JBL 1 Series 104 2-Way Active Compact Desktop Reference Monitors with 4.5" Woofer, 60W RMS Power, Pair

JBL 1 Series 104

JBL 1 Series 104 2-Way Active Compact Powered Desktop Reference Monitors, Pair

Adorama

Audio

Studio & Recording

Professional Audio Speakers

Studio Monitors

JBL Studio Monitors

JBL 1 Series 104 

Top Rated Gear: JBL 1 Series 104 2-Way Active Compact Desktop Reference Monitors with 4.5" Woofer, 60W RMS Power, Pair Color: Black, Input Connector: 1/4" TRS, Binding Post, RCA, Power Type: Active Monitors, Speaker Size: 4"

I bought these to replace a set of Mackie studio monitors that had stopped working.   I love the build quality and the sound for playback of recorded music. Great clarity.  Unfortunately hey are not able to handle direct monitoring of my keyboard at higher volumes without distortion.  Admittedly, this is not what they are designed for.

Good with one exception

For starters; you get a very sturdy build, they're good-looking, & a no-brainer to set up.  To quote the Sound & Vision Review (Oct.-Nov. 2019), "There was a striking clarity to the sound, along w/highly precise imaging that let (the reviewer) easily sort out individual instruments in the mix".  
That was my experience.  When I first hooked up the 104s, I was so impressed w/their sound that I spent over an hour just picking out reference tunes.  I did, indeed, hear instrumentation on some tracks I had never noticed before, like an accordion playing softly in the background of one song.  Vocal tracks were clear, bright, & up front.  The bass was full for the size.  I did disagree w/the reviewer when he said playing classical music over the 104s was less than overwhelming.  I thinks they handle classical music as well as they do any other genre.  The speakers sound much better than what most of my friends listen to as their primary sound system.  I see the 104s being my computer speakers for years to come.  Very, Very Happy.

Perfecto

I was really surprised how good these sound considering the low price and desktop placenent. Dare I say these are the best small powered monitors I've heard? Yes. Especially if space is limited. Imaging is superb, bass is pretty good, though the upper mids seem a bit etched for my taste. Mixes seem to translate well and I also use them for video post work. I would not master music on them, though. I use larger monitors for that purpose. Still, best bang for the buck and very portable.

Nice desktop monitors

I bought these a few weeks ago.  I used RCA ports to connect a bluetooth receiver, so I can stream from my phone during office hours.  They perform very well.  Bi-amped speakers have all the power they need to produce low distortion sound at all volume levels.  They play a across a very broad spectrum and all types of music sound great.  These are ported, so the low end comes through even at low volume levels.

  I rated 4 instead of 5 as they lack ( just a little) punch at the low end.   It is probably asking too much from such a small package.  My preference is for the bass to be impactful even at low volume.  Don't be confused by this though, they produce a very rich sound from a decent mp3 file.  Great value.

JBL 1 Series 104 2-Way Active Compact Desktop Reference Monitors with 4.5" Woofer, 60W RMS Power, Pair

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