SpeakerDecision
  • SPEAKERS by TYPE
    • Passive Bookshelf Speakers
    • Passive Floor-standing Speakers
    • Passive Center Channel Speakers
    • Passive In-wall Speakers
    • All Passive Speakers
    • Powered Subwoofers
    • Powered Stereo Speakers
  • AMPLIFIERS
  • SMART FIND

JBL HDI-3600 vs JBL HDI-1600 Comparison

x
Speaker to replace
Change

JBL HDI-3600

Passive Floor-standing | 38-30k Hz

JBL HDI-3600
CHECK PRICE
Change
    
JBL HDI-1600

Passive Bookshelf | 40-30k Hz

JBL HDI-1600
CHECK PRICE
JBL HDI-3600 JBL HDI-3600
See at AMAZON
JBL HDI-1600 JBL HDI-1600
See at AMAZON
JBL HDI-3600
See at AMAZON
JBL HDI-1600
See at AMAZON
JBL HDI-3600 vs JBL HDI-1600 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by JBL. JBL HDI-3600 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the HDI-1600 is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of JBL HDI-3600 and JBL HDI-1600 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

JBL HDI-3600 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Tweeter
  • 3 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
  • 38-30k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Power Range:20-250watts
  • Weight:28.09kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1028.0" x 10-3/16" x 13-9/16"( 1028.0 x 259.0 x 345.0mm )

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 )

HDI-3600 and HDI-1600 are members of JBL's HDI series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

JBL HDI Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
JBL HDI-1600
Bookshelf 40-30k Hz 85 dB4Ω 1 x 6.5"
JBL HDI-3600
Floor-standing 38-30k Hz 90 dB4Ω 3 x 6.5"
JBL HDI-3800
  
Floor-standing 37-30k Hz 92 dB4Ω 3 x 8"
JBL HDI-4500
  
Center Channel 50-30k Hz 90 dB4Ω 4 x 5.25"

What size room are the JBL HDI-3600 and JBL HDI-1600 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-3600 JBL HDI-1600
Near-field Bad Poor
Small Room Poor Average
Mid-size Room Average Good
Large Room Good Average
Very Large Room Average 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the JBL HDI-3600 and JBL HDI-1600 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both HDI-3600 and HDI-1600 are 2-way speakers.

Driver JBL HDI-3600 JBL HDI-1600
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 3 x 6.5-inch 1 x 6.5-inch

HDI-3600 features a 1" Tweeter and 3 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer . On the other hand, the HDI-1600 features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer .

Frequency Response

HDI-3600 has a frequency range of 38-30k Hz whereas HDI-1600 has a frequency range of 40-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the HDI-3600 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 Floor-standing class in our database.

Low Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

HDI-3600
HDI-1600
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

JBL HDI-3600
JBL HDI-1600
Min
Average
Max

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-3600 and HDI-1600 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. HDI-3600 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the HDI-1600's is at 85 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the JBL HDI-3600 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-3600 and the HDI-3600 can provide this impedance level.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

HDI-3600
HDI-1600
Min
Average
Max

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-3600 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas HDI-1600 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the HDI-3600.

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-3600 and HDI-1600 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

JBL HDI-16005-way post Terminals
JBL HDI-1600's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both HDI-3600 and HDI-1600 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-3600's and JBL HDI-1600's external dimensions. JBL HDI-3600 has external dimensions of 1028.0 x 259.0 x 345.0mm ( 40-7/16 x 10-3/16 x 13-9/16inch) whereas 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) .

JBL HDI-3600 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 27mm wider, 645mm taller and 56mm 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-3600 is approximately 893.6cm2 / 138.5inch2 and base area of the JBL HDI-1600 is approximately 670.5cm2 / 103.9inch2. The HDI-3600 requires 33% more surface area than the HDI-1600 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of JBL HDI-3600?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of HDI-3600:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
  • 4 Spike feet
  • Owners Manual
  • What's in the Box of JBL HDI-1600?

    Here are the items that come with the HDI-1600:
  • Bookshelf loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
  • 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Owner's Manual

  • Reasons to choose JBL HDI-3600 over JBL HDI-1600
    Max Input Power 250 watts vs 200 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 85 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Number of Woofers 3 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 38 Hz vs 40 Hz Generates deeper bass

    Reasons to choose JBL HDI-1600 over JBL HDI-3600

    Height 383mm vs 1028mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 670cm2 vs 893cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 1980USD vs 4180USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    JBL HDI-3600 vs JBL HDI-1600 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General JBL HDI-3600 JBL HDI-1600
    Brand JBL JBL
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 20-250 watts 15-200 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 85 dB
    Impedance 4 ohms 4 ohms
    Frequency Response 38-30k Hz 40-30k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 3 1
    Woofer Size 6.5" 6.5"
    Woofer Composition Aluminum Aluminum
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type n/a Horn-Loaded
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No No
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 1028.0mm (40.5") 383.0mm (15.1")
    Width 259.0mm (10.2") 232.0mm (9.1")
    Depth 345.0mm (13.6") 289.0mm (11.4")
    Weight 28.09kg (61.8lbs) 9.98kg (22lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Wood-veneer MDF/Wood-veneer
    Available Colors Grey Walnut,Black,Oak
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height n/a 22-26"
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs Yes Yes
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

    Most Popular Speakers
    Klipsch Reference R-51M
    Klipsch R-51M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    3-way | 89 dB | 4 ohms
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    2-way | 87 dB | 6 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition
    B&W 606 S2
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    KEF Q150
    KEF Q150
    2-way | 86 dB | 8 ohms
    Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500M
    Klipsch RP-500M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    2-way | 87 dB | 8 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606
    B&W 606
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    Copyright © 2025 by SpeakerDecision
    About Privacy Contact US Camera Decision

    Report a Correction