JBL LSR305P MKii and Control 1 Pro Monitors Review

[thewas]

The first version of the 305 was more linear if the measurements of the MKII here can be trusted as they were the first loudspeaker measured.

 

[Koeitje]

The first version of the 305 was more linear if the measurements of the MKII here can be trusted as they were the first loudspeaker measured.

I remember those measurements, but I can't find them.

 

[thewas]

I remember those measurements, but I can't find them.

Here you go https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T9yLUksyFTu8DwtsaUwacoCIpRfmdIzx6vDRPjzfbCg/mobilebasic

 

[Pio2001]

The first version of the 305 was more linear if the measurements of the MKII here can be trusted as they were the first loudspeaker measured.

It can also be a variation from unit to unit, rather than from model to model. Maybe some mk2 are more linear and maybe some LSR are less linear.

The two mk2 I've got have fairly different frequency responses in their tweeter's range. One of them has the tweeter overall 0.75 dB louder than the other, and the difference between them peaks at +2 dB at some frequencies.

 

[thewas]

It can also be a variation from unit to unit, rather than from model to model. Maybe some mk2 are more linear and maybe some LSR are less linear.

The two mk2 I've got have fairly different frequency responses in their tweeter's range. One of them has the tweeter overall 0.75 dB louder than the other, and the difference between them peaks at +2 dB at some frequencies.

I doubt though they have 3dB too few bass due to unit variation, I find it more possible that its an early ASR NFS error like also too cold garage (measurement was done in January).

 

[richard12511]

The first version of the 305 was more linear if the measurements of the MKII here can be trusted as they were the first loudspeaker measured.

Yeah I'm not 100% convinced these measurements are correct. The 306 and 308 measured exactly like the previous versions. It would be odd if they somehow messed up just the 305.

 

[DavidMcRoy]

What was the consensus about the differences between the first version and the MKII?

I have several of each version of the JBL 305s. I haven’t documented any measurements, but they do differ slightly in frequency response. I use DSP to match them for use in a Dolby Atmos-compatible 7.1.4 immersive audio system. Three of my 305P MkIIs are used in a tri-field center channel array, with 2 left and right centers to either side of the lower part of video screen and 1 speaker centered above the screen. The remaining 10 LSR305s (“MkI”) are used for front left and right stereo and surround and height channels.

My listening impressions, AFTER EQ CORRECTION, for what they’re worth, is that the tweeters in the MkIIs strike me as sounding ever so slightly cleaner. Their greater departure from frequency response linearity than the MkI is a moot point when DSP correction is applied: they can be made to sound practically identical in that respect. Since I am dedicated to the use of DSP for fine-tuning levels, time/distance and frequency response with DSP anyway, I prefer the MkIIs overall, but it’s a very close call.

Here are the corrections I have been using on each version of the 305s and they work very well in my room. Note that for the MkIs I actually skip the corrections for Filters 6, 7,8 and 12 because I only have a 10-filter DSP per channel and the corrections recommend in that part of the spectrum are relatively minor. The extra channels I’m left with are used for room bass anomaly compensation.

JBL LSR305 (aka MkI)
Corrective EQ (from NO Audiophile)

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 835 Hz Gain -2.2 dB Q 3.0
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 1110 Hz Gain 4.0 dB Q 6.0
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1343 Hz Gain -4.8 dB Q 2.32
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1620 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 6.0
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2384 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 3.0
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 3650 Hz Gain 0.4 dB Q 6.0
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 5000 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 2.07
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6987 Hz Gain 0.7 dB Q 3.0
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 8874 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 2.0
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 11851 Hz Gain 1.7 dB Q 3.5
Filter 11: ON PK Fc 15150 Hz Gain -2.7 dB Q 1.59
Filter 12: ON HS Fc 1000 Hz Gain 0.5 dB

JBL 305P MkII
Corrective EQ (from an Audio Science Review Reader)

