It’s likely going to be from the wide dispersion in the upper treble vertically.
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JBL 308P MKII Studio Monitor Review
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
martijn86
Active Member
I really need to admit that I romanticise picking separate components. Compared to moden active speakers, I'm a bit of a neanderthal (missed an important step in evolution an will eventually die out).
As I was considering to try using a studio monitor with my avr some time in the future, its interesting to see that an active studio monitor like this is still outrated by a cheaper passive speaker like elac dbr62. Any thoughts or comments anyone?
The ratings are too close to derive any meaning from, you have to look at the actual measurements, which are different in a number of areas.
But in any case, the 308p are in fact cheaper?? They're $250/ea on Amazon and include an amplifier. DBR62 are $300/ea and do not include any amplification. That may not matter if you're using an AVR, but amps aren't free
Re: Estimated In-room Response
Maybe JBL figured out how to game the Klippel...
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I have the earlier version 308, I wonder what's different, other than the face-plastic...
Maybe JBL figured out how to game the Klippel...
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I have the earlier version 308, I wonder what's different, other than the face-plastic...
It is on purpose, trebles wouldn't glide so smooth..
No white finish option and no winter sales in my region are bigger crimes imho
The hiss and tiny rattle on the control panel when there's too much bass and slightly "crispy" treble at high levels made me return them and keep shopping. Now I have $10,000 MSRP studio monitors with none of those issues.
A more impressive and bass extended speaker like the IN-8 by Kali or an improved 708p would have gotten my money if such a thing existed for around $3,000 and competed with the Devialet Phantom Reactor.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #48
Hopefully we find such a beast as we keep testing. We are so close....
JBL LSR 708 (prior version) distortion at about 78, 88, and 98dB (and Martin Logan at 92dB to compare), with EQ to attempt "flat" on both
Measured in-room at the listening position (10 feet) with left and right speakers playing:
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The prior version had the matte finish. Maybe people complained they weren't shiny back then.
Pearljam5000
Master Contributor
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Is the Adam T8V better?
Robbo99999
Master Contributor
OMG, this is way better than I expected, I own this speaker and it is my first foray into the world of decent speakers....looks like I made a good choice! Very pleased to see this review Amir, many thanks. @amirm , you say that this speaker is quite unhappy if you pump up the input source too much, there's an input sensitivity switch on the back of the speaker labelled -10dBv and +4dBu, do you have recommendations for the maximum input voltage from the DAC at these different switch settings? -10dBV is the typical consumer source which I understand to be up to 2V input, so that's the one I'm using....I put in a max of 2V from my DAC at that setting.
Regarding the frequency response on this speaker, wow that's awesome, very impressed. I was gonna say that it doesn't quite tally with my own in-room measurements, but thinking about it you have the same about +2dB positive offset in the tweeter as I do, from memory I had thought my measurements were worse than that (note I put in a +5dB Low Shelf at 200Hz during this measurement which I put in to try to combat the likely room mode troughs between 100 & 200Hz):
left speaker:
right speaker:
(I do EQ down the sub 100Hz peaks too, just not pictured here)
I've got the same dip just before crossover at about 1500Hz too.
I was a bit disappointed to see the quite high distortion in this speaker. @amirm , I normally listen to these speakers at 4.5 on the volume dial on the back of the speakers - how does this equate (roughly) with your 86dB and 96dB distortion measurements.....would distortion at this probably lower volume be virtually non-existant in comparison do you think?
I think I'll use these anechoic measurements from the review to EQ my speakers flat and will remeasure them and will revisit my EQ. Very pleased these (I imagine) popular and good value speakers have been measured, thanks Amir!
Regarding the frequency response on this speaker, wow that's awesome, very impressed. I was gonna say that it doesn't quite tally with my own in-room measurements, but thinking about it you have the same about +2dB positive offset in the tweeter as I do, from memory I had thought my measurements were worse than that (note I put in a +5dB Low Shelf at 200Hz during this measurement which I put in to try to combat the likely room mode troughs between 100 & 200Hz):
left speaker:
right speaker:
(I do EQ down the sub 100Hz peaks too, just not pictured here)
I've got the same dip just before crossover at about 1500Hz too.
I was a bit disappointed to see the quite high distortion in this speaker. @amirm , I normally listen to these speakers at 4.5 on the volume dial on the back of the speakers - how does this equate (roughly) with your 86dB and 96dB distortion measurements.....would distortion at this probably lower volume be virtually non-existant in comparison do you think?
I think I'll use these anechoic measurements from the review to EQ my speakers flat and will remeasure them and will revisit my EQ. Very pleased these (I imagine) popular and good value speakers have been measured, thanks Amir!
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Robbo99999
Master Contributor
Mmmm, face plastic!
(they do dominate my living room, but my brain has learnt to conversely not see them and when I do see them on occasion they've grown on me with their 'boldness'....I do live alone though!)Another view on Horizontal and Vertical dispersion.
and the classical view:
and the classical view:
Only the cheap ones.
This better product exists (JBL 708).
Is it entirely clear that the distortion comes from the loudspeaker-drivers ?
I dont think so.
I think its mostly depending on :
1. Lack of damping material inside the loudspeaker. The box is almost empty, making standing waves inside the loudspeaker to appear: - distortion. It should be about 3 or 4 times more of the damping material.
2. Lack of crossbracing inside the loudspeaker. The walls are vibrating like crazy: - distortion. Cured with a cross bracing L - to R wall.
All of these things are easily corrected by the owner, making this loudspeaker a ”kick-ass” loudspeaker, especially for the money.
I dont think so.
I think its mostly depending on :
1. Lack of damping material inside the loudspeaker. The box is almost empty, making standing waves inside the loudspeaker to appear: - distortion. It should be about 3 or 4 times more of the damping material.
2. Lack of crossbracing inside the loudspeaker. The walls are vibrating like crazy: - distortion. Cured with a cross bracing L - to R wall.
All of these things are easily corrected by the owner, making this loudspeaker a ”kick-ass” loudspeaker, especially for the money.
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Robbo99999
Master Contributor
Intuitively this makes sense to me, sometimes hear a buzz during parts of some frequency sweeps and the feel of the build of these speakers suggests what you're saying. I wouldn't go far as to say "vibrating like crazy" as you say, but I think there are some improvements to be made in that area.
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