JBL monitors Bruno Mars on the road
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Mars is known for riveting and tightly-rehearsed live shows with his backing band the Hooligans, and most recently, with Anderson.Paak as the R&B duo Silk Sonic. Mars and the band frequently work on new songs while on the road and needed a high-quality mobile recording setup that could be easily assembled in any setting. Moniz, who worked with Mars on his 2012 album Unorthodox Jukebox and 2016’s 24k Magic, selected JBL Professional 708P reference monitors for their studio-grade sound quality, high output and balanced coverage. Additionally, front-of-house engineer Chris Rabold uses them to dial in a consistent live mix in any venue.
“We often record in dressing rooms, locker rooms, kitchens, workout rooms - I had a setup in a bullfighting ring in Spain one time,” said Moniz. “The 708P monitors have a lot of onboard processing to help you tame unruly spaces. A few tweaks with the built-in EQ can help you avoid overcompensating for those frequencies in your mix, as well as enhance the listening experience for everyone in the room.”
Chris Rabold, Mars’ front-of-house mixer, uses 708P monitors for pre-show mixes due to their “honest and true” frequency response, which translates seamlessly to live PA systems of any make, model and size.
“The 708P monitors never deceive me and always make my mix sound bigger,” said Rabold. “The low end is thick and punchy, the midrange is honest and intact, and the highs are not overly bright or deceptively sparkly. There's no hype or coloration to them, and because of this, I know that what I'm hearing will translate to any environment.”
