JBL 308P MKII Studio Monitor Review

[Jinjuku]

Don't know how I missed that one. Plain as day.

 

[m8o]

Don't know how I missed that one. Plain as day.

Welcome to my world. Overlooking something right under my nose is my jam.

 

[Sal1950]

FYI, I got an email yesterday from the good people at Sweetwater, they have the JBL 305P MkII speakers
on sale for $119.00 each, shipped FREE. Sale good thru 3/31/2021.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...t&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210202-t1t2

 

[bluehalk]

Nice review Amir.

Looking for suggestion as I have been thinking about buying these 308p speakers for home use as a stereo setup in my office. I mainly do Airplay from various streaming platforms and like the simplicity. I like JBL as a brand and I think they have some of the very good speakers.

I have shortlisted couple of speakers and just cannot make up my mind. Ideally, I want the passive speakers but what I have shortlisted both comes in active version.
1. JBL LSR 308p MKii
or
2. JBL IRX 108bt

They both are from pro line of JBL, both with 8inch woofer and costs the same (At least here in Australia). 308p is well reviewed with great FR but limited power and lower SPL and with few issues like the tweeter hiss and such. The IRX 108p is lot louder (I don't plan to listen loud, but having higher sensitivity speakers are like having grunty power amp with enough headroom, they can be lot more dynamic) and is also well reviewed (Well at least what I can find from pro audio side), not sure of FR response and no idea about off-axis response. The plus for IRX 108p is that it is lot more powerful and does have higher SPL with enough headroom, also has compression driver. I like the sound of compression driver as I find it to be lot more dynamic and clean over soft dome tweeters. The IRX108bt also has bluetooth 5.0 and allows stereo pair and bluetooth streaming.

As I mentioned, I want to get the passive versions, but both of these are actives, which I can make do and also I intend to pair them with subwoofer so I am not concerned with Bass response of either of them below say 80hz.

What would you guys suggest?

 

[phoenixsong]

Nice review Amir.

Looking for suggestion as I have been thinking about buying these 308p speakers for home use as a stereo setup in my office. I mainly do Airplay from various streaming platforms and like the simplicity. I like JBL as a brand and I think they have some of the very good speakers.

I have shortlisted couple of speakers and just cannot make up my mind. Ideally, I want the passive speakers but what I have shortlisted both comes in active version.
1. JBL LSR 308p MKii
or
2. JBL IRX 108bt

They both are from pro line of JBL, both with 8inch woofer and costs the same (At least here in Australia). 308p is well reviewed with great FR but limited power and lower SPL and with few issues like the tweeter hiss and such. The IRX 108p is lot louder (I don't plan to listen loud, but having higher sensitivity speakers are like having grunty power amp with enough headroom, they can be lot more dynamic) and is also well reviewed (Well at least what I can find from pro audio side), not sure of FR response and no idea about off-axis response. The plus for IRX 108p is that it is lot more powerful and does have higher SPL with enough headroom, also has compression driver. I like the sound of compression driver as I find it to be lot more dynamic and clean over soft dome tweeters. The IRX108bt also has bluetooth 5.0 and allows stereo pair and bluetooth streaming.

As I mentioned, I want to get the passive versions, but both of these are actives, which I can make do and also I intend to pair them with subwoofer so I am not concerned with Bass response of either of them below say 80hz.

What would you guys suggest?

If you want passive speakers, the smaller JBL A130 has a good review here. It can play louder than the 308p mkii and with lower distortion, but its bass does not extend quite as deep according to the measurements

 

[bluehalk]

If you want passive speakers, the smaller JBL A130 has a good review here. It can play louder than the 308p mkii and with lower distortion, but its bass does not extend quite as deep according to the measurements

Thank you. Yes, JBL A130 is also something that I had my eye on along with JBL Studio 630, but they both have smaller woofer and have low sensitivity. I like big woofers, not for their bass response but its something that I find sound better than smaller woofers in midrange, and again same with sensitivity, higher sensitivity speakers sound lot more dynamic with very little power. This is the only reason, holds me back buying the 308p and considering IRX108bt, but it is bit unknown and frankly a karaoke speaker.

 

[phoenixsong]

Thank you. Yes, JBL A130 is also something that I had my eye on along with JBL Studio 630, but they both have smaller woofer and have low sensitivity. I like big woofers, not for their bass response but its something that I find sound better than smaller woofers in midrange, and again same with sensitivity, higher sensitivity speakers sound lot more dynamic with very little power. This is the only reason, holds me back buying the 308p and considering IRX108bt, but it is bit unknown and frankly a karaoke speaker.

