JBL HDI-1600 Speaker Review

[Hexspa]

IMO, It's more about preference than right or wrong.
For stereo I've always preferred the side walls treated to be damped, specially in the area of first reflections.
Along with a speaker that has fairly narrow horizontal dispersion, horns are my personal fav.
This to me, offers the clearest reproduction of the source material.

If you want any supporting evidence, just listen to a good set of headphones.. MHO is that this "reflection free" attribute of cans
illustrates why headphones are so popular today. I'm not a big headphone guy, wearing them for long just annoys the hell out of me, but when I have a question about the sound of something I hear on my speakers, I'll pull out my Senn HD650's for a highly detailed view unmolested by room reflections.
Again I don't see any right or wrong, just preference, some like a very focused stereo soundstage, some a more defuse one such as presented by bi/di poles, and all of that.

I have also found a well damped room to be of even more importance with multich playback. If you want to hear the "3D Soundspace" as the production team intended, having blurring reflections bouncing all over the place from 5, 7, 11 or more
speakers is definitely to be avoided.
Going back to the 90s I experimented with a Paradigm 5.2 system using their bipolar surround speakers that had been highly reviewed by some HT magazine of the time. The Titan direct radiators were excellent stand mounts of the day but I could never get into what was going on in the surround presentation and was happy to sell them off before my move to FL after retirement.
All just IMHO and YMMV.
View attachment 235455

I’m 100% on board with absorption. With it, my room measures better and I can hear more detail over a greater range of frequencies.

I used to be a headphone hater until I got a software room emulation. The fact that I can monitor low end with low distortion without bothering neighbors at 2am has been a life changer for me. Still, nothing like the tight snappy bass from a well-dampened room.

 

[RichB]

Amir said:

”So don't go chasing myths on the Internet to absorb reflections.” in this review. This is vague and contradictory to his own advice in other reviews advising to absorb reflections. It’d be one thing if he simply said, “There’s no particular directivity issue so special attention to absoption is not needed.”

No, instead he wielded the hammer and made a needlessly biased point when absorption may be the best approach in a given case. I haven’t read Toole yet but if he’s acknowledging that some absorption is useful then it’s just a matter of degree how useful it is; besides preference.

You acknowledge that you don’t want to listen to music in a bathroom which is just an extreme example. Still, it’s on the same continuum. After all, the only reason bathrooms - or any room - sound like they do is because of reflected and absorbed energy and their proportion to direct.

Often, I have a hard time finding speech intelligible in a very ‘live’ room. Why wouldn’t this apply to speakers? Both are sources pointed at a listener with directivity patterns, frequency response, etc.

There’s a severe lack of logic here. The furthest anyone has taken me is that some prefer live spaces. I can’t argue with preference but there’s no arguing that rooms influence measurements and what you hear. If you want the utmost in accuracy, you need to sit closer, absorb reflections or get into a bigger room.

If absorbing reflections are an “internet myth” (it isn’t) then set up your stereo in a closet and tell me how good it sounds.

I think everyone has an issue hearing people in a very reflective room, especially as you get older.
My home office has suspended ceilings, is partially rugged, and has furnishings. It does not need treatment.

The myth is that you must treat early reflections. This is a one-size fits all solution, like prescription before diagnosis.
If the argument is that first reflection treatment is a Must, then I'll call that a Myth.

- Rich

 

[Hexspa]

I think everyone has an issue hearing people in a very reflective room, especially as you get older.
My home office has suspended ceilings, is partially rugged, and has furnishings. It does not need treatment.

The myth is that you must treat early reflections. This is a one-size fits all solution, like prescription before diagnosis.
If the argument is that first reflection treatment is a Must, then I'll call that a Myth.

- Rich

I think that's a fair qualification and I'm glad we could bring nuance to what seemed, to me, like just that: a blanket prescription.

 

[edgeoffmyocean]

Hello people. I'm going to buy the jbl hdi 1600's . I'm just confused about which integrated amplifier i should buy.
My room is 150sq with a bed and 3 door large wadrobe

1. Cambridge audio cx 81 - 120 watts at 4 ohms

2. Musical fidelity m5si - 150 watts at 8 ohms. No offical 4ohm ratings but i read it's about 250 at 4 ohms somewhere on this site

3. Roksan k3 - 220 watts at 4 ohms

4. Audiolab 9000a - 160 watts at 4 ohms

5. Rotel a14mkii , 1572mkii 1592mkii, s14 ( I have read rotels having problems so I'm not keen on them

6. Arcam sa 20 - 150 at 4 ohms. Wanted to buy this but is out of stock where I from

My question is do I need that much power for the JBL hdi 1600 for a 150sq room that is covered by a queen bed and large wardrobe to play the speakers at a reasonably loud level ie just below the volume it would take for the neighbours to call the cops on me.

Thanks for any suggestions and help

 

[Beave]

150 sq FEET?

All those above are probably more than enough power if the room is 150 sq ft and 8 foot ceiling (and probably more expensive than necessary).

