JBL Studio 698 Floor-Standing Speaker

JBL Studio 698 Floor-Standing Speaker

The JBL Studio 698 is the largest floor-standing model in the Studio 6 series, a three-way tower that pairs dual 8-inch woofers with a dedicated 6-inch midrange driver and a 1-inch compression driver on JBL’s High Definition Imaging waveguide. It is a passive loudspeaker, sold individually, intended for the front left and right positions of a serious stereo system or as the main channels of a home cinema built around the Studio 6 range. The design draws on JBL’s professional heritage, where compression drivers and controlled dispersion are standard practice.

Key features

• Three-way design: dual 8-inch woofers, 6-inch midrange and 1-inch compression driver
• PolyPlas cone drivers: treated paper cones for the low and mid frequency sections
• HDI waveguide: High Definition Imaging horn geometry for controlled, even dispersion
• Wide frequency response: 36 Hz to 40 kHz from a single tower enclosure
• 90 dB sensitivity: efficient enough for realistic levels with typical AV receivers and amplifiers
• Bi-wire and bi-amp capable: dual terminal pairs with a maximum recommended amplifier power of 250 W
• Bass-reflex enclosure: rear-firing tuned port for low frequency extension

Driver arrangement

Splitting the work three ways keeps each driver inside the band it handles best. The two 8-inch PolyPlas woofers share the bass load, moving more air between them than a single larger unit in a cabinet of this width, while the 6-inch PolyPlas midrange covers the region where voices and most instrument fundamentals sit. Crossover points are set at 320 Hz and 1.8 kHz, keeping the transitions away from the most sensitive part of the midrange. Above that, the compression driver takes over, a format JBL uses because it can play loudly and cleanly with low distortion at cinema levels.

Waveguide and imaging

The compression driver fires through JBL’s High Definition Imaging waveguide, which shapes how high frequencies spread into the room. Controlled dispersion means the sound heard off to the sides stays closer in character to the direct sound, so the stereo image holds together across a sofa rather than only in one seat, and reflections from side walls are reduced in level. This is the same thinking applied in JBL’s studio and cinema loudspeakers, scaled for a domestic tower, and it is a large part of why the Studio 6 range suits combined music and film systems.

Amplifier matching and placement

Nominal impedance is 6 ohms and sensitivity is 90 dB measured at 1 metre with 2.83 volts, so the 698 does not need an exotic amplifier; JBL rates maximum recommended amplifier power at 250 watts, and a competent receiver or integrated amplifier will drive it properly. The rear-firing port needs some clearance from the wall behind, so the towers should be placed with space to breathe rather than pushed flat against a boundary. Dual binding post pairs allow bi-wiring or bi-amping where the electronics support it, and carpet spikes and feet pads are included.

Cabinet and dimensions

The enclosure measures 300 x 400 x 1058 mm and each speaker weighs around 35.8 kg, a substantial cabinet that resists the vibration which can colour the sound of lighter towers. A removable magnetic grille keeps the front clean when the drivers are covered. As a passive design the 698 contains no electronics to date or fail; partnered with amplification of suitable quality, it forms the foundation of a Studio 6 system that can be extended with matching centre and surround models from the same series.

For listeners who want full-range front speakers with genuine low bass, high output capability and controlled dispersion, the Studio 698 is the flagship tower of the Studio 6 line.