JBL’s 104-BT is a monitor speaker with a 4.5-inch woofer (sold as a pair).
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 as a pair
- Woofer
- 4.5in
- Power (each)
- 30W
- Width
- 153mm
- Price (store, date)
- Not disclosed
Figure: SoundBounty
Summary
Among the 18 monitor speakers, 104-BT 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
- Ease of connecting (5 of 7, 5 points): It has many kinds of jacks, so equipment other than a computer is easy to connect.
- Ease of placement (153 mm, 4 points): It is small and easy to place on a desk.
Things to keep in mind
- Room for low frequencies (4.5-inch, 2 points): The woofer is small, so checking the low end is modest.
- Adjusting to the room (0 of 3, 1 point): It has few features for adjusting the sound.
Who it suits: judging from the specifications, it suits people who want to connect equipment other than a computer; people who want to place them in limited space on a desk.
Main features of 104-BT
A small monitor that can also play over Bluetooth
It has Bluetooth 5.0 built in, so you can play sound wirelessly from a smartphone and similar devices. JBL lists a use where you check a finished song over Bluetooth too, to confirm it sounds right in different ways of listening.
Coaxial 4.5-inch drivers
A 0.75-inch tweeter sits at the center of a 4.5-inch woofer in a coaxial layout, and the sound is tuned for placing the speakers on a desk.
Input selection and volume on the front
A knob on the front lets you choose between the Bluetooth, AUX, RCA and TRS inputs, or mix them all together. There are also a front volume knob and a headphone jack that mutes the speakers when you plug in.
A pair with the amplifier in one speaker
The amplifier (60 W in total, 30 W per speaker) is in the main speaker, and the other speaker connects to it by a cable. That keeps the wiring simple.
Where it is useful
- Playing sound from both a computer and a smartphone through one pair of speakers on a desk
- Also checking how a finished song sounds over Bluetooth
- Switching between headphones and speakers easily from the front
Rating by criterion
Room for low frequencies: 2 / 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.
104-BT: 4.5-inch. That is a modest rating among the products we compared. The woofer is small, so checking the low end is modest.
Adjusting to the room: 1 / 5
Whether you can adjust the lows and highs to where you place them and to the room.
104-BT: 0 of 3. That is a modest rating among the products we compared. It has few features for adjusting the sound.
Ease of connecting: 5 / 5
How many kinds of jacks it has for connecting equipment.
104-BT: 5 of 7. That is a high rating among the products we compared. It has many kinds of jacks, so equipment other than a computer is easy to connect.
Ease of placement: 4 / 5
The width of one speaker. The smaller it is, the easier to place on a desk.
104-BT: 153 mm. That is a high rating among the products we compared. It is small and easy to place on a desk.
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.
104-BT connection and getting started
| Connection | TRS (balanced), RCA, 3.5 mm AUX, Bluetooth 5.0 and a headphone jack |
|---|---|
| Power | Mains power (built into the main speaker) |
| Other | Sold as a pair. Black (104-BT) and white (104-BTW) |
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 as a left-and-right pair. One purchase gives you stereo.
- The inputs are TRS (phone jack), RCA, stereo mini, Bluetooth. Check the shape of the cable that connects to the output of your audio interface (most use TRS phone jacks).
- The width is 153 mm. Besides room for two speakers, check that you can leave a little space between the speakers and the wall.
Read next
- 305P MkII: 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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