JBL 308P MKII Studio Monitor Review

[Robbo99999]

Excellent, really excellent. I have used the HF Trim as off on the LSR305p mkii's on top of a EQ setting by @Maiky76 and it is a dream result for me. Great read again thanks.

Do be aware though that the 305p is obviously a different speaker to the 308p being discussed in this thread - so you can't use Maiky's 308p EQ on your 305p, as it's not the same speaker? Also, you wouldn't want to use the HF Trim Switch in addition to Maiky's EQ, unless Maiky has created his EQ with the intention of the HF Switch already being in use?
305p review is here:

JBL LSR305P MKii and Control 1 Pro Monitors Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the JBL 305P Mark ii powered studio monitor and Control 1 Pro budget passive monitor. I purchased the 305P Pro Mark ii when it first came out and it currently sells for US $147.50 from Amazon including Prime shipping. This is the price for one so...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Also, I can't be certain that the HF Trim Switch works exactly the same on the 305p as it does on the 308p - for sure they'll be a gradual increase or decrease (ie High Shelf Filter), but the frequency point (Hz) at which the filter is located and sharpness of the slope may not be the same.

 

[posvibes]

Do be aware though that the 305p is obviously a different speaker to the 308p being discussed in this thread

Yes I am aware, it was more coincidence more than anything else as I was looking for an explanation as to how the HF trim works in respect to frequency response, then googled it adding ASR to the search terms and sure enough your post came up.

I play the 305p's with the HF trimmed by -2dB all the time regardless, I was even more pleased when to my ears it worked with @Maiky76 score EQ settings, it is probably my room or hearing though or I just prefer it fractionally darker. No disrespect to Maiky or his work.

All good! Cheers.

 

[Robbo99999]

Yes I am aware, it was more coincidence more than anything else as I was looking for an explanation as to how the HF trim works in respect to frequency response, then googled it adding ASR to the search terms and sure enough your post came up.

I play the 305p's with the HF trimmed by -2dB all the time regardless, I was even more pleased when to my ears it worked with @Maiky76 score EQ settings, it is probably my room or hearing though or I just prefer it fractionally darker. No disrespect to Maiky or his work.

All good! Cheers.

Ok, cool

 

[Xaviedie]

Some basic EQ (ON/LW/PIR)

View attachment 91989

View attachment 91990

Preamp?

 

[Robbo99999]

Preamp?

Eyeballing that EQ given the two wide negative filters (#2 & #5) and given the 2dB boost in the same overlapping area I'd say around -1dB negative preamp, but you could just stick in -2dB to be sure and also to help cover off some intersample overs (not an EQ related phenomenon, but related to the fact that modern recordings often have intersample overs - most of my music is covered by a -2dB negative preamp in terms of covering intersample overs as analysed by Orban Loudness Meter).

 

[Xaviedie]

En regardant cet égaliseur compte tenu des deux filtres négatifs larges (n ° 2 et n ° 5) et compte tenu de l'amplification de 2 dB dans la même zone de chevauchement, je dirais environ -1 dB de préampli négatif, mais vous pouvez simplement vous en tenir à -2 dB pour être sûr et aussi pour aider à couvrir certains overs interéchantillonnés (pas un phénomène lié à l'égaliseur, mais lié au fait que les enregistrements modernes ont souvent des overs interéchantillonnés - la plupart de ma musique est couverte par un préampli négatif de -2dB en termes de couverture des overs interéchantillonnés comme analysé par Orban Loudness Meter ).

Okay Thx

 

[Rednaxela]

@Xaviedie you are misquoting @Robbo99999.

Could you please fix this?

Thank you!

 

[Xaviedie]

@Xaviedie vous citez mal @Robbo99999.

View attachment 227359

Pourriez-vous s'il vous plaît résoudre ce problème ?

Merci!

Sorry i m french, i use Google traduction ...

 

[Rednaxela]

Sorry i m french, i use Google traduction ...

Please turn it off for a moment and see that it makes you post quotes in French here and here.

My question is: could you please fix these quotes?

Thank you!

 

[Xaviedie]

Please turn it off for a moment and see that it makes you post quotes in French here and here.

My question is: could you please fix these quotes?

Thank you!

OMG, Google chrome translation problem, sorry, I didn't pay attention to the translation .. Ok no worries
it's the habit of reading in French that confuses me

sorry

This is just a translation made by google translate, I forgot to turn off the translation when posting


"Eyeballing that EQ given the two wide negative filters (#2 & #5) and given the 2dB boost in the same overlapping area I'd say around -1dB negative preamp, but you could just stick in -2dB to be sure and also to help cover off some intersample overs (not an EQ related phenomenon, but related to the fact that modern recordings often have intersample overs - most of my music is covered by a -2dB negative preamp in terms o f covering intersample overs as analysed by Orban Loudness Meter)."

