And, add to that, improve the amplifier (even if they have to up the cost a little bit), to eliminate any self-noise (ie., the hiss, people complain about, which is the only reason I won't buy these, or the Kali Audio LP6, etc.).
just bought the tannoy 502 over these jbl and presonus eris e5, all within my budget. hooked up the Tannoy 502s for the sound for my new 65" samsung 8000 tv. Optical out and into a DAC, then via 3.5mm headphone output into the Tannoy (temporary setup). The 5" woofer puts out a lot of bass. The reason I picked the Tannoy over the JBL is that every time I listen to the JBL LSR 305 I find the vocals to be a little recessed. Not so with the Tannoys. I also have a powered subwoofer arriving tomorrow, but honestly these things sound like they don't even need the sub most of the time since I have them placed close to the back wall in a room that is 15' by 35', with the speakers set up on the 15' wall. When the Temblor T10 arrives, I will run RCA to the sub input, then Balanced XLR cabling from the sub to each Tannoy. The front firing port means I can set these up about 6" from the back wall on either side of the TV and I don't get any muddy reflections as I would with a rear port like the 305s. I have some rear ported Sonus Faber Signum monitors ($2500 in 2002) and they are a bitch close to the back wall cuz voices muddy up a little with all the bass energy bouncing off the back wall from the rear port. Oh, and zero hiss from right next to the tweeter... I mean zero. They must have upgraded the internal power supply over the course of the past two years.
Good for You, my friend, You will have great system right there. Did You compare the JBL and Presonus side by side with Tannoys? I'm happy to hear they have fixed the hissing problem. I think I will give Tannoys another try soon. Maybe it will be 502 as well.
One thing I agree with regarding many of the comments below: comparing 4" woofers and 5" woofers seems kinda pointless unless that is the EXACT point of the comparison One thing I disagree with most people here on: picking speakers based on genre of music... I think that's an inherently flawed, dare-I-say STUPID idea. If we're talking about STUDIO MONITORS (as opposed to regular playback speakers), you want something that *reproduces SOUND accurately*! Sound doesn't have a genre.
There's always something for someone. For example, if some has a 402, and he wants to buy the jbl, this is the video they want to see. Same also if someone has a jbl, or worked in a place that have jbl, and he wanted to buy a smaller speaker for his personal use or in the bedroom, this video suits them too.
i bought jbl lsr 305 in 2017. still with me. wonderful speaker. alont with sonarworks caliberation its more accurate for mixing. the only con i felt is its lacking some details. anyway bang for buck. u cant find a beter one for this price range. the bass is way better than yamaha hs5s
mmmh, the small Tannoy sound boxy. But if anything is a bit too bright in your mix, the JBL wil let you know immediately. Would love to listen to the 502 to compare.
I found the JBL LSR305 priced same as the Tannoy 601. Which would you recommend for a home/garage gym listening mainly to 80's rock, hard rock, and metal ? Gym is 540ft2 and ceiling is 10ft.
Really is difficult to hear the difference in youtube. jbl is 5" maybe for this reason can sound a bit bass... I love two... but i think thai I prefera TONNAY REVEAL 502 instead the jbl
Great comparison, I had a previous generation of krk6's and they had the same inherent characteristics of the 5's in this video. I'll definitely pick up a set of the JBL's. Can you list the tracks used in this video? Great selection, especially first and last tracks. Thanks
I can only tell that Tannoy tend to have some coloration which makes it sound thick in mid freq. possibly from the boomy box, while JBL has most of sound layers sound better defined. Whike Tannoy might has powerful bass, but JBL sounds deeper through my good old HD 414 headphone. Hmmm 4" Tannoy should be compared with other 4". JBL has 5"
I still have one Reveal 402 left. The other one died. I agree with most reviews: They're pretty good for the money. The constant hum and almost imperceptible hiss I suspect comes from the cheap transformer inside. I'm not going to buy another one, bugger you Tannoy. Be aware of what's not covered in the warranty. 10 hours use in total. Not good enough Tannoy, you've lost me forever. The Australian distributor refused to replace it
I heard these in person tested between the two, and really loud at GC. The both have their merits, however, the JBL's for me just sounded fuller, or meatier. It can be very subjective, we were listening to progressive rock, with lots of guitar and bass drums, so I got a good range to hear the depths of output. I plan on getting the JBLS when I can, but on here, if I didn't know what I learned from the in person test demo, I would be leaning towards Tannoy, maybe it is the RUclips compression on here, just my two cents.
+Roland Lemus Thanks for Your input. When compared side by side, JBL sounds more dynamic, smoother, more natural and clearer at the same time. Tannoy are good for the size and price, but JBL is superior in almost any way, at least for me :) Cheers!
Just wanted to make a positive voice heard: Thank you very much for putting up this video! It was really useful to be able to compare the two against each other. I also think the track choices are really useful. Well done!
I personally find the sound of the JBLs more appealing. They seem to have a little more highs and lows, like a slight HiFi-style. But then immediately the question comes up: Maybe the Tannoys are better for mixing exactly because of that? I mean, I kinda feel that the whole point of monitors is to sound as unimpressive as possible but correct, i.e. "flat", so if your mix sounds good on them, it does everywhere else. Do you feel the JBLs are *more* true to the mix and that's why it sounds better or that the JBLs are in fact guilty of leaning slightly towards HiFi?
Were they recorded how the picture showing? I think getting the wrong impression, you need to record them separately not have them next to each other. It cuts the soundstage especially having the smaller tannoy against the barrier of the JBL's plus the closer together what will limit its soundstage. something to consider in the future do them separately in the same positions
The sound quality is not the best but I must say that Tannoy is more revealing(=P) and more controlled. I have actually owned the JBL LSR305 so I know how they sound like. I like their sound and of course they sound bigger and have more bassresponse. But they are also more undefined and does smear the sound. I am impressed about these Tannoys. But why did you not use the Tannoy Reveal 502 against 305? I is not a fair comparison sizewise.
