I’ve had these Arendals for about a year now and after seeing some of these comments, I can honestly say that people need to hear these in person. They’re not getting the full scope of what these things sound like. The accuracy and detail are pretty incredible. Just my opinion
i'm actually surprised at the perceived not much more Bass out of the bigger speaker. i prefer the JBL sound in this one- just honest playback.. Also the design is better than the MTM white/plain looking Arendal. great comparison as usual!
That's the closest I've been able to come to hearing the Arendals.... Really curious on these vs paradigm founder series and monitor audio silver. I've heard the latter two in person recently and give the nod to the monitor audios but I would still love to hear the Arendals in person... Thank you for your work and effort in making these videos. We certainly love and appreciate it!
But you aren't actually hearing the Arendals... you are hearing your speakers or headphones playing content reproduced by the Arendals. The sound signatures are from YOUR gear. These posts are for fun, but you ACTUALLY have to listen to them in person.
Thank you for the review of both of these speakers. I had been looking very hard at both of these. After seeing this and the comparison of the other speakers in this price range you did I ordered the Arendal speakers. Looking forward to them arriving.
To me, every song on the JBL’s sounded like perfection. Then the Arendal’s played, and from top to bottom, they sounded way better. Me wants these Arendal’s!
The JBL's were fantastic. Auditioned them last weekend. Blew the HDI1600 out of the water where accuracy is concerned. Some support from a fast sub could be helpful.
thanks a ton! wonderful audition! listening here with a pair of audeze lcd-x. both speakers are superb! the arendal to me have a bit more depth; more 'layers' of sound; a tiny, tiny bit of nice make-up. soundstage is 'bigger' in every way. the jbl 4309 are more direct, more immediate; less sweet but extremely real and visceral. hard to choose!! ...but in the end, i would chose the Arendal. soundstage is addictive!
I'd say get the 1723 S Towers over the larger bookshelf (ahem) 1723. They go lower surprisingly and are breathtaking with 2ch and love a nice powerful amp, movies well they are amazing but the shock comes how good they are with 2ch. You can listen for hours and still after a year you get those moments that are just wow. Highly recommended and worth the risk to order without listening. Just make sure you run them in fully don't take the first judgement, they evolve very nicely.
@@katstutrakatsturatorren Why is that? Pricewise there won't be a big difference if you include stands and they take about the same space on the floor. In my experience floor standers make a much bigger and fuller soundfield...
I love your accidental mistake on the Scaler (a great product) setting Terry. It resulted in the JBL sound being typical horn directional and forward, with the unusual trade of a slightly warmer 'thick' sound. These sound traits are known to be quite popular with many listeners ( however, not for me). The Arendals, surprisingly came across with a more typical audiophile sound. That is to say, it was highly detailed, well balanced, and with much better depth in soundfield (the JBL soundstage was wide, but limited in multilayer depth). Neither speaker is for me, but out of these two the Arendals take the win. Thanks Terry for the sound demo. In my opinion, your demos, are essential for those in the market for speakers, equipment, or to simply enhance their critical listening skills.
I got the JBL 4309's two weeks ago. Many places have them for 1400 dollars now. Basically at cost. I am very pleased with them. I have 4430's that are still waiting on foam surrounds for over a year and a half so far. Parts from China are just not happening last two years.
G'day Terry well I think the JBL get the nod for me. Although in saying that I really didn't find either of them overly impressive from what I can hear they just sounded a little thin and underwhelming. I agree with a previous comment Peggy Lee's fever was a great track I play that at home here on my Wilson's a lot. Great re-mastering of that song from the 60s
Both are great sounding speakers. I would pick the JBL’s, because it seems to me they have more detail in the bass and a more seamless integration of the drivers.
The one thing about the bass... Arendal's, like Triad's and other monitor speakers similar in design, are meant to be coupled with a subwoofer. You just don't play them by themselves.
@@dan_hitchman007 I understand, but I wasn't complaining about lack of low bass frequencies but praising the detail in the bass frequencies of the JBL's (not intensity or frequency response).
I'd say this comes down to preference. Horn loaded speakers have a distinctive sound. I can easily pick them out from a traditional dome, electrostatic or a ribbon. I appreciate what horns can do, and that some very well respected speakers utilize them. For my PERSONAL preference I feel the traditional dome (even with the wave guide) sounds more natural, or at least what I am comfortable with and enjoy. I have not lived with horns, so maybe my opinion would change, but I just can't relax and enjoy with what I perceive as a "honky" sound. But I certainly appreciate what others hear in them. That's why there are lots of different designs and choices.
Both had their flaws, if I was being very picky. Neither was perfect. The system choice would change the outcome. The JBL's would just take it, with a Dirac live of course, 😁
Nice selection of music this time, Terry -- loved Peggy Lee's _Fever_ in particular -- and was the second female singer Dido? Sounded like it to me, though I haven't heard the track before. The guitar piece was also good. Anyway, as to the speakers, I enjoyed both but when I contrasted the Arendals with the JBLs, I was struck by the former's richness in comparison. Right across the board, they seemed more textured, perhaps especially in bass and midrange. The percussive elements in _Fever_ were better characterised, and in general, the Arendals were appreciably more engaging, with no sense of strain. All in all, I'd say they're the best pair of speakers I've so far heard in your group tests - a great delight. Thanks for the demo -- much appreciated.
Great video as always, really enjoyed the sound from both - but I would pick the Arendal's, in matter of fact those are coming home for the HT sooner then later :)
good compare...thanks. My takeaway is the JBLs have less of a signature and suspect they'll provide long-term satisfaction whereas the Arendal have a bit of their own sound that while pleasing, I fear I'd not be unable to hear it.
