Small (7" in Speaker Height Max) Under $200/pair Desktop Speakers

[mcdn]

The JBL 104 is really quite good, especially if you can EQ it. Amir didn’t love it but it’s designed to sit on a desk, where the FR is much better than on-axis. A little bit of hiss but much less than the 305p.

JBL One Series 104 Powered Monitor Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the JBL 104 Powered Monitor (speaker). I purchased this recently for just US $90 including free shipping from Amazon. JBL shows the list price as US $129. These are hefty, egg-shaped speakers: That's the master speaker that houses the...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[audio2920]

I've got a pair of 104s that I quite like as a computer speaker, the dual concentric design seems to do the business in ultra-nearfield. But, they're way over 7" tall. More like 10" I think.

 

[Berwhale]

I've also got a pair of 104's. I think they're pretty good for their price and agree with Amir's conclusion... "Overall quality was tons better than junk computer monitors."

I noticed that the newer model with Bluetooth in white finish are available for £119 in the UK. https://www.amazon.co.uk/JBL-Compact-Reference-Monitors-Bluetooth/dp/B07ZR2DPCG?th=1

 

[wacomme]

Seems like quite a tall (ahem, short) order to meet all those criteria simultaneously.

Is the 7" height restriction absolute? Can't quite picture it. That's very, very small. Mackie CR3 is close (8") and not utterly terrible. Might be about as good as things get? Unless you step all the way up to Gelenec.

If you give up the balance input there things like iLoud* or Klipsch Media Pro 2.1 ...?

*Edit: @dominikz beat me to it!

The Mackie's are a possibility. I have the small AudioEngine A2's, but they are unbalanced to my computer and I have on and off ground interference issues. Thus, it's best to use the A2's elsewhere in the house (thinking of connecting them to an old Samsung TV via optical out to a FiiO D3 Dac for better that TV set sound that can be controlled via the TV remote) and replace my desk speakers with something with balanced inputs.

 

[wacomme]

I've also got a pair of 104's. I think they're pretty good for their price and agree with Amir's conclusion... "Overall quality was tons better than junk computer monitors."

I noticed that the newer model with Bluetooth in white finish are available for £119 in the UK. https://www.amazon.co.uk/JBL-Compact-Reference-Monitors-Bluetooth/dp/B07ZR2DPCG?th=1

At 10" the 104's are just too tall.

 

[NiagaraPete]

8010A Studio Monitor - Genelec.com

The 8010A squeezes true reference performance and extended frequency response into an extremely compact package.

www.genelec.com

 

[wacomme]

OK. I might be able to handle some height (10" max), but the footprint needs to be small (width and depth as small as possible - limited desk space). So the 104's might work!

 

[wacomme]

So maybe tall and skinny would work, relatively speaking. A 5" x 5" footprint would be ideal.

 

[wacomme]

8010A Studio Monitor - Genelec.com

The 8010A squeezes true reference performance and extended frequency response into an extremely compact package.

www.genelec.com

Very nice, but too pricey.

 

[pablolie]

Very nice, but too pricey.

also taller than 7" awesome monitors though of course

 

[wacomme]

With a 6" x 5" footprint, the JBL 104's are the best option so far, despite their 10" height. Is it balanced?

 

[pablolie]

With a 6" x 5" footprint, the JBL 104's are the best option so far, despite their 10" height. Is it balanced?

It doesn't seem to have an XLR connection [retraction: it does see below] - but honestly on a desktop system why do you expect that to make a difference? Just curious really, everybody is entitled to preferences.

 

[AlexanderM]

It doesn't seem to have an XLR connection - but honestly on a desktop system why do you expect that to make a difference? Just curious really, everybody is entitled to preferences.

Does the bottom set of connectors say balanced on these?

Amazon.com: JBL 104-BT Desktop Professional Reference Monitors Pair with Bluetooth (Black) with Aluminum Speaker Stands Bundle (2 Items) : Musical Instruments

Buy JBL 104-BT Desktop Professional Reference Monitors Pair with Bluetooth (Black) with Aluminum Speaker Stands Bundle (2 Items): Studio Monitors - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

wacomme, these ones are a better price, I'm assuming they are the same speaker.

https://www.amazon.com/JBL-Reference-Bluetooth-Monitors-Isolation/dp/B08VW8K8PJ/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3NOZPF0ZH8O6S&keywords=jbl+104+with+balanced+connection&qid=1653535254&sprefix=jbl+104+with+balanced+connection%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-5

Also, if you are looking for more suggestions the PreSonus 3.5 has balanced connection.

https://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-Eris-E3-5-Professional-Multimedia/dp/B075QVMBT9/ref=sr_1_5?crid=VAUAPV0BMTN4&keywords=presonus%2Beris%2Be3.5&qid=1653536135&sprefix=presonus%2Caps%2C970&sr=8-5&th=1

 

[pablolie]

Does the bottom set of connectors say balanced on these?

Amazon.com: JBL 104-BT Desktop Professional Reference Monitors Pair with Bluetooth (Black) with Aluminum Speaker Stands Bundle (2 Items) : Musical Instruments

Buy JBL 104-BT Desktop Professional Reference Monitors Pair with Bluetooth (Black) with Aluminum Speaker Stands Bundle (2 Items): Studio Monitors - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Oh yeah you're right, TRS balanced connector. Retracting former comment.

 

[DVDdoug]

How about width? Can you turn the speakers on their sides?

 

[Berwhale]

With a 6" x 5" footprint, the JBL 104's are the best option so far, despite their 10" height. Is it balanced?

How are you going to use the balanced connection? It sounds like your A2's are connected directly to your PC via the RCA connection at the moment.

 

[audio2920]

With a 6" x 5" footprint, the JBL 104's are the best option so far, despite their 10" height. Is it balanced?

Yes it is, but on TRS jack only, not XLR.

Just one word of warning about the 104; I like them, but it's more like a cheaper studio monitor than an expensive computer speaker. By that I mean, you hear plenty of detail, stereo imaging and so on, but the bass is less emphasised than something like a JBL "lifestyle" product or Logitech 2.1 system.

Someone pointed out they've changed the bass driver since the model Amir reviewed, so that may improve things a fraction. Or it could just be cost saving for JBL. Who knows!?

 

[antcollinet]

Nice, but they are over 17" in height.

10" according to Edifier spec (I'm guessing as often happens, Amazon have given packed dimensions)

Still too large though.

 

[wacomme]

How does the JBL 104 compare to the Mackie CR3? Both are viable options.

 

[audio2920]

Data courtesy of Amir & Erin.

In simple frequency response terms, the JBL is bit better behaved in the bass (doesn't have such bump) but on-axis, probably because of the concentric HF driver, is messier at HF. Both are a bit scooped, neither has anything useful below about 70Hz. I think in practice I would choose the JBL because I like the "point source" despite the trade-off in FR behaviour.