Short answer: the JBL 305P MKII. It ranks #11 of 64 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $319; the Mackie MR524 ranks #25 and costs $380, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL 305P MKII offers: A fantastic value in studio monitors. Extremely close to the Focal Alpha 50 EVO, almost indistinguishable. Surprisingly deep and wide soundstage. Good horizontal dispersion (~70 degrees). Has a proper limiter that controls output cleanly rather than crudely cutting bass, and holds up well under sustained loud playback with minimal thermal compression. Watch for: Possible slight hissing from the amps at low levels. Rear ported, can be an issue close to walls. A port resonance around 1.6kHz is audible and distracting on some tracks. Midrange is somewhat scooped rather than flat for a studio monitor, and treble runs about 1.5dB hot - Erin’s Audio Corner recommends using the -2dB treble shelf switch. Vertical dispersion narrows around the crossover, so try to stay within about 10 degrees of the tweeter axis.
What the Mackie MR524 offers: The available measurement stays within a 2.0dB reference band and reaches 46.2Hz at -3dB, 41.8Hz at -6dB, and 36.7Hz at -12dB. Its preference score is 4.30 without a subwoofer and 6.25 with one. It includes balanced XLR and TRS inputs, RCA, boundary compensation, high-frequency trim, and 50W of bi-amplification per speaker. Watch for: The low-quality Spinorama measurement shows a +0.47dB-per-octave on-axis rise, 1.158dB on-axis average absolute deviation, low 0.170 predicted-in-room smoothness, and a 3.61 sound-power directivity-index standard deviation. Output is also limited by the 5-inch woofer and 50W amplifier.
Buy the JBL 305P MKII. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Mackie MR524 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL 305P MKII | Mackie MR524 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $319.00 | $380/pair |
| Ranked | #11 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #25 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 11.7"H x 7.3"W x 9.1"D (297.2 x 185.4 x 231.1 mm) | - |
| Frequency Response | 49 Hz - 20 kHz (+-3 dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 45Hz-20kHz |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 46.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | approximately 38Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Inputs | XLR, TRS | Balanced XLR, balanced TRS, RCA |
| Weight | 10.4 lbs / 4.7 kg each | - |
| Drivers | 5" (127mm) woofer | 5-inch polypropylene woofer; 1-inch silk-dome tweeter |
| App | No | - |
| Bluetooth | No | - |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) | - |
| Output Power | 81w Per Speaker | 50W bi-amplified per speaker |
| Sensitivity | 91.1dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
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Prices on this page were last checked August 25, 2026 at 6:19 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
JBL 305P MKII: $319.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A fantastic value in studio monitors. Extremely close to the Focal Alpha 50 EVO, almost indistinguishable. Surprisingly deep and wide soundstage. Good horizontal dispersion (~70 degrees). Has a proper limiter that controls output cleanly rather than crudely cutting bass, and holds up well under sustained loud playback with minimal thermal compression.
Cons: Possible slight hissing from the amps at low levels. Rear ported, can be an issue close to walls. A port resonance around 1.6kHz is audible and distracting on some tracks. Midrange is somewhat scooped rather than flat for a studio monitor, and treble runs about 1.5dB hot - Erin’s Audio Corner recommends using the -2dB treble shelf switch. Vertical dispersion narrows around the crossover, so try to stay within about 10 degrees of the tweeter axis.
Full JBL 305P MKII review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7"H x 7.3"W x 9.1"D (297.2 x 185.4 x 231.1 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" (127mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 49 Hz - 20 kHz (+-3 dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR, TRS |
| Output Power | 81w Per Speaker |
| Sensitivity | 91.1dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 10.4 lbs / 4.7 kg each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner Review Measurements More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Audio Science Review Measurements More from Audio Science Review →
- Erin’s Audio Corner: LIVE! JBL 305P MkII Powered Studio Monitor Review
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs JBL 305P MKII sound.DEMO More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: JBL 305P MKII vs Yamaha HS5 6-Track Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review JBL 305P MKII vs KRK Classic 5 CL5G3 sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: JBL 305P MKII vs Adam Audio T5V 6-Track Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Adam Audio A5X vs JBL 305P MKII sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Kali Audio LP-6 V2 (2nd Wave) vs JBL 305P MKII sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs JBL 305P MKII sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: Kali Audio IN-5 vs JBL 305P MKII Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: JBL 308P MKII vs JBL 305P MKII Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Neumann KH80 DSP vs JBL 305P MKII Sound & Frquency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: JBL 305P MKII vs PreSonus Eris E5 6-Track Comparison
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for JBL 305P MKII Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Mackie MR524: $380/pair Bhphotovideo eBay
Pros: The available measurement stays within a 2.0dB reference band and reaches 46.2Hz at -3dB, 41.8Hz at -6dB, and 36.7Hz at -12dB. Its preference score is 4.30 without a subwoofer and 6.25 with one. It includes balanced XLR and TRS inputs, RCA, boundary compensation, high-frequency trim, and 50W of bi-amplification per speaker.
Cons: The low-quality Spinorama measurement shows a +0.47dB-per-octave on-axis rise, 1.158dB on-axis average absolute deviation, low 0.170 predicted-in-room smoothness, and a 3.61 sound-power directivity-index standard deviation. Output is also limited by the 5-inch woofer and 50W amplifier.
Full Mackie MR524 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | approximately 38Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 46.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Drivers | 5-inch polypropylene woofer; 1-inch silk-dome tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz-20kHz |
| Inputs | Balanced XLR, balanced TRS, RCA |
| Output Power | 50W bi-amplified per speaker |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons