Choosing the Ultimate Speaker: JBL Studio 698 or HDI-3800?

[@ben23a31]

Happy to see you dig deeper into the sound and placement of speakers lately. That with your technical expertise makes your reviews a notch above most others ✊🏼

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I appreciate that!

[@pulDag]

Just a notch?

[@ben23a31]

@@pulDag I did say most which is in my opinion over 90% of them. There are a handful of excellent and unbiased reviewers who have been in the game for decades who have audiophile and measurement pedigree credibility. Not just the new age home theater guys out there who don't appreciate music (at least in their reviews) in general.

[@TheaterAtReference]

Really appreciate all your detailed data based analysis.

[@amante762]

I'm looking forward to hearing these. I am a big fan of the Studio 5xx line. Always wanted a 3-way design in the line. Thanks.

[@Finite-Tuning]

These sure are a much prettier looking speaker then the studio series which I own and love. I use 2 pairs of the Studio 530's as front and rear height speakers, then 2 pairs of the Studio 590's as main towers front and rear. Once another sale hits I'll get one more pair of 530's to use as center channel wired in series. If I had the room, I'd just get one more 590 for center, I really hate the way they look but I really love the way they sound. They make my hallway of a room sound huge, I'm so impressed with their sound stage and it's no doubt due to that giant horn wave guide on the tweeter. But when you can get any of these on a good sale, man, they're just impossible to argue with! One of these years I'll finish my review on them all, but the 590's are my fav's for sure. They play so well right out of the box, I have no EQ on them at all since the measurements were just sooo good already. The 530's need a little push/pull EQ work, but they still sound good out of the box, just a little airy for my taste. Anyway, Happy New Year and I'm looking forward to your next review! Cheers man 🍻 P.S. If any of us should be embarrassed about a home or a rooms appearance, it's me, and well, I'm not, not even a little.... I show it all with no remorse and no mercy!😁

[@MrRocktuga]

Another great review! Thank you. This further reinforces my strong conviction that whenever a manufacturer has a specific line of speakers (that logically share many similar visual cues and often parts), there’s usually one which seems like the benchmark on which the others were built after. In other words, one of them is closer to the “ideal” design within that line range, while others are only the best they can be given that they need to share looks and parts with the other models. The best design _can_ be the most expensive of the line, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes the sweet spot (and best performance) might be closer to the middle model. I’ve seen this happen for decades with all the loudspeaker manufacturers that I had more time with, but you’ve also found something similar with the MoFi 8 vs 10 (and the most expensive doesn’t seem to be the best designed of the two). 😉 All of this makes it harder for the consumer to find the “right” speaker within a certain line-up, but that’s also where tests like these help a lot (even if some sighted tests can give a hint, since you tried to “break” the listening performance of this speaker, and it proved to be hard, unlike the smaller bookshelf brother). 😉

[@simplereef4854]

Not in my case about the subwoofer though, I moved from bookshelf to tower speakers and found out I don't even need the subs at all. My speaker is the Sonus Fabor Olympica III.

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

As always great video Erin.

[@Brett1334]

I always thought when I was younger that tower speakers negated the need for a subwoofer but as the years have gone on, I’ve realised even most floor standers still need subs with them. Great video! I won’t lie and pretend I know what you are on about with a lot of the technical terms etc, but boy I enjoy the entertainment of the videos! Thanks! Looking forward to more in 2024

[@End3r_Wiggin]

A well crossed-over sub will always add punch.

[@kevincheong1516]

Plus, subs are really effective in filling in those nulls due to room mode.

[@RennieAsh]

Floor speakers that go deep are rare because people tend to blow them up due to want for loud . It also requires a larger cabinet and decent drivers generally for passive

[@johnyang799]

truth is 99 of 100 cases tower and bookshelf has similar bass. How to get better bass sensitivity and lower distortion? Use larger woofer driver like 4367 or M2. So you either choose those or get a good sub.

[@mattg3789]

@@johnyang799 Not true at all. It is the opposite. Towers and their extra drivers and larger cabinets provide louder and deeper bass than the bookshelf with only rare exception. The Bose 301 is an exception. Though stand mounted bookshelf style, the Bose is equipped an with eight inch woofer and a large, ported cabinet. It is about twice larger than bookshelf speakers using 5-6 inch woofers in the same price range, and bass output is far superior.

[@timh6510]

Earlier today, just for laughs, I watched a video of a guy talking about how measurements and Dr. Toole's standards are overblown (only got part way through it). Then I got to watch this nice contrast to the nonsense. Thanks, and happy new year! 🎉

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I bet I know who it was. That dude is way too sure of himself. He argues with everyone who disagrees. Which is great because then it leaves no doubt that he is pretty much clueless. Dunning-Krueger effect on full display.

