In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by JBL. JBL 4309 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the S4700 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL 4309 and JBL S4700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL 4309 | JBL S4700 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Compression Driver | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Pure Pulp | 15" Pure Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-30k Hz | 38-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | up to 300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.98kg / 24.2lbs | 54.50kg / 119.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16-1/2" x 10-1/4" x 8-15/16"
419.0 x 260.0 x 227.0mm | 42-1/16" x 19-11/16" x 14-5/8"
1068.0 x 500.0 x 371.0mm |
|---|
4309 and S4700 are members of JBL's Studio Monitor series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the JBL 4309 and JBL S4700 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
JBL 4309 |
JBL S4700 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 4309 is a 2-way design whereas the S4700 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.
JBL 4309JBL S4700
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
JBL 4309 |
JBL S4700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 15-inch
|
4309 features a 1" Teonex Compression Driver Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Pure Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.6 kHz. On the other hand, the S4700 features a " Tweeter and 1 x 15" Pure Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 80Hz and 12000Hz.
Frequency Response
4309 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz whereas S4700 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the S4700 can go slightly deeper then the 4309's min frequency of 42Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
4309 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the S4700 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the 4309 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 4309 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the S4700's is rated at 94 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the JBL S4700 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL 4309, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
S4700 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas 4309 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the S4700.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 4309 and S4700 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be 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 4309's and JBL S4700's external dimensions. JBL 4309 has external dimensions of 419.0 x 260.0 x 227.0mm (16-1/2 x 10-1/4 x 8-15/16inch) whereas JBL S4700 has external dimensions of 1068.0 x 500.0 x 371.0mm (42-1/16 x 19-11/16 x 14-5/8inch).
JBL S4700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 240mm wider, 649mm taller and 144mm deeper than JBL 4309.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
JBL S4700 needs about 214% more floor or shelf area. JBL S4700 is 144mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. JBL S4700 is 649mm taller.
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 4309 is approximately 590.2cm2 / 91.5inch2 and base area of the JBL S4700 is approximately 1855.0cm2 / 287.5inch2. The 4309 requires 68% less surface area than the S4700 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.