KAPOW! JBL 4349 (vs. KLIPSCH Forte IV) 

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As always your videos are top shelf. Great review I always look forward to your take on gear.

Man I heard these recently and was shocked! Way better than all the Klipsch I heard earlier in the same listening session.

Excellent review, as always. And they sound like outstanding speakers, too.

Darko, solid work.

Thanks for a great review, I really enjoy your videos.

Lovely review of the JBL, and enjoyed the comparison to the alternative Klipsch! Editing by Jana remains impeccable. Cheers, and please hydrate well during German summer heat!

Before I started watching your videos I was in the dark about all things audio. Thanks.

How can you not love the look of these!?!? I get a feeling these can really sing on a nice high current Bryston amp!

Always top notch!

great review ...

Hi. Awesome channel. I have the JBL LX66 and have to say having bought and quickly got rid of loads of other high spec speakers - these I always go back to every time man…. Educational stuff here guys!

Thank you for the music recommendations.

So look forward to both the genuis knowledge and expertise of production/ presentation values, the BEST reviews bar none... in Perfekter Vollendung ..

FIRST! My kind of speaker! Thanks for the review!

I like your vidéo , like your living-room and like your expertise. Following you allows me to work on my english. Cheers from France.

One of my earliest core memories of a truly full-range sound was this guitarist kids' JBLs powered by some proper amplification. It created such an indelible impression that I immediately graduated from my boom box phase. Around that time I wandered in front of a Funktion One system blasting drum n bass from what I could only assume was the far future. It is generally agreed that our memory of how systems sound is not reliable, but these moments are written as vividly and viscerally as a car crash or a first kiss, and gave me something to reach for years to come.

Love your attitude dude.

Boom! Love my JBL LX44 and they STILL are kicking great solutions. Well done sir!

Thanks (again) for the musical tip😊

Hey John, thanks for doing this review. Right now I'm running my JBL 4319s with a Technics SU-G700M2 and matching SACD player and couldn't be happier. I know it's not a horn design but the sound I'm getting is nothing short of sublime.

this was exactly my question thanks for your nice work Carlos aus Catalunya

from personal past history, I was rooting for the JBL all the way. Then I saw the made in China tag , and regretted how the world has changed. This is the company that invented the coffee break as a part of building his new company, after JB Lansang noticed that the ladies winding his voice coils were getting tired and he called a little break. It got to be an informal daily habit, as the work was physically difficult and mentally tedious . Mr. Lansing , noting how his workers responded, formalized a break in the middle of the hours before and after lunch, with the result of happier workers and improved efficiency, With China, while it may cut costs, there is also the chance of slave labor somewhere in the production chain, landing in your pad. the work that inspired the coffee break was edge winding a flat copper wire, to minimize air gaps and build the densest voice coil possible for the amount of turns. The workbreak might have also been influenced by the fact that the workers winding his coils were seamstress recruited from garment manufacturing in the area, and if this new job didn't work out, they could just walk back down the street to their old job. That unmatched in the industry, superior voice coil, used to be a big selling point for JBL, they just had better drivers than the other guy. I was always happy with JBL because the old rock I listened to then and now was probably mastered using, popular at the time, JBL monitors, if that matters, the "west coast sound". My home set up had some of the same drivers I enjoyed as stacks at the Hollywood bowl, so they could sound very realistic. now is where I must address the mention of JBL as being a "party speaker" in the review. Heck yes, with the L65 speaker of old.. Although I never played them loudly for my own pleasure, I moved into a house full of surfer roommates and one guy from the LA rugby team that had a traditional ,once a year , alert the neighbors, costume party. Dancers were screaming with pleasure at the sound. The next morning, I noticed someone had taken the little JBL badge from under the smoked glass top of one speaker, I suppose as a souvenir of one heck of a party. Although I was always supremely happy to have such fine speakers in my system, plus they had the benefit of such high efficiency that you could drive them with a transistor radio, that one night of service, which made memories for many people, made me always a JBL fan. I could recount many other reasons. It's just a shame management decided china was the answer when building the reviewed product. I now have some modern , well made, exotic and very power hungry tower speakers. Made in Canada as an economic development project from the government, where they invested in super computers and sound proof rooms to help design superior made in Canada speakers.