If you check the review you will see the Arendal measure in the main just as linear as the JBL and better in some regards - what you hear more with the Arendal is the systems sound quality, the DAC's sound for example, you wont know that of course I do - they are the more transparent of the two
Interesting choice of music Terry. For me the Peggy Lee: Drums seemed more dynamic with JBL's but Voice seemed more 'natural' (as expected? Ho Ho;¬) with the Arendal's. Thanks for the extraordinary amount of care and effort you put into these vids. I can just imagine how miffed you were when you realised the change in the filter between the takes... Greetings to you and yours.
I'm not trying say that the Arendal's are necessarily better because you really need to hear them in person, but that they are made to be used with a subwoofer. The woofers are mid-bass woofers. Larger 8 inchers for more potential SPL's and less distortion.
To my ears the JBLs were considerably more musical. On Dune the classical Spanish guitar sounded like it had nylon strings where on the Arendals they sounded like steel strings. To my surprise the bass on the Arendals was not as strong and did not balance the highs that sounded border line harsh. The JBLs had more bass and sounded more balanced.
Remember the dac mode is different here, not on purpose by accident. The dac is set to a warmer mode for the jbl so that means rolled off a bit at the top end
i'm sure it's ultimately subjective, but listening to these JBL (on JBL) there's just more range there and with a completely natural sound. The others did feel compressed. Was that the filter you were referring to? Great job on the vid.
I'm not an Arendal spokesperson, just giving an observation: Arendal's are similar to Triad's in that they ABSOLUTELY must be paired with quality subwoofer(s). They are designed to taper off fairly rapidly in and around the THX recommended 80 Hz cross-over. Play them as full range speakers and you will be disappointed with the bass reproduction. That design allows for a lot more SPL potential in the upper to mid-bass region like a cinema monitor.
Maybe check the review I did but prettu sure they were delivering bass into the 30s in my room with room gain. They are not bass heavy sounding like they look like they willl sound but they def do bass with the ports open. All speakers sound better with subs
Really hard to tell much from UA-cam but the JBL seems more interesting. I run subs with all speaker with a highpass crossover so probably would lean toward the JBL as horns would be different.
Might I ask you which of the Arendals and the Amphion Argons have the best detail retrieval in your opinion? Particularly when it comes to vocals and the midrange region.
I started off thinking wow those JBL sounds nice. Then the second set came in and wow they are incredible. I wonder how the big JBL will fare against the others in your floorstand test? I am sold on the second pair.
just subscribe your channel, you've done a great job of reviewing different brands speakers. I'm now struggling to select speaker between JBL 4309 and ProAC Response D2R, could you give some advice? Or , is it possible to do a comparison of the two?
I am definitely impressed that an almost unknown speaker brand (in North America) can compete with the established quality brands such as JBL. Especially with the low pricing that Arendal offers their product for here.
I found the Arendals a little shouty but that is probably the listening gear I'm using. I suspect they will be too large for smaller living/listening rooms. With the filter applied, you have corrected (to a certain extent) the JBLs so I'm not hearing them naturally but they sound very good.
the filter is just a different dac filter - its not really effecting the sound how you think it might from the manual Incisive neutral HF roll-off Designed for purists in mind, who playback high sample rate PCM recordings, this option has an ultra linear frequency response with a high frequency filter past 20kHz to remove HF distortion and noise from these recordings. This includes a 16FS to 256FS WTA2 filter with the HF filter enabled. It makes the dac a little warmer and a little less resolving that is all
In my opinion there are slight differences in sound but the Arendals look like quality decor that would be a welcome in a home where the JBL looks like it belongs in the garage or at a frat party.
i know it is not how they really sound, but i have fun picking out differences as they sound thru this recording in my room. 1732 sounded bigger and taller, with more focus and more bass. 4309 sounded widers and more diffuse perhaps with some box resonances, and some muted highs.
Thank you for the sound demo Terry!! One vote for Arendal,i think its closer to my taste.The only bad thing with Arendal's is that are very heavy and big and its difficult to find the right stand for them!!Arendal's original stands are very expensive i think around 500 pounds !!
£629 for the stands now blame brexit, the benefit of these is they bolt together so are kid safe - otherwise I think stands with four uprights that allow you to add a lot of mass to them i.e large thick uprights would work ideal
JBL sound like monitors, flat, clear, and very revealing, while the Arendals sound warmer, more musical, a bit less detailed maybe but also less fatiguing over time? Both would benefit from high end subs, but the JBLs NEED subs. Edit: Upon further listening, the JBLs sound like someone removed the bass section of a full range speaker, and left only the mids and highs. They just completely cut out all lower frequencies. Would really love to hear them with subs.
The Arendal have big output down into the 30hz in my room as I showed in their in my room measurement - however I could never record that accurately and that is largely due to room gain so I manage that out in the dirac calibration for a more honest rep of what the speaker would do in different room. You dont need a sub but it could be a nice addition but that is true of all speakers really its worth factoring that in
@@PursuitPerfectSystem I can definitely hear more low end from the Arendals in your recording. I think we both agree though that almost any speaker system benefits from good well integrated subs 👍🏻
In that case your headphones cant show you the difference between a drum a guitar and a singer they all just sound like your headphones… it’s not a smart comment to make it’s foolish
If you can’t hear any difference with your headphones then you need better quality headphones. Of course you won’t be able to know what the actual speaker will sound like exactly using a sound demo like this but you should be able to hear some differences between the 2 speakers.
