JBL: 308P MKII Powered 8" Two-way Studio Monitor

I had the opportunity to preview these at one of my jobs. I was debating between these and the yamaha HS8.Ultimately these won. Why?Their sound from top to bottom is beautifully clean!!!!While they do colorize the bass a little, its a clean colorization (no mud) and keeps the mids and highs true!$! (Thats flat/factory setting)With the colorization, you really dont need to add subs #tkoThe boundary eq functionality is a plus based on my studio's layout.They are good for any genre, though you may want to cut the bass for rock/classical.Ive always been a fan of jbl in the live sound realm. This is my first venture into the studio realm and i must say, im extremely pleased!

5+ stars for its Sound, specially for my small room/studio

Well, I give them 5 stars because they sound like that, best sound in their category and several ones above.And no, there is no background hiss or anything, they are extremely quiet.I am actually re-listening lots of music to learn a lot about what I couldn't discern before. Apart from the joy of discovering details unheard previously, some recordings are not faring well, their mistakes and limitations are now evident, now that the masking is gone.Therefore everything is superb, except not everything, there is a little, minor detail...The other day I was on a session with a trumpeter, with we make some music together. Since my part was playing a recorded track as musical base (and his, was jamming on top). Then while I was busy equalizing the base live ... MoreWell, I give them 5 stars because they sound like that, best sound in their category and several ones above.And no, there is no background hiss or anything, they are extremely quiet.I am actually re-listening lots of music to learn a lot about what I couldn't discern before. Apart from the joy of discovering details unheard previously, some recordings are not faring well, their mistakes and limitations are now evident, now that the masking is gone.Therefore everything is superb, except not everything, there is a little, minor detail...The other day I was on a session with a trumpeter, with we make some music together. Since my part was playing a recorded track as musical base (and his, was jamming on top). Then while I was busy equalizing the base live real-time, suddenly on a particularly crowded Mid freqs section of the track I heard a strange noise. I do know the rack quite well so i looked for resonances around, and there closely on the speakers it was a middle freq coveted rattling.I understand it is so specifically caused that it even couldn't be replicated with just a frequency sweep. However specific harmonic content at a very high volume does trigger it. I found it because that is the unusual type of middle freq. content and variation I like to move, which is very rare in common musical genres. Furthermore it came out on a live session with a maxed out volume, something the monitors are not designed forSo after reading on reviews there is a good chance that the new shinny black plastic cover needs some silicone/other material for padding.And since it is a very rare and uncalled event, I will wait for someone trying it first and posting it on line.No, I won't be returning my JBL LSR 305P MKII monitors, not for a minute!

All You Need

This is a great kit for hooking up your laptop to pristine studio monitors. It's all there and at a fair price. But most importantly, these JBL's sound terrific. They produce accurately and without strain. You can certainly spend more on 8" monitors and to some ears and on paper others may seem better, but to me, these JBL's look good enough on paper and sound fabulous in my studio. I would heartily recommend them.

Awesome bundle at an awesome price!

First and foremost, the price cannot be beat! I opted for this bundle over the 306P bundle for more headroom in sound. Second, despite the crazy winter freeze we had, my order arrived at a decent time frame in CA.Now on to the items.THE SPEAKERS: 5 Stars. Very robust and well built. I might've bought more that what I needed (maybe I should've gone with the 306P bundle). But nonetheless these speakers are well built, has some decent weight to it, and the option of either a 1/4" or XLR input is a plus. Volume adjust knob is your basic 0-10 scale. I have these set to 6 with my DDJ-SX3 main volume and EQs at 12 o'clock...it is plenty loud at that level. You will need plenty of room if you are planning on using these as "book case" speakers.THE STANDS: 4 Stars. I think ... MoreFirst and foremost, the price cannot be beat! I opted for this bundle over the 306P bundle for more headroom in sound. Second, despite the crazy winter freeze we had, my order arrived at a decent time frame in CA.Now on to the items.THE SPEAKERS: 5 Stars. Very robust and well built. I might've bought more that what I needed (maybe I should've gone with the 306P bundle). But nonetheless these speakers are well built, has some decent weight to it, and the option of either a 1/4" or XLR input is a plus. Volume adjust knob is your basic 0-10 scale. I have these set to 6 with my DDJ-SX3 main volume and EQs at 12 o'clock...it is plenty loud at that level. You will need plenty of room if you are planning on using these as "book case" speakers.THE STANDS: 4 Stars. I think the platforms are a bit small for the speakers imo, but they still hold and support the speakers just fine. Although a bit teeter-tottery, they work well (they are sitting on carpet). Centering the speaker on it allows for a decent stand. The base weight will do well for speakers of this size and smaller. Adjustments are easy. Having a safety pin is a plus as well. However, be careful that you do not over tighten the knobs, or you can potentially strip the threads.THE MOPADS: 3 Stars. I am using them now. But honestly, I do not think they do too much at the volume I have them at. I can see them working better if the volumes are higher. But for now it is a meh for the pads for me. So i am satisfied with them. What they do add, is a larger platform for the speakers to sit on.THE TRS CABLES: 5 Stars. What DJ will not appreciate an extra pair of audio cables? These cables come in handy for when I actually need to use the 308Ps as monitors once I start gigging again. My DDJ-SX3 has dedicated outs for monitors and these TRS cables are an appreciated addition.A great bundle at a great price! Pick it up when they are in stock. They sell out fast so do not ponder on whether you should get them or not. GET THEM!!!

