JBL 4329P Will Rock Your Socks Off! 

Is there a passive version of these?

I’ve much the same question - what are the others in … you’re kind of implying a new range? I only know of the smaller but similar active 4305p

@@richardgrant418 Plenty of speakers in the studio monitor range! Currently on sale are the 4305p, 4309, 4329p, 4349 and the monster 4367. These new powered ones are only the tip of the iceberg. Great lineup!

@@bobstinker2074 there is the 4309, which uses the same compression driver but a 6.5” woofer. I just meant overall, the passive and active speakers in this new monitor lineup are all awesome.

@@kristoffergasmann1526Thanks. I’m more into DIY (with excellent components) than mass produced

Indeed.

Indeed. One of the best horizontals I've seen.

the box size and port are probably tuned to around that 31hz area, simple as that. bass reflex designs can extend the bass much lower but lead to steep roll-off past the port. and they're probably flattening things out with DSP too, and protecting it from over-excursion below the timing frequency where the box ceases to properly load the driver, lowering the safe power handling - makes you wonder why they didn't boost around that 1.6k area.

@@Artcore103 That makes sense. The total output is the sum of the drivers and the ports (ignoring directivity or other effects like diffraction). Hopefully no resonances of the cabinet are in there. I guess the ports can be difference lengths depending on the requirements. The rolloff surprised me, not because I think it is advantageous for any particular reason, but just by how steep it is. Seems like they had to try to do that, but I guess you are saying that just happens with bass reflex designs. I suppose the port design is providing most of the energy at those bass frequencies so as soon as it falls out of its tuned range the magnitude of its output drops quickly. DSP also explains a lot, but like you said it raises another questions. Why don't they try to fix those spots in the anechoic response or at least provide you with REW integration to allow you to setup a PEQ once you have the speakers in your room. Maybe that's reserved for higher price models, but damn, these are already $4500 a pair. Maybe they expect uses of these speakers to apply those types of corrections using an external DSP, but it seems like that capability should be built in. I would still like to hear Erin interview a designer to learn more about the details (i.e. math) about selecting drivers and combining them with an enclosure, setting the crossover frequency and design, selecting the port or ports and their dimensions, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a simulation step in there. Of course once prototypes are built problems are found and overcome. I do realize not everyone wants an engineering lecture on designing speakers, but I think it would be awesome.

@@Fix_It_Again_Tony I edited my above comment to add a point that may further address the steep roll-off. If the roll-off is faster than what the physics of a ported enclosure would normally suggest, then I assume they're using the DSP to protect the driver from over-excursion below the tuning frequency, and keep distortion and compression down.

@@Artcore103 that's a great assumption... the physics of ports give a slope of -12dB per octave (so that's box "EQ"), the drivers themselves have roll offs (driver "EQ"), and to optimize/protect drivers, crossovers or DSP also shape the response curve (actual EQ, active or passive). ALL together can sum to some Very steep roll offs. that also facilitates the addition of subwoofers where needed as there's less freq overlap. about the design aspect, large companies don't necessarily 'select' drivers, but build or order them specifically for the application/project... and when it comes to monitors, the engineering is impressive. ------------------ 31Hz is quite deep for music and these speakers appear to be able to satisfy the need for a 'flat' response...they're monitors after all. that being said, most ppl prefer an even greater boost for the lows, studies point to something like +5dB starting somewhere around 150Hz, and for that, additional drivers are needed as the power required is impressive... keep in mind that 'concert flat' sound has even more energy in the lows, something like +10dB.

@@duroxkilo yep... I have a custom pair of speakers with a 15" jbl 2225h and some akai horns with an 11x4 mouth, and JVC ribbon tweeters above that. The crossover which I did not design I'm sure is not a properly calculated design especially since I replaced a different set of woofers with the JBL's. Even though the 2225h speaker is sensitive, low bass was not it's design goal. But they are in large low tuned ported cabinets, and I use a 5 band parametric DSP eq with a bass boost that starts boosting around maybe 160-200hz, is around +6 at 120hz, and by 30hz is +18db, with a little high q notch cut out at around 55hz where the bass is naturally elevated. This gives a non flat in room response with boosted bass down to a solid 30hz after which the roll-off is extremely steep.

