SETUP
From an engineering standpoint, the Studio 180 is standard stuff: a rear-ported design in a well-braced MDF enclosure with dual metal binding posts in the back. Thus, setup is typical for a floorstanding speaker. Set it out at least 12 inches or so from the wall behind it. Space the speakers far enough apart to get a wide soundstage without sacrificing a strong center image. If you like, toe the speakers in so they point straight at you — but given the Studio 180’s excellent dispersion, this isn’t absolutely necessary.
I connected the pair of Studio 180s to my Krell S-300i integrated amp for most of my listening, and also tried them with my Denon AVR-2809CI receiver. With a gentle impedance curve and reasonable 88 dB rated sensitivity, the Studio 180 doesn’t demand much from an amplifier.
PERFORMANCE
Six years ago, I asked Floyd Toole, who at the time was VP of acoustical engineering at Harman International (parent company of JBL), what he considered the point of diminishing returns for a loudspeaker — i.e., above what price level would you cease to get large improvements in sound quality by spending more money? As one of the wisest and most important scientists in audio, he qualified his response in numerous ways, but finally answered, “Maybe $2,000 per pair.”
I think if Toole heard the $700/pair Studio 180, he might revise his answer. Tune after tune, album after album, musical genre after musical genre, I was continually amazed by how good the Studio 180 sounds. In fact, I could find only two flaws in it — one of which is inherent to its form factor, not its engineering.
Peter Gabriel’s Security has its weaknesses; it was made during the awkward early-’80s transition from analog to digital audio technology, using then-trendy gated drums as well as synthesizers that sound really cheezy now even if they were state-of-the-art at the time. Still, when I listened to my original vinyl copy through the Studio 180s, the stereo imaging was spectacular. Jerry Marotta’s drums, in particular, popped between the speakers like a Whack-A-Mole machine plugged into a 240-volt outlet. The Studio 180s wrapped my listening room with the colossal, portentous sound I’m sure Gabriel was going after but that the relatively unrefined speakers of that era seldom delivered.
Sticking with the same decade, I dropped the needle of my Pro-Ject RM-1.3 on “Come Get It” from Miles Davis’s Star People LP. I didn’t expect to hear great groove from a record player or from a full-range speaker (more on that later), but that’s exactly what I got. Marcus Miller’s slaphappy bass line thundered from the speakers in perfect, tight sync with Al Foster’s kick drum. Maintaining my stone-cold-sober, head-in-a-vise serious audiophile listening pose proved impossible; my head reflexively bobbed with the in-the-pocket rhythm.
By now I knew the Studio 180 could groove, but could it sing? Time to pull out my speaker test CD, which includes snippets of all sorts of singers. The 4-inch midrange (which in this speaker handles frequencies from 800 Hz to 3.2 kHz) got almost every one of them right, from the deep baritone of Johnny Hartman to the smooth tenor of James Taylor to the reedy tones of Donald Fagen to the soaring alto of Laura Nyro. (Only on the raspy voice of Ron Sexsmith did it choke; here, it sounded just a bit edgy and coarse.) Not only did the vocals sound natural, they sounded lush, romantic, and present in the room. Same goes for the alto, tenor, and baritone saxes in “The Holy Men” from the World Saxophone Quartet’s Metemorphosis.
Hopefully you will get a chance to compare these with the new Boston Acoustics A360 soon?
I will now learn not to underestimate the performance of a speaker based on how it looks. On first impressions, I wondered how a tower speaker like that could be good, but since I trust your judgement, your review really opened my eyes! I hope I have a chance to listen to the kinds of sound qualities this speaker can produce. I need to listen before I really make a decision whether to purchase.
I have owned these speakers for about 20 months now. After trying and bringing home 4 different sets of speakers ( KEF, Paradigm, Yamaha and Boston Acoustics) I have yet to find a better sounding speaker. Full rich spatial mids, responsive Base and Crystal Clear highs. Listening to everything from A-Z as a pretty eclectic music lover I have yet to come across a genre that these speakers have disappointed me with. Absolutely Amazing...
I have thease speakers connected to a Denon 1910 reciever with the 5.1 Infinity Beta Speakers. Is my reciever powerfull enough to handle all of the speakers at once? Is this Denon reciever perfect with thease speakers? Can you recomand some settings for setup them (crosswover,etc)?
Right now i am using the reciever in 7.1, should i change it to 5.1 for movies? How can i setup the my speakers with this reciever corectly? I know how i want them to sound but right now they don't make a big impresion. Shoud i change to a new Harman Kardon reciever?
@Mariandvd: Your Denon should work fine. IMHO, a decent receiver isn't going to be especially good or bad with any particular speaker. Switching to another brand will probably not give you dramatically better sound. You can use it in 7.1 for movies and music - whatever you like is fine, there are no hard and fast rules. You can run the JBLs full-range (or large) if you like. For the Infinity speakers, probably an 80 Hz crossover point will work well.
I don't recommend using the tone controls on the receiver. Set everything flat tonally, and be sure to balance the channel levels using an SPL meter. (The ones available as iPod and Droid apps will work fine.) Place the JBLs at least a foot from the wall behind them. BTW, you will probably get better sound with a matching system -- i.e., all-JBL or all-Infinity, and use speakers within the same line, like the Studio series.
Purchased a pair for a great price, somewhat based on this review and a few others....Firstly, in the manual the crossover points say 1.1kHz, 2.5kHz, 6dB/octave, not the 800Hz, 3.2kHz, 6dB/octave you state. The 190 shows the crossover points you speak of but it says different for the 180. Even JBL's 180 spec sheet shows your numbers when their manual doesn't?
Secondly, they could need more break in time but I'm not wowed with their sound overall and may send them back. They don’t stink, but there isn't anything about the sound that made me raise an eyebrow and get a big grin on my face like there was listening to my new Martin Logan Motion 12's while listening to one of Clapton's Crossroads guitar fest dvds the other day.
I feel the bass of these is more than ample but isn't super accurate sometimes and can lend a ever so slight muddy character to certain songs imo. They may be a great home theater speaker though and I may keep them for that reason alone if they shine there.
Overall they haven't kept me up at night listening to "just one more song" before I go to bed. I did hear things I hadn't with older 2 way speakers which is nice, but there is just something about the sound that seems restrained. Maybe that's because they are not broke in and will open up some later?
Thanks for a great site/mag, I just started subscribing and know it'll be a life long one. I'm officially in the wormhole of audio now, I just hope it doesn't cost too much.....yeah I know lol.