Ah that's understandable. Have you considered Adam Audio's T8v? I have the JBL LSR30X and am honestly neither impressed nor satisfied with it (probably because of the audible distortion), and Adam Audio's T series monitors seems to fare better in this regard compared to the JBL LSR series

 

[bluehalk]

Ah that's understandable. Have you considered Adam Audio's T8v? I have the JBL LSR30X and am honestly neither impressed nor satisfied with it (probably because of the audible distortion), and Adam Audio's T series monitors seems to fare better in this regard compared to the JBL LSR series

No, I have not yet. I will take a look at it. Thank you for the suggestion.

 

[Buckster]

Looking for some.advice please running a pair of these as L/R as part of a home cinema setup (might get a 306 as a centre too) - they sound great apart from the annoying hiss (audible from 2.5m)

Looking for some advice please ref setup of gains from my X7200W Denon please ?

I've currently got the 308s set at -10dB jumper and set at a gain of 9 on the volume at back

I have the 7200w set to 11.1 with fronts as preouts. My concern is optimising gain as best as possible to minimise distortion etc

Currently have the 308s at +3db on the Denon and the other passive speakers at -5/-6db is that preferable than say having the 308s at 9db on Denon and the passives at more like 0db please ? I think the Denon can output a reasonable pre-out voltage so didn't want to introduce any clipping/distortion within the 308s set to -10. I've seen from other reviews on here of the Denons outputting anywhere up to 2v or even 4v from the preouts

I did try the 308s at +4 setting on back but introduced huge Delta Vs passives I needed something like a setting on the Denon of +9db on the 308s and -9 on the passives

Thanks very much for any advice/help

 

[Archaea]

Looking for some.advice please running a pair of these as L/R as part of a home cinema setup (might get a 306 as a centre too) - they sound great apart from the annoying hiss (audible from 2.5m)

Looking for some advice please ref setup of gains from my X7200W Denon please ?

I've currently got the 308s set at -10dB jumper and set at a gain of 9 on the volume at back

I have the 7200w set to 11.1 with fronts as preouts. My concern is optimising gain as best as possible to minimise distortion etc

Currently have the 308s at +3db on the Denon and the other passive speakers at -5/-6db is that preferable than say having the 308s at 9db on Denon and the passives at more like 0db please ? I think the Denon can output a reasonable pre-out voltage so didn't want to introduce any clipping/distortion within the 308s set to -10. I've seen from other reviews on here of the Denons outputting anywhere up to 2v or even 4v from the preouts

I did try the 308s at +4 setting on back but introduced huge Delta Vs passives I needed something like a setting on the Denon of +9db on the 308s and -9 on the passives

Thanks very much for any advice/help

As a rule of thumb, If you plan to run your speakers to reference and you are using properly mastered material, your channel trims on the Denon should be no higher than 0 because you could possibly introduce clipping. Turn the gain attenuation knob up a couple ticks on the 308s, and that should let you turn the channel trim on the Denon back to 0. If you don’t plan to run to reference volume. Then it won’t matter to much if you are at + 4dB on the channel trims. Your Denon is likely cleaner than the 308s plate amp so if you are having hiss and don’t listen loud, you could do the opposite and turn down the 308’s plate amp and turn up the Denon’s channel trim gain. I’ve owned the 305 and 306 and there is a little hiss even with nothing connected regardless, so I don’t think you’ll get past that minimum noise floor no matter what you do.

 

[Buckster]

Aha thankyou for reply - I'll adjust around 0db for the 308 outputs then thanks

I'm at 9 on the 308s but will raise to 10

Hiss is even without input connected and even tried my Behringer Noiseblocker to no avail I can hear hiss from sitting distance of 2.5m easily audible yet my 305 mk I I can only hear from 30cm away if I really really try

 

[Robbo99999]

Looking for some.advice please running a pair of these as L/R as part of a home cinema setup (might get a 306 as a centre too) - they sound great apart from the annoying hiss (audible from 2.5m)

Looking for some advice please ref setup of gains from my X7200W Denon please ?

