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JBL Studio 690 vs JBL Studio 6 Theater Comparison

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JBL Studio 690

Passive Floor-standing | 36-40k Hz

JBL Studio 690
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JBL Studio 6 Theater

Passive In-wall | 65-20kHz

JBL Studio 6 Theater
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JBL Studio 690 JBL Studio 690
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JBL Studio 6 Theater JBL Studio 6 Theater
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JBL Studio 690
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JBL Studio 6 Theater
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JBL Studio 690 vs JBL Studio 6 Theater Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by JBL. JBL Studio 690 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Studio 6 Theater is a In-wall speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of JBL Studio 690 and JBL Studio 6 Theater first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

JBL Studio 690 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" compression driver with HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide Tweeter
  • 2 x 8" PolyPlas Woofer
  • 36-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 6ohms
  • Power Range:up to 250watts
  • Weight:29.45kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1096.0" x 11-3/4" x 15-1/16"( 1096.0 x 299.0 x 383.0mm )

JBL Studio 6 Theater Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter
  • 4 x 5.25" PolyPlas Woofer
  • 65-20kHz Frequency Response
  • 96 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 6ohms
  • Power Range:10-150watts
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 643.0" x 6.2500" x 3.7500"( 643.0 x 159.0 x 96.0mm )

Studio 690 and Studio 6 Theater are members of JBL's Studio series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

JBL Studio Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
JBL Studio 630
  
Bookshelf 45-40k Hz 85 dB6Ω 1 x 6.25"
JBL Studio 620
  
Bookshelf 50-40k Hz 84 dB6Ω 1 x 5.25"
JBL Studio 680
  
Floor-standing 38-40k Hz 88 dB6Ω 2 x 6.5"
JBL Studio 690
Floor-standing 36-40k Hz 90 dB6Ω 2 x 8"
JBL Studio 6 88LCR
  
In-wall 43-20kHz 96 dB6Ω 2 x 8"
JBL Studio 2 55IW
  
In-wall 40-20kHz 88 dB8Ω 2 x 5.25"
JBL Studio 6 Theater
In-wall 65-20kHz 96 dB6Ω 4 x 5.25"
JBL Studio 6 66LCR
  
In-wall 45-20kHz 94 dB6Ω 2 x 6.5"
JBL Studio 6 Architectural 8IW
  
In-wall 43-20kHz 93 dB6Ω 1 x 8"
JBL Studio 2 8IW
  
In-wall 30-20kHz 88 dB8Ω 1 x 8"

What size room are the JBL Studio 690 and JBL Studio 6 Theater 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 6 Theater
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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the JBL Studio 690 and JBL Studio 6 Theater compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both Studio 690 and Studio 6 Theater are 2-way speakers.

Driver JBL Studio 690 JBL Studio 6 Theater
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 2 x 8-inch 4 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 6 Theater features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 4 x 5.25" PolyPlas Woofer .

Frequency Response

Studio 690 has a frequency range of 36-40k Hz whereas Studio 6 Theater has a frequency range of 65-20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Studio 690 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Studio 6 Theater's min frequency of 65Hz.

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 Floor-standing class in our database.

Low Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Studio 690
Studio 6 Theater
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

JBL Studio 690
JBL Studio 6 Theater
Min
Average
Max

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

Studio 690 and Studio 6 Theater have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Studio 690 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Studio 6 Theater's is at 96 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the JBL Studio 6 Theater a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL Studio 690, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Studio 690
Studio 6 Theater
Min
Average
Max

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 690 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Studio 6 Theater has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Studio 690.

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 690 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Studio 6 Theater has a Spring posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

JBL Studio 690 Terminals
JBL Studio 690's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 690's and JBL Studio 6 Theater'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 6 Theater has external dimensions of 643.0 x 159.0 x 96.0mm ( 25.3125-inch x 6.2500-inch x 3.7500-inch) .

JBL Studio 690 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 140mm wider, 453mm taller and 287mm deeper than JBL Studio 6 Theater.

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 6 Theater?

    Here are the items that come with the Studio 6 Theater:
  • In-wall loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • Cut-Out Template
  • Quick Start Guide

  • Reasons to choose JBL Studio 690 over JBL Studio 6 Theater
    Max Input Power 250 watts vs 150 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Woofer Size 8 inches vs 5.25 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 36 Hz vs 65 Hz Generates deeper bass
    High Frequency Response 40k Hz vs 20k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring Yes vs No Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections
    Price per pair* 1498USD vs 2600USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose JBL Studio 6 Theater over JBL Studio 690

    Sensitivity 96 dB vs 90 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Number of Woofers 4 vs 2 More woofers
    Height 643mm vs 1096mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 152cm2 vs 1145cm2 Takes less floor space
    JBL Studio 690 vs JBL Studio 6 Theater Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General JBL Studio 690 JBL Studio 6 Theater
    Brand JBL JBL
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Passive In-wall Speaker
    Power Range up to 250 watts 10-150 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 96 dB
    Impedance 6 ohms 6 ohms
    Frequency Response 36-40k Hz 65-20kHz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 4
    Woofer Size 8" 5.25"
    Woofer Composition PolyPlas PolyPlas
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type compression driver with HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide Horn-Loaded
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No N/A"
    Firing Direction rear n/a
    Physical Specs
    Height 1096.0mm (43.1") 643.0mm (25.3")
    Width 299.0mm (11.8") 159.0mm (6.3")
    Depth 383.0mm (15.1") 96.0mm (3.8")
    Weight 29.45kg (64.8lbs) n/a
    Enclosure Bass Reflex In-wall
    Finish MDF/Wood-grain vinyl n/a
    Available Colors Wood, Dark Wood n/a
    Grille Yes n/a
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs Yes No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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