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 160 Hz Gain -1.19 dB Q 2.54
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 584 Hz Gain 1.68 dB Q 0.98
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 831 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 4.04
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1763 Hz Gain -3.55 dB Q 4.76
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 3183 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 2.52
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 5025 Hz Gain -2.24 dB Q 2.67
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 9552 Hz Gain -1.6 dB Q 3.5
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 16808 Hz Gain -4.1 dB Q 2.5

 

[Koeitje]

I have several of each version of the JBL 305s. I haven’t documented any measurements, but they do differ slightly in frequency response. I use DSP to match them for use in a Dolby Atmos-compatible 7.1.4 immersive audio system. Three of my 305P MkIIs are used in a tri-field center channel array, with 2 left and right centers to either side of the lower part of video screen and 1 speaker centered above the screen. The remaining 10 LSR305s (“MkI”) are used for front left and right stereo and surround and height channels.

My listening impressions, AFTER EQ CORRECTION, for what they’re worth, is that the tweeters in the MkIIs strike me as sounding ever so slightly cleaner. Their greater departure from frequency response linearity than the MkI is a moot point when DSP correction is applied: they can be made to sound practically identical in that respect. Since I am dedicated to the use of DSP for fine-tuning levels, time/distance and frequency response with DSP anyway, I prefer the MkIIs overall, but it’s a very close call.

Here are the corrections I have been using on each version of the 305s and they work very well in my room. Note that for the MkIs I actually skip the corrections for Filters 6, 7,8 and 12 because I only have a 10-filter DSP per channel and the corrections recommend in that part of the spectrum are relatively minor. The extra channels I’m left with are used for room bass anomaly compensation.

JBL LSR305 (aka MkI)
Corrective EQ (from NO Audiophile)

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 835 Hz Gain -2.2 dB Q 3.0
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 1110 Hz Gain 4.0 dB Q 6.0
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1343 Hz Gain -4.8 dB Q 2.32
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1620 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 6.0
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2384 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 3.0
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 3650 Hz Gain 0.4 dB Q 6.0
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 5000 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 2.07
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6987 Hz Gain 0.7 dB Q 3.0
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 8874 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 2.0
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 11851 Hz Gain 1.7 dB Q 3.5
Filter 11: ON PK Fc 15150 Hz Gain -2.7 dB Q 1.59
Filter 12: ON HS Fc 1000 Hz Gain 0.5 dB

JBL 305P MkII
Corrective EQ (from an Audio Science Review Reader)

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 160 Hz Gain -1.19 dB Q 2.54
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 584 Hz Gain 1.68 dB Q 0.98
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 831 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 4.04
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1763 Hz Gain -3.55 dB Q 4.76
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 3183 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 2.52
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 5025 Hz Gain -2.24 dB Q 2.67
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 9552 Hz Gain -1.6 dB Q 3.5
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 16808 Hz Gain -4.1 dB Q 2.5

Would you recommend getting a pair for 305's for €150 (second hand but barely used) or €230 for the MKII new? They will function as surrounds (fronts are Revel M106 + Hypex NC400) and later I might also use them on my desk as speakers.

 

[Pio]

Would you recommend getting a pair for 305's for €150 (second hand but barely used) or €230 for the MKII new? They will function as surrounds (fronts are Revel M106 + Hypex NC400) and later I might also use them on my desk as speakers.

for surrounds, either one would be fine - I would get the one in the best condition.. 150 euros for a pair of 305's is a good price. I paid $99 for each of my 305 MKII's in a JBL sale.. best investment I have made in audio

 

[DavidMcRoy]

Would you recommend getting a pair for 305's for €150 (second hand but barely used) or €230 for the MKII new? They will function as surrounds (fronts are Revel M106 + Hypex NC400) and later I might also use them on my desk as speakers.

I have several previously-owned LSR305s (MkI) surround speakers. They’re all fine. If you can examine them before purchase or return them if there’s an issue, I’d say go for it.

