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Click image to view LSR28P specs |
The LSR28Ps are biamplified with an active, sixth-order Linkowitz-Riley crossover set at 1.7 kHz. The custom-designed linear amplifiers were created by JBL exclusively for the new LSR series, and they pack an impressive 250W for the woofer and 120W for the tweeter. This is more than enough power to drive each transducer, and the added headroom translates, in theory, to better fidelity at high volumes.
A giant aluminum heat sink covering a large portion of the cabinet’s rear helps regulate the amplifier’s temperature. Even when left on for a 12-hour-plus stretch, the heat sink is still comfortable to the touch. With such efficient thermal regulation, these speakers are apt to last a long time. JBL reports that the LSR28Ps can be left on for more than 300 hours at a stretch with no problems—that’s one long session.
Flat and Phat
The LSR28Ps are the flattest-sounding monitors I’ve ever heard. Although there’s no such thing as completely “flat,” these monitors are very unhyped and easy to listen to, with no unpleasant or ear-fatiguing frequency bumps. Also, despite the even, uncolored response curve, they provide plenty of sonic clarity: pianos sound warm and clear, kicks sound phat, guitars sound punchy, synth pads sound sweet, and vocals sound present. Compared with the LSR28Ps, other monitors of a similar ilk (Haflers, Genelecs, Meyers, HHBs) sound harsh, with exaggerated high ends and weak bottoms.
On the other hand, some folks may find the LSR28Ps’ sound unflattering and lacking in depth. With such a total absence of excited high frequencies, mixes will sound dull to ears acclimated to monitors with pumped-up highs. (Even the 2 dB high-end boost control doesn’t mimic such speakers, although a 4 dB boost might.) Without an exaggerated high end, the sonic image seems to have less depth, and you may notice less of a difference between the extreme high and low ends. If you’re unfamiliar with these speakers, it would be easy to overcompensate by adding too much high end and rolling off too much low end, resulting in mixes that sound thin and brittle on other systems. (I advise getting to know your monitors intimately before doing a mix.)
I said these monitors sound incredibly flat, but now I’m going to tell you that the low end sounds incredibly big. Somehow, the LSR28Ps pump out bass that belies their 8-inch woofers without sounding unnatural or affected (hip-hop and drum ’n’ bass aficionados, take note). I attribute the large, warm low end to the LDA bass port. A lot of air moves out of this port with very little resistance, a key factor for proper porting. However, the amount of bass these speakers put out is so great that it’s more than many small studios need. Using the –2 dB low-frequency cut to decrease the bass response worked well for my room (a –4 dB cut would also be nice). Keeping the monitors away from sounding boards, such as walls and corners, also helps reduce the low end.
Listen to This
I used the LSR28Ps while recording and monitoring DI bass tracks to Pro Tools. I also used them to mix several electronica projects (mostly drum ’n’ bass and trance) as well as an acoustic-flavored adult-alternative project by singer–songwriter Lygia Ferra. The monitors were positioned close to my other main near-fields (Hafler TRM8s), so I could swap back and forth as I mixed.
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LSR28Ps pump out bass that belies their 8-inch woofers.
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This has been said before, but it bears repeating: determining whether monitors sound good is purely subjective. I thought the LSR28Ps sounded great, but I would shy away from using them as my main near-field monitors. The LSR28Ps are just too big—in size and bass—to use in a standard close-field position. About five to six feet back from the console would be fine, but I consider this distance to be more midfield than near-field, as my near-fields are placed about three to four feet from where I sit. I would be proud, however, to use a pair of these monitors in my studio as midfields.
Bottom line: the LSR28Ps are solid in terms of both sound quality and technology. A bit more expensive than your average powered monitors, they are still competitively priced a few hundred dollars less than Hafler TRM8s and several thousand less than Genelec 1031As. JBL is to be commended on its new sound; the company has come a long way.
The LSR28Ps sound so much flatter than the older JBL monitors, as well as many competing models, that some folks will have difficulty warming up to them. But give them a chance. If you haven’t heard JBL’s studio monitors recently, have a listen; they’re what flat should sound like.
Erik Hawkins is a musician/producer working in Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Bay Area. Visit him at www.erikhawkins.com for more equipment chitchat and tips on what’s hot for the project studio.
Reprinted with
permission from 
Magazine, December, 2000
© 2000, Intertec Publishing, A Primedia Company All Rights Reserved
