The JBL LSR305 Active Studio Monitors are an amazing value and will add a perfect monitoring solution to any low-mid budget home studio.
JBL has been a huge name in pro audio for years, and their LSR305 5″ Two-Way Powered Studio Monitors deliver on that famous big JBL sound in an inexpensive and compact size.
These active monitors are housed in an attractive black housing and contain a 5” woofer and 1” tweeter, while the rear panel has the usual XLR & 1/4” audio connections. There’s even the ability to tune the speakers to the room via the HF and LF trim controls, as well as input sensitivity. A nice touch to help get the right sound in any tracking situation.
[RELATED: read our review of the JBL EON 615 Two-Way Speakers.]
Running a variety of musical styles through these, there’s an obvious direct tightness, especially in the lower frequencies. In a lot of cases, it’s thought a larger speaker will produce better low end response, but that’s not the case here. In direct comparison to a different, 8” set of monitors we compared them to in the studio, the 305s were much more “present,” overall. Even at maximum settings, these didn’t get flubby, mushy or distorted. A set of these are a MUST for any hip-hop/trance/EDM music being produced on a budget. Mixing through a set of these will eliminate the difficulty of trying to find that low-end sweet spot. It’s just there, and it’s tight. Even at lower volumes, when bass frequencies tend to waft off, there was plenty of bass response to be had.
JBL LSR305 Active Studio Monitor rear
They didn’t disappoint in the upper and mid-range either, with plenty of clarity and dynamics that seemed to sit well across a variety of genres. The frequency response is 43Hz-24kHz, and with a max SPL of 108dB, it’s hard to beat how much great sound comes out of such a small package.
[RELATED: read more studio monitor reviews from Performer Magazine.]
The street price is $149 each, which is amazing considering a set of these would only set your home studio back $300. If you’re in the market for a new monitoring set-up, especially if you’re on a budget, these should be at the top of your shopping list.
PROS:
Plenty of low-end, smooth mids, inexpensive.
CONS:
None.
JBL LSR305 PRICE:
$149/each
JBL LSR305 FEATURES
-Bi-amped active studio monitors with 5″ LF woofer and 1″ HF tweeter
-Exceptionally wide frequency range for more accurate mixes
-Image Control Waveguide creates a detailed and dimensional stereo image
-HF and LF trim controls let you fine-tune the speakers to your room’s acoustics
-XLR and TRS balanced inputs give you low-noise performance with your studio gear
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