Erin, thanks for all of your reviews. They are super helpful, in both learning how these speakers measure out but, more importantly, in understanding how these measurements might effect our listening environment. Super geeky, fun stuff... I just love it!

Dig the format. The discussion of the data is great to have. Keep it simple. Thanks.

Thanks for the thorough presentation. After that I would not choose a five driver- 2,5- way speaker for reproduction of center channel content. This JBL design seems to be good as a left/right front speaker. But for speech may be a single way design is advantageous. Remark: active crossover design may be a solution to center-side-channel competition. Isn’t Buchardt preparing for a multi channel design?

The Acousticb screen option is also a compromise. There is no free meal... One just need to pick which option fits our needs better

The dispersion you are talking about around 14 minutes in... I wish JBL would further develop a higher-end coaxial driver. It would solve these problems, and the few problems that people think our inherence to coaxial drivers have all been solved by genelec, unless you need insanely High SPL like a massive main monitor.

Hi, very detailed review. regarding the positioning of the speaker, what if I am seating 5.5 meters away, which position should I place the speaker in terms of on-axis response?

Your observations about the limitations of the MTM design for center channel content are compelling. In television-based home theaters with big LR speakers like the HDI-3800, I wonder if a bookshelf speaker like the HDI-1600 positioned just below the screen on a short stand would provide a wider dialogue sweet spot than the HDI-4500. Care to speculate?

Thanks Erin!!

Awesome review! Hopefully you can get some more center channels in to see how other MTM designs fair or other designs like M(t/m)M designs. Maybe SVS could send you their Ultra lineup

I have a question regarding lobing. Would it help to disconnect one of the low and mid range woofers so only 3 driver will play each in there own frequency range

Any chance your video and testing will be available soon for the JBL Studio 520CBK ?? Interested to see what that lil speaker does.

Lobing is well into your car audio backround for placement of components, I would think. I kind of hate the sail panel mounted tweeters. A high crossover point and a 6db crossover most often. The placement on the sail panel exacerbating time alignment too among other problems. But anyway, great review! Weird to me the relatively narrow window for horizontal dispersion on this one.

Has anyone had a chance to audition the Bentley Acoustics R-Line towers or their other models ? They seem like great 3 way speakers and their affordable.

so im not very savy with speaker lingo or tech, but i know i really like the JBL sound. I also cant use a vertical speaker as a center channel because my Projector screen is siting on a wall with no room behind it. For the money, are there any center channels that are better then this? along witht e combo of the HDI 3800s are they going to give me great sound for Movies?

You think that trough fills in when the speaker is set on top of a cabinet?

Couldn't one argue that the foibles themselves serve to church it up? 🤔

Wouldnt it be better to use a coaxial speaker as a centre?

These center channel speakers with all their drivers just make a comb filter mess. I suppose the only folks that buy them are those who are impressed by how they look. Companies that know better sell them to those folks. I'd rather just give up using a center then use one of these.

Am I the only audiophile who is *not* a closet/desperate reviewer?