Whats the music on track nr 3? Must say that the test seems unfair. I think most of us think that JBL sounds better in this video. But that doesn't prove that the JBL is a better studio monitor than the Tannoy 402. The most important quality in a studio monitor is to play the audio as accurate as possible. And I'm not convinced that the JBL 305 is the winner there. I'm going for the 402, and later add a sub
The track is Chevelle - Take Out The Gunmann. Ofcourse this is not evenly matched comparison, but it is what it is. I would not judge this speakers solely on this video, as it exist only as a part of my full written review of Tannoy 402. You can find link to this review in the video discription. JBL is far superior speaker to Tannoy and TBH I would not waste time playing with Tannoy. Cheers
It's funny because i just listened to a comparison between Tannoy 802 (not 402) and JBL 305 and for that matter in the lot there were even Adams Ax series and Focal alphas alongside with Yamahas and others and the Tannoy 802 blew out of the water everything else... Jbl 305 in person sound like toys and the low end focals were so dull couldn't even Stand them...adams (A5x if I can recall) were...er..."strange" in the Top end.... Tannoys were neutral yet precise, very very good sounding.... Maybe too "HIFI" for monitors but definitely a pleasure to hear....Their Bass is simply amazing...Big, bold and controlled....and the mid/highs so natural that I thought they were also using a ribbon tweeter!
***** My comment about not wasting time with 402 is based on poor build quality of these speakers mainly. If You read my review You will see that I was impressed by the sound quality of 402 (not as good as LSR305 but close). 402 I tested had serious problems with hissing and humming coming from internal electronics of the speakers. There is plenty of reports around the net that confirms the issueas. Also quality of some switches and rockers was very poor. I have no experience with 802 thought.
+Digital Stereophony Sounds odd because in that price range all back panels pretty much look the same, except maybe for the behringers 3031: in a word flimsy... I don't find jbl connectors Much better than tannoys ...
Panels may look similar but 402's volume pots where very cheap and "calibrated" very differently on both monitors. To get proper center image volume pots had to be set up in quite different positions, which is frustraiting and meant I either had to use dB meter for this or do it "by the ear". Not cool...
JBL seems a better choice, it sounded with a clearer response that can always be trimmed down if needed and bass that can be boosted through controls in the back.
Hi, good comparison, btw im looking for great speakers (used for music listening via my asus laptop/ipod) and i think JBL 305 is a great choice.. noob question, if i want to use JBLs as my external laptop speakers, can i just plug it straight to my headphone jack on my laptop? Or should i get a DAC first? Thanks :)
It depends. From my experience I would say that, using external DAC, the difference in sound quality will be cosmetic, rather than groundbraking, especially if You have good integrated sound card. What is good about DAC's is that they tend to isolate speakers from digital noise from PC, and this can be very helpful. Get the speakers, check them out, and than if You still think You need DAC, than go fo it ;)
I tried the 305s for about 2 hours in my local shop. Then today I tried a pair of Tannoy 802s. Sadly the shop didn't have the 308s but damn did the 802s murder. Everything, really, I really liked how they sounded, for some reason. The 305s *do* have better imaging. But that's really their selling point, isn't it? The 802s really made me want to keep listening to music, though. Didn't really bother with 402s, tested Focal Alpha 50s and 65s, great sound in pretty much all aspects, but if not used on a desk need a sub desperately in my opinion. Didn't sound big so I didn't listen to them much.
I heard lot's of good things about 802's, so this does not suprise me, I never tried them though. My only problem with them is their size, for me 8inch speakers are just too big for desktop use, they would be more suited for midfield listetnig in my opinion. Did You had a chance to check if they have any hissing coming from them when they were not playing any music? 402's I tested had BIG problems with that...
No hissing with mixer on 0 volume. Maybe you had an old batch considering Tannoy acknowledged and fixed the problem in mid-2015. Had something to do with the amplifier board (was never a ground-loop issue like many loved to state). I know the 8in woofers might discourage desktop use, but remember, big woofers means more bass reinforcement. Although they do get loud. Very loud. Loud enough that the shops neighbours came to complain. And I didn't have ringing in my ears after extended listening at high volumes. That, in my book, means these produce good sound. I did however turn the HF cut on the rear. PS. And oh my the JBL fanboys in the comments. Okay, I haven't heard their higher end monitors (their PA stuff is neat), but as far as I'm concerned the only truly great thing to ever come from the Harman group is Revel. Honestly after listening to the 802s everything else just sounded...weak. A stark contrast from how I remember their home stuff sounded. The 802s have amazing vertical dispersion and okay horizontal dispersion, so if you use them on a desk *and* you like standing up you'll still be in the sweet spot. I actually was pretty disappointed with the sweet spot on the 305s having thought the marketing team was being honest (when was that ever the case though, ha!). I will go to the shop again before buying and check how their offerings (including my so-far-favourite 802s) handle classical music. Tried progressive rock, thrash, nwobhm, old electronic, some retrowave. Everything sounded just so right with the Tannoys. Keep in mind that I'm looking to buy these mostly for music listening, not producing, so I'm just judging them as an experienced musician
I used Prodipe Pro Ribbon 8 for about two years so I know how it is to use 8inch monitors ;) I used them in midfield setup and even then they were quite bulky in my smallish room. For me 5 inch monitors plus subwoofer is a way to go nearfield, but that is just my opinion and it might change if I listen to right speakers ;) Your info made me want to listen to bigger Reveal models though, so expect me to have more opinion on this topic soon. Cheers!
When I listen to the various setups you presented, the Tannoy, JBLs & Presonus Eris E4.5 are definitely my preferred. I especially like the JBL LSR305s... but I worry about the rear facing port and how much distance I can get from the wall on my desktop. Is this a concern I should have? My intention is almost 100% specific to music listening... I hate systems that "treat" music and just returned my Bluesound Pulse which to my ears were horrid. What would you suggest between these two? also if you (or anyone else) has any suggestions on a DAC... it would be much appreciated. I have been looking at the Audioengine D1, Optoma NuForce uDAC-3, SMSL M3, Cambridge Audio DacMagic 100 to name a few. Budget is a massive concern... so thanks for everyone's input. Thanks for all your hard work!!!
JBL is my choice from these three as well. I would not worry too much about port on the back, unless You want to push them right against the wall. Give them 20-25cm of space behind them and You will be fine ;)
that sound stage and over all presence in JBL is incredible - I heard them in person at a guitar center and now on a pair of great earphones. I have a small room and don't have enough space from the wall for the rear ports. What should I do?
