Studio monitors are a must-have for professional audio production studios. Audio engineers in professional filmmaking, television, and radio studios prefer having them to work with. They’re excellent for home use as well. Studio monitors are popular among audio enthusiasts and professionals because of their ability to reproduce a tone from the source audio accurately.
While there are a lot of options available in the market, today we will talk about two of them. One is the JBL LSR 305 and the other is the Yamaha HS7. JBL speakers are a touch of aristocracy hailing from the world-famous audio instrument producers ‘Harman’. Owning a JBL speaker symbolizes being trendy. On the other hand, Yamaha speakers are a symbol of dependency and sheer tonal accuracy. If you own a Yamaha speaker, you probably are an audio connoisseur.
Let’s do a feature comparison and see which one is the winner in this audio duel in this JBL LSR 305 vs Yamaha HS7 review.
Similarities between the two:
| JBL LSR 305 | Yamaha HS7 | |
| Tweeter | 1” dome | 1” dome |
| shape | Bass-reflex | Bass-reflex |
| I/O connectors | XLR and phone | XLR and phone |
| Amplification | Bi-Amplified | Bi-Amplified |
Dissimilarities:
| JBL LSR 305 | Yamaha HS7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency Range | 43Hz-24kHz | 43Hz-30kHz |
| Woofer | 5” cone | 6.5” cone |
| Power consumption | 41W | 55W |
| Dimensions | 298 mm x 185 mm x 251 mm (HxWxD) | 210x332x284 mm (WxHxD) |
| Weight | 4.6 kg | 8.2 kg |
| Pricing | moderate | Expensive |
JBL LSR 305: A symbol of unparalleled quality
Manufactured by ‘Harman’, the world-famous audio instrument producers, JBL speakers are always a treat to the ears. JBL ‘professional’ speaker lineups are no different. JBL LSR 305 is a prime example of the quality assured by the renowned manufacturers.
Aesthetics and portability:
The JBL LSR 305 is the embodiment of the phrase “less is more”. It is a simple rectangular box looking speaker with a clean and elegant matte black finish all around. The designers have kept it simple and clean with no additional bling to the device.
It has dimensions of 298 mm x 185 mm x 251 mm (HxWxD) and a measly 4.6kg of mass which makes it very portable.
You can proudly use this speaker in your living room or guest area considering the simplistic and minimal design.
Device specs:
The speaker consists of a single unit and has a magnetically shielded 5” low-frequency transducer. It also has a 1” high-frequency transducer. If this gibberish sounds confusing to you, just know that it means that the system has a 5” woofer and a 1” Tweeter.
The system can withstand a continuous power supply of up to 41W with the woofer and tweeter driven by a Class D-41 W RMS amplifier. This means this device can handle great power fluctuations at that level.
This is a bi-amplified system and comes with XLR and ¼” TRS inputs with detented level control. Depending on your room space, you can also trim the bass using the High Frequency and Low-Frequency trim controls (+2, 0, -2 dB).
This particular system has a more than a decent frequency range of 43Hz through 24 kHz. You can rest assured that you’ll listen to every minute detail when listening to the audio on this device.
Features:
The Image Control Waveguide system was designed targeting the more expensive, flagship products of JBL. But considering the affordability of mass people like us, JBL introduced this system for the first time in an affordable studio monitor like the LSR 305.
Are you confused as to why this should be a reason enough for you to buy this? Let’s put it this way; you can now sit, lie, or stand or stay in any position in the room but listen to the audio in the same manner you did in the previous position. That is, in both vertical and horizontal planes, the ICW controls the sound so that the presentation of the sound to the ear is consistent.
Whether you’re partying or playing Call of Duty or producing a hip hop track in the studio, the legendary transducers (woofer and tweeter) will reproduce all the exciting transients and dynamics of your audio. The tweeter is formed of JBL’s unique Neodymium woven material.
The class D amplifiers provide abundant power for you to enjoy unlimited bass at whichever level you desire. The Linear Spatial Reference system (LSR) takes into account 72 different axial measurements before the speaker is produced. This makes sure that your speaker sounds just right from any corner of the room.
Usage and reliability:
You will never forget the clarity of the sound emitting from this speaker. You can use it to create professional playback tracks in your studio, you can use it as speakers in small closed rooms with big crowds. You can also use this speaker in your own home, be it for watching movies or playing video games.
The reliability of JBL products need not be mentioned. This particular product also goes through 100 hours of stress test before it is released in the market. The reputation of JBL precedes itself.
The system includes both XLR and ¼” TR balanced inputs. This makes the speaker usable with various sources as it accepts -10 and +4 dB of input.
Experience:
The experience of using this product is nothing short of bliss. Each sound is originated from a single point of source thanks to the ergonomic design. Sounds of both high and low frequency are easily distinguishable due to the transducers.
You will also be surprised at the clarity with which you will be able to differentiate the bass and the acoustic. Overall, this speaker is a bang for your buck whether you’re a professional or just an enthusiast.
