JBL Studio 698! I just had to do it fellas!!!

[Danzilla31]

I hope you like them. I just hooked up my 530s after a year in the box after a move and still love them.

The studio 5 series was such an overachiever especially on sales. I'm hoping the studio 6 lineup can be the same thing. I'll let you know what I think!

 

[Out-Of-Phase]

The clock is ticking. Just a few more hours until your first impressions.

I wish I could be there in your living room to hear these for the first time.

I'd even bring a few test CDs.

 

[Swerd]

They have published no meaningful specs other than rudimentary information. The FR has no 3 db points and could mean anything.

They made it a three way when it did not need to be, which I bet was marketers. The design would be much more sound as a 2.5 way.

Here is why.

The cross to the mid, is at 320 Hz, so there are going to be some hefty inductor and capacitor values. This is a less than ideal crossover point and still within the BSC region for a cabinet of those dimensions. They were forced into this by the crossover to the HF horn at 1.8 KHz. That horn is the "flagship" component of the design. So they had to cross to the mid at that low a frequency in order to avoid excess bandpass gain.

So the issues become is that while there are two speakers below the crossover, that one mid is being driven in a definite power band region. So there is a good chance it will be power limited in its pass band.

All this was not necessary, as if it had been made a 2.5 way the 8" driver could easily have crossed to the horn at 1.8 KHz, and much easier solving of the BSC issue. This would have made for a less expensive and better crossover, and I suspect a better speaker.

When I see those sort of decisions, I can hear the marketers screaming at the engineers: - "We have to have a three way!"

TLS Guy has some valid concerns, at least they're possibly valid.

Earlier, he said this 3-way speaker has three 8" drivers. The two lower drivers do the bass below 320 Hz, the upper 8" driver does mid-range between 320 and 1,800 Hz. If that mid-range is really 8" I'd agree with him. Can that 8" driver really go as high as 1,800 Hz without breaking up or beaming?

@TLS Guy also expressed concern with a bass-to-mid-range crossover frequency of 320 Hz. To elaborate a bit, I've had trouble creating a crossover that low without also having a large impedance dip below 4 ohms. To avoid amplifier trouble, or a hard-to-drive speaker, I avoid building an analog crossover below 400 Hz. Without seeing an impedance curve for the JBL Studio 698, we can't be sure this isn't a real possibility.

In the photo, it looks to me like the driver below the horn is smaller than 8". Both @Timforhifi and @shadyJ posted that this mid-range driver is 6". If so, I'd be more comfortable with that, especially if it were crossed over no lower than 400 or 500 Hz.

 

[Danzilla31]

TLS Guy has some valid concerns, at least they're possibly valid.

Earlier, he said this 3-way speaker has three 8" drivers. The two lower drivers do the bass below 320 Hz, the upper 8" driver does mid-range between 320 and 1,800 Hz. If that mid-range is really 8" I'd agree with him. Can that 8" driver really go as high as 1,800 Hz without breaking up or beaming?

@TLS Guy also expressed concern with a bass-to-mid-range crossover frequency of 320 Hz. To elaborate a bit, I've had trouble creating a crossover that low without also having a large impedance dip below 4 ohms. To avoid amplifier trouble, or a hard-to-drive speaker, I avoid building an analog crossover below 400 Hz. Without seeing an impedance curve for the JBL Studio 698, we can't be sure this isn't a real possibility.

In the photo, it looks to me like the driver below the horn is smaller than 8". Both @Timforhifi and @shadyJ posted that this mid-range driver is 6". If so, I'd be more comfortable with that, especially if it were crossed over no lower than 400 or 500 Hz.
View attachment 60902

That midrange driver is a 6 not an 8

 

[lovinthehd]

Looking at the 698 manual it indeed crosses at 320 and 1.8khz. The way they show frequency response is usually -6dB.

