In this review, we will be comparing Studio 2 55IW and SC800D, two Passive In-wall speakers from JBL and OSD.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Studio 2 55IW and OSD Black Series SC800D first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
JBL Studio 2 55IW Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" PolyPlas Woofer
- 40-20kHz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 120watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 359.0" x 6.4375" x 3.3750"( 359.0 x 164.0 x 86.0mm )
OSD Black Series SC800D Key Specs
- 1-way Design
- " Tweeter
- 8" Polypropylene Woofer
- 40-500Hz Frequency Response
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 300watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 515.0" x 14.5000" x 4.0625"( 515.0 x 369.0 x 104.0mm )
What size room are the JBL Studio 2 55IW and OSD Black Series SC800D 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 Studio 2 55IW |
OSD Black Series SC800D |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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 Studio 2 55IW and OSD Black Series SC800D 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 Studio 2 55IW is a 2-way design whereas the SC800D is a 1-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 Studio 2 55IW |
OSD Black Series SC800D |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
1-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Studio 2 55IW features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" PolyPlas Woofer . On the other hand, the SC800D features a " Tweeter and 1 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Studio 2 55IW has a frequency range of 40-20kHz whereas SC800D has a frequency range of 40-500Hz.
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 In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
High Frequency
In-wall 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.
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.
Studio 2 55IW can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Studio 2 55IW has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 180 watts less than the SC800D.
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
Studio 2 55IW features Binding post type posts and SC800D has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Studio 2 55IW's and OSD Black Series SC800D's external dimensions. JBL Studio 2 55IW has external dimensions of 359.0 x 164.0 x 86.0mm ( 14.1250-inch x 6.4375-inch x 3.3750-inch) whereas OSD Black Series SC800D has external dimensions of 515.0 x 369.0 x 104.0mm ( 20.2500-inch x 14.5000-inch x 4.0625-inch) .
OSD Black Series SC800D is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 205mm wider, 156mm taller and 18mm deeper than JBL Studio 2 55IW.
What's in the Box of JBL Studio 2 55IW?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Studio 2 55IW:
In-wall loudspeakerGrilleCloth scrimCut-Out TemplateInstruction Manual
What's in the Box of OSD Black Series SC800D?
Here are the items that come with the SC800D:
In-wall passive subwooferGrille10 Screws2 Self-adhesive rubber padsCutout TemplateInstall Guide