In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by JBL. JBL Studio 690 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Studio 2 55IW is a In-wall speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Studio 690 and JBL Studio 2 55IW first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Studio 690 | JBL Studio 2 55IW |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" compression driver with HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" PolyPlas | 2 x 5.25" PolyPlas |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-40k Hz | 40-20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 250 watts | up to 120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 29.45kg / 64.8lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-1/8" x 11-3/4" x 15-1/16"
1096.0 x 299.0 x 383.0mm | 14.1250" x 6.4375" x 3.3750"
359.0 x 164.0 x 86.0mm |
|---|
Studio 690 and Studio 2 55IW are members of JBL's Studio series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
JBL Studio Series
History
What size room are the JBL Studio 690 and JBL Studio 2 55IW 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 690 |
JBL Studio 2 55IW |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Studio 690 and Studio 2 55IW are 2-way speakers.
JBL Studio 690JBL Studio 2 55IW
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 690 |
JBL Studio 2 55IW |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Studio 690 features a 1" compression driver with HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 8" PolyPlas Woofer. On the other hand, the Studio 2 55IW features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" PolyPlas Woofer.
Frequency Response
Studio 690 has a frequency range of 36-40k Hz whereas Studio 2 55IW has a frequency range of 40-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Studio 690 can go slightly deeper then the Studio 2 55IW's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
Studio 690 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Studio 2 55IW which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Studio 690 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Studio 2 55IW's is rated at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the JBL Studio 690 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL Studio 2 55IW, 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.
Studio 690 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Studio 2 55IW has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the Studio 690.
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 690 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Studio 2 55IW has a Spring posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
JBL Studio 690's 5-Way 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 Studio 690's and JBL Studio 2 55IW's external dimensions. JBL Studio 690 has external dimensions of 1096.0 x 299.0 x 383.0mm (43-1/8-inch x 11-3/4-inch x 15-1/16-inch) whereas 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).
JBL Studio 690 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 135mm wider, 737mm taller and 297mm deeper than JBL Studio 2 55IW.
What's in the Box of JBL Studio 690?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Studio 690:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Washers
- 4 Locking-collars
- 4 Foot-pads
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
What's in the Box of JBL Studio 2 55IW?
Here are the items that come with the Studio 2 55IW:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Cloth scrim
- Cut-Out Template
- Instruction Manual