JBL Studio 530 Aesthetics Proceeding Fidelity (Pass)

Simply put they look cooler than they perform. Look to the JBL Stage A130 for savings and happiness. Audio Science Review has also measured both and the A130 succeed the Studio 530. Personally for me I'd go Stage A130, Sony CS5, then Studio 530.
***JBL.com - Stage A130
www.jbl.com/lo...}&kxconfid=unnmhyek8&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=CjwKCAjwgviIBhBkEiwA10D2j6_3NC9pz0WXGmY8Y5CjLF6dD8hl8dm2IwVKapIUQyF6FSa8jCl-uxoCRgoQAvD_BwE

[@EricDSalisbury]

I replaced the stock jumper plates with some WBC copper jumper cables and the tweeters really woke up.

[@terryhk99leung36]

Great video.. I am googling for a comparison between 530 and 130..and your video showed up but I did not see the 130 in your title..gladly I did look at the video and saw the spearks there. exactly what I want so thank you so much. Maybe you want to also add A130 comparison to your title ... I am sure many people would be interested as they are now very similarly priced..Again thanks

[@lizichell2]

5:02 that's the horn for the woofer

[@squirming_squirrels]

Ports work by resonating the port, not by exchanging air. By using a porous plug like this you’re not changing the stiffness of the enclosure but you are attenuating the resonance.

[@Audiorevue]

All right here we go boys, another arm chair know it all. Aesthetics aside the sonics in fidelity that can be achieved with the studio 530 it's just phenomenal. Far away better than what I've heard from any comparable budget loudspeaker, and trust me I've heard quite a few. I do think they're slightly heavy-handed with the bass but that aside I think pairing them with a slightly underpowered amp believe it or not actually overcomes that quite well. As an aside they do pair well with any type of amplification that you can imagine, tube ,solid state, low power, high power. Ultimately it doesn't seem to matter at least not what I've heard.

[@iowaudioreviews]

Arm chair.... lol. Yeah no. 20 years and have BUILT and listened to tons of speakers along with piles of other gear. Also everyone that has measured these including ASR has shown they do have some issues and objectively the Studio A130 are better. Now subjectivity its what ever you want. And Subjectivity I'd take many other speakers over these that cost the same or less. Glad you and many other like them but don't have a cow if others disagree.

[@weekenddiyer4249]

i bought the jbl 530s for $265 on sale in april or may and i love these speakers. I grew up with the jbl 940s so ive always been a fan of jbl speakers.

[@mohdfadzilmohamedrashid76]

The sponge plug is intended to reduce port chuffing which happens when playing it loud.

[@iowaudioreviews]

Yeah the port noise is pretty bad at louder levels. JBL doesn't state anywhere its to solve this problem specifically as the port plug will effect the speakers response at all levels. BUT even though I didn't try it, ypur right the plug probably does solve this problem along with changing the response of the speaker.

[@4everascending511]

Does anyone know the jbl studio 620? I can get that one for a bit more than the stage a130.. not sure if it's worth it.

[@josephcangelosi4414]

Great video! Randy from the Cheap Audio Man also said that he preferred the JBLA130 over the 530

[@EverythingHomeTheater]

Heard the ports baffle is to help with the "chuffing" of the port on some bass tones.

[@iowaudioreviews]

Yes. Helps at higher levels when the woofer is driven to move large amounts of air. Odd for JBL to do this since this can be avoided by using an appropriate sized port. I still recommend the Stage A130 over these.

[@bobgauthier1569]

Got my 530s hooked up with my Pioneer SX1250 and they sound great. 😊

[@terryhk99leung36]

Want to add that after watching this video..I am ordering the A130 because it is on sale ..

[@beccachannel1083]

I got the Studios in an absurdly good sale, and think they are excellent. Everyone knows how good the Sony's are. Will be on the look out for a deal on the Stage A130.

[@beccachannel1083]

Just got them for $180

[@CrazyAZ1975]

@@beccachannel1083 Missed that sale, checking everyday for a new one! How do you like them?

[@Battleguy04]

Which one did you prefer? Studio 530 or Stage A130?​@@beccachannel1083

[@alphacapo]

Lol at this comparison. Yout blocking a percent of the sound by having them behind the a130. Dufferent height stands. Those shelves no good behind either...your blocking and redirecting the sound. Those little foam rounds. Use them in the tweeter waveguude. U can accent midbass by taking 60hz and below and dropping it a few db...i agree tho the little driver is a sore spot on a good speaker. I run these on 6 inch risers ontop of dual 12 inch heco subs subs elevated 12 inches off the floor. How high the 5.25 woofer is in relation to your ears makes a big difference in that 150 to 300 hz drop these have ...move your head to different heights when listening in your spot...to figure out how hogh to place the speaker. All ports plugged sealed. Subs crossed over at 90hz . Big sound for the price once dialed in its like having a standmound speaker with a 12 inch woofer...the only one i know thats affordable is the Cerwin vega...and this setup blows that away. That a130 is a great speaker tho. To me the lookof the 530 is worth the little extra they sold for on sale.

[@anushvarma6879]

Nice ! what stand are you using for the 530s ?

