Short answer: the JBL 306P MKII. It ranks #35 of 40 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $398; the Adam Audio S2V ranks #37 and costs $3500, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL 306P MKII offers: CEA2034 spinorama shows a nice, smooth on-axis response with very good directivity control for a compact 6.5” monitor. Watch for: A narrow but noticeable dip around 1.6kHz shows up in the on-axis and listening-window curves.
On the Adam Audio S2V side: CEA2034 spinorama shows excellent driver blending through an imperceptible crossover between the 7” woofer and AMT tweeter, with distortion measured 70dB down at 1kHz. Set against that: An intentional shelving curve creates a dip in the low bass response, roughly 200-500Hz.
Buy the JBL 306P MKII. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Adam Audio S2V 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 40 powered bookshelf speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL 306P MKII | Adam Audio S2V | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $398 | $3500 |
| Ranked | #35 of 40 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #37 of 40 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 16.1"H x 11.2"W x 12.9"D (408 x 285 x 328 mm) | not published by manufacturer |
| Frequency Response | 39Hz - 24kHz (-10dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 35Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 13.4 lbs / 6.1 kg each | not published by manufacturer |
| Drivers | 6.5" woofer, 1" neodymium tweeter | 7" woofer, S-ART AMT tweeter |
| App | No | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| DSP | No | Yes |
| Output Power | 112W total | 350W total (300W woofer Class D, 50W tweeter Class A/B) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Klipsch The Nines vs Focal Twin6 Be
- JBL 4305P vs Focal Twin6 Be
- JBL 4305P vs Klipsch The Sevens
- Adam Audio S2V vs Emotiva Airmotiv 6s
- Edifier R2850DB vs Adam Audio S2V
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL 306P MKII: $398 Bhphotovideo
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a nice, smooth on-axis response with very good directivity control for a compact 6.5” monitor. Dual 56W Class D amps keep the design affordable at $398 per pair while following JBL’s well-regarded 300-series voicing.
Cons: A narrow but noticeable dip around 1.6kHz shows up in the on-axis and listening-window curves. Distortion runs classically high for this series, reaching around 5% near 200Hz at 96dB SPL. Amplifier hiss is audible from roughly 2 feet away, and the monitor runs out of headroom at higher volumes.
Full JBL 306P MKII review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 16.1"H x 11.2"W x 12.9"D (408 x 285 x 328 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" woofer, 1" neodymium tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 39Hz - 24kHz (-10dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 112W total |
| Weight | 13.4 lbs / 6.1 kg each |
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Adam Audio S2V: $3500 Bhphotovideo
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows excellent driver blending through an imperceptible crossover between the 7” woofer and AMT tweeter, with distortion measured 70dB down at 1kHz. The 350W amplifier was the first the reviewer tested that didn’t run out of power on demand, delivering over 120dB SPL per pair.
Cons: An intentional shelving curve creates a dip in the low bass response, roughly 200-500Hz. The rotary-encoder control interface is non-intuitive, and the companion PC app requires serial-number registration with settings that only take effect after a manual “write” step that takes 5-10 seconds and produces audible ticks and pops. Expensive at $3,500 per pair.
Full Adam Audio S2V review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DSP | Yes |
| Dimensions | not published by manufacturer |
| Drivers | 7" woofer, S-ART AMT tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 350W total (300W woofer Class D, 50W tweeter Class A/B) |
| Weight | not published by manufacturer |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons