Reviews
JBL 4309 Studio Monitor Speakers
£1,899/$2,000
Key features 42Hz-30kHz • 1.6kHz crossover frequency • UHF tone controls
Learn more uk/jbl.com
Available from
premiumsound.co.uk
LET’S ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM straight away – these bookshelf passive monitor speakers aren’t the most visually appealing which, for some, might be a key factor when shelling out just south of two grand. The cabinets are available in two finishes – walnut with blue speaker grilles or black walnut with black grilles – are overtly retro in style and feature coin-turn, high frequency tone controls on the front, which should probably have been shifted out of sight to the back of the speakers. These controls allow you to make subtle adjustments to the overall balance, although at just + or -1dB, you can’t alter things too much. But it’s enough to help in fine-tuning the performance without changing the speaker’s overall character much.