Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards JBL, iLoud monitor spkrs, Black Friday sales

If you're looking for home/studio monitors for your setup, JBL 305P and iLoud Micro Monitors are both on sale for ~$200/pr at various sites. By reputation, both are good, JBL a bit better, but iLoud smaller and more flexible in placement (due to front porting, an EQ switch to compensate for the boundary if used on a desk, and mic stand threaded mounting points). The JBL will probably behave a bit better off-axis (because of its waveguide tech), and bass probably won't roll off as quickly as you push the volume. (Both go down about equally low to start, but if you push toward max volume, the iLouds will severely roll off at around 70 Hz where the JBL should get you into the 40s pretty nicely, at least based on some online charts from its predecessor... and not surprising since you're comparing a 5" woofer to a 3" woofer). If you're going to push the volume on the iLouds, it might be nice to supplement with a sub if you have one.

I have jbl lsr 305, but I can't say I recommend them. Other than that I don't like them for piano vst's, they have a static hiss.

This is interesting -- and I thought there are no sales on studio monitors? Your post came at the right time! I'm just window shopping here.

Sorry about that. I have the generation 4 KRK Rokit5's, got them last Thanksgiving / Black Friday. And it also has hiss. I set the input sensitivity at -4 and leave it there.

Manufacturers use the term "active studio monitors" because these are huge marketing buzz words that work very well for them.

While these small powered bookshelf speakers are vwonderfully convenient, somewhat inexpensive and look pretty cool, they don't qualify as true studio monitors - they aren't nearly as flat, noise-free and accurate as they should be BUT that's not necessarily a bad thing since most - if not all - true monitors that are used for mixing in studios are terrible for playing back recorded music and samples.

I use the iLoud micromonitors with small subwoofer. It gives an amazing sound for the size. I use it more for a portable rig, as I have my full size studio setup too, but for a general family home situation, they sound powerful in a large room and take up little space.
The other advantage of this setup, is the micromonitors are less affected by any poor room acoustics being small near field monitors. This combo to my ears, sounds even better than the iLoud MTM's which I tried and sent back.
I mostly use vst's particlularly piano and orchestral. The orchestral being very demanding, projects with a lot of headroom.

"Active" is not a buzzword, it means they are powered (as opposed to passive, which requires external amplification).

They actually are reasonably flat... check out the iloud freq response charts at https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/iloudmm/index.php?p=specs

DSPs have made it possible to get flat response out of less expensive speakers.

Oh sorry, did I say "active" was a buzzword???

These are just the opinions of most professional producers whom I have spoken to who have been using studio monitors long before the more recent birth of these active speakers/monitors that seem to spring up everywhere... except in professional studios.

I'm not suggesting that people shouldn't buy them or use them; I don't think people should automatically assume a $200 pair active speakers should be regarded as something much better because the words "studio monitors" are printed on the box. $200 doesn't buy a very good stereo amplifier and $200 doesn't buy a good pair of speakers so it's not totally practical to assume $200 will buy us both.

If you're thrilled with your $200 speakers, wonderful. If you find them less than perfect, maybe you'll feel less frustrated knowing you only spent $100 on a stereo amp and $50 on each speaker

Yes I think the size and price have to be kept in perspective. I tend to compare them to other monitors of similar size. My studio monitors are Adam's. There always someone who doesn't like every particular monitor but I think most people here use their monitors for performance rather than mixing, so in that respect I find they are excellent for their size and DSP functionality and use.

JBL 305 are on sale at Amazon, I tried to buy two speakers but there is a limit of 1 item per customer.
I spoke with amazon and no this is not a mistake, I can only buy one.

Weird. Try Guitar Center/Musicians Friend, Sweetwater, or Zzounds, they all have the sale price. It looks like you can also get it from "other sellers on amazon."

I live in Canada and Amazon has the lowest price for the JBL on the Black friday.
Too bad but my wallet is safe.

This is not so ...Shop around. There are plenty of good amplifiers for that price ... or even less. Much less.

Amplifier tech has matured, and east Asian manufacturing has reduced prices drastically.