 

[Koeitje]

I have several previously-owned LSR305s (MkI) surround speakers. They’re all fine. If you can examine them before purchase or return them if there’s an issue, I’d say go for it.

I just picked them up, and as expected the tweeter is pretty noisy. But I don't think I hear it on my listening position. Because I don't have other XLR cables right now I just unplugged my NC400's + M106 and put the JBL's on their the floor (so not a perfect listening position). First impression without listening to the M106 first is these are very good loudspeakers for the money. In terms of tonality they are clearly very similar. Feel like the mid range is a bit recessed on the JBL, voices are better on the Revel. The Revel's also sound bigger and less boxy, but the placement I have the JBL's in is pretty shit and close together so take that with a grain of salt. I high pass them on my receiver (don't know at what frequency, somewhere between 60 and 90) and have a subwoofer to support them so can't really comment on the low-end. All I can say they will do fine as surrounds or even as main listening speakers if the distance is far. Don't think I would want to use these in nearfield as my pc because of the tweeter when nothing is playing.

 

[Jungstar]

I have several of each version of the JBL 305s. I haven’t documented any measurements, but they do differ slightly in frequency response. I use DSP to match them for use in a Dolby Atmos-compatible 7.1.4 immersive audio system. Three of my 305P MkIIs are used in a tri-field center channel array, with 2 left and right centers to either side of the lower part of video screen and 1 speaker centered above the screen. The remaining 10 LSR305s (“MkI”) are used for front left and right stereo and surround and height channels.

My listening impressions, AFTER EQ CORRECTION, for what they’re worth, is that the tweeters in the MkIIs strike me as sounding ever so slightly cleaner. Their greater departure from frequency response linearity than the MkI is a moot point when DSP correction is applied: they can be made to sound practically identical in that respect. Since I am dedicated to the use of DSP for fine-tuning levels, time/distance and frequency response with DSP anyway, I prefer the MkIIs overall, but it’s a very close call.

Here are the corrections I have been using on each version of the 305s and they work very well in my room. Note that for the MkIs I actually skip the corrections for Filters 6, 7,8 and 12 because I only have a 10-filter DSP per channel and the corrections recommend in that part of the spectrum are relatively minor. The extra channels I’m left with are used for room bass anomaly compensation.

JBL LSR305 (aka MkI)
Corrective EQ (from NO Audiophile)

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 835 Hz Gain -2.2 dB Q 3.0
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 1110 Hz Gain 4.0 dB Q 6.0
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1343 Hz Gain -4.8 dB Q 2.32
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1620 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 6.0
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2384 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 3.0
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 3650 Hz Gain 0.4 dB Q 6.0
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 5000 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 2.07
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6987 Hz Gain 0.7 dB Q 3.0
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 8874 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 2.0
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 11851 Hz Gain 1.7 dB Q 3.5
Filter 11: ON PK Fc 15150 Hz Gain -2.7 dB Q 1.59
Filter 12: ON HS Fc 1000 Hz Gain 0.5 dB

JBL 305P MkII
Corrective EQ (from an Audio Science Review Reader)

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 160 Hz Gain -1.19 dB Q 2.54
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 584 Hz Gain 1.68 dB Q 0.98
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 831 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 4.04
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1763 Hz Gain -3.55 dB Q 4.76
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 3183 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 2.52
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 5025 Hz Gain -2.24 dB Q 2.67
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 9552 Hz Gain -1.6 dB Q 3.5
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 16808 Hz Gain -4.1 dB Q 2.5

I know there is DSP inside the speakers , do they mess with the EQ? It is a bit unclear what the internal DSP do, but I would assume they do a bit of Loudness adjustment, the volume and the high low switches. But does this mess with making adjustments?

 

[infinitesymphony]

I know there is DSP inside the speakers , do they mess with the EQ? It is a bit unclear what the internal DSP do, but I would assume they do a bit of Loudness adjustment, the volume and the high low switches. But does this mess with making adjustments?

