In this review, we will be comparing 4312G and 4309, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by JBL
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL 4312G and JBL 4309 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
JBL 4312G Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 12" Pure Pulp Woofer
- 44-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:10-200watts
- Weight:23.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 23-1/2" x 14-1/4" x 12" ( 597.0 x 362.0 x 305.0mm )
JBL 4309 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Compression Driver Tweeter
- 6.5" Pure Pulp Woofer
- 42-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-150watts
- Weight:10.98kg
- 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 )
4312G and 4309 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 4312G and JBL 4309 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 4312G |
JBL 4309 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the JBL 4312G and JBL 4309 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 4312G is a 3-way design whereas the 4309 is a 2-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 4312G |
JBL 4309 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
4312G features a 1" Magnesium/Aluminium Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pure Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 640Hz and 5000Hz. On the other hand, the 4309 features a 1" Teonex Compression Driver Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Pure Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.6 kHz.
Frequency Response
4312G has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz whereas 4309 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the 4309 can go slightly deeper then the 4312G's min frequency of 44Hz.
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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
4312G is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the 4309 which has a nominal impedance of 4 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. 4312G sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the 4309's is rated at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the JBL 4312G 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
4312G can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 4309 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the 4312G.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
4312G features Binding post type posts and 4309 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 4312G's and JBL 4309's external dimensions. JBL 4312G has external dimensions of 597.0 x 362.0 x 305.0mm ( 23-1/2 x 14-1/4 x 12inch) whereas 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) .
JBL 4312G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 102mm wider, 178mm taller and 78mm deeper than JBL 4309.
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 4312G is approximately 1104.1cm2 / 171.1inch2 and base area of the JBL 4309 is approximately 590.2cm2 / 91.5inch2. The 4312G requires 87% more surface area than the 4309 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.