[@rickg8015]

Could you clue us in as to what YT channel is that?

[@FOH3663]

​@@ErinsAudioCorner Yepper

[@MechAdv]

I never realized how close in price these towers are to the Polk R700s and how similar the design of the woofer arrangement was. Basically, you have a horn loaded compression driver versus a ring radiator as the main differentiator, so in theory, these should be much better for home theater use because the narrow dispersion pattern of a ring tweeter. Would love to see the objective data between the two, as most audio channels give the R700 the nod as the best towers for 2 grand or under if you care about home theater AND music.

[@joelopez7459]

Plus JBL is 4 Ohm IIRC

[@navoo9009]

in my humble opinion ? Martin Logan MOTION 60XTI it's a much better investment in sound !!! from R700

[@avnut5517]

Happy New Year! Thank you for the excellent review. I am glad you did the comparison. This is fantastic info.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Happy new year!

[@markkilpatrick7951]

I always liked the look of the JBL Studio 590 speakers. Cool retro horn shape.

[@tom6363]

Me too. Have 580’s and 530’s and love the sound and Star Wars look. Would love to get the 590’s but I don’t think JBL will be running a big discounts ant more. Unfortunately those days are gone. 😂

[@hochhaul]

The enclosure build quality and next level finish on the HDI-3800 make it worth the money, particularly at $1925 each when you can catch it on sale. For those that don't know, the HDI-3800 is frequently on sale for under $2000/speaker. However, the Revel Performa3 series are often on sale at the same time as the JBL HDI's, so if you were considering the 3800, you should also strongly consider the Revel F208. The Revel uses a less aggressive wave guide, has tonal controls, and the in-room bass response is better than most spin graphs would suggest.

[@Cmdaddy88]

F208 is legendary, easy buy without auditioning

[@kingtrance307]

The new Martin Logan F200 maybe worth the listen too if you enjoy ribbon tweeters. They look pretty impressive.

[@kingtrance307]

@@Cmdaddy88- Always better to audition first if possible though. The Revels are nice though for sure.

[@AudriusN]

I just had a thought - we have a nice almanach of what we should consider buying, Erin's, Amir's, Gene's from AH, archimagos reviews and and insights.

[@allendekle1304]

You have to wonder where does the 4309 fit in with these. I think it has the same wave guide as the 3800 and you can find them for $750.00 a piece Thanks for,the review Erin Allen

[@Audiomainia2310]

Considering whats on the market the HDI see me ed overpriced in my opinion considering again what the competition is. But the 698 totally shoot the consideration for the HDI 3800 into the ground. Great review brother as always.

[@karlschauff7989]

Particularly when the Revel F208 was on sale for the past 2 months for the exact same price as the HDI-3800.

[@khoi83]

Happy New year!

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Happy new year!

[@microteche]

Great analysis of these JBL

[@word2RG]

appreciate the added info on vertical listening positions 👍

[@smilyle]

I've been an audiophile for about 8 years. And what I'm noticing is that speakers that are more expensive are usually more expensive because the materials they use are more expensive or more expensive to refine. They may be a bit more durable and longer lasting, and be more aethestically pleasing, but it doesn't garauntee that more rare materials and more durable materials equate to better sound -- and if it does, it is very marginal to the point where you'd have to be listening for it. And most likely if you were to do a blind test, you wouldnt automatically pick the more expensive speaker past a certain point. I think that for the average person, they can tell the difference between speakers that are over $500 a pair and under $500 a pair, and they can tell the difference between speakers that are below 5K a pair and above 5K a pair. So for most people, anything between $500 a pair and $5K a pair will be difficult to tell if the speakers are relatively well designed. It is about 2% of the population that the sublties make a difference for. And even when they do make a difference the cheaper speaker is great enough that when they take into account placement and acoustic room treatment, and adding a pretty good DAC, they are too much better of a value to waste money on the more expensive speaker due to diminishing return value. In this game it is all about what is going to give you the best value for your money rather than what is going to be the best.

[@karlschauff7989]

They usually have better built enclosures as well. One difference that immediately stood out to me when I upgraded from cheaper towers to Revel F208's was how solid and tonally dead the 1" thick enclosure walls felt when I rapped my knuckles on them.

