JBL 4311 Control Monitor

The JBL 4311 Studio Monitor is an iconic piece of audio history, becoming the benchmark for American studio sound in the 1970s.

Evolving from the popular 4310 model, the 4311 was specifically engineered as an "all-pro" successor and was prized by engineers for its high-powered, compact three-way design. Its smaller size, in contrast to earlier, larger JBL monitors like the 4320, allowed it to be placed directly on the mixing console's meter bridge—making it one of the first popular near-field monitors.

This practicality, coupled with its distinctively bright and punchy sound (which some say exaggerated the midrange, making vocal clarity paramount), led to its widespread adoption. By 1977, a Billboard survey indicated that more recording studios were using JBL monitors than all other brands combined. The 4311 (and its near-identical consumer version, the L100 Century) played a critical role in mixing countless albums during the golden age of rock, pop, and jazz fusion. Although specific studio records mixed exclusively on the 4311 are hard to pinpoint due to the speakers' ubiquitous nature, the monitors were a staple in major recording facilities across the United States.

Many of the decade's most notorious albums were monitored on JBLs at studios like Sunset Sound and The Record Plant. The front panel included adjustable controls for the midrange and high-frequency output, allowing engineers to contour the sound to their preference or room acoustics.