Having just bought the LSR305s, they'd get my vote everytime! I demo'd the Focal Alpha 50s, KRK Rokit 5s, M-Audio BX6 Carbons & the ADAM F5s. The F5s were lovely, but not right for me. The M-Audio's just sounded cheap and bass-heavy, the KRKs were ok, but too much like the M-Audios IMO. The Focal Alpha 50s were awful, very tinny and bass-shy All speakers were well used/well run in; so that wasn't the issue! The JBLs just had much better control and outright clarity; their bass depth for their size and a 5" woofer belies their size! The bass is deep, taut and very well timed with no bloom, the midrange is lovely and detailed and the treble is spot on, no harshness and no brittleness etc... Mine are fed music via my Mac Mini > USB out to a PreSonus interface > 1/4" TRS cables to the JBLs I'm an audiophile at heart, but these 'studio monitors' have really impressed me!
That was my experience as well, Yamaha, Tannoy , and the JBL just felt fuller and more umph's not a work but it was a notable difference for sure. I have a Presonus set up as well, and play guitar, and I just bought these or ordered them, so looking forward to some mixing and composing without headphones!
I spent an hour in the shop and tested pretty much the same line up you mentioned, i was close to going Jbl (being a JBL fanboy and I had never heard of Adam before then) but ended up with the F5s with a Adam Sub7. Since buying them my mixes have been much better, its definantly worth spending a little more if you're serious about your craft
+CTK the DON I have the 308's there fine go ahead and buy the jbl its fine dont go krk Its also not a plastic cone its paper the dust cap is dent proof so if you push on it it returns to normal
It's not even close. Anyone with good ears can hear a BIG difference in the sound clarity between these. In their price range, JBL's are the best choice.
so I went into my local music shop looking for some krk's. Dude was like hold on there hoss, lemme a/b the jbls for ya. long story short I walked out with jbls. Big difference in the midrange, the snare jumps out at you alot better on jbls.
The KRKs use a heavier magnet speaker and the enclosure is tuned lower than the ls305s with less port area and longer port hence the over emphasis on bass along with the crossover network built into the amp crossing the midwoofer lower. This stress the tweeters out a bit more because they have to cover some of the low frequencys the mids are lacking. Of course this is all from an audiophile listening standpoint. I design my own speaker enclosures and arrays and crossover networks too. Making mixes on the KRKs, you'll really need to attenuate the bass or else the bass in your music will be weak in other speaker setups.
the KRK drivers are a glass composite not Kevlar. Also from what I have read and a sound test at my local Guitar Center store confirmed, the KRK's are more for EDM and electronic House music and the JBL LSR's are for more natural music compositions like acoustic based music and rock music. I highly suggest going somewhere and listening to them before you make your decision.
No offense meant dude...but don't fall for the marketing hype and certainly take what you hear from GC people,with a grain of salt,as GuitarCenters are typically staffed with some very ignorant people. There is no such thing,as a genre-specific monitor....as the true job of any good monitor,is to give an honest representation of the entire audio spectrum,in whatever you are mixing and mastering. I've owned several studio monitors over the years in the under a $1,000 range(including a pair of Adam A7's) and none of them have measured up to what I have now,which is a pair of KRK Rokit10-3 G3's(the 3-way,tri-amped monitors.) These puppies are stellar,in that they cover the 31Hz to 20kHz range beautifully and honestly...which means I can do any electronic music,rock,pop,jazz,vocals..etc.,.which means I can record,mix and master any genre of music with confidence and minimal effort. To put a finer point on it,let's say for instance,a person only listen to acoustic music and this person is recording a live performance and in this performance,someone accidentally knocks an instrument into a microphone stand.Striking a mic stand,typically produces a low frequency noise in the sub range(anywhere from say,20Hz to 50Hz.) Now...in order to effectively EQ a LF noise such as this,you need monitors that can reproduce this and obviously the Rp10-3's will do the job,whereas a pair of RP5's won't. Ideally,in this said instance,headphones would be more effective(if say,you are trying to eliminate ambient noises below 31Hz....but you will still get the point in what I;m saying,I'm sure.
Philo Beddoe I understand what you are saying. However it all comes down to the individual and I tested the KRK's Rocket 5's and the JBL LSR-305'S. In my opinion the JBL's had a more natural and more importantly accurate sound, especially in the lower end.
I had the JBL LSR305's and I whole heartily agree with you,about their quality.The one performance aspect of the 305's that killed it for me though,is that they are very under-powered,which forces the user to crank the volume(I cranked them to about 75%) and at that volume,you can hear very well,how JBL compromised the quality,with regard to their amplifiers(way too much amp hiss.) In my opinion,JBL was overly concerned with keeping the price too low(to compete with the competition price-wise)..and they really cut corners with their amplifiers. I think if JBL upgraded the amps and charged say,another $100 per pair,they would have been an exceptional pair of bookshelf 2way's. I grew so tired of the compromises of budgeted 2-way systems and I am so glad I went with the KRK mid-fields(because I am now in a whole other world of monitoring,that I will never look back.)
Philo Beddoe I'm sorry, I don't experience any hiss in mine and I don't have to turn them up that much, maybe 40 to 50%. Point is, just use what you like. I like the accuracy of the JBL's and I can achieve an accurate mix every time.
Philo Beddoe You also shouldn't generalize and pre judge people because of what establishment they are affiliated with. The Person that sold me the JBL's is a friend of mine who I've been playing in bands with for twenty years. He only took the job at Guitar Center because the local recording studio he worked at had to close its doors for unforseen reasons. Besides he didn't sell me on anything, I went in knowing what I wanted after doing a lot of demoing and research.
Thank you so much for your reviews! I ordered the 305s the other day along with the 310s (love to see you review the sub). Never had monitors before and after a LOT of research was quite sure i wanted 305s then i saw your review of them and knew i NEEDED 305s! I was relieved you sided with the JBLs over the rokits or my brain would have melted... Thanks mate
The KRKs are heavier because they have integrated class AB amps and linear power supplies, while the JBLs have switch mode power supplies and class D amps. Other than that, being ported designs they both suffer from that one-note-bass issue, even though I've heard that the JBL has no noticeable port distortion, but rear ported designs are always problematic with placement.
So, basically, the KRK' present a somewhat hyped response that's enjoyable to listen to in a larger room. The JBL' present a more accurate ("flat") response for its nearfield design. If I surmise correctly? If measurements were to be conducted, I'd wager the JBL' would be flatter. It's interesting that you found the highs superior on the KRK'. I listened to the demo vid first, and the JBL' sounded more detailed and clear. The KRK' had more bass. I'll listen again. Edit: Yeah, just listened again. The JBL' are definitely more detailed speaker in terms of mid-range and overall clarity. IMHO of course,
I'm not sure what you're referencing to. There is evidence in abundance on the internet to the contrary, particularly in regards to the JBL. Not sure why my detailed comment revealing this was removed. *shrug*
No sir...i mean if both of these are not good as a studio monitor than which you suggest as a good basic monitor for mixing in home studio....m from India.
Ah, you must be referencing to the other poster. Ignore that. Both of these are quality, budget studio monitors. If given the choice though, the JBL wins.