 

[ROOSKIE]

Hello people. I'm going to buy the jbl hdi 1600's . I'm just confused about which integrated amplifier i should buy.
My room is 150sq with a bed and 3 door large wadrobe

1. Cambridge audio cx 81 - 120 watts at 4 ohms

2. Musical fidelity m5si - 150 watts at 8 ohms. No offical 4ohm ratings but i read it's about 250 at 4 ohms somewhere on this site

3. Roksan k3 - 220 watts at 4 ohms

4. Audiolab 9000a - 160 watts at 4 ohms

5. Rotel a14mkii , 1572mkii 1592mkii, s14 ( I have read rotels having problems so I'm not keen on them

6. Arcam sa 20 - 150 at 4 ohms. Wanted to buy this but is out of stock where I from

My question is do I need that much power for the JBL hdi 1600 for a 150sq room that is covered by a queen bed and large wardrobe to play the speakers at a reasonably loud level ie just below the volume it would take for the neighbours to call the cops on me.

Thanks for any suggestions and help

You probably won't use more than 50watts.
That would be when really cranking it up in that space.
Likely most of time you will use 10watts or less.
I always like to have 2x3 times the maximum power that I am likely to use though as you don't often save much money but going for less and more doesn't hurt just in case.
Just don't sweat any difference between something like 120 and 150. It takes double the amp power for every 3db increase. Just buy something you like with 100-150watts into 4ohms and don't overspend on the amp. Most decent amps will sound just as good as anything, look for a nice increase in power going from 8ohm to 4ohm loads, that will give the bass region plenty of backbone.

 

[Angel II]

I too am interested in JBL HDI-1600 or Dynaudio Evoke 20. The amp I currently have is an Atoll IN80 Signature and Polk Audio ES20 speakers. Atoll IN80 in 4ohm has a maximum power of 120 watts, what do you think?

 

[ROOSKIE]

I too am interested in JBL HDI-1600 or Dynaudio Evoke 20. The amp I currently have is an Atoll IN80 Signature and Polk Audio ES20 speakers. Atoll IN80 in 4ohm has a maximum power of 120 watts, what do you think?

That is likely enough power.

How loudly do you listen when volume is at the loudest you use?
What size is the room?
Those are big factors.

 

[Angel II]

The listening volume knob rotates it to 2.5 maximum 3, I don't have the courage to push it further. Volume knob full scale 10. The size of the room is 4x3m. It plays the ES20 incredibly well.

 

[ROOSKIE]

The listening volume knob rotates it to 2.5 maximum 3, I don't have the courage to push it further. Volume knob full scale 10. The size of the room is 4x3m. It plays the ES20 incredibly well.

I mean volume in SPL/db<measured with an accurate meter), but that is okay. In that size room your amp will be plenty for those speakers.

 

[anioq]

How does this differ from the new Studio 630? They look very similar?

 

[ROOSKIE]

How does this differ from the new Studio 630? They look very similar?

Different drivers, crossover, cabinets and variation of the HDI waveguide.
Similar design philosophy though.

 

[edgeoffmyocean]

How does this differ from the new Studio 630? They look very similar?

Hi , I know that that the hdi 1600 is for music and movies and can go much louder based on my research. Going by the name "studio" 630 and it's price it's safe to assume the studio 630 is mainly aimed for studio monitoring. As a lay person what I understand that means is they are as netural as possible.

As for looking similar. Almost all bookshelfs from various companies and their products. They all look very similar. Circular tweeter on top with a bass mid driver below.
Also what ROOSKIE said

Have a good one

 

[anioq]

Actually, maybe a better question is how does the HDI-1600 compare to the Studio 530? I love that thing.

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[mikhailf]

Actually, maybe a better question is how does the HDI-1600 compare to the Studio 530? I love that thing.

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i can't speak for 530. but i like hdi-1600 more than 580s I had. and better than 590s i had. hdi-1600 are doing surround duty paired with jbl hdi-3800 fronts and hdi-4500 center.

 

[Sal1950]

i can't speak for 530. but i like hdi-1600 more than 580s I had. and better than 590s i had. hdi-1600 are doing surround duty paired with jbl hdi-3800 fronts and hdi-4500 center.

Sounds like a great system. I have 3600s in the four corners and the 4500 in the center and am totally pleased with the system.
See the link in my signature for a complete list.

 

[mikhailf]

Sounds like a great system. I have 3600s in the four corners and the 4500 in the center and am totally pleased with the system.
See the link in my signature for a complete list.

thank you for the comment. I have similar setup with 2 svs pb-2000 in that space. and eventually will wire and mount 4 atmos speakers (direct firing from ceiling).

 

[ABE43]

How do these do relatively close to a rear wall? The owner's manual states "Generally, bass output will increase as the speaker is moved closer to a wall or corner." but doesn't list minimum or ideal distances. I'm considering putting these in a 180 sq. ft. room in my apartment so much more than a foot out really cuts into floor space in the way I have other furniture arranged. There are other options with a down-firing bass port but I like the measurements on these much more.

 

[Jon AA]

If you have any EQ in your system, I wouldn't worry about it. It's quite easy to cut and smooth out excess bass with EQ. If you don't, then yes, you may need to pull them out from the wall a ways if the bass is boomy--though I'm not sure anybody can tell you exactly how far.

 

[silver12]

Hello, someone compare with ATC scm11, Revel M106?