JBL 308P MKII Studio Monitor Review

[Krit]

Frankly I would love to go with the In-5 for a near field approach

There are better options for nearfield IN-5 shines more at midfield (medium sized rooms)

IN-5 will not show it's full potential at nearfield (smaller rooms)

 

[AA63]

Is that for the 308 specifically? would you still recommend the same distances for the 305/306?

I know the JBLs are the least expensive good option with Kali coming in at the next higher price point. Frankly I would love to go with the In-5 for a near field approach, but if I'm also buying a good Midi Controller like the Arturia Keylab 61, that's another 550-600US... I'd love to say 200-400 here or there doesn't matter, but the controller seems a more important starting investment than the Speakers. If I had it all my way, I'd have the space and funds to consider In-8 as my starting set. *shrugs

Appreciate any further thoughts or advice!

Not telling you what to do in any way shape or form - but - I suggest you buy everything on the second hand market - 308's and Keylab's should be quite easy to find and you'll cut your budget in half. Also, 308s are much more satisfying than the 5,6s. I've used them under 3' and they work well if you put bass traps directly behind them (front wall).

 

[Ktacos]

The measurements show nothing wrong with the woofer...

View attachment 509615

All the data here : https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kali_lp-6v2/

Please re-read my post and don't cherry pick things to try and prove a point. The speaker is a sum of it's parts, and the sum on this speaker has issues. It's clear as day in the data you've shared. I have data that the review does not, individual driver measurements which I might share, but I also don't care that much about this.

 

[LTig]

I have data that the review does not, individual driver measurements which I might share, but I also don't care that much about this.

That's a pity since at ASR we rely on proven facts and measurements.

 

[Robbo99999]

Is that for the 308 specifically? would you still recommend the same distances for the 305/306?

I know the JBLs are the least expensive good option with Kali coming in at the next higher price point. Frankly I would love to go with the In-5 for a near field approach, but if I'm also buying a good Midi Controller like the Arturia Keylab 61, that's another 550-600US... I'd love to say 200-400 here or there doesn't matter, but the controller seems a more important starting investment than the Speakers. If I had it all my way, I'd have the space and funds to consider In-8 as my starting set. *shrugs

Appreciate any further thoughts or advice!

I would think all of the 30Xp Mk2 series would have the same level of hiss, but I only have experience with the 308p Mk2 as those are my speakers. Regarding recommended listening distance perhaps the smaller 305 & 306 integrate the sound better at shorter listening distances than the 308 but I'm just theorising. It does seem like In-5 is ok re those close listening distances from the official specs:

Kali IN-5 Studio Monitor Review

Copied from my website so some of the formatting may not transfer very well. You're welcome to read the review there, in that case: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kali_in-5/ Kali Audio IN-5 3-Way Studio Monitor Review Wednesday, Apr 14, 2021 Foreword / YouTube Video Review...

www.audiosciencereview.com

The recommendation from someone else on here to buy second hand sounds like a good idea on the surface. Maybe you could buy one of In-X range 2nd hand to fit in your budget. I don't have experience buying speakers 2nd hand but my 308p speakers are coming up to 6yrs old and I think they're just as good as when new.

 

[Ktacos]

That's a pity since at ASR we rely on proven facts and measurements.

Everything I've described in my criticisms is already in the data in erins review. Not my problem is people can't read the data.

 

[AA63]

The recommendation from someone else on here to buy second hand sounds like a good idea on the surface. Maybe you could buy one of In-X range 2nd hand to fit in your budget. I don't have experience buying speakers 2nd hand but my 308p speakers are coming up to 6yrs old and I think they're just as good as when new.

Oh for sure - I've been in this for 5+ decades and can count the items I've bought retail/new on one hand. Speakers in this range are the trickiest though since hip-hop came around - lots of "mc's" and "producers" trashing them with their 808s while trying to impress their friends - LOL.

 

[ryanosaur]

Ha.

This is my main concern with used Speakers, especially powered. Even at a good discount, if the amp blows in two months… Dunno if I want that hassle.

I did look for the Midi Controller on a few sites but the discount for used is minimal for the mk3, perhaps only taking 50-100 off. I’ll need to look closer at the differences between the mk2 and 3 iterations and weigh the value of that.

 

[FTB]

Everything I've described in my criticisms is already in the data in erins review. Not my problem is people can't read the data.

There is no correlation between what you wrote about the woofer and the data from Erin reviews, that's why I react.
If so you have your own data proving the point, I don't see why not sharing it...

 

[FTB]

They will not measure but sound what you get is completely different for different speakers that's how you make a choice.

Yep but what we ear in not blind tests depends on our mood, our bias, our expectations, our beliefs...
If you're guessing before having listen to the speakers, than one pair is better than an other, you will find it better...

That's why true A/B tests are blind.

 

[Ktacos]

There is no correlation between what you wrote about the woofer and the data from Erin reviews, that's why I react.
If so you have your own data proving the point, I don't see why not sharing it...

Can't seem to find it, probably deleted it. I measure A LOT of things and tend to delete it after awhile.

I mean everything I said is still in erins review, guess you're just not seeing it, oh well. Lead a horse to water and all that.