[@PeteBasel]

Erin, if you look at the input impedance you might notice that the port tuning is at about 35 Hz, the dip in impedance between the two peaks in the bass. The drivers have low excursion at this frequency and the system will take a large amount of boost there. One could easily give them +6dB of boost at 35 Hz and flatten them as much as needed for much better bass extension. This is very similar to a T&S B6 alignment. Many JBL systems are tuned like this and I don't know why they don't mention how they can be EQed to -3dB at the box tuning frequency especially since nearly all HT systems have EQ and/or bass management.

[@666HR]

Currently you can get 3800 hdi in Europe for around 3000USD for a pair. series is discontinued. 1600 hdi for 1100 USD for a pair. it is reasonable price for that speaker during sell out.

[@cuoresportivo155]

I have the JBL ES90 which also uses dual 8" midbass drivers and I also find the 80hz region to be boosted. I have a sub with them, but have that crossed over at 40 Hz or the bass becomes overwhelming in my room. The mid-range and tweeters are different, as are the crossovers, so I don't expect similarities above about 250 Hz.

[@End3r_Wiggin]

Enjoy your vids. Would really appreciate your review of a set of vintage Polk SDA SRS 1.2s, if you were able to find them. My aunt had a pair and I remember from 25 years ago they sounded unreal.

[@starker1971]

Erin. Can you comment your thoughts on value price to performance of the Studio 590 versus the 698 ? I have noticed the 590 goes on sale occasionally and packs a lot for a lower price. Without considering the aesthetics, or lack thereof of the 5 Series would you ever recommend a 5 series as a budget alternative ? I have been considering upgrading from 590 to 698 for some time, but I am not sure it's the best upgrade for me. Given that I like the wider nature of the 590 versus Klipsch RP-8000f II, I do wonder if I would miss anything if instead, going to the Linton 85's instead of a performance tower design. Thank You so much for your detailed analysis.

[@Finite-Tuning]

I love the sound stage of the 590's and would be hard pressed to give that up at any price point or for aesthetics. Especially if/when you have 4 of them hitting you from every corner! I really love mine, everything but the looks. They're not quite so ugly though once you turn the lights off 😁.

[@zefrog7482]

Happy New Year Erin.🙂 Considering it's more home theatre orientated, actually it's not too bad. Is a nice looking speaker as well, always a plus.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Agreed. Really seems to be a great balance of price, performance and looks.

[@zefrog7482]

@@ErinsAudioCorner I think JBL has also done itself a disservice in the 'studio' named speakers, which really have no place in a studio. What's your take on that?🤔 Do find it rather curious myself, only we all know JBL is capable of extremely accurate stuff, but they seem to detract from that in what really is a very odd product naming scheme.🤔

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

@@zefrog7482 yes JBL has the worst marketing team in all of audio. They make some of the best stuff, yet are know for Bluetooth speakers….

[@jessestone785]

LOL .. Studio 698 has a vinyl finish, HDI-3800 has actual wood veneer. Everything .. has a cost and a value. Further, the Studio 698 bass and mid-range drivers have plastic-coated paper cones which will absorb moisture and/or dry out over time depending on environment which WILL irrefutably change their sound! OTOH the HDI-3800s utilize a ceramic aluminum cone material which is impervious to moisture. Everything … has a cost and a value. It’s an inescapable FACT.

[@jstoli996c4s]

Preach it! The 3800’s are awesome. Beautiful design, solidly built, sound great.

[@jessestone785]

@@jstoli996c4s - love mine! First JBL non-pro top end speakers I’ve purchased at retail since I bought a pair of 240Ti in 1989.

[@JayJay-jx3zg]

Most of us with the speaker bug will find something else way before this happens, so the cost savings is worth it. Besides, I run a dehumidifier in my finished basement.

[@supraluvers]

The cones aren’t exactly paper are they? They’re polyplas material.

[@Monkeyseemonkey79]

Why the 'LOL'?

[@AaronHamm-co7fm]

@ErinsAudioCorner I recently got the HDI 4500 Center and I am looking at getting some towers for L&R JBL's. I can't seem to make my mind up between the 698's and the HDI 3600's . I am trying to figure out what the exrta money will get me if you know what I mean

[@stevenma2010]

Glad to hear there was no shrinkage.

[@purplehazeffc]

And interesting take for me is that Harman are the ones that came out with the Harmans House Curve. But then don't design speakers to go along with that. Looking at the in room graph on the HDI's, they actually come pretty close. While the Studio's are way off. Yes there is DSP, and I'm currently using my NAD with DIRAC. But DSP still isn't widely used in the stereo audio world.

[@ChristopherHallett]

I'd love to see you review the Triangle Borea BR10s.