They will be right in my face, if i have them 15 sm away from the wall ) Maybe something with a front bass port like the Tannoy 402 I currently have Bose Companion 5 set up.
I recommend You stay away from Tannoy 402. I have a pair at home at the moment, it is seconda pair I tested, and second one that has big issues with hissing. They would drive You mad very fast. For the same money, as JBL and mentioned Tannoy, You can buy KRK RP4. I tested them and they are excellent pair of small speakers with ports on the front.
good video. BTW 402 and bose c20, which one makes better sound? I love listening to electronica music with vocal. I was going to get a jbl lsr305 but it is pretty big.. do u know some nice pc speaker under 300$?
+Nami Tsu Thanks! Im glad You liked it. Tannoy 402 sounds much better than Bose, but it is proven that 402 has problems with excessive hissing, so I would not recommend them. At this moment, Im testing Presonus Eris E4.5 and it is a very good speaker for around 200$. It also smaller than JBL ,looks nice and has no poroblems with hissing. My only criticism would be that they sound a bit bright, but they also have tone controls to deal with it ;)
+Digital Stereophony ok. I just watched presonus review video and that speaker sounds very balanced and good. but I wonder what the differences are between e4.5 and e5. just loudness and size of bass? and e5 is also smaller than jbl lsr right? can u give me some advices? I usually listen to music in front of my laptop at low or medium volume. thanks!
+Nami Tsu E4.5 sound is very mature, with good bass for its size. E5 could definietly go louder than E4.5, and reach a few Hz lower, but I dont think You will miss it very much, E4.5 is plenty loud as well. In terms of size E5 is closer to JBL, where E4.5 is closer to Tannoy 402. Also E4.5 has volume and power controls on front, and this is a big advantage in cramped spaces. Save yourself some bucks and go for E4.5. Money You save, You can spend later on a subwoofer to elevate Your audio system to another level ;) I use E4.5 with Presonus Temblor T8 subwoofer and together, they sound fantastic.
ok. can i connect presonus e4.5 speaker to TV also? and when i order this speaker from Amazon.com, do i need to order cable to connect it to tv and laptop? or it's included inside the box? Thank you!!
You can easily connect E4.5 to TV, using cables included. In the box, You should find 1x3.5mm jack to RCA cable and 1x3.5mm jack to 3.5mm jack cable. I do not know how far Your TV is from the speakers, so You have to judge this yourself if cables included will be long enough. Cables included are about 1.5m long ;)
I compare ALL speakers I test with JBL LSR305, and Tannoy 402 is no exception. JBL's are my benchmark speakers that help me put other speakers in to perspective.
+riskybusiness80 Presonus Eris E4.5 should fit Your requirements. I tested them and they worked very well in combination with Presonus Temblor 8. Sound was forward and detailed and with help of sub they sounded huge ;)
Plus I think he used the same foam pads under both, which obviously the smaller and lighter 402s were not compressing as much, so they had more freedom to oscillate and to have their movement energy absorbed by the pads, leading to worse transients and a muddier sound.
This Test Isn't Really Fair... Bc These Are Monitors With Different Dimensions... If You Had A Matched Woofer Then It Would Be Fair. You Can't Compare Like An 8 Inch Woofer To A 5 Inch... It Just Isn't A Valid Contest.
JBL LSR 308 or JBL LSR305 which is best for 5.1 home theatre.if its good which subwoofer is suitable end Surround Processor or sound card. please advice
I probably meant that the speakres dissapear whlie listetning to music ;) Thanks for pointing that out. I rearly come back to read my reviews after posting them, I cringe too much ;)
Also I don't understand why this is a cons "poorly produced music sound exactly like that", that's the definition of a studio monitor in the first place. Also thanks for removing my opinion on the video. Yeah, nice.
Ok, I see some holes in cotinuity in our conversation. I probably did removed it by accident, I have no intention of censoring any comments here. Sorry mate :/
+TheOzzMan Hi! Out of these two I would recommend Presonus. Sound quality is more or less on the same level, but Presonus is better built and more functional, with controls on the front. Also Tannoy seems to have some problems with quality of their products, the pair I had hissed badly.
Digital Stereophony Thanks for your quick response,i think ill go with the Presonus then. And ill be using it for my home recording setup,i'll be mixing metal songs mostly so, how do u think the presonus will handle.
Hi George. You are correct, 502 is direct competitor for JBL LSR305, but I was more interested in testing 402's because of their desk friendly size. I was also interested in how much You have to sacrifice if You go for 4inch woofer instead of 5inches. JBL is in this video to put Tannoy into perspective.
Hi! Bass port in JBL is very well implemented. If You leave them few inches of space behind them there should be no problems with bass response. I did not tried to use plugs, there was no need for that.
Kenny the Aging serious audiophile here (using Dave's login). The playback sounds odd with phase problems and grain. Running 720p across multiple platforms and soundcards using various professional apparently flat response headphones. Cannot even make a wild guess on SQ here. Sorry for the Debbie Downer. Maybe chat up the guy who uploads at Z Reviews; he seems to have mastered getting a decent upload.
+Silky Smooth Yes. JBL is boss and 502 is it's more direct competitor, but it is still interesting to see how smaller 402 fares against bigger JBL. Cheers!
+Qua UNO It depends. If You want to connect JBL's then You need something like this : www.amazon.co.uk/kenable-Pulse-3-5mm-Plugs-Mixer/dp/B003OSS71E/ref=pd_sim_267_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51zCkZ8KE-L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0XRBB82SPP51CADKAV58 as there is no RCA input in JBL. If You want to connect Tannoy's than normal jack to jack cable is enough.
Tannoy made my ears cringe. The reason for that was not the sound signature but the hiss, white noise from amplification, that was one of the loudest I have experienced, making them unusable. JBL is sweet sounding and I can listen to them for hours
You cannot hear big differences if you listen to a crap headphones on a crap sound card. On my $400 headphones combo, JBL sounds miles better than tannoy. On the shop, tannoy were brighter, but here jbl is more brighter, maybe on this test the tannoys weren't played as loud as jbls. From this video, JBL wins everything, clarity, tonality, speed, bass, mids, highs (especially highs). I have 305s and sometimes I love them, sometimes I hate them, the reason is my very small room. 402s sounds so muddy compared to JBLs, hearing this from headphones that cannot display muddiness (ATH-MSR7).