I really appreciate your honesty and efforts in all of your reviews. I love how you described the JBL'S as "a reviewers tool" when speaking about its potential neutrality/transparency, which sounds like, what I would consider resolving. And for the record, it's ok to say, especially if it's true to what you're hearing. It reminds me of the Goldenear BRX speaker review, when you said the HVFMT could help you discern the differences between different dacs.

🤗 THANKS JOHN…FOR A TOP NOTCH VIDEO AND YOUR CAREFUL DESCRIPTION AND DETAILS for anyone who might be in the market for these speakers and thanks for the music 🎼 suggestions and KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK 👍😍😍😍

I like the talk about amp and speaker pairings. Definitely want to know more about which amplifiers work best with these speakers. Nice review!

Klipsch Heritage speakers sounds very sweet, dynamic, and musical. But once you hear a big JBL it's hard not to hear how colored the Klipsch are. The way I would describe the difference in dynamics is that the JBLs have more dynamic low end while Klipsch has more dynamic mids/highs. Another way I would describe it is that with Klipsch, the music is driven by the midrange (guitars, vocals, etc..) whereas with big JBLs you feel like the track is being driven by the bass line/kick drum. To me, the bass should drive the track without being overwhelming and for that reason, JBL L112s always end up back in the system and various Klipsch Heresy and Quartet speakers have come and gone.

I love the second track on OST WEST. I had forgotten about this album. Thanks for bringing it up

Watched this again, glad I did because the first time I was more interested in the 4349's than the music. Will look for that Automat record, great stuff.

The JBL’s remind me of my vintage Electro Voice Interface D’s. PA dynamics with high end HiFi refinement. What’s not to love. Great review John.

I listened to these for many hours with a Mark Levinson amp and oh my I'm in love with them. I just need the $$$ and floor space.

I auditioned a Lyndorf TDAI 1120 in a studio with the 4349 hooked up and they sounded excellent!

You are top notch sir!

I do like your videos quite a bit. These two speakers are out of my price range but, I really enjoyed this review. I think the JBL aesthetic is amazing. A real ballsy looking speaker.

One issue the Forte iv sell for $5,000 while the JBL sell for $8,500. Even the larger Cornwalls sale for over $1,500 less.

Nice video! I'm hoping you will review the Finkteam Kim 😍

Greetings, let me take the time out to thank you for playing a dub, reggae music is the best genres for exposing the strength & weakness in speaker boxes. It's a pity that more bloggers didn't give us a bit a reggae now & again instead of the same un-colorfull genres you can't dance to but sit there as if one is waiting for one's angel of death to arrive. Great analysis. 👊🏾

Kliptch with Macintosh give me a Steinway vibe. Warm, dynamic and transport you to another place.

Nice review, thanks a lot. I wish you could put these JBL face to face to the Cornwalls IV

JBL is my pick

GREAT review mate ! A polish friend over at the SHForum is torn between these and the CW4s. He'd go with the CWs, but his room doesn't lend itself for placing them closer to the wall, as they're supposed to be. Should he go the JBL route ? He's afraid he won't get enough bass from them. His amp is a Yamaha A-S2100.

I live in Florida. Anything that emits heat, especially a space heater like a tube amp is entirely not welcome in my house. Nice to see some JBL love, good job!

I think the way to go is to have seasonal amps if you live someplace that gets real hot. I got my Decware tube amp for cooler months and a Schiit Ragnarok 2 for the summer months (which I use as a pre-amp with the Decware when I'm not using the Schiit as an integrated.) Loved the review. Horn loaded speakers are not for everyone, but when they resonate with people they seem to stick with them. I know I will.

Great comment on those two loudspeakers for which I show much interest! I am fond of both companies.... still a tough choice :)

I must hear those JBL's some day! Never liked horns, but those sound worth a listen for. Would compare them to my reference ATC SCM 19v2's.

I wish JBL mades a version in white/black brilliant version 😁

Thank you for the Automat recommendation mate!

I took the Klippel Listening test with my Revel F208 every few months and never got above the 5th level. When I put the 4439 in their place I jumped two more levels the first try. Very clear speakers. On Classe Delta Stereo amp/Ayre K-X5xeMP preamp/SMSL D400 DAC.

