In this review, we will be comparing Studio 690 and Imagine X2T, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from JBL and PSB.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Studio 690 and PSB Imagine X2T first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Studio 690 | PSB Imagine X2T |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" compression driver with HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" PolyPlas | 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-40k Hz | 30-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 250 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 29.45kg / 64.8lbs | 23.60kg / 51.9lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 40-1/8" x 9" x 16-3/4"
1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL Studio 690 and PSB Imagine X2T 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 |
PSB Imagine X2T |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Studio 690 is a 2-way design whereas the Imagine X2T is a 3-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.
JBL Studio 690PSB Imagine X2T
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 |
PSB Imagine X2T |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.2-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 Imagine X2T features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnets Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Studio 690 has a frequency range of 36-40k Hz whereas Imagine X2T has a frequency range of 30-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Imagine X2T can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Studio 690's min frequency of 36Hz.
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 Imagine X2T which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.
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 Imagine X2T has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 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
Both Studio 690 and Imagine X2T features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
JBL Studio 690's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
PSB Imagine X2T's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Studio 690 has a rear firing port whereas Imagine X2T has a front firing ports. PSB Imagine X2T's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to JBL Studio 690 with its rear-firing port.
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 PSB Imagine X2T'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 PSB Imagine X2T has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm (40-1/8 x 9 x 16-3/4inch).
PSB Imagine X2T is 70mm narrower and 76mm shorter than JBL Studio 690 but it is also 43mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL Studio 690 and PSB Imagine X2T in scale.
Comparison image of JBL Studio 690 and PSB Imagine X2T 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 Studio 690 is approximately 1145.2cm2 / 177.5inch2 and base area of the PSB Imagine X2T is approximately 975.5cm2 / 151.2inch2. The Studio 690 requires 17% more surface area than the Imagine X2T which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The JBL Studio 690 weighs 29.45kg / 64.8lbs and the PSB Imagine X2T weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs. This makes the Studio 690 25% heavier than the Imagine X2T.
Here is a comparison of how Studio 690 and Imagine X2T's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
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 PSB Imagine X2T?
Here are the items that come with the Imagine X2T:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spiked Feet
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
1498USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
1020mm
vs
1096mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
975cm2
vs
1145cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
JBL Studio 690 |
PSB Imagine X2T |
| Brand |
JBL |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 250 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-40k Hz |
30-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.2" |
| Woofer Composition |
PolyPlas |
Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
compression driver with HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1096.0mm (43.1") |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
299.0mm (11.8") |
229.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
383.0mm (15.1") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
29.45kg (64.8lbs) |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain |
| Available Colors |
Wood, Dark Wood |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: JBL Studio 690 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | PSB Imagine X2T digs deeper - 30Hz against 36Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | PSB Imagine X2T is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | JBL Studio 690 takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | PSB Imagine X2T is easier to place; JBL Studio 690 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL Studio 690: bi-amping; PSB Imagine X2T: bi-amping. JBL Studio 690 sits in a wider range (15 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,498 vs $1,500 a pair). |
A JBL Studio 690 B PSB Imagine X2T
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
PSB Imagine X2T has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 36Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate JBL Studio 690 the better fit for a very large room, and PSB Imagine X2T for a mid-size room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.