 

[Out-Of-Phase]

Technical Specifications:
Dual 8", 6" mid, 3-way compression driver floor standing loudspeaker
6" (152mm) PolyPlas Mid-range Transducer
Dual 8" (203mm) PolyPlas cone Low-Frequency Transducer
High Definition Imaging (HDI) Waveguide with 1" (25mm) High Frequency Compression Driver

 

[Timforhifi]

Definitely 6” mid. I pulled all my numbers from their manual.

revel does similar things for example let’s compare f36 vs f206

f36 is 2.5 way design
3 6.5” drivers in total. All 3 6.5” play 600hz and below. One of the 6.5” pulls double duty from 600hz to 1.8khz.

f206 is 3 way
2 6.5” bass drivers and 5.25” mid. The two 6.5” bass drivers play up to 275hz. 5.25” 275hz to 2.15khz.

I know these come from different lines but it’s still a comparison. I’ve heard both in my house and agree with what most owners have said. F36 gets louder, f36 has more bass, f36 bass is boomy, f206 mid is more focused, f206 bass is tighter but less of it, f206 has better center image. Just a few differences, some might like one over that other but it’s a personal preference.

 

[Danzilla31]

Well this sucks both JBL speakers were supposed to arrive today only one has so far and this is the boxes condition definetly contacting Crutchfied before I attempt to open
Well JBL's packaging is going to be put to the test

 

[Danzilla31]

 

[ryanosaur]

Forklift Polo?

 

[MrBoat]

That's how sorry the help is today. I can't get high dollar materials delivered without damage, even after directly, and publicly humiliating the company. Took 3 deliveries and returns to get semi-acceptable results and they mess up every single order. How dare we interrupt their social media for what they get paid to do.

 

[lovinthehd]

Gotta love the small package services these days. Freight/palletization just costs more....

 

[TLS Guy]

View attachment 60920

Can I just say I don't need packing and shipping!

 

[Kleinst]

This was a constant problem with their Infinity Speakers too. I had to send a couple 263's back from damage. So little protection in the boxes and they got beat up a lot. No idea why they don't invest a bit more to prevent returns.

The 590s (don't have them anymore) were perfect becuase they were delivered freight.

Still, they might be ok in there perhaps

 

[Eppie]

It's pretty clear from the outside that it's a tower speaker. How big of an idiot do you need to be?

 

[Danzilla31]

The sad part is I have no idea where the second speaker is the tracking info says it's been delayed.

I'll have to contact Crutchfield in the morning and let them know whats going on.

Hopefully they both get here this weekend and they are not damaged so we can get them set up!!!!!

 

[TLS Guy]

The sad part is I have no idea where the second speaker is the tracking info says it's been delayed.

I'll have to contact Crutchfield in the morning and let them know whats going on.

Hopefully they both get here this weekend and they are not damaged so we can get them set up!!!!!

Lets hope they are not waiting for a glue shipment.

I see that was sent air freight. There has been a lot of bad weather over the US. I wonder if that was thrown around in air turbulence.

 

[snakeeyes]

Hopefully the packing foam is really good and it survived ok.

 

[Kleinst]

Any updates on the location of the other speaker?

 

[Danzilla31]

Any updates on the location of the other speaker?

I spoke to Crutchfield yesterday at work. Sent them pictures of the box. If the speaker is damaged they will take care of it.

The other speaker unfortunately is estimated to not be here until Monday according to them. If it's not hear by that time they will put a tracer on it.

When I check it out on UPS with the tracking number it's been stuck in Louisville Kentucky since yesterday at 933am. Hasn't moved since. Which doesn't make any sense at all really.

Honestly my first time ordering from Crutchfield has not been the greatest experience. The customer service is excellent they've been very responsive. But they advertise free 2 day air shipping to Texas. We'll I ordered on Tuesday and if I'm lucky I might get both packages finally delivered by Monday. Even luckier they might not be in pieces.

I feel the weather has played a factor but still I was looking forward to a fun weekend with these. Had a friend coming over to help me with switching and listening to the different speakers so I could have a different set of ears and a different person's opinion.

Sighhhh...... oh well

Still on the bright side if it arrives on Monday I still have 2 days off before Wednesday to have fun with these speakers and this thread!