In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by JBL. JBL HDI-1600 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the HDI-3800 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL HDI-1600 and JBL HDI-3800 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL HDI-1600 | JBL HDI-3800 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Aluminum | 3 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-30k Hz | 37-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-200 watts | 25-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.98kg / 22lbs | 38.08kg / 83.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15-1/16" x 9-1/8" x 11-3/8"
383.0 x 232.0 x 289.0mm | 45" x 11-15/16" x 16-9/16"
1143.0 x 304.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
HDI-1600 and HDI-3800 are members of JBL's HDI series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the JBL HDI-1600 and JBL HDI-3800 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 HDI-1600 |
JBL HDI-3800 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
Both HDI-1600 and HDI-3800 are 2-way speakers.
JBL HDI-1600JBL HDI-3800
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 HDI-1600 |
JBL HDI-3800 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 8-inch
|
HDI-1600 features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer. On the other hand, the HDI-3800 features a 1" Tweeter and 3 x 8" Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
HDI-1600 has a frequency range of 40-30k Hz whereas HDI-3800 has a frequency range of 37-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the HDI-3800 can go slightly deeper then the HDI-1600's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
HDI-1600 and HDI-3800 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. HDI-1600 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the HDI-3800's is at 92 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the JBL HDI-3800 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL HDI-1600, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the HDI-1600 and the HDI-1600 can provide this impedance level.
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.
HDI-3800 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas HDI-1600 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the HDI-3800.
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 HDI-1600 and HDI-3800 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
JBL HDI-1600's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HDI-1600 and HDI-3800 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 HDI-1600's and JBL HDI-3800's external dimensions. JBL HDI-1600 has external dimensions of 383.0 x 232.0 x 289.0mm (15-1/16 x 9-1/8 x 11-3/8inch) whereas JBL HDI-3800 has external dimensions of 1143.0 x 304.0 x 421.0mm (45 x 11-15/16 x 16-9/16inch).
JBL HDI-3800 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 72mm wider, 760mm taller and 132mm deeper than JBL HDI-1600.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL HDI-1600 and JBL HDI-3800 in scale.
Comparison image of JBL HDI-1600 and JBL HDI-3800 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 HDI-1600 is approximately 670.5cm2 / 103.9inch2 and base area of the JBL HDI-3800 is approximately 1279.8cm2 / 198.4inch2. The HDI-1600 requires 48% less surface area than the HDI-3800 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of JBL HDI-1600?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of HDI-1600:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual
What's in the Box of JBL HDI-3800?
Here are the items that come with the HDI-3800:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- Owners Manual