In this review, we will be comparing 4305P and Navis ARB-51, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from JBL and ELAC. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL 4305P and ELAC Navis ARB-51 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
JBL 4305P Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 300-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter
- 5.25" Pulp Woofer
- 45-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 192kHz Max Sample Rate
- Built-in 5.1 Bluetooth
- App Control Feature
- Weight:6.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 336.0" x 8.3125" x 11.3125"( 336mm x 210mm x 223.3mm )
ELAC Navis ARB-51 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 300-watt RMS( 600-watt Peak) Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 4" Midrange
- 44-28k Hz Frequency Response
- Optional Bluetooth
- Weight:8.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 350.8" x 7.5625" x 11.3125"( 350.8 x 192.1 x 287.3mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the JBL 4305P and ELAC Navis ARB-51 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 4305P is a 2-way design whereas the Navis ARB-51 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Driver |
JBL 4305P |
ELAC Navis ARB-51 |
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
4305P features a 1" Teonex Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1750 Hz. On the other hand, the Navis ARB-51 features a 1" Fabric Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer .
Frequency Response
4305P has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz whereas Navis ARB-51 has a frequency range of 44-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Navis ARB-51 can go slightly deeper then the 4305P's min frequency of 45Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
4305P has a front firing port whereas Navis ARB-51 has a rear firing ports. JBL 4305P's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to ELAC Navis ARB-51 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare JBL 4305P's and ELAC Navis ARB-51's external dimensions. JBL 4305P has external dimensions of 336mm x 210mm x 223.3mm ( 13.3125inch x 8.3125inch x 11.3125inch ) whereas ELAC Navis ARB-51 has external dimensions of 350.8 x 192.1 x 287.3mm ( 13.8125 x 7.5625 x 11.3125inch) .
JBL 4305P is 14.8mm shorter and 64.3mm less deeper than ELAC Navis ARB-51 but it is also 17.9mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL 4305P and ELAC Navis ARB-51 in scale.
Comparison image of JBL 4305P and ELAC Navis ARB-51 Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the JBL 4305P is approximately 468.0cm2 / 72.5inch2 and base area of the ELAC Navis ARB-51 is approximately 551.9cm2 / 85.5inch2. The 4305P requires 15% less surface area than the Navis ARB-51 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of JBL 4305P and ELAC Navis ARB-51 on a Media Console