In French => (google translate problem)
"En regardant cet égaliseur compte tenu des deux filtres négatifs larges (n ° 2 et n ° 5) et compte tenu de l'amplification de 2 dB dans la même zone de chevauchement, je dirais environ -1 dB de préampli négatif, mais vous pouvez simplement vous en tenir à -2 dB pour être sûr et aussi pour aider à couvrir certains overs interéchantillonnés (pas un phénomène lié à l'égaliseur, mais lié au fait que les enregistrements modernes ont souvent des overs interéchantillonnés - la plupart de ma musique est couverte par un préampli négatif de -2dB en termes de couverture des overs interéchantillonnés comme analysé par Orban Loudness Meter )"

I can no longer delete the message unfortunately

 

[walter-]

For which maximum music listening distance do you recommend the 308Ps (to enjoy classical music and jazz in a room without treatment)?

 

[respice finem]

For which maximum music listening distance do you recommend the 308Ps (to enjoy classical music and jazz in a room without treatment)?

These are nearfield monitors, so theoretically as close as you can (which will usually be an equilateral triangle from 1,5 to 2,5 m).
Especially for classical, I would try to treat the room also, even minimal treatment will help a bit.

 

[Robbo99999]

For which maximum music listening distance do you recommend the 308Ps (to enjoy classical music and jazz in a room without treatment)?

I use them as TV/Movie / Music speakers (2.1 channel currently as bought a subwoofer), and since moving to a new place I use them at nearly 4m to listening position. It's not an ideal equilateral triangle and not an ideal listening position / room setup, but I do use roomEQ. I'd say they work fine at 4m. They were better in my my old place where I had them setup at 2m in an equilateral triangle, but that was just because of the ideal speaker arrangement, rather than anything to do with the speakers. In fact at 4m in my living room my new SVS SB-1000 Pro subwoofer is the limiting factor in terms of overall power / distortion as I'm using the power of the subwoofer to apply the roomEQ which eats up about 6dB headroom on the subwoofer (along with huge amounts of bass peak cutting) - I'm talking about flat down to 20Hz in the room though. No, but back to the 308p, I think they're good when used beyond near field, they're good for me at just under 4m even. There is some slight hump of distortion between around 100-300Hz if I recall correctly when played louder (which I've measured), which starts to become more pronounced when you're listening quite loud at 4m.....so they're not ideal at 4m, but I've found them good even so.

EDIT: so far I've used them at a max of 88dB (0dBFS at 1kHz) at 3.9m for a pair.

Here's the distortion graphs for 88dB (1kHz) at 3.9m listening distance (bass at 96dB), note I'm crossing over to the sub at 120Hz so only really pay attention to the distortion above 120Hz:

 

[walter-]

These are nearfield monitors, so theoretically as close as you can (which will usually be an equilateral triangle from 1,5 to 2,5 m).
Especially for classical, I would try to treat the room also, even minimal treatment will help a bit.

Thanks for your hint regarding the room treatment. I will look to find out more about it, since I don't know anything about room treatment, yet.
However, the distance is about 3 m here.

 

[walter-]

I use them as TV/Movie / Music speakers (2.1 channel currently as bought a subwoofer), and since moving to a new place I use them at nearly 4m to listening position. It's not an ideal equilateral triangle and not an ideal listening position / room setup, but I do use roomEQ. I'd say they work fine at 4m. They were better in my my old place where I had them setup at 2m in an equilateral triangle, but that was just because of the ideal speaker arrangement, rather than anything to do with the speakers. In fact at 4m in my living room my new SVS SB-1000 Pro subwoofer is the limiting factor in terms of overall power / distortion as I'm using the power of the subwoofer to apply the roomEQ which eats up about 6dB headroom on the subwoofer (along with huge amounts of bass peak cutting) - I'm talking about flat down to 20Hz in the room though. No, but back to the 308p, I think they're good when used beyond near field, they're good for me at just under 4m even. There is some slight hump of distortion between around 100-300Hz if I recall correctly when played louder (which I've measured), which starts to become more pronounced when you're listening quite loud at 4m.....so they're not ideal at 4m, but I've found them good even so.

EDIT: so far I've used them at a max of 88dB (0dBFS at 1kHz) at 3.9m for a pair.

Here's the distortion graphs for 88dB (1kHz) at 3.9m listening distance (bass at 96dB), note I'm crossing over to the sub at 120Hz so only really pay attention to the distortion above 120Hz:
View attachment 227860

Thanks for all the information. If I rearrange the room a 3m nearly equilateral triangle is possible. Since you're happy with 4m I think the 3m will be ok for me.
I need to learn about roomEQ - and also about subwoofers - to decide if it is worth for me to invest in the equipment.