Hi I don’t know if it’s because of UA-cam both sound dull , nothing to excite ,but although they are both a nice looking speaker ,saying that the jbl more industrial, the arendal have a lovely look and from your demo it’s arendal is my choice 👍😷
Be cool if you did the powered JbL, seems like a very practical allrounder for someone that wants connectivity options and decent sound quality. If you could do a powered vid of comparison in this price range that would be ideal 👍🏼
The Arendals, sound fuller, deeper, yet more detailed. Seems like they are just warming up where the jbls have a real workout🤪 I think the Arendal 1723 series (towers, center, and these monitors for surround), will be my next speakers. Both sounds great btw 😊
Hi no I didn't mean your mix I meant on the recordings of the songs in the studio. They will have been mixed differently which will lead to a different sound out of each set of speakers as they will be bass dominant or mid/ treble dominant . Some mixes in studios are good some not so.
The only thing the JBL excelled was the liveliness of the music. Apart from that, the Arendal took the upper hand. I am pretty sure the Arendal will dominate in cinema setting, but not sure in 2ch setting. The Arendal just sounded too clean to me. The soundstage was wider in Arendal but the imaging was rather weak. The resolution and separation was better with Arendal but it's liked listening to an album, while the JBL was kinda listening live. In the end, I think it was not a fair fight for the Arendal as it is cinema oriented. The JBL has quite a lot of weaknesses (clarity, resolution, a bit forward of soundstage), but the lively vocals and the good engagement in music are important in 2ch. Still, bravo to the Arendal as I am sure it performs way better than the JBL in 2ch and cinema on average. The best is still a separate system for cinema and 2ch though.
Hi Terry. Is there much of a difference between the 4309s and the 4306 or L82s. I'm undecided on what one's to audition. Amps the baby Lyngdorf 1120. Cheers👍
Listened to this via my Kef Reference 3 and calibrated Arcam avr850 by Terry 😀 Track 1 the JBL’s aced it over. The Arendal’s just sounded really flat and less dynamic Track 2 a better showing by the Arendals here … not much in it with this presentation … the Arendal sounding a tad brighter Track 3 - the Arendals gave more LFE presentation to this track, however thought the drum sound was a tad clearer on JBL. Again little separation IMHO between them Track 4 - again there is the deeper bass response on this track by the Arendals … you can see why these favour HT installs. Liked the Arendals on this track better Track 5 again a bit more depth with the Arendals. Better separation between lead and backing (choir) vocals. In the end the Arendals pushed through in the end but I was disappointed how they handled the Chris Stapleton track, which would worry me for critical music listening across genres whereby the JBL series handled the changes in music all the way through
This is a bit of an oddity as normally I'd go for one or the other, but in this demo, I actually like both for different reasons. I like the slightly warmer sound of the JBL's but I also like the brighter, crisper sound of the Arandal's with some music. I'm sitting on the fence with this one 🤣
@@PursuitPerfectSystem it's maybe a mistake for this Demo Terry but it does show a potential buyer that a seriously great DAC can alter a speaker's sound and tweak it to suit their requirements. Don't beat yourself up about it mate, as many would see it as a bit of a blessing. 😊
Small preference to the arendals. Then I heard that Dido song, and the arendals really opened up in the mids and highs, but I favored the JBLs for lower excursion on that track. Tough choice. I’ll keep my Thiel cs2.2 s. 😂. Still loving them after 30 years of ownership. In fact, why doesn’t somebody recreate these older variants of the speakers that were so amazing and then market them direct like the Arendals? Seems like a big hole in the tower speaker markets, even more so in the monitor and bookshelf size stuff.
Damn The Arendal are a nice speaker , they seem to control the music much more , the JBL at times felt like it was hitting just on the high side of things slightly losing it, when replayed the Arendal everything just seemed smooth and controlled , might be a preference for some , but i found the vocals on the jbl were more to the forward , to the front. , with the Areandal its set back within the soundstage , i actually preferred that. Just an edit , i was listening to this through an Imac, ADi-2 DAC FS , with sennheiser 600HD Headphones Thanks terry much appreciated as always mate.
I know I would love the Arendal's and they are teh safer choice. But when you listen to Whiskey and Dune, the JBL seems so real it's like I am at the recording session/ or live. It's hard to not gravitate to that.
you had mentioned how linear the jbl 4309 are, similar to the kef ls50 metas. trying to decide between those 2...perhaps the kef have a bit more of detail and offer a deeper, taller, wider soundstage??
That’s weird both recordings are different so for them to sound the same you should maybe look at your setup. It always amazes me when people are into listening to recorded music but they don’t really get what that is. Imagine how many times someone wrote your same comment and I have to reply like this with a common sense reply. It’s tiring and boring
@@PursuitPerfectSystem hahaha!!!!!!! What I'm saying is being that I'm playing both recording through my 4309s.. I hear their signature lol it would be quite an extraordinary feat to make the 4309s sound like Wilson Watt puppies by playing a Wilson Watt puppy recording through them 😅😂
@@ddrakeavi yeah that’s not really the point it’s to highlight what the difference might be between them playing the same music in the same room on the same system. You never only listen to just speakers, never
@@ddrakeavi your damned if you do and your damned if you don’t, if you don’t see value in a video like this best not to click on it, than click then bitch about it, if it says sound demo in the title you can bet your bottom dollar that’s what the video is going to be.
Hi Bro For my Home Cinema iam Using Atc Scm19 for Front left and Front Right Channel and for Center atc c3c" So for Surround Channels Shall i use this Arendal 1723 Speakers as 7.1 Set up will be Great your suggestions Please🙏
would have liked to hear a more complex track, like little feat's Spanish moon for instance While these tracks show off the high lights if these speakers they show little of their weaknesses.
