In this review, we will be comparing 4312G and 4349, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL 4312G and JBL 4349 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL 4312G | JBL 4349 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1.5" Compression Driver |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Pure Pulp | 12" Pure Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-40k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 10-200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 23.80kg / 52.4lbs | 37.70kg / 82.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 23-1/2" x 14-1/4" x 12"
597.0 x 362.0 x 305.0mm | 29" x 17-1/2" x 12-1/2"
737.0 x 445.0 x 318.0mm |
|---|
4312G and 4349 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 4349 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 4349 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Poor |
(* 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 4312G is a 3-way design whereas the 4349 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.
JBL 4312GJBL 4349
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
JBL 4312G |
JBL 4349 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.5-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 12-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 4349 features a 1.5" Teonex Compression Driver Tweeter and 1 x 12" Pure Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.5 kHz.
Frequency Response
4312G has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz whereas 4349 has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the 4349 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 4312G's min frequency of 44Hz.
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
4312G is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the 4349 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 4312G sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the 4349's is rated at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL 4349 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL 4312G, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though 4312G is rated 10-200 watts and 4349 25-200 watts.
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 4312G and 4349 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 4312G's and JBL 4349'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 4349 has external dimensions of 737.0 x 445.0 x 318.0mm (29 x 17-1/2 x 12-1/2inch).
JBL 4349 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 83mm wider, 140mm taller and 13mm deeper than JBL 4312G.
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 4349 needs about 28% more floor or shelf area. JBL 4349 is 140mm 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 4312G is approximately 1104.1cm2 / 171.1inch2 and base area of the JBL 4349 is approximately 1415.1cm2 / 219.3inch2. The 4312G requires 22% less surface area than the 4349 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The JBL 4312G weighs 23.80kg / 52.4lbs and the JBL 4349 weighs 37.70kg / 82.9lbs. This makes the 4349 58% heavier than the 4312G.
Here is a comparison of how 4312G and 4349's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
597mm
vs
737mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1104cm2
vs
1415cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2500USD
vs
8250USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
JBL 4312G |
JBL 4349 |
| Brand |
JBL |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
10-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-40k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Pure Pulp |
Pure Pulp |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.5" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Compression Driver |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
640Hz and 5000Hz |
1.5 kHz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
597.0mm (23.5") |
737.0mm (29") |
| Width |
362.0mm (14.3") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Depth |
305.0mm (12") |
318.0mm (12.5") |
| Weight |
23.80kg (52.4lbs) |
37.70kg (82.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in JBL's Studio Monitor series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | JBL 4349 digs deeper - 32Hz against 44Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | JBL 4349 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | JBL 4312G is easier to place; JBL 4349 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL 4312G: bi-amping; JBL 4349: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | JBL 4312G is cheaper - $2,500 against $8,250, about 70% less; arguably a different class. |
A JBL 4312G B JBL 4349
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: JBL 4349 measures better, JBL 4312G costs about about 3.3x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 44Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper JBL 4312G much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate JBL 4312G the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and JBL 4349 for a mid-size room and a large room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.