Are you still trying to mix with just studio headphones? If you’re nodding your head slowly in shame right now don’t worry, things are looking up. Musician’s Friend is knocking up to 15% off JBL 305P MKII monitors in white until November 14 in this pre-Black Friday deal, giving you ample opportunity to hear your mixes as they should be heard, mixed as they should be mixed.
Headphones have their place in the studio but if, more often than not, that place is wrapped around your head then you need to rethink your workflow. Any producer seeking a well-balanced, accurate mix that delivers every nuance should really be working with a quality pair of studio monitors too.
Monitors tend to be more expensive than a mid-range pair of cans, which is why this current early-Musician’s Friend Black Friday promotion on the JBL 305P MKII monitors is such a steal. Now you can revolutionise the way you mix for very little outlay – just use the code Holiday at checkout to claim a big saving.
Nothing beats the authenticity and airiness of a pair of monitors in a well-treated room. In contrast, headphones can sound too enclosed, strident and bass heavy because the physics that governs how they deliver sound to your ears and brain is entirely different. The fact is, if you want to make educated choices about your mix then do yourself a favour and use both.
If you’re a convert with tight purse strings hunting for a pair of great budget studio monitors, then it’s probably safe to assume that you’re busy creating from a home studio or similarly modest-sized space. It’s exactly this kind of environment where the JBL 305P MKIIs excel.
It’s very tempting to kit your studio out with huge speakers because, let’s face it, they look darned cool and bigger is always better right? The sad reality is that larger drivers will accentuate the bass in small spaces, which means you’ll find it impossible to realise a flat frequency response, however much you spend on acoustic treatment.
These JBL monitors are still a decent size but they have compact 5" drivers, which are the perfect size for modest spaces. However, to give their bass output more oomph at lower volumes, JBL's boffins have vented the cabinet with a large rear-facing Slip Stream port. As a consequence, they sound way richer than non-ported speakers of a similar size.
Because the port is rear facing, we recommend you avoid placing them right up against a wall (good advice for any monitor), but if that's not an option JBL has provided a useful Boundary EQ switch that attenuates low-end boost. There's also a 3-position high-pass filter to tailor the high frequency response to your room.
That's not all. These 305P MKIIs have inherited JBL's patented 'Image Control Waveguide' technology from its flagship M2 Master Reference Monitors. This tech wizardry smooths the transition between the bass and high frequency drivers, which provides a more authentic and immersive listening experience. Subtle details are readily apparent, even when listing off-axis.
Clearly, JBL's engineers have gone the extra mile with these monitors. It's unusual to see this level of detail – LPF, HPF, XLR/TRS inputs, and adjustable +4dBu/-10dBV input sensitivity – in a compact, mid-priced powered monitor and it's no exaggeration to say that they punch well-above their weight when it comes to audio quality. Pick them up quick while they're at a bargain price.
As Black Friday approaches we'll continue to bring you the latest deals on all the best kit, so if you want to save a fortune keep checking our Black Friday music deals page. Don't miss out!