First pair of studio monitors

Going from standard, good quality PC speakers to these isn't really a fair comparison. I bought some nice stands and set them up just like the instructions say to and the sound is really mesmerizing. I'l sit for hours and just play acoustic pieces with some nice delay/reverb/chorus with a good IR and sitting at the perfect reference point just puts me into a trance almost. These monitors are definitely hefty and you have to use solid stands, but they are definitely worth the money I paid, which wasn't very much since they were on sale for almost half off. The clarity is just amazing for my first pair of monitors, and I'm guessing there are better ones but I actually just now started recording at home again after about 25 years lol. I didn't want to spend too much ... MoreGoing from standard, good quality PC speakers to these isn't really a fair comparison. I bought some nice stands and set them up just like the instructions say to and the sound is really mesmerizing. I'l sit for hours and just play acoustic pieces with some nice delay/reverb/chorus with a good IR and sitting at the perfect reference point just puts me into a trance almost. These monitors are definitely hefty and you have to use solid stands, but they are definitely worth the money I paid, which wasn't very much since they were on sale for almost half off. The clarity is just amazing for my first pair of monitors, and I'm guessing there are better ones but I actually just now started recording at home again after about 25 years lol. I didn't want to spend too much right out of the gate either and my recording is going very well. I'm really happy with these monitors!

Great Home Studio Monitors

Read a bad review stating that they're not loud enough. That to me is a joke, they crank! They're not powered PA Speakers, they're monitor speakers for mixing. Anyone having trouble with getting volume out of them is probably hooking directly up to them with something that doesn't have a preamp. I run them off the control room output on my mixer which is a pre-amp and they have no problem putting out sound. I've had them for two years and they've held up well, but I'm not running them at clip either and if the lows seem a little much from my synths during a jam and I want more volume, I switch to my PA. For the money, in this price range, they're a great value and I have no regrets buying them. They do what I intended them to do, which is monitor mixes when ... MoreRead a bad review stating that they're not loud enough. That to me is a joke, they crank! They're not powered PA Speakers, they're monitor speakers for mixing. Anyone having trouble with getting volume out of them is probably hooking directly up to them with something that doesn't have a preamp. I run them off the control room output on my mixer which is a pre-amp and they have no problem putting out sound. I've had them for two years and they've held up well, but I'm not running them at clip either and if the lows seem a little much from my synths during a jam and I want more volume, I switch to my PA. For the money, in this price range, they're a great value and I have no regrets buying them. They do what I intended them to do, which is monitor mixes when recording and minimize the amount of time I have to spend wearing headphones at all.

