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Iâve reviewed two of JBLâs hi-fi speakers before, the L82 and L100 Classic â speakers I enjoyed for their great sound and retro aesthetics. Over the past month or two, Iâve been able to test one of the companyâs more forward-looking speakers, the $1,800 HDI-1600. After putting it through its paces in my living room and the test bench, itâs clear the HDI deserves its spot in the crowded $2,000 price bracket.
The HDI-1600 is a bookshelf speaker with a 6.5-inch woofer for the lows and a 1-inch compression driver rather than your typical dome tweeter handling the highs. A compression driver is theoretically able to play louder than a standard tweeter with less distortion, but it requires a carefully designed waveguide or horn to shape the sound. So That fancy-looking trim around the compression driver is not just a design flourish â it makes critical contributions to the speakerâs tonality and soundstage.
These 3 studio monitors are great speakers for a small desk
When it comes to speakers, studio monitors often give you more bang for your buck IK Multimedia, Neumann, JBL
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As someone whoâs worked from home since long before the pandemic, having great sound at your desk can make the workday a lot more enjoyable. But if you, like me, have a small desk, you probably donât want giant speakers taking up all your precious real estate.
Fret not, for Iâm here to tell you you can get great sound from small speakers too. But to get the most bang for your buck, I make one important recommendation: consider buying studio monitors instead of mainstream or âhi-fiâ speakers.
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Itâs pretty much impossible to navigate an audiophile forum without somebody mentioning KEFâs LS50 speakers within a few pages. Created in 2012 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of another classic by the venerable audio company, the LS3/5a, the LS50 went on to receive rave reviews by media and users alike. The speakerâs coincident âUni-Qâ driver â in which the tweeter and woofer project sound from the same physical point in space â has become iconic.
But if Iâm being honest, I never really loved them. They were definitely good speakers, and I did love the wireless version which used built-in digital signal processing to refine the sound, but the original LS50 always struck me as a little harsh and bright.