In this review, we will be comparing two different type 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.
JBL HDI-1600 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter
- 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 40-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:15-200watts
- Weight:9.98kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 383.0" x 9-1/8" x 11-3/8"( 383.0 x 232.0 x 289.0mm )
JBL HDI-3800 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 3 x 8" Aluminum Woofer
- 37-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-300watts
- Weight:38.08kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1143.0" 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the JBL HDI-1600 and JBL HDI-3800 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
Both HDI-1600 and HDI-3800 are 2-way speakers.
| 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.
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
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. 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.
HDI-1600 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas HDI-1600 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the HDI-3800.
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
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
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 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.
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 loudspeakerGrille2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)4 Spike feetOwners Manual
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size