In this review, we will be comparing Summit K2 and K2 S9900, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Summit K2 and JBL K2 S9900 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Summit K2 | JBL K2 S9900 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.5" Compression Driver | 4" Compression Driver |
|---|
| Midrange | 10" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 15" Hybrid Carbon Cellulose Composite (HC4) | 15" Pure Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 24.6-23.5k Hz | 48-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-600 watts | up to 500 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 108.40kg / 238.5lbs | 82.70kg / 181.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 50-3/8" x 25" x 18-1/16"
1280.2 x 635.3 x 458.7mm | 47-1/4" x 22-1/16" x 13-3/4"
1200.0 x 560.0 x 350.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL Summit K2 and JBL K2 S9900 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 K2 |
JBL K2 S9900 |
| 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
Both Summit K2 and K2 S9900 are 3-way speakers.
JBL Summit K2JBL K2 S9900
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 Summit K2 |
JBL K2 S9900 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 10-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 15-inch
|
1 x 15-inch
|
Summit K2 features a 1.5" Teonex Compression Driver Tweeter, a 10" Midrange and 1 x 15" Hybrid Carbon Cellulose Composite (HC4) Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270 Hz / 1080 Hz. On the other hand, the K2 S9900 features a 4" Magnesium Compression Driver Tweeter and 1 x 15" Pure Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 900Hz and 15000Hz.
Frequency Response
Summit K2 has a frequency range of 24.6-23.5k Hz whereas K2 S9900 has a frequency range of 48-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Summit K2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the K2 S9900's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
Summit K2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the K2 S9900 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Summit K2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Summit K2 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the K2 S9900's is rated at 93 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL K2 S9900 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL Summit K2, 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.
Summit K2 can handle a max power of 600 watts RMS, whereas K2 S9900 has a max power handling value of 500 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Summit K2.
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 Summit K2 and K2 S9900 features dual binding post speaker terminals for 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 Summit K2's and JBL K2 S9900's external dimensions. JBL Summit K2 has external dimensions of 1280.2 x 635.3 x 458.7mm (50-3/8 x 25 x 18-1/16inch) whereas JBL K2 S9900 has external dimensions of 1200.0 x 560.0 x 350.0mm (47-1/4 x 22-1/16 x 13-3/4inch).
JBL Summit K2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 75.3mm wider, 80.2mm taller and 108.7mm deeper than JBL K2 S9900.
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 K2 needs about 49% more floor or shelf area. JBL Summit K2 is 109mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. JBL Summit K2 is 80mm 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 K2 is approximately 2914.1cm2 / 451.7inch2 and base area of the JBL K2 S9900 is approximately 1960.0cm2 / 303.8inch2. The Summit K2 requires 49% more surface area than the K2 S9900 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 K2 weighs 108.40kg / 238.5lbs and the JBL K2 S9900 weighs 82.70kg / 181.9lbs. This makes the Summit K2 31% heavier than the K2 S9900.
Here is a comparison of how Summit K2 and K2 S9900's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
500 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1200mm
vs
1280mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1960cm2
vs
2914cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
44000USD
vs
99990USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
JBL Summit K2 |
JBL K2 S9900 |
| Brand |
JBL |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-600 watts |
up to 500 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
93 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.27 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
24.6-23.5k Hz |
48-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Carbon Cellulose Composite (HC4) |
Pure Pulp |
| Tweeter Size |
1.5" |
4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Compression Driver |
Compression Driver |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
10" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
270 Hz / 1080 Hz |
900Hz and 15000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1280.2mm (50.4") |
1200.0mm (47.2") |
| Width |
635.3mm (25") |
560.0mm (22") |
| Depth |
458.7mm (18.1") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
108.40kg (238.5lbs) |
82.70kg (181.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
These sit in different price classes - JBL Summit K2 costs roughly 2.3x what JBL K2 S9900 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | JBL Summit K2 digs deeper - 25Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 93dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | JBL K2 S9900 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (600W vs 500W). |
| Size | depends | JBL K2 S9900 is easier to place; JBL Summit K2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL Summit K2: bi-amping; JBL K2 S9900: bi-amping. JBL Summit K2 sits in a wider range (5 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | JBL K2 S9900 is cheaper - $44,000 against $99,990, about 56% less; arguably a different class. |
A JBL Summit K2 B JBL K2 S9900
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper JBL K2 S9900 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, JBL Summit K2 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, JBL K2 S9900 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.