JBL’s 305P MkII is a monitor speaker with a 5-inch woofer (sold individually).
Monitor speakers are speakers for hearing sound exactly as it is when you record or mix.
In this article we rate it on 4 criteria using only the specifications the manufacturer publishes, and show how it ranks among the 18 monitor speakers we compare.
Disclosure: This site takes part in affiliate programs. Specifications are as of the date we checked them and can change.
Score 3.0 / 5 (average of the 18 models compared: 3.2)
- Specs last checked
- 2026/10/19
- Sold as
- Sold individually
- Woofer
- 5in
- Power (each)
- 82W
- Width
- 185mm
- Price (store, date)
- Not disclosed
Figure: SoundBounty
Summary
Among the 18 monitor speakers, 305P MkII is rank B. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and B is third from the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5) gives 3.0.
Strengths
- Adjusting to the room (2 of 3, 4 points): You can adjust the sound to where you place them and to the room.
Things to keep in mind
- Ease of connecting (2 of 7, 2 points): It has few kinds of jacks.
Who it suits: judging from the specifications, it suits people who want to adjust the sound to where they place the speakers and to the room.
Main features of 305P MkII
Image Control Waveguide for a clear sound field
JBL’s patented Image Control Waveguide (the shape around the tweeter) is said to aim at a wide sweet spot, with clear placement of sounds and little change in sound even if your listening position shifts slightly. The technology was originally made for JBL’s top model, the M2.
Two switches for adjusting to the room
The Boundary EQ on the back (0 / -1.5 / -3 dB around 50 Hz) reduces the swelling of the lows when you place the speaker near a wall, and the HF Trim (-2 / 0 / +2 dB) adjusts the amount of highs.
A Slip Stream port and 82 W of amplification
The patented Slip Stream port is said to deliver solid lows regardless of volume. The amplifier gives 41 W each to the woofer and the tweeter (82 W in total).
XLR and TRS inputs
The inputs are XLR and TRS (both balanced), with a switch between +4 dBu and -10 dBV input sensitivity. It is sold one speaker at a time.
Where it is useful
- Connecting it to an audio interface to use as a reference for mixing
- Checking the width of the sound even when your listening position moves a little
- Reducing the swelling of the lows in a room where you can only place speakers near a wall
Rating by criterion
Room for low frequencies: 3 / 5
The size of the woofer (the speaker that makes low sounds). The bigger it is, the more room there is for the low end.
305P MkII: 5-inch. That is a standard rating among the products we compared.
Adjusting to the room: 4 / 5
Whether you can adjust the lows and highs to where you place them and to the room.
305P MkII: 2 of 3. That is a high rating among the products we compared. You can adjust the sound to where you place them and to the room.
Ease of connecting: 2 / 5
How many kinds of jacks it has for connecting equipment.
305P MkII: 2 of 7. That is a modest rating among the products we compared. It has few kinds of jacks.
Ease of placement: 3 / 5
The width of one speaker. The smaller it is, the easier to place on a desk.
305P MkII: 185 mm. That is a standard rating among the products we compared.
The gray marks in the figure below (the dotted line on the pentagon) show the average of the 18 products we compared. Price is not part of the score.
How we score (Monitor speakers)
| Criterion | Basis | 5 pt | 4 pt | 3 pt | 2 pt | 1 pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room for low frequencies | Woofer size | ≥8 | ≥6.5 | ≥5 | ≥4 | <4 |
| Adjusting to the room | High and low frequency controls, DSP or app adjustment | All 3 | 2 | 1 | — | None |
| Ease of connecting | Types of input and output jacks | 5 to 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 or fewer |
| Ease of placement | Width (one speaker) | ≤140 | ≤160 | ≤190 | ≤220 | >220 |
Scored only on the body specifications published by the manufacturer. Price is not part of the score. Manufacturers measure low-frequency response under different conditions (-3 dB, -6 dB, -10 dB and so on), so it is hard to compare side by side. The score therefore uses the size of the woofer (the speaker for low sounds), and the published low-frequency limit is shown in the table together with its condition. Amplifier power is also written differently (rated, RMS and so on), so treat it as a rough guide; it is shown in the table for reference and is not part of the score. Ease of placement is decided by width, with a desktop in mind.