[@tylerrynberg]

Very interesting regarding the radiation pattern difference between the new Studio 6xx and the HDI series... When I was auditioning speakers, I quite liked the HDI but found them to be slightly dull in the lower treble with too narrow of a radiation pattern. Other than that bit of glare at 3kHz, I bet I would prefer the 698 to the 3800.

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

I don’t know, I have the 590s as rears (4367 as fronts) and tried the 590s for music on a McIntosh mc462 when I got them. They sound fine at low volume but the glare in the treble is pretty bad at high volume. I end up just turning them down. It just sounds like hard treble (cone breakup at crossover). The 590 and 698 use the same tweeter from what I can tell. As you move up the JBL line you get better drivers. The HDI still uses a lower end tweeter despite their price. You don’t get into “real” compression drivers until the 4349 sadly…. The 590 has been fine for cheap surrounds. I currently plan to buy four 4349s for rears but just biding my time. Christmas =s bills lol.

[@dan_hitchman007]

JBL did change the crossover point on the tweeter to better match the spec of the compression driver family used. That's definitely a plus in the 6's camp over the 5's. And yes, the Studio 5 and 6 line use true cinema compression tweeters. They're just not the top of the line.

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

@@dan_hitchman007 yes I wonder how much the cone break up is reduced with a slightly higher crossover point. I will be interested to hear them sometime.

[@jstoli996c4s]

Based on my own experience, the 3800’s compression drivers need 250-300 hours to fully break in. When I first got them, they sounded dull and lifeless… I thought I made a mistake buying them. After 100 hours I noticed an improvement, after 200 hours I noticed more improvement, and at 250+ hours they sounded amazing.

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

@@jstoli996c4s ok good to know. Maybe I should try the 590s for music again now that I have owned them for awhile. I can say the 4367 was pretty stunning right out of the box, with zero placement tweeting and only got better with room/placement tweaking. The bass might have gotten batter but I highpass subs so it is really hard to say.

[@kingtrance307]

You can get a pair of the Martin Logan F200’s for the same price as the HDI 3800’s too. That would be a real interesting comparison. 👍

[@MrArnand]

Hey Erin, there is a hum in your audio. It's apparant sometimes when you speak, not constantly though. In this video you can notice it in the start.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Thanks. Not sure what would be the cause... could be that the washer/dryer were running (and they're just down the hall).

[@MrArnand]

@@ErinsAudioCorner sounds like that yeah, no worries

[@officialchill1706]

I find it odd, especially in the context of home theatre, that the different speakers aren't tonally similar... if you want 698 fronts, you'd have to be aware of the issues with the 630 if you wanted matching surrounds... or cough up the money for the 698 rears... Regardless, here's to another successful year for your channel!

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

100% agreed. I don't see why they would have the 630 with such a big drop in the midrange but these are relatively linear.

[@dan_hitchman007]

I think the thought process of JBL at this time is if you want surrounds with the larger Studio 6 towers, you will get their Studio 6 in-wall models rather than the 630's... or their wall mount 610's. The Studio 5's never got matching in-wall units or an on-wall surround model. The 630 would be very difficult to wall mount due to its curved cabinet and lack of built-in mounting points.

[@macbug3000]

The 698s cross over to their 8 inch woofers at 320hz, so probably that offsets the typical dip the 6.25 inch driver has in that area? I think it's more likely that the designers had very limited budget and had to recycle studio 5 components, so they weren't willing to sacrifice SPL for FR. In a home threatre scenario you are probably using EQ so the FR differences probably aren't as important as using the same horn. They make a sealed 610 surround speaker designed to go on walls. It probably measures differently just because of that. It's also not unheard of for different models in the same line to have different tuning. The Klipsch RP-500M VS 600M for example. Or the Polk R100 VS R200, just to name a few in the price class. I didn't like the fact that JBL refused to publish their own frequency charts for the studio 6 series though.

[@Chuck--]

I have the JBL 3600s in front with Emotiva B1 in the rear. They sound great together with my HSU ULS-15-MK2 sub. I'm crossing over the 3600 @ 60Hz and the Emotiva @ 80Hz.

[@sturdyvw]

This is why I was thinking there was an amp issue with your 630 test lol, obviously not but there is something going on. My 630's measure better than your estimated in room response, the woofer is much stronger and has no noticeable dip in the midrange. How old are the 630's, I wonder if you break them in a bit at high volumes that woofer's suspension will open up a bit, would make for a cool video to do a before and after to prove/disprove break in.

