In this review, we will be comparing K2 S9900 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from JBL and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL K2 S9900 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL K2 S9900 | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 4" Compression Driver | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 15" Pure Pulp | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-50k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 500 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 82.70kg / 181.9lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 47-1/4" x 22-1/16" x 13-3/4"
1200.0 x 560.0 x 350.0mm | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both K2 S9900 and Kendall are 3-way speakers.
JBL K2 S9900KLH Kendall
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 K2 S9900 |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
4-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 15-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
K2 S9900 features a 4" Magnesium Compression Driver Tweeter and 1 x 15" Pure Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 900Hz and 15000Hz. On the other hand, the Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
K2 S9900 has a frequency range of 48-50k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the K2 S9900's min frequency of 48Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
K2 S9900 and Kendall have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. K2 S9900 sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the Kendall's is at 96 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL K2 S9900, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
K2 S9900 can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS, whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 250 watts less than the K2 S9900.
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 K2 S9900 and Kendall features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows 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 K2 S9900's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. JBL K2 S9900 has external dimensions of 1200.0 x 560.0 x 350.0mm (47-1/4 x 22-1/16 x 13-3/4inch) whereas KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Kendall is 348mm narrower and 179mm shorter than JBL K2 S9900 but it is also 30mm deeper.
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 K2 S9900 needs about 143% more floor or shelf area. KLH Kendall is 30mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. JBL K2 S9900 is 179mm 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 K2 S9900 is approximately 1960.0cm2 / 303.8inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The K2 S9900 requires 143% more surface area than the Kendall which gives it a small disadvantage 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 K2 S9900 weighs 82.70kg / 181.9lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the K2 S9900 274% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how K2 S9900 and Kendall's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 Max Input Power |
500 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
93 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1200mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1960cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
44000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
JBL K2 S9900 |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
JBL |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 500 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
93 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-50k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Pure Pulp |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
4" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Compression Driver |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
900Hz and 15000Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1200.0mm (47.2") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
560.0mm (22") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
350.0mm (13.8") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
82.70kg (181.9lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - JBL K2 S9900 costs roughly 29.3x what KLH Kendall does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 93dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | JBL K2 S9900 takes more power (500W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall is easier to place; JBL K2 S9900 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL K2 S9900: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $44,000, about 97% less; arguably a different class. |
A JBL K2 S9900 B KLH Kendall
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?
KLH Kendall has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, JBL K2 S9900 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Kendall is the easier speaker to get right.
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.