I've currently got the 308s set at -10dB jumper and set at a gain of 9 on the volume at back

I have the 7200w set to 11.1 with fronts as preouts. My concern is optimising gain as best as possible to minimise distortion etc

Currently have the 308s at +3db on the Denon and the other passive speakers at -5/-6db is that preferable than say having the 308s at 9db on Denon and the passives at more like 0db please ? I think the Denon can output a reasonable pre-out voltage so didn't want to introduce any clipping/distortion within the 308s set to -10. I've seen from other reviews on here of the Denons outputting anywhere up to 2v or even 4v from the preouts

I did try the 308s at +4 setting on back but introduced huge Delta Vs passives I needed something like a setting on the Denon of +9db on the 308s and -9 on the passives

Thanks very much for any advice/help

As a rule of thumb, If you plan to run your speakers to reference and you are using properly mastered material, your channel trims on the Denon should be no higher than 0 because you could possibly introduce clipping. Turn the gain attenuation knob up a couple ticks on the 308s, and that should let you turn the channel trim on the Denon back to 0. If you don’t plan to run to reference volume. Then it won’t matter to much if you are at + 4dB on the channel trims. Your Denon is likely cleaner than the 308s plate amp so if you are having hiss and don’t listen loud, you could do the opposite and turn down the 308’s plate amp and turn up the Denon’s channel trim gain. I’ve owned the 305 and 306 and there is a little hiss even with nothing connected regardless, so I don’t think you’ll get past that minimum noise floor no matter what you do.

Just to add my experience re hiss on the 308's, the hiss is always at the same level regardless of volume knob position on the back on the 308's, and regardless of what I have them connected to. If this can factor into your understanding & decisions re your setup & hiss.....I don't think there's anything to be done about the hiss, it even makes the same hiss if it's not connected to anything, so I don't think you can change it by messing with your gain staging. Having said that the hiss doesn't bother me on my units, and I can't hear it at my 2m listening position.

 

[Buckster]

Thankyou sorry I think I confused things in my original message the gain query was specifically to do best to avoid clipping/distortion at higher volumes when watching films etc

The hiss was just a side note that it's a bit annoying much louder than my 305 mkI by I'd say an order or magnitude

 

[hardisj]

I'm going back through some of Amir's test to put his data in to a format I use just so I can better compare results. So, here's the results for this speaker.

Response linearity is -2.17/+3.57 dB (80Hz to 16kHz).

 

[FrantzM]

Warning! Boatload of subjectivity no graph, no measurements ahead. Read at your own peril!


I moved from the Living Room a rather large room open on two (2) other large rooms 6 x 5 x 2.8 meters to a smaller 4 x 3 x 2.8 meter closed room...
I moved my HT system where the LCR are LSR 308, the Surround at LSR 305 and the subs are2 Dayton Audio SUB-1500, driven by a Denon AVR-X3400H.
Room is to be treated but right now only drapes on the windows and a couch...

This system has me re-thinking what I thought I knew about music reproduction in the home. It also makes me understand a lot more what Amir has taken as a mission. More on my thoughts on a different thread some other time.

The system was calibrated with Audyssey XT32, the IOS/Android App that's compatible with some Denon and Marantz models and cost the puny sum of $20.
No REW, yet, No optimization of the subs, yet. That's for later. Just Audyssey through the App. I created an Audyssey file for MCH and another for 2-channel both with 2-subs.. Subs are too big , they gobble space, not an issue of playing too loud or one of my favorite (or most hated) audiophile BS of "overloading the room" ... Those subs are big, thus I use 2 with good results.

On movies, the system was satisfying in the bigger room. Now it has me wondering: " How much else do I want/need/ yearn for?". There are instances where it might, could, perhaps, wellll (hands waving), be, a bit harsh but I am focused on the movies, the action, the scene, sound is good enough... Taken as a whole it is good to excellent in that room even at elevated > 95 dB SPL at the listening positon about 2.5 meters from the speakers on movies. My speakers do hiss at 0.5 to 1 meter but I don't perceive any at the listening position.

On music? If the level is kept below 80 dB max, I find myself floored. Damn! Such cheap speakers that perform ADC then DAC to stupidly cheap Class D, hiss prone amplifers should not sound that good.... But.... They do! They actually don't " sound good for the price" but sound good. Period. With the measurements to back it up. For that, I refer you to Amir measurements and review. I no longer need to listen at loud levels so resolving (yes a term so dear to our subjectivist friends ) the system is. For the first time since I got these speakers ( 2 years) I don't miss the clarity and definition of my beloved headphones> as a bonus I get the realism of speakers...

Where do I go forward? I believe it goes through proper DRC and better subwoofers integration. Next , careful step, is to acquire a miniDSP SHD (Perhaps I could do that on a PC but I prefer appliances) and learn Dirac for 2-channel with the LSR-308 and a pair of Subs, likely the SVS micro 3000 because of their small size and performance. I was all set on "better" speakers. Don't feel the need ,yet. I will rather learn how to optimize the current system.
I would advise anyone in a small room, to first consider these speakers. At their level of performance, They are Champions.

Peace.