Tbey have arrived.. All I could do is look at them fo about an hour.. Emotiva 3 channel amp coming Thursday.. 😁😁😁 Do you have a video that explans 4oms vs 8 oms.. I running it on 8 oms know
I fully realize that I listened to this over youtube with headphones, but the JBL's sounded like someone put their hand over the mouths of the singers and I found it off-putting. The Arendal's sounded complete opposite, where the hand was removed from over the singer's mouth, and not only did their voice sound better, but the instruments backing them had more presence and character.
Off topic but I could really use your advice. For mainly movie watching I'm choosing between the Wharfedale Evo4 and the Arendal 1723 THX as my LCR. Since you've had both in hand to review which of the 2 would you suggest that I go for? Thanks.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Thanks a lot for your advice. I currently am using the Dali Oberon 7. I don't know if you've tried them but do you think going to the Arendals is a good choice or should I just stick to my Dali's?
I wish these were hooked up to a higher end receiver and a high powered amp....the arendals drink power and when they do its pure magic. However that being said I would dip to the arendals for clarity and far better sound stage than the jbls.
Maybe it's just me, but to my ears the Arendale's smoke the JBL in this test. Now, this could be because of the DAC not being set to "incisive mode", but the presentation and separation both seem superior in the Arendale. I would give the JBL's the nod in dynamics.
The JBL speakers disappear into the room. It's like the sound is coming from everywhere. It's like being in the actual recording studio. With the white speakers you can tell where the speakers are at and that the sound is coming from a cabinet if that makes sense. I prefer the JBL.
Neither of these speakers really appeals to me. I coveted some of the earliy JBL 4300 series monitors, way back before the switch to all titanium or wlde array horn tweeters. To me whether they're for hifi or studio, they always come across a bit like a P.A. speaker me. Not accoustic sounding on accoustic material. The Arendal's sound just didn't come together for me at all as a unified whole.
Because I had already packed away all the recording equipment and would never have been able to set it up in the exact same place so the test would not have been ideal. Also it’s more work that I don’t make any money from so this is the best I could do with that in mind. Take it for what it is
![JBL vs Klipsch | same song, same setup [4K]](/img/n.gif)
I’ve had these Arendals for about a year now and after seeing some of these comments, I can honestly say that people need to hear these in person. They’re not getting the full scope of what these things sound like. The accuracy and detail are pretty incredible. Just my opinion
i'm actually surprised at the perceived not much more Bass out of the bigger speaker. i prefer the JBL sound in this one- just honest playback.. Also the design is better than the MTM white/plain looking Arendal. great comparison as usual!
That's the closest I've been able to come to hearing the Arendals.... Really curious on these vs paradigm founder series and monitor audio silver. I've heard the latter two in person recently and give the nod to the monitor audios but I would still love to hear the Arendals in person... Thank you for your work and effort in making these videos. We certainly love and appreciate it!
But you aren't actually hearing the Arendals... you are hearing your speakers or headphones playing content reproduced by the Arendals. The sound signatures are from YOUR gear. These posts are for fun, but you ACTUALLY have to listen to them in person.
Always immensely impressed with Terry's recordings! By far the best sound demos on YT. A lot of effort gone into this. Great music choice too.
Thank you for the review of both of these speakers. I had been looking very hard at both of these. After seeing this and the comparison of the other speakers in this price range you did I ordered the Arendal speakers. Looking forward to them arriving.
Both have their points, however, the JBL seems to convey emotion to the music.
Agreed! Arendal more crisp but colder delivery.
To me, every song on the JBL’s sounded like perfection. Then the Arendal’s played, and from top to bottom, they sounded way better. Me wants these Arendal’s!
🎉🎉🎉🎉agree
The JBL's sounded boxy even before i heard the Arendals😏
The male voice sounded resonant and not good.
The JBL's were fantastic. Auditioned them last weekend. Blew the HDI1600 out of the water where accuracy is concerned. Some support from a fast sub could be helpful.
I was thinking about the 1600l, but I think this demo has chaged my mind.
thanks a ton! wonderful audition! listening here with a pair of audeze lcd-x. both speakers are superb! the arendal to me have a bit more depth; more 'layers' of sound; a tiny, tiny bit of nice make-up. soundstage is 'bigger' in every way. the jbl 4309 are more direct, more immediate; less sweet but extremely real and visceral. hard to choose!! ...but in the end, i would chose the Arendal. soundstage is addictive!
Bravo Arendal. Colour me impressed by their sound demo. Thanks Terry for making a lot of us discover that company.
Yes embrace him for marketing Chinese made speakers. He is doing you a favor
I'd say get the 1723 S Towers over the larger bookshelf (ahem) 1723. They go lower surprisingly and are breathtaking with 2ch and love a nice powerful amp, movies well they are amazing but the shock comes how good they are with 2ch. You can listen for hours and still after a year you get those moments that are just wow. Highly recommended and worth the risk to order without listening. Just make sure you run them in fully don't take the first judgement, they evolve very nicely.
monitors + subwoofer is way to go IMO
@@katstutrakatsturatorren Why is that?
Pricewise there won't be a big difference if you include stands and they take about the same space on the floor. In my experience floor standers make a much bigger and fuller soundfield...
