In this review, we will be comparing L100 Classic MKII and R-51M, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from JBL and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Klipsch R-51M first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
JBL L100 Classic MKII Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 12" Pulp Woofer
- 40-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:28.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 636.5" x 15.3" x 14.6"( 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm )
Klipsch R-51M Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter
- 5.25" Copper-spun IMG Woofer
- 62-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 93 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:Up to 85watts
- Weight:5.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 338.0" x 7.0" x 8.4"( 338.0 x 178.0 x 215.0mm )
What size room are the JBL L100 Classic MKII and Klipsch R-51M 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 L100 Classic MKII |
Klipsch R-51M |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 L100 Classic MKII and Klipsch R-51M 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that L100 Classic MKII is a 3-way design whereas the R-51M 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.
| Driver |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Klipsch R-51M |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
L100 Classic MKII features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 3500Hz. On the other hand, the R-51M features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Copper-spun IMG Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1660Hz.
Frequency Response
L100 Classic MKII has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz whereas R-51M has a frequency range of 62-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the L100 Classic MKII can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R-51M's min frequency of 62Hz.
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
L100 Classic MKII is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R-51M which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L100 Classic MKII can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. L100 Classic MKII sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R-51M's is rated at 93 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-51M a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL L100 Classic MKII, 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. 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.
L100 Classic MKII can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R-51M has a max power handling value of 85 watts RMS, 115 watts less than the L100 Classic MKII.
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
L100 Classic MKII features Five-way gold-plated binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R-51M has a Single Gold Plated Binding Posts - 5-way which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
JBL L100 Classic MKII's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch R-51M's Single Gold Plated Binding Posts - 5-way terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L100 Classic MKII has a front firing port whereas R-51M has a rear firing ports. JBL L100 Classic MKII's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Klipsch R-51M with its rear-firing port.
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 L100 Classic MKII's and Klipsch R-51M's external dimensions. JBL L100 Classic MKII has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm ( 25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch) whereas Klipsch R-51M has external dimensions of 338.0 x 178.0 x 215.0mm ( 13.3 x 7.0 x 8.4inch) .
JBL L100 Classic MKII is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 211.6mm wider, 298.5mm taller and 156.5mm deeper than Klipsch R-51M.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Klipsch R-51M in scale.
Comparison image of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Klipsch R-51M 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 L100 Classic MKII is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-51M is approximately 382.7cm2 / 59.3inch2. The L100 Classic MKII requires 278% more surface area than the R-51M which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.