Hi! I will say go with Eris. Sound quality is more or less on par between them, but I have big trust issues regarding build quality and quality control of Tannoys. Cheers!
Hey! thank you for your quick response..i`am asking because you have tested both of them and have a better picture of their sound and quality.. Btw nice reviews all the way in your blog..cheers! :)
+Ankush Rawal I have not tested 802 nor HS8, so I can't comment on them. All I can say, is that I was disappointed with build quality of 402's, and it seem to be similar case across the Reveal range. Personally, I would not consider 802's because of those issues
+87dulrav Aux link is a bit of a gimmic in my opinion. You can use both JBL and Tannoy without external interface. Aux link is just a different way of feeding analog signal into monitors, it does not give much of an advatage IMO.
Wow! Tannoy lost out to the JBL's. Again, wasn't even close. If JBL is that much better over this you tube video then in real life, JBL must be killing the Tannoys.
I suggest you try them in real life, since I found the 305s to be a bit underwhelming with its dynamics. Although I haven't bothered with 502s the 802s butcher them. The only thing the LSR3 series do better is imaging, in my opinion, from my experience that was listening to both pairs for hours.
I went to a store yesteray and could compared both of them, Jbl sound really cool more bottom extend, Tannoy punches too but tighter bass du to low-mid presence, tannoy as a bit more low-mid and mid to it. That help when it's time to do mixing stuff. On the highs, what I remember it's that they're even. JBL is cool to listen music too. But I could bet that Tannoy could give more of a true sound for mixing.. but at that price range. Don't expect to be the next Sound engineer revolution :P
You are right that the sound of the speakers is far from being correctly represented at our places, what with the mic, youtube compression, and our speakers playing back th sound. *BUT* what you can hear is *relative* differences between both sets. Quite substantially, I must add.
+Ivanhoe Bernardeschi Hi. Thanks for Your input. On more recent videos, I try to use music with real instruments for better perpective. Also, I would get the point with out You calling this music junk, just because You do not enjoy it or find it irrelevant. Just sayin ;) Cheers!
The world will be a better place and i'll be happy when JBL began to produce a LSR 304 o LSR 303
And, add to that, improve the amplifier (even if they have to up the cost a little bit), to eliminate any self-noise (ie., the hiss, people complain about, which is the only reason I won't buy these, or the Kali Audio LP6, etc.).
just ordered a pair of lsr305 will be here in a couple days can't wait !
just bought the tannoy 502 over these jbl and presonus eris e5, all within my budget. hooked up the Tannoy 502s for the sound for my new 65" samsung 8000 tv. Optical out and into a DAC, then via 3.5mm headphone output into the Tannoy (temporary setup). The 5" woofer puts out a lot of bass. The reason I picked the Tannoy over the JBL is that every time I listen to the JBL LSR 305 I find the vocals to be a little recessed. Not so with the Tannoys. I also have a powered subwoofer arriving tomorrow, but honestly these things sound like they don't even need the sub most of the time since I have them placed close to the back wall in a room that is 15' by 35', with the speakers set up on the 15' wall. When the Temblor T10 arrives, I will run RCA to the sub input, then Balanced XLR cabling from the sub to each Tannoy.
The front firing port means I can set these up about 6" from the back wall on either side of the TV and I don't get any muddy reflections as I would with a rear port like the 305s. I have some rear ported Sonus Faber Signum monitors ($2500 in 2002) and they are a bitch close to the back wall cuz voices muddy up a little with all the bass energy bouncing off the back wall from the rear port.
Oh, and zero hiss from right next to the tweeter... I mean zero. They must have upgraded the internal power supply over the course of the past two years.
Good for You, my friend, You will have great system right there. Did You compare the JBL and Presonus side by side with Tannoys? I'm happy to hear they have fixed the hissing problem. I think I will give Tannoys another try soon. Maybe it will be 502 as well.
It all comes down to tase the sound is in the ear of the beholder
One thing I agree with regarding many of the comments below: comparing 4" woofers and 5" woofers seems kinda pointless unless that is the EXACT point of the comparison
One thing I disagree with most people here on: picking speakers based on genre of music... I think that's an inherently flawed, dare-I-say STUPID idea. If we're talking about STUDIO MONITORS (as opposed to regular playback speakers), you want something that *reproduces SOUND accurately*! Sound doesn't have a genre.
There's always something for someone. For example, if some has a 402, and he wants to buy the jbl, this is the video they want to see. Same also if someone has a jbl, or worked in a place that have jbl, and he wanted to buy a smaller speaker for his personal use or in the bedroom, this video suits them too.
@@fuzzfizz exactly why im here have jbl 8 inch no space in my room ...
i bought jbl lsr 305 in 2017. still with me. wonderful speaker. alont with sonarworks caliberation its more accurate for mixing. the only con i felt is its lacking some details. anyway bang for buck. u cant find a beter one for this price range. the bass is way better than yamaha hs5s
mmmh, the small Tannoy sound boxy. But if anything is a bit too bright in your mix, the JBL wil let you know immediately. Would love to listen to the 502 to compare.
Whoa JBL sound really good
Any chance for 802's test? 402/502 seems suffering from noisy amps, 802's have much better reviews... but no true comparision to any other 8" woofers.
I found the JBL LSR305 priced same as the Tannoy 601. Which would you recommend for a home/garage gym listening mainly to 80's rock, hard rock, and metal ?
Gym is 540ft2 and ceiling is 10ft.
JBL all the way
Really is difficult to hear the difference in youtube. jbl is 5" maybe for this reason can sound a bit bass... I love two... but i think thai I prefera TONNAY REVEAL 502 instead the jbl
Tannoy: Music is in the box JBL: Music is in the room.