Yamaha HS7: unlimited power and bass
The Yamaha HS7 belongs to the second generation of this particular product lineup. A new 6.5” woofer has been added in the second generation lineup and the HS7 is that very system.
If you’re a music enthusiast and have a knack for audio systems, you’re definitely familiar with the iconic white woofer of Yamaha speakers. Since the 1970’s their signature white woofers have been symbols of a pure musical powerhouse.
Aesthetics and portability:
The Yamaha speakers don’t need an explanation of their aesthetics. As mentioned earlier, their iconic white design is a treat to the eyes. The Yamaha HS7 is no different. This particular speaker comes in two color variants- the white and the black. The white one comes with a black outer ring in the woofer. And the black one comes with a whole white woofer. The simplistic design makes it all the more elegant. The logo of Yamaha below the Woofer just adds to that feeling of exclusivity.
This particular unit is a bit heavy with a weight of 8.2 kg. As such, you will need to make sure that it is kept in a sturdy place. It is also a bit big to carry around easily having dimensions of 210x332x284 mm (WxHxD).
We have compared KRK Rokit and JBL 308p studio monitor.
Device specs:
The Yamaha HS7 is a bi-amplified two-way powered monitor speaker intended for boosted bass. The 6.5” cone woofer is a representation of that particular intention. The 1” dome Tweeter produces the most precise and consistent high-frequency sound you will ever listen to.
The shape of the unit is a bass-reflex one ensuring a comfortable and consistent basis throughout the space.
The HS7 is one hefty unit when it comes to power consumption. It consumes a whopping 55W energy to operate and has an output of a total of 95 W. The woofer or low-frequency transducer produces at an output of 60W whereas the High-frequency one produces at an output of 35W and hence the total 95W.
The Yamaha HS7 has a very stretched frequency range of 43Hz-30kHz with a crossover of 2kHz. This means that now there’s no chance of your missing out on a single tune or beat.
Their input-output connectors have been placed considering the usability of this device with all sorts of audio sources. There is XLR-31 type (balanced0 and balanced phone connectors for more compatibility. The device has a frequency of 54Hz-30kHz at -10dB.
However, do you want to know about the difference between bookshelf speakers and studio monitors? then you can take a look.
Features:
Yamaha audio systems follow only one motto which is accuracy. And that’s why these speakers have been designed considering numerous axis measurements for reference. As a result, these studio monitors provide a concise sound image with a flat response.
Yamaha has developed cutting edge new transducers for the new HS series. The tweeter extends the usable frequency extensively to emit accurate and smooth sonic transitions even in minimum frequencies. The woofer too consisting of the new basket, ring, and carefully selected large magnets provide bass of unparalleled quality.
Yamaha didn’t chicken out when designing the amp, or should I say ‘amps’. Yes, plural! The HS7 is a bi-amplified unit, meaning there are two separate amps for the woofer and the tweeter. You can rest assured that you will listen to each and every beat drop smoothly across all sound spectra.
The HS7 comprises the low enclosure design with Yamaha’s special MDF material used in the cabinet. This ensures no unwanted resonance during sound reproduction for the most accurate sound quality.
Read also KRK Rokit 8 G4 and Yamaha HS8 comparison
Usage:
The Yamaha speakers are mostly used commercially and professionally in studios. Due to their extended frequency range and the low enclosure design, professionals prefer using this. The problems in portability and bigger dimensions repel home users from opting towards it.
However, the experience of using this speaker is absolutely mind-blowing. The sound reproduced is so smooth that you literally cannot differentiate the source sound from this one. The treble and the bass are both smooth and coherent with respect to the reference.
This speaker sounds great in closed spaces as well as small open ones. This means that you can use this speaker to watch movies in your home or to dance in your backyard barbecue party.
Whatever you use this for, you won’t be disappointed.
For more details, you can read is it possible to use studio monitors as regular speakers?
Why pick JBL:
- It has a better price to performance ratio.
- It has a great close to midrange sound quality.
- It is comparatively cheaper with excellent quality.
- It can be utilized for home use as well as professional use.
Why pick Yamaha:
- Excellent sound clarity.
- It has great large space audio coverage.
- Its speaker port design enhances the listening experience.
- It has great compatibility.
Things to consider before buying:
Before you choose a speaker for yourself, make sure you consider the following. Make sure you clearly know where you plan to use it, how big or small space is, and for what purpose you’ll be using it.
Also, remember that these two speakers belong at a slightly different price range. So don’t expect to achieve equal quality from both of these.
Conclusion
While both of these speakers are great choices and are worth the bucks, it is not possible to draw a clear conclusion as to which one is better. These belong in a slightly different budget level and offer unique features accordingly. As a result, it is quite impossible to choose one of the two.
So, which is the winner of this JBL LSR 305 vs Yamaha HS7 duel for you? And if you are looking for something else then you can search for JBL LSR 305 and KRK ROKIT 5 comparison.
Network Engineer and Tech Journalist. Read More…