In this review, we will be comparing Summit Everest and Alexx V, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from JBL and Wilson Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Summit Everest and Wilson Audio Alexx V first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Summit Everest | Wilson Audio Alexx V |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Wilson Audio
United States · founded 1974 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 4-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 2" Compression Driver | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 10" | 2 x 7" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 15" Hybrid Carbon Cellulose Composite (HC4) | 12.5" Paper pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 20-23k Hz | 20-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-1200 watts | from 50 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 237.20kg / 521.8lbs | 226.80kg / 499lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 56-13/16" x 39-1/16" x 27-5/16"
1443.0 x 992.0 x 694.5mm | 63-3/8" x 15-3/4" x 26-3/4"
1610.0 x 400.0 x 680.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL Summit Everest and Wilson Audio Alexx V 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 Summit Everest |
Wilson Audio Alexx V |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Good |
(* 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 Summit Everest is a 3-way design whereas the Alexx V is a 4-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 Summit EverestWilson Audio Alexx V
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Drivers drawn to scale and directly comparable. Cabinet outlines are indicative: full dimensions are not published for both. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
JBL Summit Everest |
Wilson Audio Alexx V |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
4-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
2-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 10-inch |
2 x 7-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 15-inch
|
1 x 12.5-inch
|
Summit Everest features a 2" Teonex Compression Driver Tweeter, a 10" Midrange and 2 x 15" Hybrid Carbon Cellulose Composite (HC4) Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270 Hz / 550 Hz / 850 Hz. On the other hand, the Alexx V features a 1" Doped silk fabric Dome Tweeter, a 7" Midrange and 1 x 12.5" Paper pulp Woofer.
Frequency Response
Summit Everest has a frequency range of 20-23k Hz whereas Alexx V has a frequency range of 20-32k Hz.
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
Impedance and Sensitivity
Summit Everest and Alexx V have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Summit Everest sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the Alexx V's is at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the JBL Summit Everest a more sensitive speaker compared to Wilson Audio Alexx V, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Summit Everest and the Summit Everest can provide this impedance level.
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.
Summit Everest can handle a max power of 1200 watts RMS, whereas Alexx V has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 1200 watts less than the Summit Everest.
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
Summit Everest features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Alexx V has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Summit Everest and Alexx V have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Summit Everest's and Wilson Audio Alexx V's external dimensions. JBL Summit Everest has external dimensions of 1443.0 x 992.0 x 694.5mm (56-13/16 x 39-1/16 x 27-5/16inch) whereas Wilson Audio Alexx V has external dimensions of 1610.0 x 400.0 x 680.0mm (63-3/8 x 15-3/4 x 26-3/4inch).
Wilson Audio Alexx V is 592mm narrower and 14.5mm less deeper than JBL Summit Everest but it is also 167mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
JBL Summit Everest needs about 153% more floor or shelf area. Wilson Audio Alexx V is 167mm taller.
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 Summit Everest is approximately 6889.4cm2 / 1,067.9inch2 and base area of the Wilson Audio Alexx V is approximately 2720.0cm2 / 421.6inch2. The Summit Everest requires 153% more surface area than the Alexx V 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 Summit Everest weighs 237.20kg / 521.8lbs and the Wilson Audio Alexx V weighs 226.80kg / 499lbs. This makes the Summit Everest 5% heavier than the Alexx V.
Here is a comparison of how Summit Everest and Alexx V's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
2.7 ohms
vs
2.0 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
12.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1443mm
vs
1610mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
159990USD
vs
164800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
4-way
vs
3-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
2720cm2
vs
6889cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
JBL Summit Everest |
Wilson Audio Alexx V |
| Brand |
JBL |
Wilson Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-1200 watts |
from 50 watts |
| Sensitivity |
96 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.7 ohms |
2.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
20-23k Hz |
20-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
12.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Carbon Cellulose Composite (HC4) |
Paper pulp |
| Tweeter Size |
2" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Compression Driver |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
10" |
7" |
| Crossover Frequency |
270 Hz / 550 Hz / 850 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1443.0mm (56.8") |
1610.0mm (63.4") |
| Width |
992.0mm (39.1") |
400.0mm (15.7") |
| Depth |
694.5mm (27.3") |
680.0mm (26.8") |
| Weight |
237.20kg (521.8lbs) |
226.80kg (499lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (20Hz vs 20Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | JBL Summit Everest is more sensitive (96dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Size | depends | Wilson Audio Alexx V is easier to place; JBL Summit Everest is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | JBL Summit Everest: bi-amping. JBL Summit Everest sits in a wider range (5 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($159,990 vs $164,800 a pair). |
A JBL Summit Everest B Wilson Audio Alexx V
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 Summit Everest has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. In a large or open-plan room, JBL Summit Everest has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Wilson Audio Alexx V is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, JBL Summit Everest is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.