They call it studio monitor, but they're not made by JBL Pro. It's a consumer speaker.

As Thomas mentioned, while these are called "studio" they are part of their consumer line and not their JBL Professional line. That said, I hear you. An HDMI to optical converter would do the trick but I just wish they had native HDMI.

I'm very curious if it's possible to connect a projector or a computer using a USB Type-B/A cable when watching movie. thx

Thanks! Looks like you changed your name?

@@ErinsAudioCorner Yeppers - was having issues with my other name brother. Does the dealership you got the JBL's from ship to New York?

@@Audiomainia2310 yessir. I asked him and he said to shoot him an email if you’re interested and they’ll get back to you asap. Info@thescreeningroomav.com

@@ErinsAudioCorner Dynamite! Thanks Erin.

Hey! Thanks!

Did you ever find out?

I am deciding between the two now and would love to know. Big price difference but if quality is better I can justify it.

Thanks for the support!

Do it. Horns are the best when done right. I made the change this year and I am happy with the change.

Agreed If it's mixed use music/home theater, I'd strongly recommend compression driver/waveguide systems. High crest factors and 30dB swings of peak energy that accompanies so much material, ... 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 the domain of well executed compression driver platforms. JBL's anular diaphragms don't possess the break-up non-linearities that plague typical compression diaphragms. Plus their waveguides are superb.

You should 👌

I'll ping Kef on the LS60 again. I did last year but don't recall why it didn't work out.

@@ErinsAudioCorner while your at it please ask for a reference 5 meta

Be more specific I mean that’s just more lazy than adjectives are

@@chinmeysway 😢

World hold on....

I'll try to keep the Edifier in mind. Thanks!

Hey, Jay! Two other designs that come to mind: Kef R3 (original) and D&D8c. The latter having true constant directivity (flat above/below the crossover region). Both sounded a bit treble int nose to me in their native states.

@@ErinsAudioCorner Sorry to Hijack this comment but can you recommend a good Centre Channel under $1000. Also phenomenal review

@@ErinsAudioCornerinteresting. I haven’t actually had much time with either one of those - believe it or not, never even heard R3’s! - but my experience having a good speaker with constant treble directivity at one end of the house and a good speaker with progressively narrowing treble directivity at the other (respectively, JBL 708i - the separate amp version of the 708p you measured - and Revel Ultima Gem2) the biggest treble difference in mono is the wider listening area of the JBL.

My pleasure!

You know, ... the physics would suggest it's plausible. I don't believe I've ever said that out loud, but yep. No, I've not experimented with it. But yes, I believe it is plausible that it makes a difference. Audibility? No idea. I suspect it's certainly at the lowest low priority in the hierarchy of elements that need attention!

Hi, how do you like them?

This is the consumer line.

@@thomas21000 it’s a studio monitor.

@@billd9667 This is not a JBL Pro product but a consumer one (it’s got airplay, chromecast, roon, mqa, etc). The consumer line is what is being redone.

I just hate what Harman made with Jamo. Basically dead by now.

@@christofferjonsson Did Harman buy Jamo ?

I don't understand, ... they are marketing to consumers, right?

Crutchfield offers these.