Great comparison, I had a previous generation of krk6's and
they had the same inherent characteristics of the 5's in this video. I'll definitely
pick up a set of the JBL's. Can you list the tracks used in this video? Great
selection, especially first and last tracks. Thanks
I can only tell that Tannoy tend to have some coloration which makes it sound thick in mid freq. possibly from the boomy box, while JBL has most of sound layers sound better defined. Whike Tannoy might has powerful bass, but JBL sounds deeper through my good old HD 414 headphone.
Hmmm 4" Tannoy should be compared with other 4". JBL has 5"
JBL is fabulous, Tannoy sounds a bit cut off on the highs and slightly in the mids
I still have one Reveal 402 left. The other one died. I agree with most reviews: They're pretty good for the money. The constant hum and almost imperceptible hiss I suspect comes from the cheap transformer inside. I'm not going to buy another one, bugger you Tannoy. Be aware of what's not covered in the warranty. 10 hours use in total. Not good enough Tannoy, you've lost me forever. The Australian distributor refused to replace it
wow, the JBL sounds good.
I do not think so
Than you are an idiot sorry:)
Paulius Derbutas don't call yourself an idiot. Never talk bad about yourself
Thanks for advice but i was not about myself, if jbls sounds bad then i think he got a hearing problems.......
I heard these in person tested between the two, and really loud at GC. The both have their merits, however, the JBL's for me just sounded fuller, or meatier. It can be very subjective, we were listening to progressive rock, with lots of guitar and bass drums, so I got a good range to hear the depths of output. I plan on getting the JBLS when I can, but on here, if I didn't know what I learned from the in person test demo, I would be leaning towards Tannoy, maybe it is the RUclips compression on here, just my two cents.
+Roland Lemus Thanks for Your input. When compared side by side, JBL sounds more dynamic, smoother, more natural and clearer at the same time. Tannoy are good for the size and price, but JBL is superior in almost any way, at least for me :) Cheers!
+Digital Stereophony agreed!:)
For proper mixing Tannoy 402 wins. You want something that is completely flat when mixing. JBLs r hyped a bit on the highs much like Presonus.
Just wanted to make a positive voice heard: Thank you very much for putting up this video! It was really useful to be able to compare the two against each other. I also think the track choices are really useful. Well done!
I personally find the sound of the JBLs more appealing. They seem to have a little more highs and lows, like a slight HiFi-style. But then immediately the question comes up: Maybe the Tannoys are better for mixing exactly because of that? I mean, I kinda feel that the whole point of monitors is to sound as unimpressive as possible but correct, i.e. "flat", so if your mix sounds good on them, it does everywhere else. Do you feel the JBLs are *more* true to the mix and that's why it sounds better or that the JBLs are in fact guilty of leaning slightly towards HiFi?
Were they recorded how the picture showing? I think getting the wrong impression, you need to record them separately not have them next to each other. It cuts the soundstage especially having the smaller tannoy against the barrier of the JBL's plus the closer together what will limit its soundstage. something to consider in the future do them separately in the same positions
The sound quality is not the best but I must say that Tannoy is more revealing(=P) and more controlled. I have actually owned the JBL LSR305 so I know how they sound like. I like their sound and of course they sound bigger and have more bassresponse. But they are also more undefined and does smear the sound. I am impressed about these Tannoys.
But why did you not use the Tannoy Reveal 502 against 305? I is not a fair comparison sizewise.
If I had Tannoy 502 at that moment I would test them. I had 402 instead, hence this video
Whats the music on track nr 3?
Must say that the test seems unfair. I think most of us think that JBL sounds better in this video. But that doesn't prove that the JBL is a better studio monitor than the Tannoy 402.
The most important quality in a studio monitor is to play the audio as accurate as possible. And I'm not convinced that the JBL 305 is the winner there. I'm going for the 402, and later add a sub
The track is Chevelle - Take Out The Gunmann. Ofcourse this is not evenly matched comparison, but it is what it is. I would not judge this speakers solely on this video, as it exist only as a part of my full written review of Tannoy 402. You can find link to this review in the video discription. JBL is far superior speaker to Tannoy and TBH I would not waste time playing with Tannoy. Cheers
It's funny because i just listened to a comparison between Tannoy 802 (not 402) and JBL 305 and for that matter in the lot there were even Adams Ax series and Focal alphas alongside with Yamahas and others and the Tannoy 802 blew out of the water everything else... Jbl 305 in person sound like toys and the low end focals were so dull couldn't even Stand them...adams (A5x if I can recall) were...er..."strange" in the Top end.... Tannoys were neutral yet precise, very very good sounding.... Maybe too "HIFI" for monitors but definitely a pleasure to hear....Their Bass is simply amazing...Big, bold and controlled....and the mid/highs so natural that I thought they were also using a ribbon tweeter!
***** My comment about not wasting time with 402 is based on poor build quality of these speakers mainly. If You read my review You will see that I was impressed by the sound quality of 402 (not as good as LSR305 but close). 402 I tested had serious problems with hissing and humming coming from internal electronics of the speakers. There is plenty of reports around the net that confirms the issueas. Also quality of some switches and rockers was very poor. I have no experience with 802 thought.
+Digital Stereophony Sounds odd because in that price range all back panels pretty much look the same, except maybe for the behringers 3031: in a word flimsy... I don't find jbl connectors Much better than tannoys ...
Panels may look similar but 402's volume pots where very cheap and "calibrated" very differently on both monitors. To get proper center image volume pots had to be set up in quite different positions, which is frustraiting and meant I either had to use dB meter for this or do it "by the ear". Not cool...
Tannoy Reveal 402 The best!!!!!!!!!!!
but how to ignore their hiss voice?
@@BagusWibisono All self-reinforcing speakers have a little blast. That's because the power goes through and they turn on.
@@dimitrisdanampasis oh really? I plan to buy it now (too late) how about you? or any recomendation?
@@BagusWibisono Take them. Good choice
JBL seems a better choice, it sounded with a clearer response that can always be trimmed down if needed and bass that can be boosted through controls in the back.
True
Tannoy suona meglio di JBL
Hi, good comparison, btw
im looking for great speakers (used for music listening via my asus laptop/ipod) and i think JBL 305 is a great choice..
noob question, if i want to use JBLs as my external laptop speakers, can i just plug it straight to my headphone jack on my laptop? Or should i get a DAC first?
