Siblings in JBL's Studio series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | JBL Studio 698 digs deeper - 36Hz against 50Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | JBL Studio 698 is more sensitive (90dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Size | depends | JBL Studio 620 is easier to place; JBL Studio 698 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Type | depends | A Passive Floor-standing against a Passive Bookshelf - a different job rather than a better one. |
A JBL Studio 698 B JBL Studio 620
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?
JBL Studio 698 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 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, JBL Studio 698 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, JBL Studio 620 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.