@@FOH3663 yes your right, they’re available to everyone -professionals and Joe six pack through Crutchfield, but my point was that this was the first youtube review of this speaker that I’ve seen. And JBL didn’t even send it to Erin. JBL isn’t pushing this speaker out through the social media channels or the audio shows like competing powered bookshelf brands have (Klipsch, Buchardt, Elac, to name a few) On the other hand, JBL’s passive L100 Classic has been pushed out and reviewed by many and is considered a home audio staple and endgame speaker. It’s marketed specifically for the home audio enthusiast. This one, we’ll it’s a mystery. Looks prosumer to me. Now I want one, which is good for JBL and bad for me🤣

@@4thewinir344 All great points! JBL is killing it right now. Their research is reaping fruit, hit after hit, top to bottom. From the ridiculously killer, $250 active 8" two-way, the 308p ... all the way up all their lines. Best in class waveguide pattern control, dynamic capability, subjectively appealing voicing. Their cost no object projects and R&D have catapulted their driver tech and targeted parameter benchmarks they strive for. It's all a mammoth success, plus their positioned well in the mass market consumer sector via their reputation. Headphones, in-ears, Bluetooth mini boom-boxes.

They will have compression and distortion in the bass as you turn them up as they boost that heaps at low volume. All that waterproofing and inset drivers would have an interesting effect

That's why I don't buy active speakers.

i read comment some last 1-2 years period. of course, 1 speaker always fail first

Probably lack of heat sinking compared to separate amps. In which case a slow running fan behind each speaker could fix the problem

@@richardgrant418 I'm sure you're right, heat plays a part in it. But I think vibration is the key issue. I haven't really studied it so I'm not sure.

until recently most plate amps (any amp) were class A/B. While almost certain these amps are class D. Which runs cooler so the components would have an easier life. If any type of amp fails, it’s likely the components that failed won’t be that much. Especially compared to the cost of most JBL speakers!

I should have tried that. Unfortunately they're already boxed up and ready to go back.

I was thinking similar. A fair probability

First off, thanks for supporting me for so long! It means a whole lot to me. Plus, maybe one day you can get me an autograph from Lloyd Banks. :) This speaker does have 250wpc for each midwoofer and 50wpc on the tweeter. I see what you mean about the compression/limiting difference between this and the 708p. I find that interesting as well. The 708p was a great speaker but this one has some clear pros that give it the advantage IMHO. The bass extension is one but also the horizontal radiation being a bit wider is something I personally appreciate of the 4329P as well. The directivity is better with this speaker which gives it a better estimated in-room response without the flattening out of the HF like the 708p has.

I own the JBL 590s, Klispch RP8000F and JBL 4367. The 590s have better bass definition and texture than the RP8000f. The 8000f lack definition even though it goes low. Mids are about the same. The RP8000f is a bit more recessed in room. Same level of detail. The highs on the 590 are much harsher. I think the Klispch has better cleaner highs. For music I would chose the Klispch as they are more enjoyable and less grating… but I use subs highpassed at 60hz (JL audio subs and crossover). Without subs I would choose the JBL 590s. The 4367 simply outclasses the other two and my revel 228be. It has more detail than anything I have heard (I mean anything) and has silly dynamics and a silly price to match. Their only flaw is they are super ugly and cost a lot, still need subs…

@@JamesWilliams-gf8gm thx for the feedback. While it may not solve the issue completely, I have a theory about the 590s horn... They screwed up the flare on the bottom because of how they wanted the speaker grill to fit/look. When you take it off you can clearly see it's not ideal and doesn't match the intended geometry of the rest of the horn, and has abrupt edges. Thoughts? If I had a pair I would come up with some material to fill in what they took out for the grills, to correct the shape back to what it should be. That could help with the smoothness, though obviously the compression drivers are not of the 4367 caliber. I lean towards pure two channel for music, but if I was going to run a sub or two anyway, do I really need floor stranders with two woofers? Any experience with the rp600 MK2? The smaller cabinet with higher tuning, as well as only running a single bass driver (over 60 or 80hz), I wonder if it might achieve more definition/tightness in the midbass compared to the towers. At the sale price it's certainly a lot cheaper. You could also upgrade the crossover parts quality on the 590s... I wonder if Danny from GR Research has designed any 500 series kits... Not sure but if he hasn't yet, it's a free service he offers, the design of it that is. If you don't know the channel/company, / GR Research designs and sells speakers, but he also takes in speakers that people send in for testing and then designed crossovers upgrades and other tweaks (e.g. cabinet requires) for then, and then offers that same kit for sale to anyone. He has an rp-600 kit for example. You might also play with foam of various thickness, density, etc. placed into the throat of the 590 horn, that's free to try. Or, you know what? They really sound like they suck and can't be fixed so you could just sell them to me, I'll take them those plebian entry level JBL's off your hands...

