JBL Professional Active-1 Precision Monitor Control, Studio Talkback with USB Audio I/O

The JBL is amazing. Mac OS recognized it right away. No drivers. My monitoring setup sounds much better with the USB IO and not using the MAC’s built in audio/ analog audio. So far so good. Very clean audio. I’m not sure how it’s so inexpensive. Too many features to list, but it’s built well, USB IO is clean, knobs are all smooth and “static free”, talkback mic is solid. Dim button is cool. Dual headphones is perfect for VO and separate volume controls for all. Wow. Plenty of IO options. Perfect monitor controller really. It does “pop” when you activate the switches. That may drive some crazy if you switch allot. I’m using this on my editing suites and don’t switch that much. I liked the first one so much, I bought a second one for my other suite. It’s so nice to have a tactile knob to grab and it’s also nice tinkering with the IO settings out of Premiere much less now that I have one destination for both Premiere and MacOS. Plus I you still get some input options. Would loved one XLR input, but hey can’t have it all. I have a Rhode USB mic anyway. Edit: second unit the power adapter died in about 30 mins. Otherwise it’s working fine with the adapter from the first controller. I’m ordering a replacement and taking it from there.

Love this device

I will begin with the disclaimer of: I am NOT a sound engineer or claim to be a 'Audiophile' but I do appreciate good sounding music. I bought this to basically use as a volume control and maybe have some room for growth as my hobby progressed. I tried it analog going out my laptop USB to a DAC and then RCA's to the unit and it sounded okay but a bit muddy and thick on the JBL 305's. I decided to try the digital route and used the USB out and wow what a world of difference. The muddy was replace with a clean, clear sound, the way the speakers should sound in my mind. I did not have any noise introduced going digital with the USB hooked up. Again this is only being used as a volume control. I am not using any expensive cabling either. Monoprice USB and 1/4" TRS Monoprice balanced cables. Over all very happy with the purchase. One minor thing is that I do need to power on the unit on BEFORE the speakers otherwise the power builds a little and will give an audible 'pop' over the speakers. At shut down I need to turn speakers off before this unit or again will get an audible 'pop'. Otherwise it works great for my needs and did not seem to color the sound in any way.

Definitely has a little color on the sound. Great for a home studio. Not for anything larger than that.

Being that this product appears to have been originally a different company, later obtained by JBL, and available in spurts, and at only a few JBL dealers, and this price was less than a third of some of the asking prices, I took a chance, and at first it said that it would take almost two weeks to get here NY to DC? So I was shocked to receive it in two days, set it up, and it is really great! Have no need for the USB, which seems to be a weak point to other users. I am using it with an RCA from a TV, to run two JBL monitors...I am planing on using to for silent practice by running it in a second source.

usb noisey

Really nice. I did research on similar gear. This had all the necessary things, at the same price as less capable items. I love it!

Extremely high turn-on and turn-off transients. I'm ALWAYS afraid I'm going to blow my 1500.00 pair of Focal active monitors, turning it on or off. Ive noticed an audible surge (clicking sound) in the Focals and/or in my Mackies when turning on the unit. EVEN with no speakers selected. The chassis is sensitive to electrostatic charges (touching after walking across an industrial carpet, etc.). his product design is defective.

Got 2 pieces of this in very cheap price last year. Using it for almost one year. Sound quality is really good.