My 5 1/4 inch Rockville Monitors are -4db and 4+db optional for Highs and Lows. Also has Left and Right Balanced XLR/TRS Inputs and Left and Right Unbalanced RCA Inputs. 125 Watts RMS , 250 Watt Peak Power. For $114 Bucks for the Pair I am Really Happy with them. They Sound Great and don't cost an arm and a leg. Also have a Rockville Subwoofer hooked up to them that puts out Nice Deep Bass at 200 Watts. :)
LSR-305's are definitely more accurate and detailed speakers and sound fantastic right out of the box with no boosting or cutting of frequencies. I wouldn't shun the Rokit 5's either, but the low end is definitely too biased and renders a less accurate representation of what's really going on in that frequency range. Cut the bass if you must get a pair of KRK's.
i want so badly to hate these, not because of the company but the general people who buy these and SWEAR theyre the greatest things on earth, They kind of sound like the m50x fanboy club at times. And as you've just stated, they're 92% as good as the 305's and even have crisper highs.. maybe its just better to continue hating the people rather than these monitors.
+Oberone Kenobi Well, if it's any consolation, I've consistently heard they are terrible for mixing; even though that's what they were designed for. LOL.
Great video......I've just replaced my Rokit 5 speakers with the JBL 305 and I have to say, JBL win massively. Clearer sound, more responsive dynamics and no enhanced bass. If you do EDM or a similar style I certainly see that out of the box the Rokit speakers may sound better. If you are doing different styles and want more control over your mixes, 305 is the way to go. Just chipping in :D
I bought the KRK Rokit 5's about 3 years ago (got the gold edition on sale for 100.00 $ USA dollars each). I then picked up a pair of the JBL LSR 305's for 100.00 for the pair off Craigslist last week. I like the KRK's better but I do like these LSR 305's. I use a Mackie Big knob and A/B as a reference or sometimes while tracking, use both to monitor loudly. I think what you might be doing is Exactly what is happening to me... You are used to the JBL's there for your ear is not being as honest as it should. because I think the KRK's are better, but honestly, I have learned those speakers very well in my Room conditions. that is critical.
I've heard both of them at Guitar Center and the KRK's top end sound harsh to me and has nowhere near the imaging the JBL has. Still love my 305's after 5 years. They make my family room sound like an entire speaker which makes my entire home sound great from these two little speakers. I'm amazed everyday I hear them.
If you need to turn the 305's up to 75%, you must have some hearing problems or defective speakers. I can hear them fine at 25%. I've never ever heard anyone else complaining the volume was lacking on the 305's.
i got old pair of KRK G2 8s thinking about getting cheaper speakers maybe JBL as the low end is wayyy too much on KRKS, how the fuck can i mix/master when theres so much LOW AND LOW mids -_-
just pasted the foam thing that came with the earphone cut into pieces and pasted under my radius 90 speakers,made huge difference in sound quality.Now i know why people buy stands
im confused. The whole video your explaining how the KRK has better bass response, cleaner, louder highs, better wave guide design, better port placement, better reinforcement, better build quality, more eq control. All of your points were leading toward the krk, but at the end you say the JBL's are better?
+Supersolyman Being better build doesn't mean in the end it will sound better. And the bass is MORE but that isn't an instant win either since it isn't as clean sounding. And in no way did I say the KRK has a better wave guide. That is JBL's win clearly.
Although the JBL's bass level is flat,how do they sound better??I mean....they are so under-powered,that I have to turn them up 75% of the way,just to be able to mix on them...but at that volume level,there's considerable amplifier hiss.The amps in the JBL's are shit,so actually,they don't sound better at all. By the way,try adjusting the bass level controls in the back.I've owned both as well and I was happy to sell my JBL's,as they are nothing more than a couple of shit-boxes,because of the shit-ass amps in them. Besides which,I am done with budget 2-way systems and I'm gonna splurge on a pair of the KRK RP10-3 way G3's(those puppies are dope as a motherfucker!)
Ya, the Krks might sound "better" with a "better" low end, because its a false low end. If you are not buying these to hear what is actually 100% no bullshit what sound is happening then buy the Krks, if you want to hear what is actually happening on the low end, buy the Jbls.
Because the speakers bottom out at the mid-bass and there is no low bass to anchor it, so the monitors give the false impression of being bass heavy. Once you realize there is no low bass you can mix great on these. Hint: Bass heavy monitors will produce bass shy mixes. And bass shy monitors will produce bass heavy mixes. KRK monitors are used in thousands of professional studios all over the world.
Mitch S What low end? The KRK-5'S don't produce anything unusable below 90hz. Low bass is 20-80hz. Once you realize this, you will stop grabbing tons of low bass eq on your bass tracks to hear the low end on the KRK-5'S. You can't mix what you can't hear. Don't use additive Eq below 150hz and you mixes will shine. But since they only go down to the mid-bass, which means they have no low bass to anchor them, the 5's will give the illusion of a boomy-bassy speaker. It is not a false low end it is no low end. Is KRK lying? No. They do go down to 52hz - in a dead flat room.
Whats going on man, Just wanted to hit you up with a thank you basically for doing this review. At first I was very skeptical about how good the JBLs LSR 305's would be.. but now that I own them I'm blown away by how good they sound and I previously own Presonus sceptre 8"s and these sound alot like they do but at a lot less of a cost. Your video encouraged me to create a review also. Once I purchased a set just to emphasize the quality. Thanks Cheers Nate
In the battle of 'smiley faced' eq curves/voices.. these two will have a fight on their hands against a pair of comparable genelecs. Personally i'm a mid-forward person when it comes to studio speakers, but i will defnitely pick up some genelcs at some point for general listing/referencing/client playback in my studio.. one speaker for work and one for play..
Sounds better?...The job of a monitor is to show you without mercy what is in your mix. What does the weight have to do with anything? No one judges a active monitor on the weight. When people talk about one pair of monitors sounding better than the other...It worries me. The best monitor would be which monitor gave more detail into your mix. Lower bass is better but not if it's uncontrolled.
Genelecs are just super detailed in the highs, it sounds pretty but can cause ear fatigue and also lead to making the mix sound nicer than it actually is
KRKs are so muddy in the low end compared to the JBLs, plus the JBLs have a super flat frequency response, compared to the huge lower spike and upper scoop in the KRKs. The KRK's may be good for making hip hop stuff, but for Metal, JBLs win in my book.
KRK ist schwerer weil einen Toroidal transformer hat. das ist AB Amplifier und JBL hat ein Class D amplifier (more lighter). JBL hat ein Neodimium Tweeter vs clásical Magnet im KRK.
JBL 305 was a TOTAL desception to me I done 2 listings in the store whit diferent mixers and the result was the same... Desception!!! I bougth the bhringer b1030 a. Real clear sound!
Thanks for your view on these... These are among the 6 Im considering...Being 50+, and still, basically, having "analog ears", Im finding it REALLY HARD, listening to the comparisons,hearing ones that have the MIDS my old Yamaha MS-202s(one died SAT) Ive mixed with for 27yrs...The Rokits are winning as of today...TOO MANY CHOICES nowdays...LOL
Could You please make a review of the LSR 310? Would be interesting to have a comparison between the commonly used studio subwoofers (JBL, KRK, Temblor...)
The rokit 5 do not have a Kevlar woofer, you have to step up to the vxt series. The vxt's are on a much higher level sonically, and are wonderful for music playback or recording.
and also the krk sound more alive and music pops and crispy is a good thing and jbl sound smooth and clean but I prefer the sound to be more shapy and the krk does that. yeah the jbl sound clean and nice but shape is super important!
The KRKs are specifically studio monitors. I don't know when it happened that anyone thought of them as listening speakers. They're extremely flat, as they should be.for track mixing and mastering People should take that into consideration
Decent video... however, after 30 seconds it's clear that you're weighed on the KRK's... which is all good, but a straight up unbiased review would be good. Thanks for the help in deciding
I have the 305's and I have placed them in many different positions...go mid room angled toward you about 6" from wall...brings a dual effect to what your working on...almost as if they were firing at you and from further back...hope that helps.
I’m in the middle of the shit. Just sold my Cerwin Vega xls 6 and i need New speakers. And the krks or the lsr305s Are my Main options. I listen mainly to trap and hip hop aswell as edm and i have to have my speakers close to the wall in wich the front port is benefitual. So i’m leading towards the krks but the Jbls Are easier to buy in my country and theyre about 65 bucks cheaper for the pair. Man i’m lost.
bought the jbl lsr 305 and i'm actually really blown away. Buy the jbl, they sound more like music and not speakers haha. Perfect as an all around speaker!! Trust me
the LSR305 has a hollow around 8-9kHz and has a "hssss" because ampli casse D. The RP5 G3 has a auto-standby when you listen musique at low volume .... thus i work with yamaha HS7 and check my tracks on Presonus Eris 4.5 or Marshall Acton ..... and the CR4 has too much 125Hz for working ......
I remember you saying you were going to do a review on foam or something like that. To test if it actually makes a difference. So, what's your verdict? And did you just use foam behind the speakers, or did you test out foam with the speakers sitting on them? Because that's what I'm interested in doing with my ms16's, is putting those foam things underneath them. I'm definitely interested in knowing if it makes a difference.
I'd actually recommend the KRKs to those that just want to listen to music very loud but still in very high quality. They sound very good, I must say. But they are the Beats by Dr.Dre in the monitor world (forget about the price) their lows and highs are buffed. You shouldn't mix and master your music with buffed monitors, because they lie. JBLs have flatter response. SImply: Making your own music? - JBL. Only a listener? - Rokit
This is a really good summary and I appreciate it. I'm currently weighing up both options, but where I am (UK) at the moment it;s actually easier to get a pair of Rokit 5s with cables and pads/stands for a good deal, than it is to find JBLs at all. I wouldn't however say that they're that close of an equivalent to Beats by DRE, I'd compare them more to average pair of Sennheisers. It's a well known brand that can attract some brand-snobbery, but in the end it's a good product for it's price, even if others do offer better value for money (depending on your requirements). But yeah, my mixing days were years ago, Now I just listen to music through my PC and also game, so if the KRKs are accurate but with some added fluff, it's not a huge deal to me. I listen to such a variety of music, it'd be impossible to find a pair that covers every genre perfectly (within my budget at least). If these are well built, look good, sound objectively good and I can find a good deal on a pair, I think they'll be a good buy.
What makes powered monitors better for a desk setup than bookshelf speakers? Is it the integrated DSP? I'm currently using bookshelf speakers with an emotiva amp and they sound great, but my desk is also quite large and the speakers are a solid 12 inches out from the wall. My speakers are also positioned on stands, not taking up space on the desk. For anyone interested they are HTD level 3 bookshelf speakers.
it would be awesome to get your opinion on the new Tannoy Reveal series active studio monitors. I personally own a pair of 402's for extremely near-field desk setup paired with a 10" Presonus "Temblor" subwoofer and couldn't be happier considering the cost. Of course there are also the larger varieties of the Tennoys - the 502's and 802's to look at
Let's not get carried away people. Krk and Jbl are great company's but I seem to always see 808mafia and metro boomin or even upcoming producers with the KRK brand. It's just something about them.... I own the 5's and I can hear every detail In my beats. The bass is dope also...
I've read in a forum that krk are designed to EDM ( basically any song style where kick and bass predominate), and that the Yamaha's are designed to a lot styles of music unless """edm""" songs
Considering I just watched that dark Stone guys comparison video and chose the Aiwa exos-9 over the the JBL 305 or tied with it, I think I'm glad I got the aiwa over the rokit5.
I'm sold on the JBL, but the table I use is backed up to a wall. Since the 305's have a rear facing port, what's the absolute minimum distance that you would recommended between the wall and back of the speaker before you would resort to the front ported KRK?
Hello Zeos, How does the PreSonus Eris 5 compared to these two speakers? Sound and Build Quality? I have the Topping DX7 DAC/AMP powering my Sennheiser HD650 and looking for a nice pair of powered desktop monitors. Thanks in advance!
Hey have you heard Fluid Audio F5?? i heard them recently and loved them but not sure if they are good enough to be preferred over everyone's trusted KRK rokit.
I don't get why a lot of people say the krk5s sound bassy. If any they lack in bass, that's why I got the s10 subwoofer with it because I *know* they lack in bass. How do I know? Because I've looked at the frequency response recording done with software and a mic. The only reason i can think of is because of room size.
No sound comparison? I tried both and went with the JBL's, they sounded much better to me than the Rokit's. Much fuller and cleaner low end. Options are good and all, but the sound is really what matters when you're buying monitors.
Hi ! Great video. I was between this two and haven't decided yet. I am not professional, just looking for a good home studio monitors for personal mixes. Have you made the review for the RKR 6 ? Because I heard in the video you wanted to try them and there's a guy around my block that sells them at the same price that I could get the JBL 305s. I would love your input on this! Thanx!
To anybody on here who knows this stuff better than me (i.e. Everybody)... When they specify the weight for monitors is it a per speaker weight or for the pair? I only ask cause it's so hard to find this clearly stated except for certain brands like Kanto...
When I look at some desk setups these days I often encounter studio monitors being laied down on their side and I was wondering if this would effect sound quality because I've got a small desk and would put the monitors under the tripple monitor setup?
I don't think the Rokits are designed to be layed down either (that's why they have a foam pad built-in on the bottom). Ideally, you want near-field monitor tweeters aimed directly at your ears.
i was down at the shop today and listened to these and i already had my mind on the krks but i just couldnt take my mind off how good the jbls sound, they sounded WAY louder than the Krks, almost a bit bassier which was weird. Now i cant make my mind which ones to get
rrgert4 i listened to the krks only for a bit but ive purchased the 305s.my opinion based on the short amount of listening ive had is that the KRKs have punchier EDM favorable bass while the jbls have a deeper natural sounding bass preferred for acoustic and classical tracks imo.
I don't think it matters it how you use you DW is what matters the most... two people can have the same speakers and it all depends on the engineer bc I think you can make any speaker sound good if you know what your doing..
How is the low end sound on the jbl 305? I live in a small room ( a college dorm) so if I had pair of speakers they would be against the wall. What do u think would work better in my case?
I want to make dubstep, will the 5's be adequate? I'd like to also point out that my room is very big so would the 308's be better because their kind of out of my budget.