Yes, DSP is used to calibrate the speakers closer to a target. In the case of the LSR305Ps they may or may not adjust the DSP for every speaker vs. using the same settings for all speakers in a production run. With higher-end speakers like Genelec and Neumann, each monitor is calibrated within a range as part of the QC process.

This internal trimming process is separate from end-user adjustment, so you will have the full range of adjustments left to make.

 

[Ashoka]

Amplifier THD is not discussed. specifications says system distortion is <10% and .2% THD at 1kHz.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Amplifier THD is not discussed. specifications says system distortion is <10% and .2% THD at 1kHz.View attachment 139589

This is discussed more in-depth in the JBL LSR308P MkII thread. Those speakers have quite a bit of distortion when cranked up.

Oooh, I remember the same looking JBL monitor, probably the older version yet, it had a lot of hiss noise. I measured that and found -87db(A), so need to love JBL too much to use it at a 1m distance The root cause was awful ST class D chip STA350, really low-end stuff with THD+N 0.5% -3db and noisy. I hope JBL jumped to Ti with the current monitor version.

Two more notes on distortion:

1. This speaker absolutely, positively generates audible distortion at mid volumes and higher. Indeed anyone who says distortion is not audible, should experience it. It is very gradual and subtle at first and then gets to the point of being obnoxious. I do not hear such distortion in passive speakers driven by super powerful amplifiers. For near-field use though, you really have to listen loud to hear the distortions but it is definitely there and below the level of "going deaf."

2. This speaker has independent channels to woofer and tweeter. This means that harmonic distortion generated in bass does not travel to tweeter where it manifests itself as harshness. Standard passive speakers don't benefit this way so their bass distortion can result in different artifacts.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

That distortion is worse than Dynaco amps from 1970. Maybe 1950. The class D amp attached to this type of "powered" speaker is junk. I'd rather "dsp" my cats.

 

[noel_fs]

anyone knows where can i get LSR305 plastic rings of the woofer in europe for a decent price? second hand could do the job if someone has a pair with the board or some part not working

 

[DomieMic65]

I know that this might have been answered a lot here but how many of you owners listening from about 1-1,5 meter away from the speaker, hear the twitter “hiss” and how annoying might this be?
I want a smal pair of monitors mainly for my SSL2+ interface and sometimes for my RME ADI-2 DAC fs used in another system.
Another option I’m considering are the Adam T5V
The space for the first ssl system is limited … for the second is adequate for 5inch woofer!
Thank you very much!!

 

[Pio]

I know that this might have been answered a lot here but how many of you owners listening from about 1-1,5 meter away from the speaker, hear the twitter “hiss” and how annoying might this be?
I want a smal pair of monitors mainly for my SSL2+ interface and sometimes for my RME ADI-2 DAC fs used in another system.
Another option I’m considering are the Adam T5V
The space for the first ssl system is limited … for the second is adequate for 5inch woofer!
Thank you very much!!

As much as I love the 305's, the hiss they produce up close is disappointing to me. You may not be as sensitive to it, but for me it's their Achilles' heel.. having said this, Once the material is playing, it's inaudible and (for the money) they are pretty great. I kept my pair as a back up in case my main monitors have an issue.

 

[DomieMic65]

As much as I love the 305's, the hiss they produce up close is disappointing to me. You may not be as sensitive to it, but for me it's their Achilles' heel.. having said this, Once the material is playing, it's inaudible and (for the money) they are pretty great. I kept my pair as a back up in case my main monitors have an issue.

Thank you for replying ... from what you say I do not think that I should go threir way unfortunatelly!
I am quite sensitive to sound artifacts of this kind. Even the very very slight hiss that comes from my main system in about 2+m away, at late night listening is annoying to me!

Sorry fo rthe off topic question but does the Adam T5V have less (if any) hiss?