@@Artcore103 the 590 comes with a plate to install if you take off the grills. I have never taken the grills off. I just use them as rears (playing with 7.1, went back to 5.1…) with my 4367s but played with them for a week or so in my main system and did direct A\B with the Klispch rp8000f and 4367 in the same system. The 590 is a very good speaker. It’s flaw is the low quality compression driver. Just sounds a bit hard at high volume (90+db) where the 4367 and 228be (also same system) just cruse at 95db like they are just getting started. The Klispch is not amazing at high volumes either. It seems best at mid volume (80-90db) quieter it is kind of dull. It is odd when you play the RP8000f loud 90+db . It just get louder and the sound stage does not grow like the 4367 or 228be. The higher end speakers sound stage just gets bigger and bigger the louder you go. It must pull in more side reflection. But honestly if you are not use highend stuff you will never notice. It to not fair to compare them to some of the best tweeters ever made. I have never hear the RP600m. I think it is a myth that smaller speakers are more textured/tight. I have never heard a smaller bass driver sound better than a larger one. The small cabinet might have less noise due to it being stiffer and simply less surface area. Getting RP600m over the 590 would be a tough sell. The 590 is huge and has real bass output, Real dynamics, it is just a bit grating and not in an overly bright way. For what it is worth I have a friend that thinks his 580s sound as good as my Revel 228be. Which just show it is all about how you listen and how closely you listen. To me the 228be smokes that lower end JBLs but l listen for the finer things I guess. To sum it up the JBL 590 has much better bass drivers than the RP8000f. Just seems like a better motor structure. But the Klispch are easier to listen to for long lengths of time with a subjectively better highs even though they are not a flat in frequency and probably less accurate/good technically. At $800 the 590 is a very good buy. I bought the Klispch for $1100 brand new in piano black which I also though was a good deal for the sound. Both hold their own ok next to speakers 10x the price. It is kind of line TVs. A $1500 tv is honestly close to a $5000 tv but the difference are there if you care about them. I sold the Klispch and kept the 590 as I though the 590 match both sonically and visually better to the 4367s. For movies the 590s are all you would ever need.

I appreciate that!

Possibly. It's at the right frequency for it. However, it doesn't change with frequency in the horizontal plane so I'm holding tight to my thought that it's the control panel lip protruding over the baffle.

It's not a big downgrade. You'll get less output than a dual diaphragm but other than that there's not a big downside to them. The 2409H is the compression driver used in the 7 series professional studio monitors so it's a pretty good compression driver that can still get some pretty high output.

@@MrKelvinAC Fidelity and smoothness wise I suspect there is little to no downgrade as you said, at normal home listening levels. The difference is a matter of intended application or design goals... the 4367 for example is crossed at 700hz, not 1675. And the 4349 which is a different driver than the 4367 is crossed at 1500. They would be able to play louder and stay clean. I'm a horn fan... the lower your crossover can be the better. The speed, detail, and effortless uncompressed dynamics and low distortion that a horn mounted compression driver can produce compared to giving that frequency range to a larger cone speaker is huge. Without getting into huge bass horns, the average horn lover still ideally (money/size not a problem) wants their horn to cross to the woofer at 300-500hz. 700hz is quite respectable as well. To match a super efficient horn, you need a super efficient woofer... big drivers are the answer. But big drivers mean beaming happens at lower frequencies, so even though 15" pro drivers, as in PA speakers, can often play to 2khz or higher, you wouldn't want them doing that duty in a hifi system, due to the beaming, and due to the relative lack of speed detail and impact they have at those higher frequency ranges compared to a small driver or especially a horn. Under 1k you're doing alright. Since this has an 8" woofer not a 15", the 1675hz crossover isn't bad at all, that's lower than your average 2 way bookshelf/monitor. But the price for these is absurd, to get a measly 8" woofer. This speaker may measure great but if you like the character of sound it produces, then really you should just go for the real thing - i.e. a BIG speaker. Nothing presents the sense of size and scale and effortless dynamics like a big speaker. Plus then that 102db (which is insane anyway) compression line would be way way down, and that 30hz bass could be played much louder and with more authority, speed, detail, lower distortion etc.... because you'd only need like 1/4 of the cone movement, which means lower actual travelling speed of the cone, which means more precision. You could easily DIY such a speaker for half the cost of these, and have a superior result, including amps if you wanted.