+Z Reviews I got the red lsr305's and man you didn't lie these things do bass like a 7 inch speaker and the sound stage is crazy incredible. They are also incredibly flat and all my mixes are translating and i don't even have room treatment.
I'd like an all in one soundbar that could work with my PC motherboard which has optical output. Want to put it on the desk underneath monitor. Any suggestions? Best to be under $500. Cheers
Hello, if i wanted to purchase one of these pairs for the consumption of media i.e. Music, Movies, Games. which of these would you recommend the most? The type of Music i listen to is ALOT of trance, a bit of rock and heaps of hip hop, rap and so on. And for movies and games there are explosions...LOTS of explosions. Thanks
I have the Jbl's and really don't like the too much bass. ( I have a very small room). Can I tape up the back portal or would this be a really stupid thing to do?
hey i'm thinking about buying a pair of jbl 305's or krk Rokit6. i listen to edm house and sometimes some classical music. wich one would you prefer to me?
+Z Reviews i have one more question. I want to play music by connecting my pc to a cheap dac and then play it true to my 2 jbl's. What dac should you prefer and which cables should i use
Hi Zeos, I kind of gave up my search for the perfect dac/headphone amp. i really want to buy the micca but they do not distribute it in belgium. i'm now consindering investing in some good studio monitors.. i would like to hook them up to my computer and to my ps4 aswell with optical cable. could u suggest an amp that has the ability to receive optical in, and push balanced out to Krk's, yamaha or jbl monitors? (plus what do you think is best krk 8, yamaha hs7 or jbl?) thanks!
hi I was planning to buy one of these for rear monitoring (music production) in a home studio but because I have a really good amp, I opt to buy instead the jbl CONTROL 1xtreme (passive speakers), in the spec manual sheet they claim to be for professional studio monitoring and they are really crazy good...is it better one of these speakers?
My company tried the KRK's out in our recording studio (we have several pairs of studio monitors, usually we use a pair of tannoy System-10's) and I can't recommend them. Very boring sound, the highs are not rich or detailed enough. I don't know what I would recommend over them persay but I think there is a lot of hype around them that is unwarranted.
I had the JBl LSR305's and if it weren't for the JBL's being so under powered,I would also be in favor of the JBL's over the KRK's(but the gain on the JBL's is so weak,that I was forced to crank them up to about 75%,to be able to mix effectively on them.) Problem with this is,I was subjected to a ridiculous amount of amplifier hiss(& no,the problem is not my audio interface,as I have a Presonus Audiobox 44VSL.) That said,the JBL's are a pair of shit-boxes,due to the piss poor amps in them.As a side note; for me personally,I am piss-tired of futzing around with budget-priced 2-way monitors and the way they smear the mid-range clarity have decided to go with the KRK Rokit 10-3 G3's. These puppies(from what I've read of them)...are hands down,the best 3-way monitors for their price range,due to their overall clarity and ample,but balanced,low end. I currently have the KRK Rokit 5 G3's and I must say,the 3rd generation line of Rokits are damn impressive and I am really chomping at the bit,to get my hands on the Rokit 10-3's.
For Jbl, you need to power it with a good audio interface (for recording you'll need the interface anyway) and you'll be alright...... and loud :). Jbl also sounds good even at loud levels. For near field, both of the brands are absolutely fine.
Not loud enough? These things get ridiculously loud in my setting. I have them a 7.5 on the back, and the volume controller barely turned half-way. Plenty loud at that setting.
Oh now you have to try the focal alpha 50 :D In my experience it destroys the krk and is better than the jbl in the bass and vocal department! Its sounds like a planar speaker XD
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Having just bought the LSR305s, they'd get my vote everytime!
I demo'd the Focal Alpha 50s, KRK Rokit 5s, M-Audio BX6 Carbons & the ADAM F5s.
The F5s were lovely, but not right for me. The M-Audio's just sounded cheap and bass-heavy, the KRKs were ok, but too much like the M-Audios IMO. The Focal Alpha 50s were awful, very tinny and bass-shy
All speakers were well used/well run in; so that wasn't the issue!
The JBLs just had much better control and outright clarity; their bass depth for their size and a 5" woofer belies their size! The bass is deep, taut and very well timed with no bloom, the midrange is lovely and detailed and the treble is spot on, no harshness and no brittleness etc...
Mine are fed music via my Mac Mini > USB out to a PreSonus interface > 1/4" TRS cables to the JBLs
I'm an audiophile at heart, but these 'studio monitors' have really impressed me!
That was my experience as well, Yamaha, Tannoy , and the JBL just felt fuller and more umph's not a work but it was a notable difference for sure. I have a Presonus set up as well, and play guitar, and I just bought these or ordered them, so looking forward to some mixing and composing without headphones!
I spent an hour in the shop and tested pretty much the same line up you mentioned, i was close to going Jbl (being a JBL fanboy and I had never heard of Adam before then) but ended up with the F5s with a Adam Sub7. Since buying them my mixes have been much better, its definantly worth spending a little more if you're serious about your craft
thanks a lot .... I was settled on the 305s and now I'm mind fucked
+CTK the DON Your settlement should not have changed.
jbl is better ?
+CTK the DON I have the 308's there fine go ahead and buy the jbl its fine dont go krk Its also not a plastic cone its paper the dust cap is dent proof so if you push on it it returns to normal
Cleaner sound Jbl
It's not even close. Anyone with good ears can hear a BIG difference in the sound clarity between these. In their price range, JBL's are the best choice.
so I went into my local music shop looking for some krk's. Dude was like hold on there hoss, lemme a/b the jbls for ya. long story short I walked out with jbls. Big difference in the midrange, the snare jumps out at you alot better on jbls.
Great review! But does anyone else get the feeling that this dude potentially fucked the bass port on the JBL?
great idea
The KRKs use a heavier magnet speaker and the enclosure is tuned lower than the ls305s with less port area and longer port hence the over emphasis on bass along with the crossover network built into the amp crossing the midwoofer lower. This stress the tweeters out a bit more because they have to cover some of the low frequencys the mids are lacking. Of course this is all from an audiophile listening standpoint. I design my own speaker enclosures and arrays and crossover networks too. Making mixes on the KRKs, you'll really need to attenuate the bass or else the bass in your music will be weak in other speaker setups.
the KRK drivers are a glass composite not Kevlar. Also from what I have read and a sound test at my local Guitar Center store confirmed, the KRK's are more for EDM and electronic House music and the JBL LSR's are for more natural music compositions like acoustic based music and rock music. I highly suggest going somewhere and listening to them before you make your decision.
No offense meant dude...but don't fall for the marketing hype and certainly take what you hear from GC people,with a grain of salt,as GuitarCenters are typically staffed with some very ignorant people.
There is no such thing,as a genre-specific monitor....as the true job of any good monitor,is to give an honest representation of the entire audio spectrum,in whatever you are mixing and mastering.
I've owned several studio monitors over the years in the under a $1,000 range(including a pair of Adam A7's) and none of them have measured up to what I have now,which is a pair of KRK Rokit10-3 G3's(the 3-way,tri-amped monitors.)
These puppies are stellar,in that they cover the 31Hz to 20kHz range beautifully and honestly...which means I can do any electronic music,rock,pop,jazz,vocals..etc.,.which means I can record,mix and master any genre of music with confidence and minimal effort.