Ooooooo.....2000 Euro is a little bit more than slightly more expensive. Given the great review, it seems to me that the slight benefit that the JBL may have over the Klipsch, it doesn't sound like a 2000 Euro difference. An especially with the fussiness of the JBL positioning. Think I would go Klipsch and save myself 2000 Euro and look to buy something else of HiFi interest.......maybe, just maybe, put those funds towards buying a prima Luna Tube amp LOL ;-) I enjoy your work. Keep on keeping on!

Thanks for the review! I've heard their (JBL) higher range speakers with Hegel and I've also liked a lot the JBL. Still, in my opinion they lack infra bass. At least with Hegel. With Mark and Levinson it was even worth. P.S. Fantastic looking speakers!

Great!

35 degree celcius is just normal day where i live and people still love using tube amp, but we do have AC so hehe, love your videos!

Gorgeousssssss speaker

Certainly, huge woofer-drivers and big horn tweeters provide the most headroom in terms of dynamic. The effect can be striking

I've got a pair of JBL 4430's. Legendary

Thanks for this. Putting these on my short list next to the Forte IVs. Really need to find somewhere local where I can listen side by side.

I have a 4311 from 1974 powered by a Krell kv400xi (200w per channel), they pair very well together.

I had a pair of 4315's, first as hifi speakers but then as the front L&R in my 7m x 5m theatre, coupled with a 4331A as a centre and a pair of 4301 monitors as the surrounds supported by the immense JBX118S subwoofer (all ex recording studio monitors). The sound was phenomenal and never over bright.. I eventually had to swap the mains for a complete 13 speaker set of Osbornes because the JBL's were just too big and I wanted to upgrade the screen to a full-width 140". I kept the sub (of course) and the 4301's for another room. never regretted owning the JBL's and never regretted the upgrade to the full Atmos set of Osbornes. The sound was certainly an upgrade and the speakers all fit in the space.

My friend, all your reviews are top notch. Thank you.

I have a pair of Klipsch Palladium P-37Fs and these are equally challenging to position.....and yes they are somehwta fussy with positioning and with some toe-in. Finally got there but an effort every single time that you needed to adjust position...phew! But love these speakers and they are also, so good to look at wit the lovely Tigerwood finish. Very sensitive so my prima Luna EVO300 effortlessly drives these speakers :-)

I too used excuse heat as an excuse to avoid tube amps… I live in an unbearably hot and humid region and thought tubes were only suited for certain types of music which exclude electronic music. I was very wrong, they make electronic/dance music sound great and didn’t heat up my room like I thought it would. it’s been almost a year since i’ve used my Class AB or class D amps.

Klh model 5 and 7 would be interesting comps. I think John touched on a very underrated aspect of speakers which is the quality of sound in low level listening sessions. I prefer long listening sessions at low levels. Harbeth is fantastic for this at least on vocals.

Speakers that handle dynamics are what I need for Telarc recordings, 1812 overture with digital cannons.

Furniture sliders also work very well.

I never thought my old-school Klipsch Forte II would become my end game speakers in this modern era. I need an advice on next level post-Forte speakers to try, as dynamic but better staging and vocal resolution?

With the difference in price you can buy two Decware Zen Triodes set up in mono. 6 watts per channel for the pair of Klipsch. How fun would that be?

Love horn loaded high sensitivity speakers… but you need to try a tube amp for sure 👍🏼

So a 12 inch honest to goodness real woofer. Back when I was in school we had bookshelf speakers with twelves (we had some substantial bookshelves back the as they had to hold books and record albums). This is probably a good choice as it gets pretty difficult to do a 2 way with a 15". And yes I am sure it would really bloom with a decent SET amp. If I were auditioning these I would use Beethoven's Violin Concerto, Mozart Horn Concertos, Dvorak Ninth Symphony, and a top recording of the Faure` Requiem.

As for imaging - horn speakers usually excell in this domain with the right setup, so I'd be curious how these perform e.g. with aggressive toe-in, with crossing point before the listener

Should def have a curated list of music my guy 👌

I love that Black Box Recorder album. One of the many reasons I watch your videos even if I have no interest in the object of your review.

Thanks John for amazing review as always. I was shocked when I replaced the jumpers on both Klipsch and B&W speaker with good quality jumpers. So when you do not use bi-wire cables I think this is an injustice ( done by manufacturer ) to the speaker.

Can recommend a Primaluna integrated. They run relatively cooler than a lot of valve amps and have auto biasing so easy to own.