305P MkII connection and getting started
| Connection | XLR and TRS (both balanced) |
|---|---|
| Power | Mains power (100 to 240 V) |
| Other | Sold one speaker at a time |
Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on September 27, 2026.
Compared with other monitor speakers
Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.
| Product | RankAvg. score | Sold as | Wooferin | Power (each)W | Low-frequency limit | Widthmm | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YamahaHS3 | A 3.8 | Sold as a pair | 3.5 | 26 | 70Hz (-10 dB) | 132 | Not disclosed |
| YamahaHS4 | A 3.8 | Sold as a pair | 4.5 | 26 | 60Hz (-10 dB) | 150 | Not disclosed |
| YamahaHS5 | B 3.0 | Sold individually | 5 | 70 | 54Hz (-10 dB) | 170 | Not disclosed |
| YamahaHS7 | B 3.0 | Sold individually | 6.5 | 95 | 43Hz (-10 dB) | 210 | Not disclosed |
| YamahaHS8 | B 3.0 | Sold individually | 8 | 120 | 38Hz (-10 dB) | 250 | Not disclosed |
| JBL305P MkII | B 3.0 | Sold individually | 5 | 82 | 43Hz (-10 dB) | 185 | Not disclosed |
| JBL104-BT | B 3.0 | Sold as a pair | 4.5 | 30 | 60Hz (±3 dB) | 153 | Not disclosed |
| KRKROKIT 5 G4 | B 3.3 | Sold individually | 5 | 55 | 43Hz (no condition stated) | 190 | Not disclosed |
| KRKROKIT 7 G4 | B 3.0 | Sold individually | 7 | 145 | 42Hz (no condition stated) | 225 | Not disclosed |
| EdifierMR4 | B 3.0 | Sold as a pair | 4 | 21 | 60Hz (no condition stated) | 140 | Not disclosed |
| EdifierMR5 | S 4.3 | Sold as a pair | 5 | 55 | 46Hz (no condition stated) | 159 | Not disclosed |
| ADAM AudioT5V | B 3.0 | Sold individually | 5 | 70 | 45Hz (-6 dB) | 179 | Not disclosed |
| ADAM AudioD3V | A 3.5 | Sold as a pair | 3.5 | 100 | 45Hz (-6 dB) | 115 | Not disclosed |
| JBL306P MkII | B 2.8 | Sold individually | 6.5 | 112 | 39Hz (-10 dB) | 224 | Not disclosed |
| JBL308P MkII | B 3.0 | Sold individually | 8 | 112 | 37Hz (-10 dB) | 254 | Not disclosed |
| PreSonusEris E5 | A 3.8 | Sold individually | 5.25 | 80 | Not disclosed | 178 | Not disclosed |
| NeumannKH 80 DSP | B 3.0 | Sold individually | 4 | 190 | 57Hz (±3 dB) | 154 | Not disclosed |
| ADAM AudioT7V | B 3.0 | Sold individually | 7 | 70 | 39Hz (-6 dB) | 210 | Not disclosed |
Specifications are the manufacturer's published values (checked October 19, 2026). The ADAM Audio D3V publishes only peak power, so its power is not scored.
Before you buy
- It is sold one speaker at a time. You need two for stereo. When comparing prices, think of the cost of two.
- The inputs are XLR, TRS (phone jack). Check the shape of the cable that connects to the output of your audio interface (most use TRS phone jacks).
- The width is 185 mm. Besides room for two speakers, check that you can leave a little space between the speakers and the wall.
Read next
- 104-BT: features and rating (rank B)
- T5V: features and rating (rank B)
- Eris E5: features and rating (rank A)
- D3V: features and rating (rank A)
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