Short answer: the Infinity Reference 253. It ranks #48 of 56 floorstanding speakers by sound quality at $400; the JBL Studio 590 ranks #54 and costs $2000, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Infinity Reference 253 side: Horizontal beamwidth of about ±60 degrees is fairly smooth and well controlled. Set against that: CEA2034 spinorama and predicted in-room response both show elevated treble above 4kHz (“too hot”), a dip around 2kHz, and bass shelved down relative to the midrange.
What the JBL Studio 590 gets right: Pretty deep bass. The catch: 3dB peak at 1.7khz, about a 4dB peak from 8k to 13k, going to be bright up top.
Buy the Infinity Reference 253. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Studio 590 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 56 floorstanding speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Infinity Reference 253 | JBL Studio 590 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $400 used, Discontinued | $2000 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #48 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #54 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 32Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 48Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) | 49.7"H x 12.7"W x 16.3"D (1263.0 x 322.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms nominal (5 ohms measured minimum, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | Dual 5.25" (130mm) CMMD™ woofers, 5.25" (130mm) flat-piston CMMD™ midrange, 1" (25mm) CMMD™ tweeter | 2x 8" (200mm) PolyPlas cone woofers, 1x 1" (25mm) Teonex dome tweeter on Bi-Radial horn (2.5-way) |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (measured by Audio Science Review; 88dB manufacturer specified) | 90.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each | 107.8 lbs / 48.9 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Klipsch RP-8000F II vs JBL Stage 2 280F
- JBL Stage 2 280F vs Triangle Esprit Antal Ez
- Klipsch RP-8000F II vs Sony SS-CS3
- Sony SS-CS3 vs JBL Studio 590
- JBL Stage 2 280F vs JBL Studio 590
The Two Speakers In Full
Infinity Reference 253: $400 used, Discontinued
Pros: Horizontal beamwidth of about ±60 degrees is fairly smooth and well controlled. Really amazing value for the performance.
Cons: CEA2034 spinorama and predicted in-room response both show elevated treble above 4kHz (“too hot”), a dip around 2kHz, and bass shelved down relative to the midrange. Vertical directivity requires staying at or below the tweeter axis for accurate tonal balance. Distortion at 96dB SPL/1m is broadly elevated above the reviewer’s audibility threshold across much of the midrange. Minimum impedance dips to 4.2 ohms. Discontinued.
Full Infinity Reference 253 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | Dual 5.25" (130mm) CMMD™ woofers, 5.25" (130mm) flat-piston CMMD™ midrange, 1" (25mm) CMMD™ tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (measured by Audio Science Review; 88dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Infinity Reference 253 vs JBL Stage 2 280F
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Sony SS-CS3
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Magnepan LRS+
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Focal Aria Evo X N°2
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Polk T50
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Klipsch RP-6000F II
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Dynaudio Emit 30
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Klipsch RP-8000F II
- See all 14 comparisons
JBL Studio 590: $2000 Discontinued
Pros: Pretty deep bass. CEA2034 spinorama is flat on-axis at a high level, with high sensitivity around 89-90dB. Predicted in-room response is good aside from a dip between 800Hz-1.5kHz. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is good outside of the 8.5kHz resonance.
Cons: 3dB peak at 1.7khz, about a 4dB peak from 8k to 13k, going to be bright up top. Just okay vertical off axis. Really bad resonance at 8.5khz, which shows up as a sharp distortion spike at both 86dB and 96dB SPL/1m. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) reveals many fine resonances across the midrange and treble. At 96dB SPL/1m the midrange and treble get notably messier, with broad distortion elevation from 2-8kHz. Discontinued.
Full JBL Studio 590 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 48Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 49.7"H x 12.7"W x 16.3"D (1263.0 x 322.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 8" (200mm) PolyPlas cone woofers, 1x 1" (25mm) Teonex dome tweeter on Bi-Radial horn (2.5-way) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (5 ohms measured minimum, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 90.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 107.8 lbs / 48.9 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Studio 590 vs Triangle Esprit Antal Ez
- JBL Studio 590 vs Bose 901 Series V
- JBL Studio 590 vs Magnepan LRS+
- JBL Studio 590 vs JBL Stage 2 280F
- JBL Studio 590 vs Sony SS-CS3
- JBL Studio 590 vs Focal Aria Evo X N°2
- JBL Studio 590 vs Polk T50
- JBL Studio 590 vs Klipsch RP-6000F II
- See all 9 comparisons