[@tubefac3]

Yeah I've had 630 for nearly 2 years, and in-room umik-1 didn't identify that lower mid range dip he found either in Erin's 630 measurements - perhaps me measuring at listening position, and correcting to a"house curve"with slope and extra bass, maybe it fits my target curve reasonably well. I definitely found the 1.5khz boost needed to come down, but i quite like treble above 3.5k not sloping quite as much. Pretty happy with the 630s in room, corrected with eq, and subs. But at times-generally only noticeable with sine test tone-the plastic ring around the midwoofer resonates audibly in a nasty way, from memory around 300hz. Be interested to hear if yours do the same with a test tone sweep around that range, to hear if they start making awful additional resonance...?

[@sturdyvw]

⁠​⁠@@tubefac3I don’t use an eq with them with music only ht but I didn’t recall hearing anything annoying when arc was running. I probably have a bit overkill of a setup for them, I have a 3 channel anthem amp and an anthem mrx 740 it’s a super good match for the jbls. This amp is a beast for low end so you get almost too much slam, it can easily overdrive the mid and bottom it out lol. I also think these 698s aren’t broken in, I have heard them loud, powered by mono locks and I don’t think anyone will be wanting more madness slam. I know most people don’t believe in break in and that’s ok but I’ll die on the hill that bass does change and mechanical properties change in the surround and spider of a mid bass driver. I’ve heard and measured dramatic changes in low end in several speakers. The biggest change I saw was when I had 590s, they went from 40hz f3 to 25hz in room after a few months, made me a believer in break in.

[@tubefac3]

Sounds like an enjoyable and exciting system! If you measure it, that goes a long long way towards being more than "brain break-in"! :⁠-⁠) Thanks for the reply

[@shipsahoy1793]

the 698's seem like a reasonable deal for $1700, esp when the 3800's are at $5400 (Crutchfield). They are big and heavy, so I'll be sticking with what I've got. I also don't need subs for my current stereo speakers..You need a larger room with speakers that size.. at least 2000 cu ft with open areas. There's nothing worse than a reflective room that's essentially a closed box.

[@timjarsky3046]

Can you try plugging the lower port? It might get rid of the bump and extend the F3 and F10.

[@RSCLifeontwowheels]

Hello from Canada. I just bought a pair of new JBL HDI 3800. I have them hooked up to wiim pro and Anthem 225 integrated. And it sounds horrible. So my amp is sold next week. Do you think a Denon pma1700ne would be good with them or a yamaha rn800a i have been looking at. Or any other suggestions,? Thanks for your time Ehh!

[@paulgyro]

Would love to see the crossover of these two speakers. Might be another differentiating area.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I asked the owner if he minded me taking the speaker apart, but he asked me to keep it intact just in case he decided to send it back because he didn’t want to risk them noticing screwheads missing paint. Which, hey, I get it.

[@paulgyro]

@@ErinsAudioCorner I totally get it

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

@@ErinsAudioCornerhonestly I cringe when reviews take out the drivers. If the speakers use metal inserts it is not a big deal but so many just screw straight into mdf, which is never the same after taking them out.

[@macbug3000]

For a rough comparison, you can search for jbl 620 crossover on Google images, and compare against jbl hdi 1600 crossover image posted by JBL itself

[@darkknight2819]

Hi Erin , thanks very much from Portugal for this wonderfull comparation . I m very tempted on buying the LCR jbl 3800 + 4500 ... and i have now the svs ultra towers + svs ultra center ... on a 40m2 room ... litens position 15 feet ... i also have 2 svs pb 4000 ... do you think it will be a big upgrade ? or the diference will not justify ? will apreciate very much your opinion , and once again thanks very much for all your videos ... i saw your opinion on the 4500 and it not sounds the bes .. but will be better then svs ultra center ?... Best regards from Portugal

[@jstoli996c4s]

I haven’t heard the SVS, but I’ve had the 3800’s for two years and love them. They sound great. Don’t listen to all the rubbish from those who’ve never heard them or go by measurements only.

[@jlm8699]

Thank you I've had a few of Studio 580s and 530s. How do these compared to the studio models? Kind of hard to follow jbl's evolution...

[@davidshepherd728]

It would be helpful if you could describe your listening environment, including room dimensions, acoustic treatment, speaker position, and listener position.

[@maconpatton]

I love my 3800 played thru my Pass electronics

[@trevorbartram5473]

Erin, Happy New Year. Did you "try putting a sock in it" to tame the 80Hz bump? Otherwise, this a good speaker.

[@araara-l9h]

good job man, Does 698 work great with Marantz cinema 40? If not, what AVR you suggest?

[@madcrabber1113]

Hopefully these will be available as a replacement for the 590's on the JBL/ Harmon direct sites with similar discounts at some point. I asked JBL but didn't get a clear answer.