I have a pair of Klipsch Forte 11's. I havent heard those particular JBL's but I love my Klipsch's, the passive rad does it for me. The bass shakes the pictures off my walls hence no pictures in this room. Would love to hear the JBL's though

At the 30 day mark 4349 sound great on Pass X350 and good on Aleph 2. Less edge/softer on the Aleph, a bit lighter bass too. Best sound so far is the Nord NCx500, more 3D and texture in spades. They like power, I wouldn't use with less than 50 watts. Klipsch would probably a better match with small amps.

Thanks John. JBL !

Two way speakers are easier to design and use a simpler crossover. Both probably sound good, price may make the difference.

This is an expensive loudspeaker compared to the Klipsch Forte IV. I have no doubt that the JBL are a fine loudspeaker and provide a lot of entertainment. Here in Canada where I live, these JBL sell for almost six thousand dollars each speaker.

Agreed on selling vinyl LPs + cd. 👍🤩

From your description it sounds as though I’d prefer the JBL. I’m in the market for a speaker with great scale and dynamics along with great tone, but I just can’t deal with the aesthetics of these two speakers.

Great comparison review. I have been eyeing the Forte IV and well and a comparable horn loaded speaker such as the JBL. I was wondering what speaker in the JBL lineup would be close to the Forte IV. I have the PrimaLuna EVO 400 tube integrated amp and it has been a joy to listen to. Even through the Klipsch RP-6000F’s and the RP 600M.

Need to get a pair of Witch Hat Phantom speaker cables on that Naim to get the most out of it. HUGE improvement on the Atom.

Silly question here, what would the sound results be if you were to lay these on their side, and if possible, which direction would the tweeter be, inside or out?

Harman finally stopped cheaping out JBL and got them back to it's heritage. Maybe they could go one step further and mount the foams on the back of the cone for that classic clean JBL look.

At €8,400 they should better be top notch

Have you tried extreme toe-in where the speakers cross just in front of you? That can make imaging better with horns.

I would like a cd with every vinyl too John!

fun fact, proper horn loaded speakers are the least demanding on aiming them "just right". the off axis response tends to be more consistent w/ even 10deg being almost imperceptible... also, 2 way horn speakers have the crossovers in that range, 1.5kHz is not "that special", i own 4 models in that configuration.

I don't know about the subjective listening, but I'd expect the JBL's to measure much better objectively, which usually translates into subjective preferences also.

Hallo John, ich habe auch JBL Lautsprecher und habe eine Crown 1500 XLi Endstufe angeschlossen,und ein APHEX 204 Aural Exiter and Optical Big Bottom angeschlossen.Klanglich ein Traum wunderbar.JBL und Crown beides von Harman einfach gut.

I’m in Australia and my KT150 SET amps don’t noticeably heat the room up at all. I’ve experienced much worse from multi channel AVR’s. It’s not that big of a deal. Also we call the wheel platforms dollies, and horns always sound and image best firing past your ears, not directly at them 👍🏻

Nice video! But 31% higher price is not exactly what I would call “slightly more expensive”; three months ago I got a new pair of Klipsch Forte IV for 4618 USD shipping included. Of course, American gear is significantly more expensive in Europe than its price on this side of the pond

loved the video! you should test them with their best match, a Mcintosh S.S. amp.

They look like they would make an awesome home cinema speaker

I have the earlier version 4429 which is also a excelent speaket requires Mark Levinson amplifications

Thanks for the tip off on the Automat album.. gave it a listen on Apple with my rather modest Bose 700s and a red dragonfly. Hoping to sell a kidney so I can afford some fancy speakers :)

Would love to have a pair.

Wouldn’t a hybrid amp be something to try? Tube pre- and transistor end? Less hot, still kind of tube sound? I’ve got a unison research, and i love it!! Looking for horns, yet do not know what to choose. So thanks for all your reviews and work!

How is 2000 euro "slightly" more expensive?

I love my Forte IV. I am completely satisfied with them and it's old school smooth. I think only a young persons ear can tell the differences of some of it's competitors. I don't like them for heavy metal but I believe that's mostly how Metal (e.g Iron Maiden) albums are processed. I have been told I'm a tard and it sounds fine but I feel it hits me a little odd. Jazz, Prog, Blues, hard Rock and Instrumental are my jams. Great videos, thanks.