know how the speakers are when you've received them? Interested in getting them, but want to hear from another user's experience. Cheers.

    • Definitely will! Ill be recording with a sample of 3 songs with my current speakers and then trying them with these so you can sort of get a comparison. Ill also stick one up of my Creative GD580s (Logitechs would sound better) but itll give people a good idea of what the differences are between 2way and 3" Full range drivers. Tried recording with my iphone 4 but the quality was worse than i thought. Will post a youtube link

  • +1

    I contacted this seller on friday. He designs the speakers here and gets them manufactured in china, then again what isnt manufactured over there? he is selling them cheap to promote his product and claims that previous customers have been so impressed with them that they have offered to promote it.

    The maker has been around for years and has been trading as jmax for longer than august. looking at his abn profile it has been for over a year, possibly longer. I get the impression he owns a dj party audio place on main south roas near christies beach.

    Anyway I just ordered a pair which was dispacthed tonight. since I live in adelaide I should recieve them tomorrow or tuesday and will post my impression of them.

    I am also NOT a rep, but will say that for $100 they are a steal. If you are unhappy with the sound you can always upgrade the drivers. You will not even be able to make and finish a speaker box let alone purchase the binding posts and crossover pcbs for this price!

  • -1

    Hmmm Jmax I was looking into these before I studied day and night about speakers and ended up buying 4 JBL PRX612M's

    I got in contact with Jmax via ebay and the phone and was thrown off when he said there better than Krix and the JBL Pro Crown series I advised I might be considering. He stop me in my track on the phone and said "Dont get Krix or JBL my speakers are better!!" little does he know I travel the world in an orchestra im not a little kid that mixes techno and listens to top 40!

    His confidence didn't sell! I google imaged these, and there no even MDF they are about 5mm particleboard with corner joins! pretty much not what you want in a speaker and further more don't even look like there airtight! with a big!! made in china at the back!

    I'm sure you can go to bunnings buy the 19mm MDF then head to partsexpress spend $100 on crossove
    rs and speakers, put them together and they will sound 100X's better!

    Hmmm better than Krix? or my JBL Pro's @ 133bd I don't think so!

    • What a pointless post - the JBL PRX612M is a speaker with a built-in amp, and costs around $1500 for a pair. It's not even remotely in the same market as the JMax units.

      • +2

        That and clearly this guy has no idea. I looked at DIY audio before and thought of buying HiVi components in a speaker box. Youre not going to be able to buy HiVi components, crossovers and stuff for under $100 on parts express. Shipping alone will cost you $100.

        At $99 this is a steal, and as the guy said above if youre not happy with the sound, use the cabinet and replace the componentry inside. The amount of effort and knowledgability you need to create a adequate crossover + paint and workmanship and hours you need to even just make cabinets, might as well just spend $99 and save yourself the time.

        Not a rep either, just thought id give these a shot

    • +2

      wtf PRX612M are PA/Foldbacks. Not even in the same category? and they cost 10x as much? who would make such a ridiculous comparison between bookshelves and foldbacks?

      If he said that also, i would believe him on the basis as you would use both speakers for different things. Ive never heard of anyone using PA/Foldbacks to enjoy listening to music. Foldbacks have good response in the range of your musical instrument/vocal range.

      PA/Foldbacks are just about sound + Volume, Accuracy to only your specific foldback range. If you go around the world in an orchestra maybe you havent been educated enough about studio recording. Thats just like saying your PRX612M are better than Mackie MR5s and Yamaha HS80Ms. Youre just making silly comparisons now.

  • Whats the difference between a flat and corner join? Wouldnt a corner join be better as it would have a more even support of the sound pressure forces? I own a 1k pair of speakers which use corner joints and 0.75mm thick mdf. what the hell is 2cm thick mdf gonna have on sound quality at power levels < 100W?

    I agree that mdf > particleboard due to strength and sonic properties but honestly you wouldnt even plan on pumping more than 50W per speaker.