To put a finer point on it,let's say for instance,a person only listen to acoustic music and this person is recording a live performance and in this performance,someone accidentally knocks an instrument into a microphone stand.Striking a mic stand,typically produces a low frequency noise in the sub range(anywhere from say,20Hz to 50Hz.)
Now...in order to effectively EQ a LF noise such as this,you need monitors that can reproduce this and obviously the Rp10-3's will do the job,whereas a pair of RP5's won't.
Ideally,in this said instance,headphones would be more effective(if say,you are trying to eliminate ambient noises below 31Hz....but you will still get the point in what I;m saying,I'm sure.
Philo Beddoe I understand what you are saying. However it all comes down to the individual and I tested the KRK's Rocket 5's and the JBL LSR-305'S. In my opinion the JBL's had a more natural and more importantly accurate sound, especially in the lower end.
I had the JBL LSR305's and I whole heartily agree with you,about their quality.The one performance aspect of the 305's that killed it for me though,is that they are very under-powered,which forces the user to crank the volume(I cranked them to about 75%) and at that volume,you can hear very well,how JBL compromised the quality,with regard to their amplifiers(way too much amp hiss.)
In my opinion,JBL was overly concerned with keeping the price too low(to compete with the competition price-wise)..and they really cut corners with their amplifiers.
I think if JBL upgraded the amps and charged say,another $100 per pair,they would have been an exceptional pair of bookshelf 2way's.
I grew so tired of the compromises of budgeted 2-way systems and I am so glad I went with the KRK mid-fields(because I am now in a whole other world of monitoring,that I will never look back.)
Philo Beddoe I'm sorry, I don't experience any hiss in mine and I don't have to turn them up that much, maybe 40 to 50%. Point is, just use what you like. I like the accuracy of the JBL's and I can achieve an accurate mix every time.
Philo Beddoe You also shouldn't generalize and pre judge people because of what establishment they are affiliated with. The Person that sold me the JBL's is a friend of mine who I've been playing in bands with for twenty years. He only took the job at Guitar Center because the local recording studio he worked at had to close its doors for unforseen reasons. Besides he didn't sell me on anything, I went in knowing what I wanted after doing a lot of demoing and research.
Thank you so much for your reviews! I ordered the 305s the other day along with the 310s (love to see you review the sub). Never had monitors before and after a LOT of research was quite sure i wanted 305s then i saw your review of them and knew i NEEDED 305s! I was relieved you sided with the JBLs over the rokits or my brain would have melted... Thanks mate
The KRKs are heavier because they have integrated class AB amps and linear power supplies, while the JBLs have switch mode power supplies and class D amps. Other than that, being ported designs they both suffer from that one-note-bass issue, even though I've heard that the JBL has no noticeable port distortion, but rear ported designs are always problematic with placement.
So, basically, the KRK' present a somewhat hyped response that's enjoyable to listen to in a larger room. The JBL' present a more accurate ("flat") response for its nearfield design. If I surmise correctly? If measurements were to be conducted, I'd wager the JBL' would be flatter. It's interesting that you found the highs superior on the KRK'. I listened to the demo vid first, and the JBL' sounded more detailed and clear. The KRK' had more bass. I'll listen again. Edit: Yeah, just listened again. The JBL' are definitely more detailed speaker in terms of mid-range and overall clarity. IMHO of course,
I'm not sure what you're referencing to. There is evidence in abundance on the internet to the contrary, particularly in regards to the JBL.
Not sure why my detailed comment revealing this was removed. *shrug*
then which is good in your view?
prakashmunger
Between these two? The JBL'. Depending on your country, there may be better options.
No sir...i mean if both of these are not good as a studio monitor than which you suggest as a good basic monitor for mixing in home studio....m from India.
Ah, you must be referencing to the other poster. Ignore that. Both of these are quality, budget studio monitors. If given the choice though, the JBL wins.
My 5 1/4 inch Rockville Monitors are -4db and 4+db optional for Highs and Lows. Also has Left and Right Balanced XLR/TRS Inputs and Left and Right Unbalanced RCA Inputs. 125 Watts RMS , 250 Watt Peak Power. For $114 Bucks for the Pair I am Really Happy with them. They Sound Great and don't cost an arm and a leg. Also have a Rockville Subwoofer hooked up to them that puts out Nice Deep Bass at 200 Watts. :)
LSR-305's are definitely more accurate and detailed speakers and sound fantastic right out of the box with no boosting or cutting of frequencies. I wouldn't shun the Rokit 5's either, but the low end is definitely too biased and renders a less accurate representation of what's really going on in that frequency range. Cut the bass if you must get a pair of KRK's.
i want so badly to hate these, not because of the company but the general people who buy these and SWEAR theyre the greatest things on earth, They kind of sound like the m50x fanboy club at times. And as you've just stated, they're 92% as good as the 305's and even have crisper highs.. maybe its just better to continue hating the people rather than these monitors.
+Oberone Kenobi
Well, if it's any consolation, I've consistently heard they are terrible
for mixing; even though that's what they were designed for. LOL.
+Oberone Kenobi Go listen to his audio review comparison and tell me the krk's have crisper highs.
Just got the JBLs because of your reviews, Holy crap they sound good,
Great review. Really great. Honest. No BS. I like that. I'm off to see if I can grab a pair of 305's tomorrow. Thanks.
Great video......I've just replaced my Rokit 5 speakers with the JBL 305 and I have to say, JBL win massively. Clearer sound, more responsive dynamics and no enhanced bass. If you do EDM or a similar style I certainly see that out of the box the Rokit speakers may sound better. If you are doing different styles and want more control over your mixes, 305 is the way to go. Just chipping in :D
I bought the KRK Rokit 5's about 3 years ago (got the gold edition on sale for 100.00 $ USA dollars each). I then picked up a pair of the JBL LSR 305's for 100.00 for the pair off Craigslist last week. I like the KRK's better but I do like these LSR 305's. I use a Mackie Big knob and A/B as a reference or sometimes while tracking, use both to monitor loudly. I think what you might be doing is Exactly what is happening to me... You are used to the JBL's there for your ear is not being as honest as it should. because I think the KRK's are better, but honestly, I have learned those speakers very well in my Room conditions. that is critical.
I've heard both of them at Guitar Center and the KRK's top end sound harsh to me and has nowhere near the imaging the JBL has. Still love my 305's after 5 years. They make my family room sound like an entire speaker which makes my entire home sound great from these two little speakers. I'm amazed everyday I hear them.
If you need to turn the 305's up to 75%, you must have some hearing problems or defective speakers. I can hear them fine at 25%. I've never ever heard anyone else complaining the volume was lacking on the 305's.
i got old pair of KRK G2 8s thinking about getting cheaper speakers maybe JBL as the low end is wayyy too much on KRKS, how the fuck can i mix/master when theres so much LOW AND LOW mids -_-
just pasted the foam thing that came with the earphone cut into pieces and pasted under my radius 90 speakers,made huge difference in sound quality.Now i know why people buy stands
Very good video for us producers
im confused. The whole video your explaining how the KRK has better bass response, cleaner, louder highs, better wave guide design, better port placement, better reinforcement, better build quality, more eq control. All of your points were leading toward the krk, but at the end you say the JBL's are better?