Thanks :)
+Digital Stereophony Great! i think i'll go with JBLs.. one more thing, by using a DAC, will it significantly increase the sound quality?
It depends. From my experience I would say that, using external DAC, the difference in sound quality will be cosmetic, rather than groundbraking, especially if You have good integrated sound card. What is good about DAC's is that they tend to isolate speakers from digital noise from PC, and this can be very helpful. Get the speakers, check them out, and than if You still think You need DAC, than go fo it ;)
Digital Stereophony
okay then, thanks for your quick responses :)
I tried the 305s for about 2 hours in my local shop. Then today I tried a pair of Tannoy 802s. Sadly the shop didn't have the 308s but damn did the 802s murder. Everything, really, I really liked how they sounded, for some reason. The 305s *do* have better imaging. But that's really their selling point, isn't it?
The 802s really made me want to keep listening to music, though.
Didn't really bother with 402s, tested Focal Alpha 50s and 65s, great sound in pretty much all aspects, but if not used on a desk need a sub desperately in my opinion. Didn't sound big so I didn't listen to them much.
I heard lot's of good things about 802's, so this does not suprise me, I never tried them though. My only problem with them is their size, for me 8inch speakers are just too big for desktop use, they would be more suited for midfield listetnig in my opinion. Did You had a chance to check if they have any hissing coming from them when they were not playing any music? 402's I tested had BIG problems with that...
No hissing with mixer on 0 volume. Maybe you had an old batch considering Tannoy acknowledged and fixed the problem in mid-2015. Had something to do with the amplifier board (was never a ground-loop issue like many loved to state).
I know the 8in woofers might discourage desktop use, but remember, big woofers means more bass reinforcement. Although they do get loud. Very loud. Loud enough that the shops neighbours came to complain.
And I didn't have ringing in my ears after extended listening at high volumes. That, in my book, means these produce good sound. I did however turn the HF cut on the rear.
PS. And oh my the JBL fanboys in the comments. Okay, I haven't heard their higher end monitors (their PA stuff is neat), but as far as I'm concerned the only truly great thing to ever come from the Harman group is Revel.
Honestly after listening to the 802s everything else just sounded...weak. A stark contrast from how I remember their home stuff sounded.
The 802s have amazing vertical dispersion and okay horizontal dispersion, so if you use them on a desk *and* you like standing up you'll still be in the sweet spot. I actually was pretty disappointed with the sweet spot on the 305s having thought the marketing team was being honest (when was that ever the case though, ha!).
I will go to the shop again before buying and check how their offerings (including my so-far-favourite 802s) handle classical music. Tried progressive rock, thrash, nwobhm, old electronic, some retrowave. Everything sounded just so right with the Tannoys.
Keep in mind that I'm looking to buy these mostly for music listening, not producing, so I'm just judging them as an experienced musician
I used Prodipe Pro Ribbon 8 for about two years so I know how it is to use 8inch monitors ;) I used them in midfield setup and even then they were quite bulky in my smallish room. For me 5 inch monitors plus subwoofer is a way to go nearfield, but that is just my opinion and it might change if I listen to right speakers ;) Your info made me want to listen to bigger Reveal models though, so expect me to have more opinion on this topic soon. Cheers!
When I listen to the various setups you presented, the Tannoy, JBLs & Presonus Eris E4.5 are definitely my preferred. I especially like the JBL LSR305s... but I worry about the rear facing port and how much distance I can get from the wall on my desktop. Is this a concern I should have?
My intention is almost 100% specific to music listening... I hate systems that "treat" music and just returned my Bluesound Pulse which to my ears were horrid.
What would you suggest between these two? also if you (or anyone else) has any suggestions on a DAC... it would be much appreciated. I have been looking at the Audioengine D1, Optoma NuForce uDAC-3, SMSL M3, Cambridge Audio DacMagic 100 to name a few.
Budget is a massive concern... so thanks for everyone's input.
Thanks for all your hard work!!!
JBL is my choice from these three as well. I would not worry too much about port on the back, unless You want to push them right against the wall. Give them 20-25cm of space behind them and You will be fine ;)
thank you for the response and reassurance
Cheers!
that sound stage and over all presence in JBL is incredible - I heard them in person at a guitar center and now on a pair of great earphones. I have a small room and don't have enough space from the wall for the rear ports. What should I do?
How much space can You acommodate? Can You give them 15 cm of space behind them?
They will be right in my face, if i have them 15 sm away from the wall ) Maybe something with a front bass port like the Tannoy 402 I currently have Bose Companion 5 set up.
I recommend You stay away from Tannoy 402. I have a pair at home at the moment, it is seconda pair I tested, and second one that has big issues with hissing. They would drive You mad very fast. For the same money, as JBL and mentioned Tannoy, You can buy KRK RP4. I tested them and they are excellent pair of small speakers with ports on the front.
Thank you for the suggestion.
good video. BTW 402 and bose c20, which one makes better sound? I love listening to electronica music with vocal. I was going to get a jbl lsr305 but it is pretty big.. do u know some nice pc speaker under 300$?
+Nami Tsu Thanks! Im glad You liked it. Tannoy 402 sounds much better than Bose, but it is proven that 402 has problems with excessive hissing, so I would not recommend them. At this moment, Im testing Presonus Eris E4.5 and it is a very good speaker for around 200$. It also smaller than JBL ,looks nice and has no poroblems with hissing. My only criticism would be that they sound a bit bright, but they also have tone controls to deal with it ;)
+Digital Stereophony ok. I just watched presonus review video and that speaker sounds very balanced and good. but I wonder what the differences are between e4.5 and e5. just loudness and size of bass? and e5 is also smaller than jbl lsr right? can u give me some advices? I usually listen to music in front of my laptop at low or medium volume. thanks!
+Nami Tsu E4.5 sound is very mature, with good bass for its size. E5 could definietly go louder than E4.5, and reach a few Hz lower, but I dont think You will miss it very much, E4.5 is plenty loud as well. In terms of size E5 is closer to JBL, where E4.5 is closer to Tannoy 402. Also E4.5 has volume and power controls on front, and this is a big advantage in cramped spaces. Save yourself some bucks and go for E4.5. Money You save, You can spend later on a subwoofer to elevate Your audio system to another level ;) I use E4.5 with Presonus Temblor T8 subwoofer and together, they sound fantastic.
ok. can i connect presonus e4.5 speaker to TV also? and when i order this speaker from Amazon.com, do i need to order cable to connect it to tv and laptop? or it's included inside the box? Thank you!!