    And in regards to purchasing items of parts- express $100 would probably cover postage costs alone thise sites slug you hard when it comes to postage to make up for the "discount" prices

    1 more thing. The only reason why the speakers may not be sealed are due to the bass reflex ports above the binding posts which are a perfectly valid design which are necessary to flatten and extend the bass redponse in fact most subwoofers use this kind of design.

    -end rant-

  • Hey guys, Just received the speakers today.
    The box sported some courier damage, but JMax packaged it well with adequate foamage and speakers came out unscathed.

    After a quick test run i did find a little bit of distortion in the first song i played, but thats probably due to it hasnt been 'burned in' yet.

    ^Edit: Turns out its probably the sampling of that song. Something that my creative GD580 or the Krix Brix Mk2 didnt pick up on. Impressed with the revelation

    will keep playing it the whole day.

    Bass response stronger than Krix Brix MK2 (what would you expect out of bigger woofers and a bigger box?)

    details at mids - highs still decent

    For $99 = steal. Ill be posting a video/recording soon so u can get some idea of how they compare against the Krix Brix Mk2.

    Krix brix MK2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qeB2x6QjOE
    the JMAX soon to come

    Been playing music for about 10-15 minutes and the little distortion at some highs already disappeared. will keep tuning in

  • Oh and if you havent already figured judging by my response, these arent white van speakers.

    Judging by my comparison with Krix Brix MK2s, these would be very comparable. The MK2s capable of only outputting around 60W max these are able to go up to 80, the Krix brix response range is higher (due to smaller drivers) as a consequence bass is a lot more profound in these.

    I am not an expert and an expert may say that Krix are better (which may be true). But the value you get if you compare the price is like a no brainer.

    $99 vs $489? after listening to both id be happy to buy these if they were $399.

    One thing you have to factor in is that Krix are manufactured and made in australia = higher labour costs so the difference in price vs sound quality is already explainable.

    Not sure about the MDF vs Particleboard comparison because im still learning about acoustics in speakers (hey at least im honest right?) but i trust my ears and theyre telling me theres not that much difference between the two.

    At least not $400 worth of difference.

  • Chances are theyre mdf. the pa speakers he sells are mdf as well. mine got delivered today so will test them out tonight and post my impression of them too

  • Just tested them. They are awesome. I cannot believe they only cost me $100! Cant wait until my home project is complete now!

    It may be worth checking the crossovers though I have a strange suspicion the caps are electrolytic. Upgrade to metalised film caps and youre set.

    • You could use i think it is rubicon or nichicon audio range ones (cant remember what theyre called but theyre made specifically for audio and theyre green)but yeah im pretty happy for 99.

  • Yeh either caps should be fine. Just unscrewed the binding post plate. The box is mdf. There is a bypass capacitor at the terminals might swap with an elna silmic ii have a few of them lying around

    • can you take some pictures and perhaps post them on like a blog or something? or send it to my youtube message and ill include them in (or something).

      Also if you end up changing the capacitors, write something about what the difference is and then send it to me, im interested to know as well

  • Hey buddy I'm just trying to help out. Im not affiliated with anybody and am posting honest comments.

    If you look at nairdajuns profile he has posted in other threads and lives in a different state than me

    Im just a long time lurcher first time poster

    • Maybe…. it was more when reading the posts
      they really do seem like they are written by the same person… regardless of what a profile says. Even the negative comment seems staged by N3pruNe….. First post and as commented by nom seems pointless but has being used to keep the discussion going and it point out things like mdf used, corner joins etc.

      The speakers could be a good product for their price point, I just made a comment on a opinion I developed reading the posts in this thread.

      • well i dont think its going to help convince you, but im just trying to share a good deal. i wil admit that neptune guy is a bit strange, when i sent jmax an email sussing out his goods he was pretty polite and said he never claims to be the 'best' but only offers speakers that have very good value for money and quality (which now i have a set i can say is true). i dont know what this n3ptune guy said to him that he got such a response but at least i know if i wanted to buy speakers i wouldnt ask n3ptune =\

  • +1

    Hey guys,

    Did an unboxing of the product so you know its not a scam. Have a look, i also did a comparison sample using the same as the krix brix and then the Jmax. The link for the unboxing is here, and there are other links you can use to compare with the krix in there.

