JBL Announces 7 Series Master Reference Monitors
JBL is not standing still.
The sound of the new JBL 7 series will surprise you.
After making waves on the high end with their flagship M2 Master Reference Monitor, and winning over the affordable market with their 3 Series Studio Monitors, JBL has made another big move with their new 7 Series Master Reference Monitors, the 708i and the 705i.
The 7 Series leverages patented technologies of the M2 Master Reference Monitor, and are developed especially to meet the needs of broadcast and post-production facilities, producing content in surround and immersive audio formats.
In a preview at AES, we experienced these speakers first-hand. Listening to a diverse range of source material at the Grammy Museum, we said, “The monitors projected extremely real and natural sound — even the diminutive LSR705′s ($10,000 for the system) filled the Grammy theater in every direction, and you would’ve sworn there was a subwoofer in the mix. Coming in January, the 7 series may well keep monitor momentum on JBL’s side.”
A passive design, the 7 series is part of a comprehensive system that includes Crown DCi 8|300N 8- and 4-channel power amplifiers, and a BSS Soundweb London signal processor that provides speaker tuning, room EQ, and bass management.
Final pricing will be announced when the monitors become available in January, 2015. Until then, here’s more information as provided by JBL:
From a hardware standpoint, multi-channel monitoring presents several challenges: The presence of video displays may limit options for speaker placement, installing a power outlet at each speaker location is costly, and management of a multichannel monitoring system requires costly outboard equipment. Use of traditional powered studio monitors is problematic. The solution calls for a next-generation approach to monitoring hardware.
At AES 2014, JBL Professional introduced the 708i 8-inch two-way, and 705i 5-inch 2-way installed monitors with remarkable frequency response and output that belie their small size. To deliver exceptional performance, JBL developed a new miniature high-frequency transducer—the 2409H—featuring JBL’s low-mass, annular diaphragm design that allows very high output with low distortion and high frequency response to 35kHz. JBL also engineered two new high-excursion 5-inch and 8-inch woofers, the 725G and 728G that allow the speakers to deliver robust low-frequency output into the 30Hz range. JBL’s distinctive patent-pending Image Control Waveguide and a sophisticated dividing network work in concert to produce an imperceptible crossover transition, detailed, spatial imaging and neutral response, particularly in the critical dialog range. Front-ported birch plywood install-ready enclosures include bottom and rear-panel mounting points. With a range of available mounting brackets, the speakers’ placement can be optimized to maintain sight lines to video displays.
To reduce enclosure size and installation cost, the speakers are centrally powered by HARMAN’s Crown DCi 8|300N 8- and 4-channel power amplifiers. The 705i and 708i can be driven by a single amp channel or bi-amplified. For greater accuracy and room-to-room consistency, HARMAN’s BSS Soundweb London signal processor provides speaker tuning, room EQ, and bass management. The processor accepts 16 or more analog and AES/EBU inputs, and networks with the power amps via CAT5. The entire system can be externally controlled with HARMAN HiQnet Audio Architect™ software, a hardware controller, or wireless tablet. Working in concert, the amps, processor and high-performance 5-inch, 8-inch and 15-inch speakers (including the M2), are a modular system that can be scaled to any size room and any number of channels. With exceptional frequency response, and tune-ability, the complete system provides greater room-to-room consistency and accuracy at the mix position.
The LSR705i and LSR708i Master Reference Monitors will be available in January 2015 as part of complete 5.1, 7.1 and immersive sound monitoring systems.
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