In this review, we will be comparing Studio 6 88LCR and UIW RSS III, two Passive In-wall speakers from JBL and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Studio 6 88LCR and Definitive UIW RSS III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Studio 6 88LCR | Definitive UIW RSS III |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" PolyPlas | 2 x 3.5" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 43-20kHz | 40-30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 10-175 watts | 10-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 3.40kg / 7.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 20.4375" x 8.7500" x 3.7500"
520.0 x 223.0 x 96.0mm | 9.8750" x 8.3750" x 3.8750"
251.0 x 213.0 x 99.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL Studio 6 88LCR and Definitive UIW RSS III 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 6 88LCR |
Definitive UIW RSS III |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Studio 6 88LCR and UIW RSS III are 2-way speakers.
JBL Studio 6 88LCRDefinitive UIW RSS III
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
JBL Studio 6 88LCR |
Definitive UIW RSS III |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 3.5-inch
|
Studio 6 88LCR features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 2 x 8" PolyPlas Woofer. On the other hand, the UIW RSS III features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 3.5" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Studio 6 88LCR has a frequency range of 43-20kHz whereas UIW RSS III has a frequency range of 40-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the UIW RSS III can go slightly deeper then the Studio 6 88LCR's min frequency of 43Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall 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
Studio 6 88LCR is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the UIW RSS III which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Studio 6 88LCR sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the UIW RSS III's is rated at 90 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the JBL Studio 6 88LCR a more sensitive speaker compared to Definitive UIW RSS III, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall 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.
UIW RSS III can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Studio 6 88LCR has a max power handling value of 175 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the UIW RSS III.
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
Studio 6 88LCR features Spring post type posts and UIW RSS III has a Spring post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/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 Studio 6 88LCR's and Definitive UIW RSS III's external dimensions. JBL Studio 6 88LCR has external dimensions of 520.0 x 223.0 x 96.0mm (20.4375-inch x 8.7500-inch x 3.7500-inch) whereas Definitive UIW RSS III has external dimensions of 251.0 x 213.0 x 99.0mm (9.8750-inch x 8.3750-inch x 3.8750-inch).
Definitive UIW RSS III is 10mm narrower and 269mm shorter than JBL Studio 6 88LCR but it is also 3mm deeper.
What's in the Box of JBL Studio 6 88LCR?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Studio 6 88LCR:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Cut-Out Template
- Quick Start Guide
What's in the Box of Definitive UIW RSS III?
Here are the items that come with the UIW RSS III:
- In-wall/In-cieling bipolar speaker
- Grille
- 7 Foam strips
- 2 Screws
- Paint mask
- Wall template
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration Card