For perspective on my biases: I come from the world where $5000/pair speakers are deemed "entry-level" ...

 

[richard12511]

I'm going back through some of Amir's test to put his data in to a format I use just so I can better compare results. So, here's the results for this speaker.

Response linearity is -2.17/+3.57 dB (80Hz to 16kHz).


View attachment 123160


View attachment 123163

View attachment 123158

View attachment 123161




View attachment 123164

View attachment 123159

View attachment 123162

Man, other than distortion, what an incredible speaker for the price(especially true when 60% off).

 

[richard12511]

Warning! Boatload of subjectivity no graph, no measurements ahead. Read at your own peril!


I moved from the Living Room a rather large room open on two (2) other large rooms 6 x 5 x 2.8 meters to a smaller 4 x 3 x 2.8 meter colsed room...
I moved my HT system where the LCR are LSR 308, the Surround at LSR 305 and the subs are2 Dayton Audio SUB-1500, driven by a Denon AVR-X3400H.
Room is to be treated but right now only drapes on the windows and a couch...

This system has me re-thinking what I thought I knew about music reproduction in the home. It also makes me understand a lot more what Amir has taken as a mission. More on my thoughts on a different thread some other time.

The system was calibrated with Audyssey XT32, the IOS/Android App that's compatible with some Denon and Marantz models and cost the puny sum of $20.
No REW, yet, No optimization of the subs, yet. That's for later. Just Audyssey through the App. I created an Audyssey file for MCH and another for 2-channel both with 2-subs.. Subs are too big , they gobble space, not an issue of playing too loud or one of my favorite (or most hated) audiophile BS of "overloading the room" ... Those subs are big, thus I use 2 with good results.

On movies. The system was satisfying in the bigger room. Now it has me wondering: " How much else do I want/need/ yearn for?". There are instances where it might, could, perhaps, wellll (hands waving), be, a bit harsh but I am focused on the movies, the action, the scene, sound is good enough... Taken as a whole it is good to excellent in that room even at elevated > 95 dB SPL at the listening positon about 2.5 meters from the speakers on movies. My speakers do hiss at 0.5 to 1 meter but I don't perceive any at the listening position.

On music? If the level is kept below 80 dB max, I find myself floored. Damn! Such cheap speakers that perform ADC then DAC to stupidly cheap Class D, hiss prone amplifers should not sound that good.... But.... They do! They actually don't " sound good for the price" but sound good. Period. With the measurements to back it up. For that, I refer you to Amir measurements and review. I no longer need to lsiten at loud levels so resolving (yes a term so dear to our subjectivist friends ) the system is. FOr the very time since I got these speakers ( 2 years) I don't miss the clarity and definition of my beloved headphones> as a bonus I get the realism of speakers...

Where do I go forward? I believe it goes through proper DRC and better subwoofers integration. Next , careful step, is to acquire a miniDSP SHD (Perhaps I could do that on a PC but I prefer appliances) and learn Dirac for 2-channel with the LSR-308 and a pair of Subs, likely the SVS micro 3000 because of their small size and performance. I was all set on "better" speakers. Don't feel the need ,yet. I will rather learn how to optimize the current system.
I would advise anyone in a small room, to first consider these speakers. At their level of performance, They are Champions.

Peace.

For perspective on my biases: I come from the world where $5000/pair speakers are deemed "entry-level" ...

As an owner of 308 and more expensive speakers, imo it really doesn't get that much better than the 308p + subs. You can get slightly better sound, but you have to spend quite a bit more for what is (imo) a relatively small increase in overall pleasure. The 708p is definitely better(my subjective opinion), but also many times more expensive.

 

[Pearljam5000]

As an owner of 308 and more expensive speakers, imo it really doesn't get that much better than the 308p + subs. You can get slightly better sound, but you have to spend quite a bit more for what is (imo) a relatively small increase in overall pleasure. The 708p is definitely better(my subjective opinion), but also many times more expensive.

How close are they to the Ones?

 

[phoenixsong]

As an owner of 308 and more expensive speakers, imo it really doesn't get that much better than the 308p + subs. You can get slightly better sound, but you have to spend quite a bit more for what is (imo) a relatively small increase in overall pleasure. The 708p is definitely better(my subjective opinion), but also many times more expensive.

This makes me a little anxious- was dissatisfied with my LSR30Xs and thinking of swapping them out
My guess is the distortion levels making them tiring to listen to, especially since they are small speakers and I'm not exactly listening to them nearfield

 

[Buckster]

I've always felt my 308 mkIIs sound a bit tiring at high volumes I'd assumed the horn effect but maybe it's distortion creeping in