[@JayJay-jx3zg]

Good review. I’m not sure why this lathe Studio 6 line hasn’t garnered more attention and or reviews? I have the 665c (that replaced an S35 that sounds thin and muffled comparatively) paired with my OG Polk Signature S60’s, S55 sides and S20 rears. I’m thinking about replacing the fronts with these 698’s. It would be overkill for my space, but that’s never stopped me before, haha! Why are they so heavy? Bigger magnets? Is there another line or brand that is in this price range or cheaper that might be better? I really like the big, natural of the 665c, but I think that’s because the S35 was not hard to beat. I also tried a Polk R350, slightly bigger in sound vs the S35. My setup is just for two listening positions btw.

[@massimodecimomeridio6031]

hi, I intend to buy the jbl studio 698 to replace a pair of B&W dm 602 s2 (front) in my home theater. My system is composed as follows: Onkyo tx rz730 amplifier, front and rear B&W dm 602 s2, center B&W cc6 s2, onkyo SKH-410 reflection atmos speakers, yamaha yst 320 subwoofer, ht room 40 m2. My idea is to replace the fronts with the jbl ones and use the b&w ones in another room creating a stereo system, I also wanted to add another sub and have a 9.2, what sub could I enter? Thanks for any replies P.S. sorry for my school English

[@djcapstacka1725]

I listen to synthwave and hardwave music (a type of techno/edm). Which speaker or system would you recomend for songs with the instruments with air that you mentioned? It could even be a different speaker than the video.

[@themafia3119]

HDI 3800 blows the 698 away. I've heard them side by side for hours on music and movies. 698 are great though for the price

[@alexjohn3754]

How do you think these JBL Studio 698 compare to the PSA MT210 -- for LCRs -- to be used with x2 15" subs (EV1513m)

[@danfisher6154]

Should I use A or Z weighting in a simple DB measuring app like Decibel X, in order to get a sense of SPL levels you mention in your reviews?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I’m focusing on mid range and above. Unfortunately, neither of those weightings do the exact thing that I am looking for, but you can use C waiting and just keep an eye on the levels to make sure that the bass isn’t throwing things off.

[@jonshimamoto2710]

Just noticed on Crutchfield, the JBL Studio 698 is no longer available... Bummers.

[@sammy10001]

Doesnt that midbass peak mean that the cabinet is too small for its woofers. I remember almost every backbox designed inwall review you had had that bump. I dont understand why jbl has these inconsistencies in their speaker lineups. Jbl 630 having a midrange issue. If harman owns this brands, why is the jbl lineup having so many issues in pure speaker design but revel isnt. You look at a revel, and its an instrument to their research and behaves just as their research preaches. You look at a jbl, and its not even close. Id rather invest in a revel rather than jbl.

[@kingtrance307]

So has anyone done a listening and comparison difference between the JBL 3800’s and the ML F200’s yet? This would be some interesting terrain.

[@jaydenross2152]

Oof, the 698's are $3,999 in Australia. Crazy markup on the US price. Another great review nonetheless!

[@alexturner2593]

I bought mine for change for $3k a couple of years ago locally, there are some places in Sydney that are very flexible with their pricing

[@vincente.929]

Erin your thoughts please if the 3800 can be had for 1250/speaker? Price performance what you think over-all? As tower? I would use them in HT set up.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Ohhh. Get the 3800. If you can, please consider using one of my affiliate links. I’d appreciate it!

[@vincente.929]

​@@ErinsAudioCorner thks for update i know they say...dont let price distract from. Performance of a good speaker ...but when it drops so low it kinda puts things in a different playing field rite? Will check out link if I pull the trigger wish I caught this deal before I went all in on hsu TN-1 😅

[@vincente.929]

​@@ErinsAudioCorner heres a long shot I know but are there any discount codes? Available? For Audio Advice 😅?

[@oraz.]

It would be cool to see you review a genelec like the 8000 series

[@bingdong8571]

Jbl can give u the best bang for buck when they take like half off the speakers in America. Remember when they had that 600 dollar sub for Like 100 bucks. I bought 2 and they were built like a tank. Good deals are easier to find with jbl.

[@dan_hitchman007]

This seems to line up with much the chatter I'm reading on some of the big AV forums. If you are looking at the JBL Studio 6's as your next speaker purchase, the three-way 698 is the clear champion of the in-room Studio 6 line. The other lower models seem to trip and stumble in one way or another (like the mid range suck-out of the 630) or are too similar to the Studio 5's to be considered a real noticeable upgrade. It's like JBL put all their design eggs into the flagship tower's basket and let the other models kind of languish, except for the nicer cabinetry compared to the Darth Vader coffin-like Studio 5's.