[@iowaudioreviews]

I like these PA stands. Very sturdy and adjustable. Starument Studio Monitor Speaker Stands - Heavy-Duty Support for Sound System, Adjustable Pole Height, Foldable Tripod Legs, Non-Slip Rubber Pads - Portable & Durable - Home, Professional Use - 1 Pair www.amazon.com/dp/B09DQ9Y282/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_9HBQX7XS41AEN01D0NHR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[@anthonyrippo1223]

JBL ROCKS THESE 530 SOUND AWESOME......IM A JBL GUY BACK FROM THE D 130 DAYS AND THE GREAT L 100S

[@lizichell2]

Glorious speakers. I sold mine. Why did I do it 😭😭

[@DesertValleySports]

These or kef q150 when on sale? I always stick my grill covers in the garage because i hate them . Just couldn't pull the trigger on these due to how ugly they look without the covers. No one ever believes me when they hear the kefs and i tell them im not using a subwoofer.

[@iowaudioreviews]

I'd go JBL Stage A130 or Q150. I just wasn't impressed by the Studio 530 for the money. I think the looks of them with the huge wave guide is what sells them. I'd even keep my Sony CS5 over them 🤫

[@RCB2244]

I appreciate your honest and in depth reviews, man. May help me make a decision. I've watched a few of them. Thanks and keep it up.👍I don't doubt that the Studio 530 is still a really good speaker, but the A130 "may" just have it beat. CheapAudioMan basically said the same thing a while back. Rave reviews out there for the Studio line. It's more expensive, could be just all hype and the marketing plan/pricing by JBL. I haven't pulled the trigger on either one yet, makes me wonder if it stepping up to the Studio 570 would fill in the gaps in the midrange and mid-bass.🤷‍♂️On the flip side, perhaps stepping up from the A130 to a bit larger would be even better..? I don't know how they compare to my Klipsch RP Tower speakers, but they are absolutely FANTASTIC and hard to beat! I tone the treble down a bit, and they're perfect for me. My room is large and has a decent amount of furniture, hanging pictures, and some carpet, so that also keeps them from being so "bright." I've also kinda "considered" the BIC ACOUSTECH PL-980. I think they're a bit pricey for what they are, but interesting design with the bass radiators, plus dedicated mid-range in separate chamber that most horn speakers do not have. But still very comparable to Klipsch, based on everything I've researched. Check the Acoustech out if you get a chance. They may be running out of stock. Another one you might be interested in is HTD.com (LEVEL 3) line. Ribbon tweeter with horn/waveguide. Intriguing design. ZEOS reviewed it here a while back and loved the bookshelves. They used to be $399, but recently went up to nearly $500.😫 But Zeos also was in love with the STUDIO 530, he actually ended up buying the ENTIRE series! He said the 530 was the "best" speaker he'd ever heard for music, which is what probably made him eventually buy all the others. But, he said the HTD Level 3 was better for home theater...louder, more efficient. And I would say Klipsch is great for both. They are extremely efficient which makes them very versatile. Every scenario is different...room and equipment is different, everyone's ear and opinion is different. It's nice to hear it from all angles. What matters to me is how they sound. Got to get them in the room. I listen with my EARS,👂 not what numbers my eyes see on charts, graphs, etc. In fact, I recommend listening with your eyes closed, as I'm sure you might do. If the speakers disappear and "move me," they're really good. Thanks again for the review, dude👍

[@iowaudioreviews]

For some reason JBL markets the STUDIO line for cenima. Clearly a fumble between engineers and marketing. Typically the Studio line is for music but I guess theater sleakers sell more...idk. Theres also the JBL Stage A170, A180, and A190 I want to try. The main reason I'm not digging the Studio 530 is the low crossover point which I think is the same on the horn for the entire line. Zeos does praise the Studio 530 a lot but he also really liked the JBL Arena 130 a lot which is no longer available but the Arena line may have morphed into the very similar "A" line now.

[@RCB2244]

@@iowaudioreviews Yeah, I agree with you that the studio line is probably geared more towards music than home theater. And that's probably accurate that the Arena series was most likely replaced by this one (Stage). I'll try to find the Zeos review on that one too. I guess if you owned all 3 pair, you'd literally go from the Studio, to the Arena, to the Stage series, lol.🙂

[@iowaudioreviews]

@Long Live NRA JBL "or Harman" has one of the most advanced facilities in the world for engineering and testing audio. They would have access to anything they want when engineering a speaker. The Studio 530 measure quite well and do sound really good but then there's preference. When placed next to the JBL A130 or even Sony CS5 I didn't like them as much, they lacked a fullness in midbass and lower midrange. Almost every speaker I've tested sounds fine and dandy on it own once listened to for a while and the brain becomes acclamated to it. Its when I place them side by side then switch back and forth that the unmistakable differences become really noticeable. This is why being able to listen to a speaker vs other speakers before you buy is so important. Its the only way you can make an objective decision for yourself if you like the speaker vs others your considering. This is hardly possible anymore since since hi-fi stores are long gone. Now its just a bunch of subjective garbage advertising setting the stage in buyers heads and they never know what their missing because... no real comparison.

[@jcepri]

I just hooked up the 530's. Having never heard a JBL speaker before, I was very disappointed. They sound shrieky, and without a sub, forget it. I prefer Polk Audio by a mile. I've afraid these are going back.

[@shaolin95]

The JBL destroys the Polk in sound quality. Anyone buying a bookshelf with 5.25 drivers and thinking they won't need a sub is just clueless

[@kingcarcas1349]

I didn't like the Sony at all