    I found in this 'test' that they sounded pretty similar, so $99 vs $480~ is like a no brainer.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9HJkMe6tco&feature=plcp

    • thanks dude - bought one!

  • Finally connect the speakers to my amp and give a try… It is really mind blowing… I keep having to remind myself these are sub $100 speakers. They can easily compete in the $1000 category. I'm so glad to have a pair to listen to. Currently staying connected to the FATMAN amp… Good Bye Cambridge Audio… Do a quick check eBay the price have gone up, I guess to cover the fright costs… If you are still thinking about it… just do it. You won't be disappointed. Thanks Nairdajun!

  • Thought I'd report in too and say that this is a great buy! Speakers sound really good for that price. I bought a pair initially, and after listening to them I decided to order another. I'm not an Audiophile but I'm a muso and my ears can tell when something sounds natural and balanced, and not too coloured or reproduced.d

    I too owned a set of basic Pioneer satelites that came with the VSX-S300 and once I hooked up these bookshelves I will not go back to satelites ever! Great upgrade for those who have budget speakers and want a bump up without spending too much.

    When I wanted to buy the 2nd pair the price was already up to $122. I contacted the seller and he offered it to me for $99, no questions asked. You can always tell him your mates rave about his speakers and ask if he could do a special of $99 for you.

    No regrets at all for me. I'm sure it will be the same for you.

  • +2

    Ordered these speakers from eBay for my son's bedroom yesterday and received them this morning!! I had to go to a friends place to get speaker wire … same friend who recommended JMax purely on ‘bang for buck’ grounds. (He had previously heard a pair of 5” JMax’s speakers (127’s ?). Anyway … took the speakers with me and we hooked them up to a 40W high-end amplifier he builds and sells. Before I provide the review I will say I have no connection with the person who make’s this product, sell any products or have any commercial association with any consumer goods industries. However, I do have an interest in quality sound and co-made speakers as a hobby ‘in a previous life’. Here’s my review with initial impressions of sound:

    Build
    What you would expect for $122. Box is made from average quality 10 or 12mm MDF and vinyl finish is passable but not exceptional. Box structure uses scrappy internal bracing and no damping is included. QC is typically Chinese with terminal holes not lined up properly. One hex head screw (why hex heads?!!) on the woofer had been over tightened to the point where the woofer frame is pressed in slightly. Also … one of the crossover’s had lifted from the hot glue used to fix it inside the box. – no biggie. From the back one can see that the plastic port has some ‘open bracing’ on the internal end. If it is not there to provide some form of damping it is a handy foil for little ones who like posting stuff into your speaker boxes. The rear terminals take banana plugs but they are the type with the plastic screw down lugs.

    Drivers
    6.5” woofer is a paper cone which is a good start. White in colour, the driver also appears to have a clear light damping and the surround is rubber with a black pressed steel frame. I must add that the driver is very stiff out of the box so some running in is required. The tweeter is a cheap polyprop. Audax copy - obviously with a black plastic face plate.

    Crossover
    A single and cheap looking 3.3µF electrolytic capacitor hot glued to the inside back of terminal.

    Appearance
    The satin black wood grain finish is pleasant and not over stated. Both drivers, although you know they are made to a price, look like quality components. In fact, if it wasn’t for those butt-ugly hex head screws I would recommend leaving the covers off for good.

    Sound
    Almost flat frequency response - apart from some minor yet obvious nasalness / shoutiness. A near-field listen indicates the woofer is producing an audible peak here. The thinness of material used on the speaker enclosures should not affect the mid to lower end presentation of the 6.5” driver and this assessment still stands.
    The tweeter presents a generally pleasant enough top-end although it does tend toward spittiness.
    Overall the sound is open and has a reasonable bass extension considering the ‘just out of the box’ assessment. For a speaker at this price I would rate the sound as being good to very good and it should improve with some further driving.