[@amante762]

I know you can't tell by looking, but I think those are the exact same drivers from the 5xx line, so that would make sense, since the 698 is the only one with a different than the 5xx 3-way design.

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

@@amante762 yes the same drivers. The low crossover point in the 590 caused the tweeter to break up early. The 698 hopefully fixes that issue.

[@f7i6f67fkh]

Why don't you try plugging 1 of the ports and seeing how the freq response changes?

[@nicolasben-fredj8162]

Would these be able to hit reference 105db spl with sub?

[@1337sim1]

Thoughts on these versus Emotiva T2+? Emotiva T3+?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

These.

[@hondaphan4172]

The T3+ are still available but the T2+ are completely sold out and won't return in February(?) in their current form. All of the new Emo tower speakers when released will have three woofers(instead of two). The new T2+ (or whatever they'll be named) might be the better buy at that time but that's obviously speculation on my part.

[@justbrowsing5279]

Speaking of horizontal dispersion, I would love to hear a discussion on what we should be looking for from speakers and set up for a gathering of people that are moving all around a large room. Also known as friends. Hifi reviews focus almost exclusively on sweet spot perfection. I get it, but should we be looking for speakers with very wide dispersion if we are looking for a set of speakers for gatherings and parties where you are looking for the best sound at many listening positions. I know it can't be as good al the sweet spot but some speakers must be better for the application. I'd love to hear a discussion on what speakers and set up are best for gatherings. Thanks in advance.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Unless all your friends are snobby audiophiles I wouldn't worry about it, even if they are I still wouldn't worry about it. Most people are having to just have music playing through a Bluetooth speaker so I wouldn't go buying speaker to please others who might come to my home once a year.

[@RennieAsh]

Wide dispersion, but also in vertical plane unless tweeter is at standing height. Or, put some smaller speakers above head height so that the speakers don't get blocked

[@justbrowsing5279]

​@@crazyprayingmantis5596 Thanks but I asked because I do care. Not just for gatherings but for when I'm moving around a lot cleaning and such. Even if guests were happy with an echo dot, I'm not and am interested in a discussion on the best setups. For example, is more than 2 speakers a good idea? Does running all speakers in mono make sense when you can't put the listeners between left and right channels?

[@justbrowsing5279]

​@@RennieAshThanks man. Do you think more than 2 speakers is a good idea? And do you think running all in mono is advisable since listeners won't be between left and right channels?

[@teobrousalis575]

Is it harsh and fatigue in treble , JBL 698 ???

[@Massive-one]

I love my 698, great speakers. I have the 2414 installed and not the 2414-1 as described Unfortunately, the quality of the case is not the best

[@DerekBove]

Great content, as always. Have you reviewed the HDI-1600? I have the studio 5 series and the HDIs (3800, 4500 and 1600) and think the 1600s are the best sounding of the lineup.

[@mmzubairi]

I have studio 590s but I am getting the hdi 3600 for about $1k. Do you think they are a good deal at that price?

[@DerekBove]

​@@mmzubairi if that's a pair that's an incredible deal. They're $950 on Crutchfield. Harman did have a price mistake on the 3800s and they were $999.

[@thumby8140]

@@mmzubairi I'd love to know how they sound in comparison to the 590's

[@robg915]

The 3800 and 3600 are now half price. I foresee it will be on sale more often.

[@wreckage-vs5jv]

What viewers might want to know..if the Kii are near perfect and rated straight A then where are speakers like these placed? Idk if this could be done with pure math and some Excel because, well you already got all the data from ur measurements.

[@brandonandrews4009]

But how do they compare to the HDI-1600 with two to four subwoofers?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

🤷‍♂️

[@macbug3000]

The 698s will be 5db louder, so it will be far easier to drive and probably sound more dynamic out of the box. It's also huge and like 4x heavier, so the wife approval factor might be important along with not breaking your back when setting it up. The studio 6 series uses the same drivers as the studio 5s, so the tech is about a decade old now compared to the new drivers in the HDIs (got this from a marketing stream straight from the designer on KZbin). For the same price and if I'm getting subs anyway, I would consider the 1600s for sure. But then again, at that price for a bookshelf, there are all sorts of competition as it's a different class range, eg Kef R3.

[@brandonandrews4009]

@@macbug3000 I got the HDI-1600’s on sale for $700/each. R3’s are significantly more expensive and I don’t know how often they go on sale. They also appear to struggle with dynamic range even above 80Hz. I think the 698 would be a great value if/when they go on sale. I’m not sold on towers in general, unless you have a moderately sized multi-row home theater and need massive dynamic swings above 80Hz.