 

[respice finem]

Thanks for your hint regarding the room treatment. I will look to find out more about it, since I don't know anything about room treatment, yet.
However, the distance is about 3 m here.

Basic treatment = a large absorber (or alternatively a wall carpet) behind the listening position, and two smaller ones at the first reflection points.
3 m distance is even less than I will have (without subwoofers) after moving house (in progress currently).
But for me this is mainly for TV sound, youtube etc. If the bass will be too "slim", adding a sub is always an option.

 

[Robbo99999]

Thanks for all the information. If I rearrange the room a 3m nearly equilateral triangle is possible. Since you're happy with 4m I think the 3m will be ok for me.
I need to learn about roomEQ - and also about subwoofers - to decide if it is worth for me to invest in the equipment.

That sounds like a good plan, I think that will be fine. RoomEQ is free to experiment with as long as you are using a PC as your source, as you'd use EqualiserAPO to apply the EQ's, and you'd use REW to work out the EQ after measuring the in room response of the speakers, but it's not totally free - you'd have to buy a UMIK mic for the measuring. Best to start without the subwoofer first, and see how you like the speakers on their own. For RoomEQ you'd only alter the response with EQ up to around 300 or 400Hz, and you'd use the Anechoic Measurements that Amir has done to EQ the speaker above that point.....or to keep at maximum simplicity just flip the HF Trim Switch on the back of the speakers to -2dB(minus) and be done with your speaker EQ, but you'd combine that with your RoomEQ of course (which is only affecting from 20-400Hz). It is possible to enjoy these speakers without RoomEQ though, I did so for a while on a number of occasions in two different places I've lived.....but it's worth experimenting with RoomEQ to see what you like the most.

Basic treatment = a large absorber (or alternatively a wall carpet) behind the listening position, and two smaller ones at the first reflection points.
3 m distance is even less than I will have (without subwoofers) after moving house (in progress currently).
But for me this is mainly for TV sound, youtube etc. If the bass will be too "slim", adding a sub is always an option.

If you've got brick walls the bass on stock 308p Mkii is really good, I just added a sub because I was curious about getting the response flat down to 20Hz, but I think the sub did enable me to be more aggressive with roomEQ.

 

[respice finem]

...If you've got brick walls the bass on stock 308p Mkii is really good, I just added a sub because I was curious about getting the response flat down to 20Hz, but I think the sub did enable me to be more aggressive with roomEQ.

Yes, stone walls. I guess, in the intended scenario, I'll be happy with half decent stereo without bass "orgies". Even more so, because I can more or less forget any "serious" room treatment (>50m² room with 19th century furniture). But no harm done, I'll have a second "work and audio" room upstairs.

 

[walter-]

Basic treatment = a large absorber (or alternatively a wall carpet) behind the listening position, and two smaller ones at the first reflection points.
3 m distance is even less than I will have (without subwoofers) after moving house (in progress currently).
But for me this is mainly for TV sound, youtube etc. If the bass will be too "slim", adding a sub is always an option.

I have a larger framed painting at the wall behind the listener position. May be it has an absorbing effect, but probably not as much as an absorber or a wall carpet.

 

[walter-]

That sounds like a good plan, I think that will be fine. RoomEQ is free to experiment with as long as you are using a PC as your source, as you'd use EqualiserAPO to apply the EQ's, and you'd use REW to work out the EQ after measuring the in room response of the speakers, but it's not totally free - you'd have to buy a UMIK mic for the measuring. Best to start without the subwoofer first, and see how you like the speakers on their own. For RoomEQ you'd only alter the response with EQ up to around 300 or 400Hz, and you'd use the Anechoic Measurements that Amir has done to EQ the speaker above that point.....or to keep at maximum simplicity just flip the HF Trim Switch on the back of the speakers to -2dB(minus) and be done with your speaker EQ, but you'd combine that with your RoomEQ of course (which is only affecting from 20-400Hz). It is possible to enjoy these speakers without RoomEQ though, I did so for a while on a number of occasions in two different places I've lived.....but it's worth experimenting with RoomEQ to see what you like the most.

If you've got brick walls the bass on stock 308p Mkii is really good, I just added a sub because I was curious about getting the response flat down to 20Hz, but I think the sub did enable me to be more aggressive with roomEQ.

Thanks for the hints!
I will try it first with the speakers only (without RoomEQ, without subwoofer).
I saw that I'd need the mic for RoomEQ. Seems interesting to experiment with it but I'm not sure yet if I'll try it. However, if I do not try it I will not know if I would hear a positive effect. The same for the subwoofer.

Behind the listener position half of the wall is brick, the other half is plasterboard. A larger framed painting on that wall, as mentioned in a comment above.