 

[Tito]

well i am not that experienced in reading the data so i had to ask my ai legal buddy what it says on this heated argument between these two lovely users..

"
This is a classic case of two people looking at the same graph and arguing over significance versus existence.
In the objective data for the Kali LP-6 v2, there are indeed port resonances, but they are exceptionally well-controlled compared to the original V1 and most speakers in its price bracket."

If you look at the Nearfield Driver Response measurements (which Erin's Audio Corner and AudioScienceReview both provide), you will see the resonances.

• Primary Port Resonance: There is a distinct "blip" or peak coming out of the port at approximately 800 Hz to 1.1 kHz.
• Secondary Resonance: A smaller harmonic ripple often appears around 2.2 kHz.

Why the users are arguing
The disagreement usually stems from which graph they are prioritizing:

Perspective	Evidence	Argument
"There are resonances"	Nearfield Port Scan	If you put a microphone right inside the port, you see a sharp peak at ~1kHz. It is objectively there.
"There are no resonances"	Estimated In-Room Response	In the "Spinorama" (the total sound of the speaker), that 1kHz peak is almost invisible because the woofer's direct output masks it.

The Verdict
The "guy who says they are in the data" is technically correct—the port scan shows energy at ~1kHz.
The "guy who says there is nothing" is practically correct—the resonance is so low in amplitude that it doesn't cause a meaningful peak or dip in the total sound power. It is "cleansed" for all intents and purposes of listening."


@Ktacos @FTB are you satisfied with this verdict

---

---

 

[FTB]

Can't seem to find it, probably deleted it. I measure A LOT of things and tend to delete it after awhile.

I mean everything I said is still in erins review, guess you're just not seeing it, oh well. Lead a horse to water and all that.

Yeah so let us know what woofer problem you see on the CEA2034 or the near-field response...
There is no big resonance and my glasses are fine.

 

[Ktacos]

In the objective data for the Kali LP-6 v2, there are indeed port resonances, but they are exceptionally well-controlled compared to the original V1 and most speakers in its price bracket."

It's not well controlled at all, good job AI. I'm really glad that you chose to harm the environment by asking it, and it still gave you incorrect output. Like people stop using AI....

LP6 port is kind of a mess. It has two main resonances and they're not far down from the drivers output. Only about 6-8db. If we look at the audio first fidelia, it's resonance is ~20db down. It'd consider that well controlled.

Yeah so let us know what woofer problem you see on the CEA2034 or the near-field response...
There is no big resonance and my glasses are fine.

I set you to ignore actually, have a good one. It doesn't appear you're arguing in good faith. See ya!

 

[kyuu]

The measurements show nothing wrong with the woofer...

View attachment 509615

All the data here : https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kali_lp-6v2/

I dunno that looks weird to me at first glance. The port seems to be contributing significantly to the response up to nearly 2kHz, and at ~650Hz and ~1.2kHz the output from the port is about the same or even higher than the output from the woofer. I could be wrong but I don't think that's normal for a well-designed port. Normally the output from the port should be highly suppressed that far away from its tuning frequency, right?

For example, here's the JBL 308P Mk II (from this very review):

There's a resonance at ~1.2kHz and some other smaller resonances, but for the most part the port's response is highly suppressed. And this wouldn't necessarily be an example of really amazing port behavior, but still seems much better than the Kali LP6 v2.

 

[Ktacos]

I dunno that looks weird to me at first glance. The port seems to be contributing significantly to the response up to nearly 2kHz, and at ~650Hz and ~1.2kHz the output from the port is about the same or even higher than the output from the woofer. I could be wrong but I don't think that's normal for a well-designed port. Normally the output from the port should be highly suppressed that far away from its tuning frequency, right?

Possibly due to it being on the front, most of the front ported monitors have similar looking port responses where it trails along with the woofer response. I imagine it's quite difficult to separate the port response entirely from the woofer if the port is on the front.

 

[kyuu]

Possibly due to it being on the front, most of the front ported monitors have similar looking port responses where it trails along with the woofer response. I imagine it's quite difficult to separate the port response entirely from the woofer if the port is on the front.

Maybe, although others seem to have done a better job with a front port. Such as Focal:

Granted, definitely a more expensive speaker. But it can be done.

 

[Ktacos]

Maybe, although others seem to have done a better job with a front port. Such as Focal:

Granted, definitely a more expensive speaker. But it can be done.

That looks great, kind of surprised to see that.

 

[FTB]

It's not well controlled at all, good job AI. I'm really glad that you chose to harm the environment by asking it, and it still gave you incorrect output. Like people stop using AI....

LP6 port is kind of a mess. It has two main resonances and they're not far down from the drivers output. Only about 6-8db. If we look at the audio first fidelia, it's resonance is ~20db down. It'd consider that well controlled.

View attachment 510281




I set you to ignore actually, have a good one. It doesn't appear you're arguing in good faith. See ya!

Oh, finally some data showing the problem.
Please note your graph isn't similar to Erin's one, at 600 Hz for example, wondering where it comes from.

(I mean still nothing in the total response of the speaker and that's what matter)

 

[Ktacos]

Please note your graph isn't similar to Erin's one, at 600 Hz for example, wondering where it comes from.

You're not even reading my posts are you? Your comment here makes no sense.