Great sound, great price

Currently these monitors are on my desk, horizontally configured, with signal coming from a SMSL M200. Sound is what I was expecting after reading numerous reviews on monitors. The bass at 0dB (not dampened with the switch on the back) is quite robust, all sounds are punchy/clear, and imaging is great.These were bigger than I expected, because I initially was going to buy the 305p's and didn't read the dimension specs. When they arived, the boxes for each speaker was about the size of an AC window unit box. I probably could get better sound if my desk was larger and I was further away from them. My desk is 48 wide by 24 deep and if it was any smaller I wouldn't be able to fit them. Standalone speaker stands or a couple of tall nightstands could help someone get ... MoreCurrently these monitors are on my desk, horizontally configured, with signal coming from a SMSL M200. Sound is what I was expecting after reading numerous reviews on monitors. The bass at 0dB (not dampened with the switch on the back) is quite robust, all sounds are punchy/clear, and imaging is great.These were bigger than I expected, because I initially was going to buy the 305p's and didn't read the dimension specs. When they arived, the boxes for each speaker was about the size of an AC window unit box. I probably could get better sound if my desk was larger and I was further away from them. My desk is 48 wide by 24 deep and if it was any smaller I wouldn't be able to fit them. Standalone speaker stands or a couple of tall nightstands could help someone get around that.I use Ableton and produce House music, listen to some funk and rap, everything sounds how I would want it to.There is little audio bleed to its sides or rear, which is great since I have a few roomates and little sound isolation in my room. I have not tried to really push them. I mostly keep the volume nobs on the speakers at 50%, and the DAC at -20dB. It's plenty loud for me at this point and I don't hear any artifacts. Another option I should consider is dropping the bass response to -3dB and then turn the DAC up to -15dB for more focus and clarity in the mids/highs for Classical, Folk, or other genres while minimizing noise pollution.

JBL 308P are good for their price.

I have had a recording studio for many years. I had Tannoy 6D speakers and Yamaha NS10s On my bridge. With age I have sold most of the analog audio gear. My Tannoys finally died after 15 years of good use. I bought these because the rest of my house has JBL speakers. These are good speakers. Not as much bass as I would have liked. I interfaced a graphic equalizer and used the Tannoy Sub and it is very good now. Now I am using the JBL 308P speakers on each side of my LG 55 OLED monitor in my MacPro. DaVinci Resolve 17 Studio. The speakers are well-defined but, not as good as the Tannoy reference monitors. For the price, a steal. PS: I am not being paid by the JBL company for this review.

good monitor speakers for the size and specifications

i use the speakers for monitoring audio on my computer. if i wish to listen for pleasure i choose another speaker option. paired with a creative AE9 sound card i had to use a rca to xlr inter connect to connect the speakers to my computer. this led to an unbalanced signal and a small amount of noise from playback. this noise can be heard at the beginning and end of music if the volume setting is set below half way and is an acceptable issue (for me) when monitoring audio. The speakers provide a reasonably accurate reproduction of what the sound is as it is coming from the source.

great price

The price was good on sale as much as the 305's. I like that the volume knob has the bumpy stages that way a pair can be accurately synchronized to the same volume. The highs and lows frequency adjustment switches are also a life saver since my room is not sound treated. They sound great honestly, they really shine when playing music but as a multimedia speaker for live tv they arent as good. I used them for my tv and everything sounds better but in movies dialogue is always much louder than any of the mids in the background. There are a few issues but not gamebreaking. 1. there is a hiss or fuzz thats audible when you get up close to them, this doesnt bother me b/c i sit far away (5-7ft). 2. There is no mesh screen for protection and that means you have to make ... MoreThe price was good on sale as much as the 305's. I like that the volume knob has the bumpy stages that way a pair can be accurately synchronized to the same volume. The highs and lows frequency adjustment switches are also a life saver since my room is not sound treated. They sound great honestly, they really shine when playing music but as a multimedia speaker for live tv they arent as good. I used them for my tv and everything sounds better but in movies dialogue is always much louder than any of the mids in the background. There are a few issues but not gamebreaking. 1. there is a hiss or fuzz thats audible when you get up close to them, this doesnt bother me b/c i sit far away (5-7ft). 2. There is no mesh screen for protection and that means you have to make your own. 3. The rear port looks really underdeveloped, what i mean is that the port is basically just a hole. When i shined a flashlight i could see everything on the inside. The tweeter is super exposed so if you have kids make sure they never get back there. Also the tweeter is not isolated from the bass in there so there could be distortions caused by strong bass. The tweeter also looks really simple from back there like it didnt cost much to make and install. Anyway im still very satisfied and love the jbl quality of being confident in turning up the volume without fearing of cracks n popples. I would recommend for their next iteration to add a second tweeter or a mid range tweeter. Make it a 3-way speaker to blow up all the mids to be as strong as the highs.