    Efficiency
    Below average efficiency which is typical for a cheaper speaker (and many expensive ones I may add) - so the Pioneer SA6300 (20W) I was going to use to drive these puppies may not cut the mustard. The 40W amp we used was at mid-way volume which provided a listening level lower than I would normally listen at.

    Conclusion
    These speakers are obviously built to a price and some of the QC shows this. They will look fine on your bookshelf – just don’t look too closely (or inside!). However, the basics are here and they represent excellent value for money - but don’t expect a 4/500 dollar sound unless you are prepared to do some tweaking – and even then there will be obvious trade-offs. Of course, these are initial impressions and I suspect certain aspects of the sound will improve over time. For most people these speakers will seem absolutely fantastic without ‘mods’ because, let me be honest, these is so much audio crap marketed to consumers these days that anything halfway decent will seem like gold. At $122 I challenge anyone to find speakers of this sound quality with this size woofer. (my friend reckoned the JMax 5” version sounded better)
    These speakers are definitely recommended by me.

    I will shortly post some ‘intuitive’ suggestions as to how you could spend just a little bit more to make some considerable improvements to these speakers.

    • Awesome review Gh0stman. Can't wait for the info on improvements. please PM me if you can.. Thanks!

  • +2

    Thank you justfrog. My friend, who has had over 30 years experience building/fixing audio equipment, amps and speakers suggested modifications I would have made myself but would have guessed component values. His greater experience means he gets these values pretty well right the first time he improves the sound of a loudspeaker. My experience has been mainly in the designing and building of speaker enclosures. I personally have not yet done any of the modifications, listed below, with the QHR165Ws but if you want to experiment yourself you could try these mods in the following order):

    1. Solder a shunt resistor directly across the tweeter terminals - or attach it between the driver leads inside the rear terminal. That should stop the spitty treble. Try a 27ohm 1W for a start. Obviously you will need to increase resistance value if 27ohms is insufficient. This is probably the best modification you can make to the QHR165Ws as it is cheap and I believe will have the most effect on the sound. I have personally cured and heard some excellent results from some previously nasty sounding tweeters, including horns, that used this mod.

    2. I suspect as that 6.5" driver frees up these speakers are going to be a touch boomy because there is nothing but empty space in those enclosures. Grab a bag of synthetic pillow filler (sorry .. I can't remember the proper name for it) from Lincraft or Spotlight and fill the bottom two thirds of the enclosures - being careful not to block the port. This will take a bit of experimenting because the way you want those bass frequencies to sound is obviously subjective. Start off with minimum density and build it up. Once again, this mod is recommended only after a sufficient run in period.

    3. If you like how the mid-range of the QHR165Ws sound I recommend you leave the woofer crossover as is (i.e. no crossover). As I said, that woofer is slightly peaky with my son's speaker pair, but this may disappear after a decent run in period. Otherwise you can solder a 0.47mH crossover inductor (about $6 each from Altronics) in series with the woofer. There may be enough room to 'silicon adhesive' the inductor to the back of the terminal, next to the existing capacitor, if you fold the terminal tab out of the way. The trade-off with this mod is a drop in speaker efficiency, not good for speakers that are already below average efficiency, and a tweeter that may consequently sound brighter or even phasey (fixable by swapping leads on the tweeter terminal). So… only do this if you already have more than enough amp power to drive these puppies and a forward mid-range is really bugging you.

    4. The last mod has already been mentioned and involves swapping out the electrolytic cap for a polypropylene type. I don't know a lot about the qualities of different brands but you shouldn't go wrong with Elna or Vishay Be aware that some tweeters actually sound better with electrolytic caps so don't be surprised if the sound degrades with this mod. Experiment - It's all good!

    Not necessary but will improve the look and feel of the speakers:
    Replace the hex head screws with black Philips head screws
    Replace the rear terminal with one that has all metal connectors

    That's about it. I don't need to say your warranty will be voided with any modification (and of course I take no responsibility).. plus I can't guarantee all of the mods because I personally haven't done them on these speakers - so proceed with caution and have fun :)

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