+Supersolyman Being better build doesn't mean in the end it will sound better. And the bass is MORE but that isn't an instant win either since it isn't as clean sounding. And in no way did I say the KRK has a better wave guide. That is JBL's win clearly.
I'll go for the JBL's as I'm looking for a balanced sound.
I have never heard a good review of the Rokits until this.
The Krks are too Bottom heavy and give you a false perception when it comes to the low end. The jbl speakers sound better. i own both.
Although the JBL's bass level is flat,how do they sound better??I mean....they are so under-powered,that I have to turn them up 75% of the way,just to be able to mix on them...but at that volume level,there's considerable amplifier hiss.The amps in the JBL's are shit,so actually,they don't sound better at all.
By the way,try adjusting the bass level controls in the back.I've owned both as well and I was happy to sell my JBL's,as they are nothing more than a couple of shit-boxes,because of the shit-ass amps in them.
Besides which,I am done with budget 2-way systems and I'm gonna splurge on a pair of the KRK RP10-3 way G3's(those puppies are dope as a motherfucker!)
Ya, the Krks might sound "better" with a "better" low end, because its a false low end. If you are not buying these to hear what is actually 100% no bullshit what sound is happening then buy the Krks, if you want to hear what is actually happening on the low end, buy the Jbls.
Because the speakers bottom out at the mid-bass and there is no low bass to anchor it, so the monitors give the false impression of being bass heavy. Once you realize there is no low bass you can mix great on these. Hint: Bass heavy monitors will produce bass shy mixes. And bass shy monitors will produce bass heavy mixes. KRK monitors are used in thousands of professional studios all over the world.
Philo Beddoe Yes man, the KRK 10 are KILLERS. But the best monitors in the world under $2500 a pair are the Mackie HR824s. ($1600 Canadian a pair)
Mitch S What low end? The KRK-5'S don't produce anything unusable below 90hz. Low bass is 20-80hz. Once you realize this, you will stop grabbing tons of low bass eq on your bass tracks to hear the low end on the KRK-5'S. You can't mix what you can't hear. Don't use additive Eq below 150hz and you mixes will shine. But since they only go down to the mid-bass, which means they have no low bass to anchor them, the 5's will give the illusion of a boomy-bassy speaker. It is not a false low end it is no low end. Is KRK lying? No. They do go down to 52hz - in a dead flat room.
I've heard the rokit 5 once and i liked them. I was reading some negative reviews but i didn't really agreed with them.
same
its all just personal preference tbh.
Whats going on man, Just wanted to hit you up with a thank you basically for doing this review. At first I was very skeptical about how good the JBLs LSR 305's would be.. but now that I own them I'm blown away by how good they sound and I previously own Presonus sceptre 8"s and these sound alot like they do but at a lot less of a cost.
Your video encouraged me to create a review also. Once I purchased a set just to emphasize the quality.
Thanks
Cheers
Nate
In the battle of 'smiley faced' eq curves/voices.. these two will have a fight on their hands against a pair of comparable genelecs. Personally i'm a mid-forward person when it comes to studio speakers, but i will defnitely pick up some genelcs at some point for general listing/referencing/client playback in my studio.. one speaker for work and one for play..
You just made my life much harder !! now I'm obsessed about getting them and adjust my whole workflow to find a space for them away from the wall
Sounds better?...The job of a monitor is to show you without mercy what is in your mix. What does the weight have to do with anything? No one judges a active monitor on the weight. When people talk about one pair of monitors sounding better than the other...It worries me. The best monitor would be which monitor gave more detail into your mix. Lower bass is better but not if it's uncontrolled.
For those who have krk rokit5's, do you have your volume knob at +6dB like stated in the manual, or do you have it at +0dB?
I consistently hear about Genelec making some of the best monitors out there. It would be great if you got your hands on a pair of those.
Genelecs are just super detailed in the highs, it sounds pretty but can cause ear fatigue and also lead to making the mix sound nicer than it actually is
KRKs are so muddy in the low end compared to the JBLs, plus the JBLs have a super flat frequency response, compared to the huge lower spike and upper scoop in the KRKs. The KRK's may be good for making hip hop stuff, but for Metal, JBLs win in my book.
KRK ist schwerer weil einen Toroidal transformer hat. das ist AB Amplifier und JBL hat ein Class D amplifier (more lighter). JBL hat ein Neodimium Tweeter vs clásical Magnet im KRK.
JBL 305 was a TOTAL desception to me I done 2 listings in the store whit diferent mixers and the result was the same... Desception!!! I bougth the bhringer b1030 a. Real clear sound!
Thanks for your view on these... These are among the 6 Im considering...Being 50+, and still, basically, having "analog ears", Im finding it REALLY HARD, listening to the comparisons,hearing ones that have the MIDS my old Yamaha MS-202s(one died SAT) Ive mixed with for 27yrs...The Rokits are winning as of today...TOO MANY CHOICES nowdays...LOL
Could You please make a review of the LSR 310? Would be interesting to have a comparison between the commonly used studio subwoofers (JBL, KRK, Temblor...)
The rokit 5 do not have a Kevlar woofer, you have to step up to the vxt series. The vxt's are on a much higher level sonically, and are wonderful for music playback or recording.
Can you mix with just one studio monitors if you can’t afford to buy 2?
and also the krk sound more alive and music pops and crispy is a good thing and jbl sound smooth and clean but I prefer the sound to be more shapy and the krk does that. yeah the jbl sound clean and nice but shape is super important!
The KRKs are specifically studio monitors. I don't know when it happened that anyone thought of them as listening speakers. They're extremely flat, as they should be.for track mixing and mastering People should take that into consideration
They are bass heavy not flat. I can't believe anyone can make music on the KRKs
Jbl lunched the new model, 305p MK II. What to do? To buy the lsr305 or the new model?
Decent video... however, after 30 seconds it's clear that you're weighed on the KRK's... which is all good, but a straight up unbiased review would be good. Thanks for the help in deciding
So in the situation where they would be up against the wall on a desk like you said would take advantage of the front port, the JBL is still better?
I have the 305's and I have placed them in many different positions...go mid room angled toward you about 6" from wall...brings a dual effect to what your working on...almost as if they were firing at you and from further back...hope that helps.
I’m in the middle of the shit. Just sold my Cerwin Vega xls 6 and i need New speakers. And the krks or the lsr305s Are my Main options. I listen mainly to trap and hip hop aswell as edm and i have to have my speakers close to the wall in wich the front port is benefitual. So i’m leading towards the krks but the Jbls Are easier to buy in my country and theyre about 65 bucks cheaper for the pair. Man i’m lost.
WKT going through the same decision right now!! Which one did you choose at the end and why?
bought the jbl lsr 305 and i'm actually really blown away. Buy the jbl, they sound more like music and not speakers haha. Perfect as an all around speaker!! Trust me
WKT thanks for the reply dude! Any problems with placing them right against the wall?
the LSR305 has a hollow around 8-9kHz and has a "hssss" because ampli casse D. The RP5 G3 has a auto-standby when you listen musique at low volume ....
thus i work with yamaha HS7 and check my tracks on Presonus Eris 4.5 or Marshall Acton ..... and the CR4 has too much 125Hz for working ......
