JBL 708P Review (Professional Monitor)

[beefkabob]

Hi

The more I read on this forum and others, the more i am leaning toward the 708p as my next upgrade for mains speakers. Coupled with a pair of SVS or Ryhtmik in my small concrete room ( 5 x 3.4 x 2.5 meters)... I could be in audio paradise by just replacing the current JBL 308 L, R speakers with the 708p, Move those 308 to surround duties presently handled by the JBL 305 , leave the 308 as center channel, move the 2 remaining 305 to Atmos duties. Add a pair of trio of SVS or Ryhtmik at circa k $2000 total and I am in audio heaven for less than $5K...
Could be my own Christmas gift to me.
Any pointer for B-stock JBL 708p? or even used ones?

Sweetwater will sell them new for about 1720 each + tax. I doubt you'll do much better. Maybe Amirm can give a deal? The b-stock deals haven't come up in a long time, sadly. Email this guy: [email protected]

You need room correction if you don't have it already. I recommend minidsp SHD Studio or similar. I would go for two medium, ported subs, like two PB 2000s or 3000s. If that's not loud enough, you can always get two more later, but that's loud enough for the 708p. I made the mistake of getting one PB16, and it alone is too loud and too big, without the advantages of two sub locations. To match the 708p, I run it as something like -17db.

 

[Flak]

Aesthetics are the only reason to go with a JBL sub, because you want all the logos to match. Your budget, room size, and volume requirements matter here. SVS and others make better subs. A couple PB3000 would be good, if you don't have DSP already. If you do have DSP, then a couple FVX15 would rock your world even more. I think 18s are going to be overkill for all but a massive home theater in a massive room. In fact, one vented 18 would do the job, but only for one seating position. One PB3000 would do the job, in fact.

Yes, SVS subs are a nice option as they have sealed models (I think that taking advantage of the reflex resonance is the opposite of control)
Maybe a pair of these could be a good alternative?
(they go down to 16 Hz)

18S | Pro Subwoofers | True bass

Adding 18S to your monitors will open up a new world of performance that lets you mix and master with painstaking accuracy.

www.dynaudio.com

 

[Bartl007]

Hi

The more I read on this forum and others, the more i am leaning toward the 708p as my next upgrade for mains speakers. Coupled with a pair of SVS or Ryhtmik in my small concrete room ( 5 x 3.4 x 2.5 meters)... I could be in audio paradise by just replacing the current JBL 308 L, R speakers with the 708p, Move those 308 to surround duties presently handled by the JBL 305 , leave the 308 as center channel, move the 2 remaining 305 to Atmos duties. Add a pair of trio of SVS or Ryhtmik at circa k $2000 total and I am in audio heaven for less than $5K...
Could be my own Christmas gift to me.
Any pointer for B-stock JBL 708p? or even used ones?

I would rather have a phantom center than the 308 if you're going with the 708 for left and right. They are great speakers and outclass the 3 series easily despite what the spinoramas may suggest. Check out northernsoundandlight if you want to save a few hundred bucks compared to recommendations above (new A-stock, authorized dealer). Just make sure to create an account, pay the miniscule fee, and log in for best pricing!

 

[Jim Matthews]

Any pointer for B-stock JBL 708p? or even used ones?

Make certain they come in the original box, and verify warranty coverage through JBL. I would call Full Compass the day after Christmas to see what their best price might be.

 

[FrantzM]

I would rather have a phantom center than the 308 if you're going with the 708 for left and right. They are great speakers and outclass the 3 series easily despite what the spinoramas may suggest. Check out northernsoundandlight if you want to save a few hundred bucks compared to recommendations above (new A-stock, authorized dealer). Just make sure to create an account, pay the miniscule fee, and log in for best pricing!

Thanks for the advice. I will check them out.

A bit OT:
Actually, I am thinking of a way to have the SHD Flex + 2 Subs + 708p present themselves as a pair of full range active speakers to the Denon AVR (X3400H) for HT. You know, for movies the Denon would just see Land right as full range... the rest would be the other speakers as "small" .. How?

 

[jhaider]

Actually, I am thinking of a way to have the SHD Flex + 2 Subs + 708p present themselves as a pair of full range active speakers to the Denon AVR (X3400H) for HT. You know, for movies the Denon would just see Land right as full range... the rest would be the other speakers as "small" .. How?

I think a better question is, why?

 

[FrantzM]

I think a better question is, why?