[@macbug3000]

Sorry my reply seem to have been lost, probably because I linked slickdeals The non meta r3s were on sale for around 1400 a pair to make space for the new meta r3s. You might also stretch the same budget for arendal 1723 bookshelves.

[@brandonandrews4009]

@@macbug3000 Hard to see from the measurements how either of those would be an improvement on the HDI-1600. There are certainly a lot of good speakers in the price range.

[@JEG6919]

This is where Greg Timbers expertise really stood out. Samsung owning Harman is akin to BASF owning Harley davidson in the 70s. A time of lull.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Yeah, Greg did a great job with the 500 series. There is no doubt.

[@JEG6919]

@@ErinsAudioCorner He was brilliant, and they never really turned him loose to create the ultimate at Harman. If one is really looking for something special with the JBL name plate and you have the funds, you order your dream speaker from Kendrick sound out of Japan

[@somejerk1520]

That would be AMF, the bowling ball company, not BASF the cassette tape company.

[@JEG6919]

@@somejerk1520 I stand corrected.

[@CC-xu2yz]

@@somejerk1520BASF is a whole bunch more than just a cassette tape company.

[@Trollberg]

are the HDI 1600 worth 800 new for a pair?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

That seems like a good deal to me.

[@scruffy8861]

If i don't like the look of a speaker, not interested. Example: to me a Dynaudio Focus 20XD has a nice look and i could see it in my home whereas i don't care for the look of a KEF LS50 so zero interest.

[@joeydelmarsjr.646]

your audio has some feedback, I watched another video and it was fine, only in the beginning tho

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Dryer was running.

[@hom2fu]

these speaker design to use with jbl sub. in your older video, -3db @200hz. interesting. they want you to spend money = more bass, more treble. less mid

[@alphacapo]

Most people in the market with the kind of fuck off money to buy the hdi. Will just buy the Hdi. High end shops wont even have the studios on the showroom floor.

[@Morido-1]

I had the 698, too hot on the top end.

[@alexturner2593]

Yeah! Snares and drums are something else though

[@damianzaninovich4900]

JBL and Revel need to make their cup/binding posts look appropriate for the price of the speaker. They all look cheap like on a $200-300 speaker, I can’t get past that. Klipsch fixed this on their value models.

[@commanderrussels2612]

JBL is very hit or miss. I'm always underwhelmed by their CEDIA demos, and some of their speakers sound better than others.

[@christianrogers2355]

agreed, overrated IMO

[@jstoli996c4s]

The HDI’s are great, especially the 3800’s, have had them for over 2 years.

[@RSCLifeontwowheels]

And horrible sounding I mean harsh, highs and bass that sounds like it's only partially there. I noticed the same thing with that set up and my jbl studio 580's and 590's. But the HDI is worse because it's so revealing. I know the wiim pro is not great and the amp is dated.

[@teobrousalis575]

Model JBL 698 , 1750 euros ,final price !!!Not 850 dollars ......!!!!!???????????????????????

[@teobrousalis575]

1850 euros the couple !!!

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Support the cause: Patreon: www.patreon.com/erinsaudiocorner Contribute via PayPal: www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=CLHSW4L9SBSLY A simple request: If any of you find yourselves shopping for anything sold by the retailers below please consider using my generic affiliate link. These can earn me a small commission which goes a long way toward helping me review items and make content. It is a great way you can help me continue doing what I enjoy doing without costing you anything extra. It is truly appreciated! Amazon: amzn.to/3v6i6ov Audio Advice: www.audioadvice.com/?referral=erins-audio-corner Best Buy: howl.me/ck2IPpcOp1h Crutchfield: shop-links.co/cgZmmT81jmh Newegg: howl.me/ck2IQg52L5b Samsung: howl.me/ck2IQ5qe16w Target: howl.me/ck2IRDNsIqn Thomann: www.thomann.de/de/index.html?offid=1&affid=2577 Emotiva: shorturl.at/pBEU9 Monoprice: bit.ly/3yAY6NH Arendal Sound: arendalsound.com/store/?refer=hardisj Purchases through these links can earn me a small commission - at no additional cost to you - and help me continue to provide the community with free content and reviews. Doesn't matter if it's a TV from Crutchfield, budget speakers from Audio Advice or a pair of socks from Amazon, just use the link above before you make your purchase. Thank you!

[@scamwatchdog]

Please can you do Spendor classic 3.1 speakers? There’s none on the web of quality!!!!

[@kostassifonios9630]

I m between 698 and klipsch rp 8000ii any advice?