I remember you saying you were going to do a review on foam or something like that. To test if it actually makes a difference. So, what's your verdict? And did you just use foam behind the speakers, or did you test out foam with the speakers sitting on them? Because that's what I'm interested in doing with my ms16's, is putting those foam things underneath them. I'm definitely interested in knowing if it makes a difference.
+AnimeHolocaust When I move the 2.0 stuff into the second bedroom I have 60 foam panels to put up and test with.
I'd actually recommend the KRKs to those that just want to listen to music very loud but still in very high quality. They sound very good, I must say. But they are the Beats by Dr.Dre in the monitor world (forget about the price) their lows and highs are buffed. You shouldn't mix and master your music with buffed monitors, because they lie. JBLs have flatter response. SImply: Making your own music? - JBL. Only a listener? - Rokit
This is a really good summary and I appreciate it. I'm currently weighing up both options, but where I am (UK) at the moment it;s actually easier to get a pair of Rokit 5s with cables and pads/stands for a good deal, than it is to find JBLs at all.
I wouldn't however say that they're that close of an equivalent to Beats by DRE, I'd compare them more to average pair of Sennheisers. It's a well known brand that can attract some brand-snobbery, but in the end it's a good product for it's price, even if others do offer better value for money (depending on your requirements).
But yeah, my mixing days were years ago, Now I just listen to music through my PC and also game, so if the KRKs are accurate but with some added fluff, it's not a huge deal to me. I listen to such a variety of music, it'd be impossible to find a pair that covers every genre perfectly (within my budget at least). If these are well built, look good, sound objectively good and I can find a good deal on a pair, I think they'll be a good buy.
What makes powered monitors better for a desk setup than bookshelf speakers? Is it the integrated DSP? I'm currently using bookshelf speakers with an emotiva amp and they sound great, but my desk is also quite large and the speakers are a solid 12 inches out from the wall. My speakers are also positioned on stands, not taking up space on the desk. For anyone interested they are HTD level 3 bookshelf speakers.
Monitors are made for near to mid field, but bookshelves are often mid or longer away from listener. Some bookshelves are good near field too.
it would be awesome to get your opinion on the new Tannoy Reveal series active studio monitors. I personally own a pair of 402's for extremely near-field desk setup paired with a 10" Presonus "Temblor" subwoofer and couldn't be happier considering the cost. Of course there are also the larger varieties of the Tennoys - the 502's and 802's to look at
Great review! So hard to decide
Let's not get carried away people. Krk and Jbl are great company's but I seem to always see 808mafia and metro boomin or even upcoming producers with the KRK brand. It's just something about them.... I own the 5's and I can hear every detail In my beats. The bass is dope also...
I've read in a forum that krk are designed to EDM ( basically any song style where kick and bass predominate), and that the Yamaha's are designed to a lot styles of music unless """edm""" songs
Z what do you say about jbl 305 vs iloud micro monitors . Seemed like you were preety excited about both? Which more for mixing small untreated room
The Rok-it 8 is the bass lunatic. The 30lb bass lunatic. The RP10-3s are unreal.
Considering I just watched that dark Stone guys comparison video and chose the Aiwa exos-9 over the the JBL 305 or tied with it, I think I'm glad I got the aiwa over the rokit5.
I'm sold on the JBL, but the table I use is backed up to a wall. Since the 305's have a rear facing port, what's the absolute minimum distance that you would recommended between the wall and back of the speaker before you would resort to the front ported KRK?
+Eclypse 5-6 inches and cut the lo bypass to -2
Hello Zeos,
How does the PreSonus Eris 5 compared to these two speakers? Sound and Build Quality? I have the Topping DX7 DAC/AMP powering my Sennheiser HD650 and looking for a nice pair of powered desktop monitors. Thanks in advance!
have you ever listened to the lsr308? I'm thinking of buying monitors for producing
id like to hear the KRK 10's i bet thoes are awesome with 2 tweaters
Hey have you heard Fluid Audio F5?? i heard them recently and loved them but not sure if they are good enough to be preferred over everyone's trusted KRK rokit.
I don't get why a lot of people say the krk5s sound bassy. If any they lack in bass, that's why I got the s10 subwoofer with it because I *know* they lack in bass. How do I know? Because I've looked at the frequency response recording done with software and a mic. The only reason i can think of is because of room size.
are they EQued boomy ? like other small monitors . I have 8 inch monitors but im thinking about going 2x5-6inch and a sub
Have you taken a look at the Presonus Eris E5? Really curious how this sounds compared to the KRK and JBL
Which one would you perfer to listen to music: The Sony MDR-V6 headphones or the Takstar Pro 80 headphones?
No sound comparison? I tried both and went with the JBL's, they sounded much better to me than the Rokit's. Much fuller and cleaner low end. Options are good and all, but the sound is really what matters when you're buying monitors.
There is a separate video with that.
Hi ! Great video. I was between this two and haven't decided yet. I am not professional, just looking for a good home studio monitors for personal mixes. Have you made the review for the RKR 6 ? Because I heard in the video you wanted to try them and there's a guy around my block that sells them at the same price that I could get the JBL 305s. I would love your input on this! Thanx!
To anybody on here who knows this stuff better than me (i.e. Everybody)... When they specify the weight for monitors is it a per speaker weight or for the pair? I only ask cause it's so hard to find this clearly stated except for certain brands like Kanto...
it can be a guessing game. If they ship in one box it gets hard to tell.
Z Reviews
Thanks dude. Great videos btw. Was just wondering since you said the KRK were heavy, whether they were actually more than 6kg per speaker.
normally those kind of monitor speakers aren´t sold in pairs. so I assume the weight is specified per speaker
When I look at some desk setups these days I often encounter studio monitors being laied down on their side and I was wondering if this would effect sound quality because I've got a small desk and would put the monitors under the tripple monitor setup?
+99Zimbo It can affect how it sounds. Especially if the tweeter is designed for horizontal dispersion. The JBL's won't work laying down.
I don't think the Rokits are designed to be layed down either (that's why they have a foam pad built-in on the bottom). Ideally, you want near-field monitor tweeters aimed directly at your ears.
i was down at the shop today and listened to these and i already had my mind on the krks but i just couldnt take my mind off how good the jbls sound, they sounded WAY louder than the Krks, almost a bit bassier which was weird. Now i cant make my mind which ones to get
rrgert4 i listened to the krks only for a bit but ive purchased the 305s.my opinion based on the short amount of listening ive had is that the KRKs have punchier EDM favorable bass while the jbls have a deeper natural sounding bass preferred for acoustic and classical tracks imo.
Weird, the treatment of the room could have changed the resonance but i found the JBL 's more rich in low end than the krk, not in a bad way
I'm in a desk setup. I like the Micca COVO-S for the price and size, but should I consider getting these instead (I hate the yellow)?
+Nyanino The JBL's might be your best bet. They are the same price and no yellow.
+Z Reviews Could you help with a small sub to put under a desk for a small room
yes? The Martin Logan Dynamo 300 and a set of RCA splitters.
Sounds good, appreciate it sir.
i love the 305 jbls and had a studio mixing class vs the rockets and the jbls had a better all around sound
I don't think it matters it how you use you DW is what matters the most... two people can have the same speakers and it all depends on the engineer bc I think you can make any speaker sound good if you know what your doing..