You can easily connect E4.5 to TV, using cables included. In the box, You should find 1x3.5mm jack to RCA cable and 1x3.5mm jack to 3.5mm jack cable. I do not know how far Your TV is from the speakers, so You have to judge this yourself if cables included will be long enough. Cables included are about 1.5m long ;)
Thanks for not playing just rock music.
Cheers :)
Digital Stereophony bro can you review swan d1080 IV speakers plzzz
is testing 4'' over 5'' fair ??
I compare ALL speakers I test with JBL LSR305, and Tannoy 402 is no exception. JBL's are my benchmark speakers that help me put other speakers in to perspective.
im looking for a mid 4/5'' to compliment my yamaha HS8's, any recomendations, more mid punch and detail , thanks
+riskybusiness80 Presonus Eris E4.5 should fit Your requirements. I tested them and they worked very well in combination with Presonus Temblor 8. Sound was forward and detailed and with help of sub they sounded huge ;)
Plus I think he used the same foam pads under both, which obviously the smaller and lighter 402s were not compressing as much, so they had more freedom to oscillate and to have their movement energy absorbed by the pads, leading to worse transients and a muddier sound.
This Test Isn't Really Fair... Bc These Are Monitors With Different Dimensions... If You Had A Matched Woofer Then It Would Be Fair. You Can't Compare Like An 8 Inch Woofer To A 5 Inch... It Just Isn't A Valid Contest.
You are right, it is not completely fair. But I think it is interesting to see how they fair against each other ;)
Which one should I get? JBL or Tannoy?
JBL is my choice here
JBL LSR 308 or JBL LSR305 which is best for 5.1 home theatre.if its good which subwoofer is suitable end Surround Processor or sound card. please advice
+jamal shaikh I would go for 5 x LSR305 plus subwoofer or two from SVS ;) I do not know a lot about surround processors though.
+jamal shaikh always higher
JBL fantastic
In your 305s review you wrote "Music disappear while listening to music" :))
I probably meant that the speakres dissapear whlie listetning to music ;) Thanks for pointing that out. I rearly come back to read my reviews after posting them, I cringe too much ;)
Also I don't understand why this is a cons "poorly produced music sound exactly like that", that's the definition of a studio monitor in the first place.
Also thanks for removing my opinion on the video. Yeah, nice.
You are right, they are perfect this way. It is not a cons for everyone, just for the people who expect great speakers to make everything sound great
Ok, I see some holes in cotinuity in our conversation. I probably did removed it by accident, I have no intention of censoring any comments here. Sorry mate :/
bad music speacly to decide what speaker is better?.... you need more frequency spesifc songs or presets to show.
Tannoy pass! JBL first used for Lucasfilm Ltd THX sound system enough said.
Hey Mate, Do you need some type of interface/amplifier to drive these? or is it all built in and plug and play? thanks.
+BlueflashGaming1080p Hi. Both of these have amplifiers built in. All You need is a source (PC, phone etc.) and proper cables and You are good to go.
Tannoy 402 vs Presonus Eris 4.5 which one would you recommend. Thanks
+TheOzzMan Hi! Out of these two I would recommend Presonus. Sound quality is more or less on the same level, but Presonus is better built and more functional, with controls on the front. Also Tannoy seems to have some problems with quality of their products, the pair I had hissed badly.
Digital Stereophony
Thanks for your quick response,i think ill go with the Presonus then.
And ill be using it for my home recording setup,i'll be mixing metal songs mostly so, how do u think the presonus will handle.
+TheOzzMan Enjoy Your new speakers ;)
a more accurate comparison would be with the 502s since the 402 have a 4 inch woofer
Hi George. You are correct, 502 is direct competitor for JBL LSR305, but I was more interested in testing 402's because of their desk friendly size. I was also interested in how much You have to sacrifice if You go for 4inch woofer instead of 5inches. JBL is in this video to put Tannoy into perspective.
How does the rear port affect the overall sound of the JBL's? Have you tried to plug the bass port (making the speaker sealed)?
Hi! Bass port in JBL is very well implemented. If You leave them few inches of space behind them there should be no problems with bass response. I did not tried to use plugs, there was no need for that.
Kenny the Aging serious audiophile here (using Dave's login). The playback sounds odd with phase problems and grain. Running 720p across multiple platforms and soundcards using various professional apparently flat response headphones.
Cannot even make a wild guess on SQ here. Sorry for the Debbie Downer. Maybe chat up the guy who uploads at Z Reviews; he seems to have mastered getting a decent upload.
Hi. I agree it is far from perfect. I will be recording these two again very soon. Hopefully with better results ;)
Ma il file originale (per sentire le differenze) dove sta??
wich one sound better for you?
+omarrogu I like JBL more in almost every aspect of their audio performance.
thanks mate
omarrogu You're welcome :)
just bought a pair of these and haven't listened yet, this videos help me a lot
omarrogu I'm glad it did! Let us know what You think about Your new speakers when You finally test them :)
To be fair, you should compare the 305 with at the bigger Tannoy
J Mohd At that moment I was more interested in testing something compact, hence this comparison.
comparison should be with 502 to match the sizes but still good. I have 502 but I think jbl is boss
+Silky Smooth Yes. JBL is boss and 502 is it's more direct competitor, but it is still interesting to see how smaller 402 fares against bigger JBL. Cheers!
I'm going to be connecting these to my MacBook Pro, is there any additional cords or adapters needed to connect these to a laptop ??
+Qua UNO It depends. If You want to connect JBL's then You need something like this :
www.amazon.co.uk/kenable-Pulse-3-5mm-Plugs-Mixer/dp/B003OSS71E/ref=pd_sim_267_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51zCkZ8KE-L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0XRBB82SPP51CADKAV58
as there is no RCA input in JBL. If You want to connect Tannoy's than normal jack to jack cable is enough.
i want speakers with the best midrange details. witch ones are better the jbl or tannoy ? because i heart the midrange on the jbl are not so present.