I love your accidental mistake on the Scaler (a great product) setting Terry. It resulted in the JBL sound being typical horn directional and forward, with the unusual trade of a slightly warmer 'thick' sound. These sound traits are known to be quite popular with many listeners ( however, not for me). The Arendals, surprisingly came across with a more typical audiophile sound. That is to say, it was highly detailed, well balanced, and with much better depth in soundfield (the JBL soundstage was wide, but limited in multilayer depth). Neither speaker is for me, but out of these two the Arendals take the win. Thanks Terry for the sound demo. In my opinion, your demos, are essential for those in the market for speakers, equipment, or to simply enhance their critical listening skills.
I got the JBL 4309's two weeks ago. Many places have them for 1400 dollars now. Basically at cost. I am very pleased with them. I have 4430's that are still waiting on foam surrounds for over a year and a half so far. Parts from China are just not happening last two years.
G'day Terry well I think the JBL get the nod for me. Although in saying that I really didn't find either of them overly impressive from what I can hear they just sounded a little thin and underwhelming. I agree with a previous comment Peggy Lee's fever was a great track I play that at home here on my Wilson's a lot. Great re-mastering of that song from the 60s
Well it’s not fair to compare theses speakers to a pair of Wilson prize wise.
@@tshaolin971 hi there I never said in my comment that I was comparing my Wilson's with those JBL's.
Both are great sounding speakers. I would pick the JBL’s, because it seems to me they have more detail in the bass and a more seamless integration of the drivers.
The one thing about the bass... Arendal's, like Triad's and other monitor speakers similar in design, are meant to be coupled with a subwoofer. You just don't play them by themselves.
@@dan_hitchman007 I understand, but I wasn't complaining about lack of low bass frequencies but praising the detail in the bass frequencies of the JBL's (not intensity or frequency response).
I'd say this comes down to preference. Horn loaded speakers have a distinctive sound. I can easily pick them out from a traditional dome, electrostatic or a ribbon. I appreciate what horns can do, and that some very well respected speakers utilize them. For my PERSONAL preference I feel the traditional dome (even with the wave guide) sounds more natural, or at least what I am comfortable with and enjoy. I have not lived with horns, so maybe my opinion would change, but I just can't relax and enjoy with what I perceive as a "honky" sound. But I certainly appreciate what others hear in them. That's why there are lots of different designs and choices.
Horns have the lowest distortion if done correctly. However, they’re usually large which presents its own problems. Cheers
Both had their flaws, if I was being very picky. Neither was perfect. The system choice would change the outcome. The JBL's would just take it, with a Dirac live of course, 😁
Nice selection of music this time, Terry -- loved Peggy Lee's _Fever_ in particular -- and was the second female singer Dido? Sounded like it to me, though I haven't heard the track before. The guitar piece was also good.
Anyway, as to the speakers, I enjoyed both but when I contrasted the Arendals with the JBLs, I was struck by the former's richness in comparison. Right across the board, they seemed more textured, perhaps especially in bass and midrange. The percussive elements in _Fever_ were better characterised, and in general, the Arendals were appreciably more engaging, with no sense of strain. All in all, I'd say they're the best pair of speakers I've so far heard in your group tests - a great delight. Thanks for the demo -- much appreciated.
Great video as always, really enjoyed the sound from both - but I would pick the Arendal's, in matter of fact those are coming home for the HT sooner then later :)
Arendals take the win for me. So much smoother and less shouty to my ears, seem richer with more bass too.
The Arendals have less distorsion and are more layered in their presentation.
Less shouty, but less "real" and less live sounding to me. Something about the JBL's seems like its in front of me, happenning now.
Finalmente una registrazione di confronto veramente fatta bene: complimenti e grazie! Mi sono subito iscritto al canale.
good compare...thanks. My takeaway is the JBLs have less of a signature and suspect they'll provide long-term satisfaction whereas the Arendal have a bit of their own sound that while pleasing, I fear I'd not be unable to hear it.
If you check the review you will see the Arendal measure in the main just as linear as the JBL and better in some regards - what you hear more with the Arendal is the systems sound quality, the DAC's sound for example, you wont know that of course I do - they are the more transparent of the two
Interesting choice of music Terry. For me the Peggy Lee: Drums seemed more dynamic with JBL's but Voice seemed more 'natural' (as expected? Ho Ho;¬) with the Arendal's. Thanks for the extraordinary amount of care and effort you put into these vids. I can just imagine how miffed you were when you realised the change in the filter between the takes... Greetings to you and yours.
I'm not trying say that the Arendal's are necessarily better because you really need to hear them in person, but that they are made to be used with a subwoofer. The woofers are mid-bass woofers. Larger 8 inchers for more potential SPL's and less distortion.
With the description of the sound difference I agree.
Owning JBL4319 monitors I was prejudiced to like them over the Arendals. Boy was I wrong. They may be my next speaker.
jbl for me.. impressive compressor tweeter
To my ears the JBLs were considerably more musical. On Dune the classical Spanish guitar sounded like it had nylon strings where on the Arendals they sounded like steel strings. To my surprise the bass on the Arendals was not as strong and did not balance the highs that sounded border line harsh. The JBLs had more bass and sounded more balanced.
Remember the dac mode is different here, not on purpose by accident. The dac is set to a warmer mode for the jbl so that means rolled off a bit at the top end
i'm sure it's ultimately subjective, but listening to these JBL (on JBL) there's just more range there and with a completely natural sound. The others did feel compressed. Was that the filter you were referring to? Great job on the vid.
Bass is right, fast, creamy with the JBLs. It is muddier with the Arendals. How would these two speakers perform while playing complex rock music?
Yes, I agree
I'm not an Arendal spokesperson, just giving an observation: Arendal's are similar to Triad's in that they ABSOLUTELY must be paired with quality subwoofer(s). They are designed to taper off fairly rapidly in and around the THX recommended 80 Hz cross-over. Play them as full range speakers and you will be disappointed with the bass reproduction. That design allows for a lot more SPL potential in the upper to mid-bass region like a cinema monitor.