Anyone know what the Rockville ASM5 are like compared to the KRK and JBL? The Rockvilles are cheaper, but do they *sound* cheaper?
How is the low end sound on the jbl 305? I live in a small room ( a college dorm) so if I had pair of speakers they would be against the wall. What do u think would work better in my case?
JBL's low end is pretty great.
KRK or anything with front bass ports are better for a very small room. Rear bass ports anywhere near a wall will blow up the bass response.
i think you should review fiio e12...still can't believe the sound quality,best deal i made till now and i own the takstars.
I want to make dubstep, will the 5's be adequate? I'd like to also point out that my room is very big so would the 308's be better because their kind of out of my budget.
+Marvin Evolution Well you will still be sitting close to them even in a big room. And yes these will work to make Dubstep and EDM.
Z Reviews Ok thank you so much! I look forward to getting a pair of 305's
+Z Reviews I got the red lsr305's and man you didn't lie these things do bass like a 7 inch speaker and the sound stage is crazy incredible. They are also incredibly flat and all my mixes are translating and i don't even have room treatment.
I'd like an all in one soundbar that could work with my PC motherboard which has optical output. Want to put it on the desk underneath monitor. Any suggestions? Best to be under $500. Cheers
Hello, if i wanted to purchase one of these pairs for the consumption of media i.e. Music, Movies, Games. which of these would you recommend the most? The type of Music i listen to is ALOT of trance, a bit of rock and heaps of hip hop, rap and so on. And for movies and games there are explosions...LOTS of explosions. Thanks
The 305.
+Z Reviews Alright awesome thanks
Tony Stark is that you? :D You'r voice remind me of Robert Downey jr. hahaha
I have the Jbl's and really don't like the too much bass. ( I have a very small room). Can I tape up the back portal or would this be a really stupid thing to do?
swap for some KRK or something with a front portal.
do they gonna have that power if I connect them directly to my pc ?
would like a comparison with the KRK VXT series which is more comparable.
hey i'm thinking about buying a pair of jbl 305's or krk Rokit6. i listen to edm house and sometimes some classical music. wich one would you prefer to me?
The 305 are my pick for almost all things.
Z Reviews thanks +1 sub :D
+Z Reviews i have one more question. I want to play music by connecting my pc to a cheap dac and then play it true to my 2 jbl's. What dac should you prefer and which cables should i use
krk rockit 5 or the new model 305p? @z reviews
Hi Zeos,
I kind of gave up my search for the perfect dac/headphone amp. i really want to buy the micca but they do not distribute it in belgium. i'm now consindering investing in some good studio monitors.. i would like to hook them up to my computer and to my ps4 aswell with optical cable. could u suggest an amp that has the ability to receive optical in, and push balanced out to Krk's, yamaha or jbl monitors? (plus what do you think is best krk 8, yamaha hs7 or jbl?) thanks!
You want a pre-amp to do that. Emotiva's dac might do it. Not sure what else fits the budget and can do that.
hi I was planning to buy one of these for rear monitoring (music production) in a home studio but because I have a really good amp, I opt to buy instead the jbl CONTROL 1xtreme (passive speakers), in the spec manual sheet they claim to be for professional studio monitoring and they are really crazy good...is it better one of these speakers?
Havent played with the Control 1's yet. So can't really say.
ok, thanks
Thanks for all of your knowledge. Is there a way to add a remote or more accessible volume control to the KRK's? Thanks again.
+Peter Carter Yeah you need a pre-amp. Either a Schiit Sys [amzn.to/1S5OX4C] or one of the Emotiva Control Freaks [amzn.to/1S5P0gR].
Is just one of these speakers not a pair still produce enough sound for a bedroom ?
I mean it will but stereo is a nice thing to have. Add a second one later.
do you know anything similar to these with bluetooth?
I am probably looking at the klipsch
Awesome review Z! Any chance you can do a comparison with the VXT6?
What you will recommend Armotiv 4s or this JBL?
+severgun I think the JBL's at the current Airmotiv4's price.
+Z Reviews jbl 145$ for 1(as I understand). 2*145=290$
airmotiv 4s 299$ for 2.
so why you mention price?
My company tried the KRK's out in our recording studio (we have several pairs of studio monitors, usually we use a pair of tannoy System-10's) and I can't recommend them. Very boring sound, the highs are not rich or detailed enough. I don't know what I would recommend over them persay but I think there is a lot of hype around them that is unwarranted.
you basically just described "flat response" (a desirable trait for near-field reference monitors)...so you inadvertently are saying KRKs are good
I had the JBl LSR305's and if it weren't for the JBL's being so under powered,I would also be in favor of the JBL's over the KRK's(but the gain on the JBL's is so weak,that I was forced to crank them up to about 75%,to be able to mix effectively on them.)
Problem with this is,I was subjected to a ridiculous amount of amplifier hiss(& no,the problem is not my audio interface,as I have a Presonus Audiobox 44VSL.)
That said,the JBL's are a pair of shit-boxes,due to the piss poor amps in them.As a side note; for me personally,I am piss-tired of futzing around with budget-priced 2-way monitors and the way they smear the mid-range clarity have decided to go with the KRK Rokit 10-3 G3's.
These puppies(from what I've read of them)...are hands down,the best 3-way monitors for their price range,due to their overall clarity and ample,but balanced,low end.
I currently have the KRK Rokit 5 G3's and I must say,the 3rd generation line of Rokits are damn impressive and I am really chomping at the bit,to get my hands on the Rokit 10-3's.
So... you're saying the KRK's are going to cost a shit ton just in postage because of their weight?
nah, shipping is usually free with these things (or they just tack it onto the speaker price, so you think it's free)
JBL LSR305 vs yamaha hs5, what you would recommend? By the way I like your channel,good job.
Hi,
For music listening purpose only (no mixing work), which one do you recommand please?
Thx.
+uservinc The JBL's are still my favorite.
Would you recommend the lsr305s over krk rokit 6 g3s??? Thanks
+Julián Muñoz Sosa Haven't tried the rokit6's. So a maybe is all I can give you.
You dont buy monitors according the specifics that you're giving in the video. JBL is better than krk in Quality ten times in case you dont know..
For Jbl, you need to power it with a good audio interface (for recording you'll need the interface anyway) and you'll be alright...... and loud :). Jbl also sounds good even at loud levels. For near field, both of the brands are absolutely fine.
Not loud enough? These things get ridiculously loud in my setting. I have them a 7.5 on the back, and the volume controller barely turned half-way. Plenty loud at that setting.
im runnin the JBLs with the UAD-Apollo. Really great sound and wide sweetspot.
Oh now you have to try the focal alpha 50 :D In my experience it destroys the krk and is better than the jbl in the bass and vocal department! Its sounds like a planar speaker XD
i got my new krk roket5 g3, Can u plz let me know..is the lf driver 4.5 inch ? I measured it . its exact 4.5 inch :(.. i am very disappointed
+Anir Photography According to the site it is a 5" "class" driver so that is what KRK considers their 5"
+Z Reviews Yes but is it actually 5 inch? as u mentioned in your review .. its not.. is it 4.5 inch ?
It measures 4.5 so that is what it is.
I used to have these. I miss them.
now I just have a crappy lepai amp and a set of micca covo's