![]() On the rear panel are two sets of inset gold-plated binding posts, so bi-wiring and bi-amping arrangements are catered for, while jumping straps are provided when simple single-wire connectivity is used, as per this review. Black Satin veneer with a black grille is the other available option. ![]() StereoNET's review pair came in a beautiful Satin Walnut finish, with blue cloth grilles. While the striking blue fascia surrounding the woofer evokes the classic nineteen seventies monitor vibe, the heavily braced 18mm thick enclosure features furniture-grade real wood veneer on both the sidewalls and – adding to the sense of luxury – the rear panel. As the cabinets are not particularly deep for a speaker of this size, you won't have to relinquish a large chunk of your listening room to achieve optimum positioning.Īs for the cabinets themselves, here's where the 'studio monitor for the home' aesthetic really makes itself known. Although the speaker does like a bit of space to breathe, 50cm from a rear wall is sufficient to keep things fulsome yet controlled in the low-frequency department. These not only assist bass extension but also increase placement options. The transducer is aided by twin bass-reflex ports on the front baffle to extend the bottom end down to a quoted 42Hz (-6dB). It's great to see that in a world of ever more exotic speaker cone material, good ol' pulp can still hold its own! Taking care of midrange and low-frequency business, with a crossover frequency of 1.6kHz, is a cast-frame pure pulp cone woofer, featuring a symmetrical field motor design with a long-throw voice coil, flux stabilisation ring and copper shorting ring. ![]() At the bottom of the treble assembly sits a UHF (Ultra High Frequency) adjustment control, offering 0.5dB or 1dB of top-end boost or cut above 5kHz. This is a classic JBL concept, with its distinctive curves designed to deliver an even response, controlling dispersion and further reducing distortion. The driver is allied to its proprietary High Definition Imaging (HDI) geometry horn, featuring technology derived from its D2 range of professional monitors. The tweeter is JBL's patented 2410H-2 annular ring with Teonex polymer diaphragm compression driver, which features a V-shaped cross-section engineered to reduce break-up modes while minimising distortion and time smear, the company says. Despite the vintage pro-audio looks, the 4309 is packed with modern technology. Now, the brand new 4309 joins its larger stablemates as one of the current models in the 'studio monitor designed for the home' range. Probably the best-known example of this was the classic, recently reissued JBL L100, which was the domestic version of the 4310 studio monitor it gained a massive following and went on to become the company's best selling loudspeaker. This inspired the brand to develop speakers with the same looks and performance characteristics as its professional range but for specific use in the home. Visually they are no shrinking violets, and visitors will immediately know you are serious about high quality, professional-grade sound reproduction – or at least aspire to be!\You'll be in good company too because back in the day, JBL engineers began using their company's studio monitors in their homes – well, they would, wouldn't they?. If you're eyeing a pair of these up with a view as to where they might fit in your listening room, the vital statistics are 260x420x229mm (WxHxD). Rather than the inconspicuous narrow-but-deep low profile boxes designed to fit unobtrusively in modern domestic living rooms, the 4309 features an old-school wide front baffle that positively screams Professional Monitoring Tool, while cabinet depth is shallow. The front-ported cabinet presents a visually striking pro-audio image, which differs from most modern speakers. Housing a 165mm woofer and 25mm compression driver (tweeter), quoted sensitivity is 87dB – so it's relatively amplifier-friendly for a fairly compact bookshelf loudspeaker. The 4309 is a 2-way bookshelf design incorporating modern proprietary technology within its funky retro cabinet. ![]() The thing is, it isn't intended for pro-audio use at all – because JBL's 4309 is aimed squarely at the domestic market. On the face of it, this speaker looks like it has teleported straight from a smokin' hot LA recording studio circa 1977 – it even displays the legend 'Studio Monitor' on the front baffle.
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