​@@Artcore103 Many solid observations, and I share the sentiment regarding diy'ing a nearly identical platform. But here's the rub. If you could source 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦 ... done, just iteratively back engineer the signal shaping. One could easily execute an active clone likely for less. However, to achieve those killer controlled coverages all the way up its about the small details; 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 waveguide, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 driver, with 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 overall baffle dimensions. You're right, ... there's many established best practices avenues of diy'ing low distortion, high-output, controlled directivity compression based two-ways. Everyone should have a set. They are the best of their type. They simply do things other approaches cannot achieve (ie., similarly, well executed dipoles throw a three dimensionality magic act ... that other approaches simply can not achieve).

It’s not exactly there top model

@@richardgrant418 The M2 is a dated two way with performance not commensurate with its size... As far as I know JBL has more resources than Genelec, and Genelec has incredible speakers as small as you need and as large as you need, and most of them can all be used as any sort of speaker in an immersive setup and you don't have to worry about ceiling reflections for ceiling mounted speakers or floor reflections so much because the directivity is great horizontally and vertically. Unfortunately JBL only has extremely low-end models with coaxial drivers, and has not made a three-way or a cardioid JBL M2. Dutch and Dutch and Kii also come to mind for pushing boundaries. Not seeing that from JBL for any of their models... Besides some headphones that follow the Harman curve and aren't terribly expensive.

Thank you 🤗

LOL. I can completely relate to those kind of issues. Sometimes I get so mad at my systems over the years that I just resort to using a Bluetooth speaker for a period of time until I have the patience to fix the issues.

Airplay2 can send only aac.

I’m using the Motu M2 off a laptop streaming lossless.

I'm going to hold tight to my believe if is due to the edge of the control baffle. But that doesn't mean I'm right.

@@ErinsAudioCorner SB23nrx, Seas Exotic W8, Scanspeak 21WE. Breakups like that are typical for paper 8 inchers. Had it been edge reflection/ diffraction, location of that dip would have changed much more off axis, and you have taken quite a lot of off axis responses. Imagine the team designing this. That control panel lip and cabinet design is still in their hands but that woofer cone design is most likely out of their hands already. And I bet they are very very aware of that dip.

Yeah, well, I have 6 toes on my hand. Now what?

they actually sells below $2k in some places

Maybe one day. As it is, the income generated by my videos wouldn’t cover the cost of editing.

Well if you watched the video, the data shows that these are not colored and have great off axis response...

@@thomas21000 Did watch it, thx! Also notice I said "ya know what ELSE rocks?!"...and also horns are "usually" colored sounding! ....and those usually sound like crap off axis (horns in general!). And you can't get better dynamics than active dedicated woofers in their respective frequency range! Horns or no horns. In fact, cross these same mentioned "horn" speakers over to 100hz and integrate some better active woofers and then tell me which is more dynamic and powerful sounding! These speakers probably sound pretty descent, didn't say they didn't

Send a pair to Erin

I’m a bachelor. Be happy it’s not a toilet I’m drinking from. 😂

What kind of small minded wanna be snob has any place caring about data anyways so go away bye 🎉

Just eat alone is not that informative. It’s good to use ear obviously. But to conclude what one ears w some data means you can trust your ear and decide before purchase etecetc if it’s gonna ear well, no?