Maybe check the review I did but prettu sure they were delivering bass into the 30s in my room with room gain. They are not bass heavy sounding like they look like they willl sound but they def do bass with the ports open.
All speakers sound better with subs
Yet again amazing quality video Terry, not sure how much more of your 4k face I can take. ;)
Really hard to tell much from UA-cam but the JBL seems more interesting. I run subs with all speaker with a highpass crossover so probably would lean toward the JBL as horns would be different.
Might I ask you which of the Arendals and the Amphion Argons have the best detail retrieval in your opinion? Particularly when it comes to vocals and the midrange region.
I started off thinking wow those JBL sounds nice. Then the second set came in and wow they are incredible. I wonder how the big JBL will fare against the others in your floorstand test? I am sold on the second pair.
Did you mean the big Arendals? You said 'I wonder how the big JBL...'. Is there a floorstanders group test coming up?
@@garyizzard839 I am hazarding a guess.
Dont have my headphones with me now. Shit. Ill watch later... this is goin to be interesting!
JBLs sound great, clarity in vocals is nice. Maybe that's the tweeter handling more of that than the mid?
Both speakers cross over at a similar frequency
i wish you could test the elac velas since u have one of the best recording quality I've come across. keep up the good work !
Dido's voice is smoother and fuller on the 1723, while the bass seems more controlled with the JBL.
The Arendals need a subwoofer. They are monitor speakers first and foremost, like Triads.
. . . as usual, good work, Terry!
just subscribe your channel, you've done a great job of reviewing different brands speakers.
I'm now struggling to select speaker between JBL 4309 and ProAC Response D2R, could you give some advice? Or , is it possible to do a comparison of the two?
I am definitely impressed that an almost unknown speaker brand (in North America) can compete with the established quality brands such as JBL. Especially with the low pricing that Arendal offers their product for here.
Well, first off the brand is not unknown at all, and arendal sound is a norwegian Company!
@@chriss881000 relatively unknown in North America is what I said.
I know that they're from Norway and manufactured in China.
Oh shhhhheee! I hope you manage to get ahold of the JBL 4367 as well. :)
I found the Arendals a little shouty but that is probably the listening gear I'm using. I suspect they will be too large for smaller living/listening rooms. With the filter applied, you have corrected (to a certain extent) the JBLs so I'm not hearing them naturally but they sound very good.
the filter is just a different dac filter - its not really effecting the sound how you think it might from the manual
Incisive neutral HF roll-off
Designed for purists in mind, who playback high sample rate PCM recordings, this option has an ultra linear frequency response with a high frequency filter past 20kHz to remove HF distortion and noise from these recordings. This includes a 16FS to 256FS WTA2 filter with the HF filter enabled.
It makes the dac a little warmer and a little less resolving that is all
Arendal wins, sound is very open, clear, not strained as on the JBL, plus bigger soundstage, good speaker
In my opinion there are slight differences in sound but the Arendals look like quality decor that would be a welcome in a home where the JBL looks like it belongs in the garage or at a frat party.
i know it is not how they really sound, but i have fun picking out differences as they sound thru this recording in my room.
1732 sounded bigger and taller, with more focus and more bass. 4309 sounded widers and more diffuse perhaps with some box resonances, and some muted highs.
Thank you for the sound demo Terry!! One vote for Arendal,i think its closer to my taste.The only bad thing with Arendal's is that are very heavy and big and its difficult to find the right stand for them!!Arendal's original stands are very expensive i think around 500 pounds !!
£629 for the stands now blame brexit, the benefit of these is they bolt together so are kid safe - otherwise I think stands with four uprights that allow you to add a lot of mass to them i.e large thick uprights would work ideal
Thank you Terry to told you the truth i was looking forward for your stand suggestion!!Keep up the good work my friend!!
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Norway isn't in the EU! :)
Hii man I am very very very curious to know about what DACS you own which ones do you like to use and what is better speakers or headphones 🎧?!
JBL sound like monitors, flat, clear, and very revealing, while the Arendals sound warmer, more musical, a bit less detailed maybe but also less fatiguing over time? Both would benefit from high end subs, but the JBLs NEED subs.
Edit: Upon further listening, the JBLs sound like someone removed the bass section of a full range speaker, and left only the mids and highs. They just completely cut out all lower frequencies. Would really love to hear them with subs.
they booth need subs but still both are ported, that is so screwed up......
The Arendal have big output down into the 30hz in my room as I showed in their in my room measurement - however I could never record that accurately and that is largely due to room gain so I manage that out in the dirac calibration for a more honest rep of what the speaker would do in different room. You dont need a sub but it could be a nice addition but that is true of all speakers really its worth factoring that in
@@PursuitPerfectSystem I can definitely hear more low end from the Arendals in your recording. I think we both agree though that almost any speaker system benefits from good well integrated subs 👍🏻
Great service.
The arendals are so fricken good man, wow.
I keep it short: the Arendals!!
Wow they both sound exactly like the headphones I am listening to them on......
In that case your headphones cant show you the difference between a drum a guitar and a singer they all just sound like your headphones… it’s not a smart comment to make it’s foolish
If you can’t hear any difference with your headphones then you need better quality headphones. Of course you won’t be able to know what the actual speaker will sound like exactly using a sound demo like this but you should be able to hear some differences between the 2 speakers.