Once you asked, I had to remind myself of cleansing me of the remnants of subjective audiophilia... An AVR, in spite of the performance it is providing me as I type this, is not as sexy as a Digital/DSP/Preamp like the miniDSP Flex and Dirac is sexier than Audyssey ..
Scratch it.

 

[jhaider]

Once you asked, I had to remind myself of cleansing me of the remnants of subjective audiophilia... An AVR, in spite of the performance it is providing me as I type this, is not as sexy as a Digital/DSP/Preamp like the miniDSP Flex and Dirac is sexier than Audyssey ..
Scratch it.

You know what’s sexier than layering on a second processor? Three 708’s across the front! Trust me

 

[BDWoody]

You know what’s sexier than layering on a second processor? Three 708’s across the front! Trust me

That's my happy place as well.

 

[Descartes]

Can I plug in three JBL 708P for front into an Anthem AVM60?

 

[Pio]

Can I plug in three JBL 708P for front into an Anthem AVM60?

Yes, use the XLR outs. I run 705Ps from a Marantz processor in our bedroom, love it. You might want to experiment with the JBLS input sensitivity, options are +4 dBu (pro gear) or -10 dBv. I run mine @ -10 dbv which is standard for consumer gear.

 

[Descartes]

Yes, use the XLR outs. I run 705Ps from a Marantz processor in our bedroom, love it. You might want to experiment with the JBLS input sensitivity, options are +4 dBu (pro gear) or -10 dBv. I run mine @ -10 dbv which is standard for consumer gear.

That’s what I thought thank you! Do you have to turn on and off each speakers manually or can the processor take care of that?

 

[Pio]

That’s what I thought thank you! Do you have to turn on and off each speakers manually or can the processor take care of that?

There's no 12v trigger to turn them on / off, not sure if it can be done via ethernet?? Maybe a member here can help. I leave the speakers on all the time.. I never shut them off. Same goes for the 708Ps I use at work, they're on all the time.

 

[Ron Texas]

A lot of members here underrate these monitors. Perhaps it's due to poor availability in Europe and much better availability of monitors from companies based in (or designing in) Europe.

 

[Pio]

A lot of members here underrate these monitors. Perhaps it's due to poor availability in Europe and much better availability of monitors from companies based in (or designing in) Europe.

It's unfortunate that more people haven't heard the 7 Series, the shear dynamics and lack of compression alone make them worth a listen. Personally, I love em..

 

[Tom C]

Web control for 705 and 708 is via hardwire Ethernet, although wireless through a WiFi router with Ethernet built in is likely possible. But the connection between the speaker and Ethernet switch or router has to be hardwired.
JBL provides the control software as a free download, available from the 705 and 708 pages on the JBL Pro website.

 

[beefkabob]

Yes, SVS subs are a nice option as they have sealed models (I think that taking advantage of the reflex resonance is the opposite of control)
Maybe a pair of these could be a good alternative?
(they go down to 16 Hz)

18S | Pro Subwoofers | True bass

Adding 18S to your monitors will open up a new world of performance that lets you mix and master with painstaking accuracy.

www.dynaudio.com

Despite all the bullshit on teh internets, I think that the ONLY reason to get sealed is for their smaller size. Control? Check out the SVS PB16's distortion at high volumes. What am I missing here? You can always seal most ported subs.
SVS PB2000 is an amazeballs bargain, methinks.

 

[BDWoody]

That’s what I thought thank you! Do you have to turn on and off each speakers manually or can the processor take care of that?

I have mine plugged into a master/slave multi outlet extension that turns on when I turn on the receiver.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

It's unfortunate that more people haven't heard the 7 Series, the shear dynamics and lack of compression alone make them worth a listen. Personally, I love em..

how compares the dynamics of 708p vs your revel floorstanding?

 

[Edgar]

Web control for 705 and 708 is via hardwire Ethernet, although wireless through a WiFi router with Ethernet built in is likely possible. But the connection between the speaker and Ethernet switch or router has to be hardwired.
JBL provides the control software as a free download, available from the 705 and 708 pages on the JBL Pro website.

Do you have a link for the software?
I looked on the official 708p JBL page and there are many document for downloads but no software.

I found this page with a lot of software. Maybe it's there somewhere. What's the name of the software?

JBL Professional Loudspeakers | English (US)

Software for JBL Professional products

jblpro.com

Thanks