JBL hands down. Their midrange is not pushed forward but is natural, neutral and very detailed.
Digital Stereophony ok and did u experienced ear fatigue on the jbl or tannoy after long listening sessions ?
Tannoy made my ears cringe. The reason for that was not the sound signature but the hiss, white noise from amplification, that was one of the loudest I have experienced, making them unusable. JBL is sweet sounding and I can listen to them for hours
You cannot hear big differences if you listen to a crap headphones on a crap sound card.
On my $400 headphones combo, JBL sounds miles better than tannoy. On the shop, tannoy were brighter, but here jbl is more brighter, maybe on this test the tannoys weren't played as loud as jbls.
From this video, JBL wins everything, clarity, tonality, speed, bass, mids, highs (especially highs).
I have 305s and sometimes I love them, sometimes I hate them, the reason is my very small room.
402s sounds so muddy compared to JBLs, hearing this from headphones that cannot display muddiness (ATH-MSR7).
jbl win in extension low and high end, for low end it is normal but in high ?????
A ridiculous comparison 5 inch vs 4 inch :)
Whats the music software in your laptop playing the songs?
It is Foobar2000 ;)
Wow night and day! you need a good set of speakers or headphones to hear the difference.
thanks, nice review. it's that I wanted to know. I like JBL natural low end and clean high note.
YMAHA MSP5 is highly regarded in Japan.
Silly comparison why not the 502
DJMikeron because I tested 402 at that moment, not 502. Simple as that ;)
The 402 is mich smaller than the jbl thats what i did not understand.
quick question...whats the name of the first song being tested?
Horses of the Sun by Bat For Lashes
Странно сравнивать их. Разные "весовые категории"
Где попса мп-шная и где TANNOY
even on my lap top the jbl hit
Just test it with 808 and jbl goto sleep
know any discounts for the jbl. i want them and i dont have $300
on sale now for $200
Agerix Official they sometimes go on special i got them for only 135.00 each at guitar center if you have one around your erea check them out
The JBL's have a crystal clear clarity but I think the Tannoy's low end sound is better for Hip Hop.
yea because for example the 2nd music in this video is the real music right?
than what's techno an all that crap?!! you idiot
You guys need to chill, listen to Your favorite music and leave others music tastes alone. Cheers!
+Digital Stereophony agree...
+Digital Stereophony Turn Down For What ! :D
tannoy 402 or presonus eris 4.5? what would you suggest?
Hi! I will say go with Eris. Sound quality is more or less on par between them, but I have big trust issues regarding build quality and quality control of Tannoys. Cheers!
Hey! thank you for your quick response..i`am asking because you have tested both of them and have a better picture of their sound and quality..
Btw nice reviews all the way in your blog..cheers! :)
TANNOY 802 vs YAMAHA HS8 which one do you suggest to go for ?
+Ankush Rawal I have not tested 802 nor HS8, so I can't comment on them. All I can say, is that I was disappointed with build quality of 402's, and it seem to be similar case across the Reveal range. Personally, I would not consider 802's because of those issues
JBL is the winner.
слушаю на Ultimate w200b уже хочется JBL
Like night and day.
whats the last song being tested?
+Yair Ben Israel Journeyman by Amon Tobin
Thank You
Goood review
Is that a Debbie does Dallas DVD I see on the shelf?
I'm afraid it is not.
JBL WIN!
What was the last track please?
Journeyman by Amon Tobin
+Digital Stereophony Thanks! :)
JBL hand down
JBL gives clear and powerful
But there are also a difference about price,,,
Yep. Still interesting though ;)
At the end, just yesterday I bought a pair of JBL LSR305! :)
Wise choice ;) Let me know how You like Your new when You get to know them better. Cheers!
Sure mate! Greetings from Sardinia, Italy!
what a terrible music to test monitors! ! I almost get crazy and stopped! Thank you
different in diameter, can't be compared
reveal 502 vs lsr 305?
Get JBL and save Yourself some money ;)
Digital Stereophony tannoy have aux link, for lsr need audio interface?😉
+87dulrav Aux link is a bit of a gimmic in my opinion. You can use both JBL and Tannoy without external interface. Aux link is just a different way of feeding analog signal into monitors, it does not give much of an advatage IMO.
Poorly prepared room. You can hear the hum from both speakers
Now why this tanoys even exist? I see nothing good about them!
Wow!
Tannoy lost out to the JBL's.
Again, wasn't even close.
If JBL is that much better over this you tube video
then in real life, JBL must be killing the Tannoys.
I suggest you try them in real life, since I found the 305s to be a bit underwhelming with its dynamics. Although I haven't bothered with 502s the 802s butcher them. The only thing the LSR3 series do better is imaging, in my opinion, from my experience that was listening to both pairs for hours.
I went to a store yesteray and could compared both of them, Jbl sound really cool more bottom extend, Tannoy punches too but tighter bass du to low-mid presence, tannoy as a bit more low-mid and mid to it. That help when it's time to do mixing stuff. On the highs, what I remember it's that they're even. JBL is cool to listen music too. But I could bet that Tannoy could give more of a true sound for mixing.. but at that price range. Don't expect to be the next Sound engineer revolution :P
jbl is best
ROHIT.D.J
Tannoy Reveal 402 = JBL LSR305 ...PPP
jbl
Звучат не мониторы, а комната!
This kind of test is meaningless. Whatever the source is, the sound is coming from MY speakers, not these. Don't waste your time.
You are right that the sound of the speakers is far from being correctly represented at our places, what with the mic, youtube compression, and our speakers playing back th sound. *BUT* what you can hear is *relative* differences between both sets. Quite substantially, I must add.
Thats why I hate Tannoy
do you think any test is possible with this junk music? not even one real intrument.
1 violin, 1 flute, 1 piano....
+Ivanhoe Bernardeschi Hi. Thanks for Your input. On more recent videos, I try to use music with real instruments for better perpective. Also, I would get the point with out You calling this music junk, just because You do not enjoy it or find it irrelevant. Just sayin ;) Cheers!
Not even piano is grown on tree
Драм врубай, шляпу какую то ставит
Silly comparison why not the 502