Hi I don’t know if it’s because of UA-cam both sound dull , nothing to excite ,but although they are both a nice looking speaker ,saying that the jbl more industrial, the arendal have a lovely look and from your demo it’s arendal is my choice 👍😷
hi Terry according to your opinion since you got to test them both better this Jbl 4309 or the Atc Scm11??
Be cool if you did the powered JbL, seems like a very practical allrounder for someone that wants connectivity options and decent sound quality. If you could do a powered vid of comparison in this price range that would be ideal 👍🏼
Yeah I agree, they do seem like that and maybe I will :)
Jbl for the win
The Arendals, sound fuller, deeper, yet more detailed. Seems like they are just warming up where the jbls have a real workout🤪
I think the Arendal 1723 series (towers, center, and these monitors for surround), will be my next speakers. Both sounds great btw 😊
both speakers sound good but really the jbl had that extra feel too it with warmer bass plus the jbl had just that better clarity in the tweeter
I also think its how the mix on the recording is done as some may be biased to the different speaker sound.
There is no mix the recording - just level adjustment
Hi no I didn't mean your mix I meant on the recordings of the songs in the studio. They will have been mixed differently which will lead to a different sound out of each set of speakers as they will be bass dominant or mid/ treble dominant . Some mixes in studios are good some not so.
The only thing the JBL excelled was the liveliness of the music. Apart from that, the Arendal took the upper hand. I am pretty sure the Arendal will dominate in cinema setting, but not sure in 2ch setting. The Arendal just sounded too clean to me. The soundstage was wider in Arendal but the imaging was rather weak. The resolution and separation was better with Arendal but it's liked listening to an album, while the JBL was kinda listening live. In the end, I think it was not a fair fight for the Arendal as it is cinema oriented. The JBL has quite a lot of weaknesses (clarity, resolution, a bit forward of soundstage), but the lively vocals and the good engagement in music are important in 2ch. Still, bravo to the Arendal as I am sure it performs way better than the JBL in 2ch and cinema on average. The best is still a separate system for cinema and 2ch though.
Hi Terry. Is there much of a difference between the 4309s and the 4306 or L82s. I'm undecided on what one's to audition. Amps the baby Lyngdorf 1120. Cheers👍
Listened to this via my Kef Reference 3 and calibrated Arcam avr850 by Terry 😀
Track 1 the JBL’s aced it over. The Arendal’s just sounded really flat and less dynamic
Track 2 a better showing by the Arendals here … not much in it with this presentation … the Arendal sounding a tad brighter
Track 3 - the Arendals gave more LFE presentation to this track, however thought the drum sound was a tad clearer on JBL. Again little separation IMHO between them
Track 4 - again there is the deeper bass response on this track by the Arendals … you can see why these favour HT installs. Liked the Arendals on this track better
Track 5 again a bit more depth with the Arendals. Better separation between lead and backing (choir) vocals.
In the end the Arendals pushed through in the end but I was disappointed how they handled the Chris Stapleton track, which would worry me for critical music listening across genres whereby the JBL series handled the changes in music all the way through
I found i liked females voices better on the Arendal, and male voices better on the JBL.
This is a bit of an oddity as normally I'd go for one or the other, but in this demo, I actually like both for different reasons. I like the slightly warmer sound of the JBL's but I also like the brighter, crisper sound of the Arandal's with some music. I'm sitting on the fence with this one 🤣
Thats the difference in the DAC setting - its a shame I made that mistake but I dont make many, but shit happens
@@PursuitPerfectSystem it's maybe a mistake for this Demo Terry but it does show a potential buyer that a seriously great DAC can alter a speaker's sound and tweak it to suit their requirements. Don't beat yourself up about it mate, as many would see it as a bit of a blessing. 😊
Small preference to the arendals. Then I heard that Dido song, and the arendals really opened up in the mids and highs, but I favored the JBLs for lower excursion on that track. Tough choice. I’ll keep my Thiel cs2.2 s. 😂. Still loving them after 30 years of ownership. In fact, why doesn’t somebody recreate these older variants of the speakers that were so amazing and then market them direct like the Arendals? Seems like a big hole in the tower speaker markets, even more so in the monitor and bookshelf size stuff.
Damn The Arendal are a nice speaker , they seem to control the music much more , the JBL at times felt like it was hitting just on the high side of things slightly losing it,
when replayed the Arendal everything just seemed smooth and controlled , might be a preference for some , but i found the vocals on the jbl were more to the forward , to the front. , with the Areandal its set back within the soundstage , i actually preferred that.
Just an edit , i was listening to this through an Imac, ADi-2 DAC FS , with sennheiser 600HD Headphones
Thanks terry much appreciated as always mate.
I know I would love the Arendal's and they are teh safer choice. But when you listen to Whiskey and Dune, the JBL seems so real it's like I am at the recording session/ or live. It's hard to not gravitate to that.
Do you hear a difference on the JBL’s with or without the grilles on the small midbass driver?
you had mentioned how linear the jbl 4309 are, similar to the kef ls50 metas. trying to decide between those 2...perhaps the kef have a bit more of detail and offer a deeper, taller, wider soundstage??
As presented - JBL = crisp treble, live sound, punchy bass. 1723 = Fuller sound, larger presence, bass just a notch over 'boomy'.
Its not the speaker that's boomy that the challenge of recording big bass thats then compressed sadly. Not worked out how to solve that yet
hi terry.is there any chance you can test a pair of pmc's fact 12 signatures and kef blade 2's ? im thinking of getting them next? cheers
Sorry Dean not likely
I played this test through my JBL 4309s. I can not stress enough how both of them sounded like my 4309s! 😅😂
That’s weird both recordings are different so for them to sound the same you should maybe look at your setup.
It always amazes me when people are into listening to recorded music but they don’t really get what that is. Imagine how many times someone wrote your same comment and I have to reply like this with a common sense reply. It’s tiring and boring
@@PursuitPerfectSystem hahaha!!!!!!!
What I'm saying is being that I'm playing both recording through my 4309s.. I hear their signature lol it would be quite an extraordinary feat to make the 4309s sound like Wilson Watt puppies by playing a Wilson Watt puppy recording through them 😅😂
@@ddrakeavi yeah that’s not really the point it’s to highlight what the difference might be between them playing the same music in the same room on the same system.
You never only listen to just speakers, never
@@PursuitPerfectSystem I get that.. However only the person actually in the room doing the comparison, would hear the benefit of such a test.
@@ddrakeavi your damned if you do and your damned if you don’t, if you don’t see value in a video like this best not to click on it, than click then bitch about it, if it says sound demo in the title you can bet your bottom dollar that’s what the video is going to be.
A good speaker has enough reserves to play the dynamics. The Arendal seems to be built like that.
Hi Bro For my Home Cinema iam Using Atc Scm19 for Front left and Front Right Channel and for Center atc c3c" So for Surround Channels Shall i use this Arendal 1723 Speakers as 7.1 Set up will be Great your suggestions Please🙏
I think it makes more sense to stick with ATC so all your speakers match
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Sure Bro as Per your suggestions iam moving forward to Put atc hts7 as Surround Speakers Definitely*
would have liked to hear a more complex track, like little feat's Spanish moon for instance While these tracks show off the high lights if these speakers they show little of their weaknesses.
Have you had a chance to review the Heco aurora 1000?
To me the jbls have more grit. The first song you could hear the gravel in his voice where I didn't get that with the second pair.
I've been up since 6 am waiting for my speakers arriving today...lol 1723s
I know that feeling all too well
Tbey have arrived.. All I could do is look at them fo about an hour.. Emotiva 3 channel amp coming Thursday.. 😁😁😁 Do you have a video that explans 4oms vs 8 oms.. I running it on 8 oms know
Is arendal as bad as klipch in general? Or are they some notches up?
I’m most curious how the Arendals compare with the Buchart Mark II?!!!!
Review Elac Vela, Navis and Carina
Arendal 1723 for the win!!!!!!
I fully realize that I listened to this over youtube with headphones, but the JBL's sounded like someone put their hand over the mouths of the singers and I found it off-putting. The Arendal's sounded complete opposite, where the hand was removed from over the singer's mouth, and not only did their voice sound better, but the instruments backing them had more presence and character.
I like the JBL’s better. Which sucks because I came hear interested in Arendal. 😮
You need to do a trial run of the Arendals. DO NOT go by this kind of audio demo. In person demoing is a must.
Would the jbl have weightier mid range and bass ??
Off topic but I could really use your advice. For mainly movie watching I'm choosing between the Wharfedale Evo4 and the Arendal 1723 THX as my LCR. Since you've had both in hand to review which of the 2 would you suggest that I go for? Thanks.
I think if its mainly movies the Arendal would be my choice
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Thanks a lot for your advice. I currently am using the Dali Oberon 7. I don't know if you've tried them but do you think going to the Arendals is a good choice or should I just stick to my Dali's?
I dont know the Oberon sorry best way to find out is buy them and use your home trial period to test them for yourself.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Thanks...what about the Arendal 1723 vs the SVS Ultra?
@@johnlim7720 Ultra has "crispier" highs, if that's your thing.
I hear a much boxier sound out of the JBLs which have to push harder to move as much air
Terry, check out Michel Jonasz - Le Lac Gelé song for your tests. Highly recommended! Cheers.
Wau. Arendal.. ❤️
Love the choice of music. All new to me. 🤷🏾♂️👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I wish these were hooked up to a higher end receiver and a high powered amp....the arendals drink power and when they do its pure magic. However that being said I would dip to the arendals for clarity and far better sound stage than the jbls.
They were runnig off a 5 grand amp that can deliver about 50 amps of current
Arendals sound more composed and detailed. Somehow🤔
Maybe it's just me, but to my ears the Arendale's smoke the JBL in this test. Now, this could be because of the DAC not being set to "incisive mode", but the presentation and separation both seem superior in the Arendale. I would give the JBL's the nod in dynamics.
The midrange of the Arendal is less grainey and more natural sounding.
The JBL speakers disappear into the room. It's like the sound is coming from everywhere. It's like being in the actual recording studio. With the white speakers you can tell where the speakers are at and that the sound is coming from a cabinet if that makes sense. I prefer the JBL.
Arendal sounds a bit more accurate and linear for sure
Arendal all the way!!!
Which of these do you personally think has the edge when it comes to detail retrieval?
The 1723 lets you hear the musical detailed layers better and is therefore more detailed - the timing is better
@@PursuitPerfectSystemCheers! Might look into the Arendal Speakers.
Neither of these speakers really appeals to me. I coveted some of the earliy JBL 4300 series monitors, way back before the switch to all titanium or wlde array horn tweeters. To me whether they're for hifi or studio, they always come across a bit like a P.A. speaker me. Not accoustic sounding on accoustic material.
The Arendal's sound just didn't come together for me at all as a unified whole.
Are you deaf?
I don’t know why you wouldn’t retest the Arendal’s after realizing you don’t use the same testing mode as with the JBL’s.
Because I had already packed away all the recording equipment and would never have been able to set it up in the exact same place so the test would not have been ideal.
Also it’s more work that I don’t make any money from so this is the best I could do with that in mind. Take it for what it is