Short answer: the JBL 4305P for better sound quality, the Klipsch The Nines for the lower price. The JBL 4305P ranks #13 of 31 powered bookshelf speakers at $2200. The Klipsch The Nines ranks #25 at $1349.99, $850.01 cheaper.
What the JBL 4305P offers: Erin measured a 45Hz F3 and heard solid 40–50Hz in-room extension—excellent for a compact 5.25-inch active monitor. Watch for: The limiter becomes conspicuous around 96dB: Erin measured about 8dB lost near 50Hz at the highest drive and achieved roughly 93dB unweighted at 2m in-room, so this is a near/midfield system rather than a high-output theater…
What the Klipsch The Nines offers: Erin calls these his favorite Klipsch speaker he has heard. Watch for: The app’s flat setting leaves the treble elevated, and Erin preferred a -2dB tweeter trim.
Buy the JBL 4305P if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Klipsch The Nines if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Klipsch The Nines. It ranks near the bottom of the 31 powered bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL 4305P | Klipsch The Nines | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,200/pair | $1,349.99 |
| Ranked | #13 of 31 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #25 of 31 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 45Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Not applicable (active DSP loudspeaker) | 82.5dB (measured at 0.30V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Maximum Output | ~93dB at 2m in-room before limiting (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Amplification | 300W system: 125W LF + 25W HF per speaker | - |
| Drivers | 5.25-inch pulp woofer; 1-inch annular compression driver | 8" high-excursion fiber-composite woofer, 1" titanium LTS vented tweeter with Tractrix horn |
| Dimensions | 13.2H x 8.3W x 8.8D inches | 19.13"H x 9.5"W x 13.38"D |
| Output Power | - | 240W total (480W peak; 100W LF + 20W HF per powered speaker) |
| Inputs | - | HDMI ARC, Bluetooth 5.0, phono/line RCA, 3.5mm, USB, optical |
| Weight | - | 28.4 lbs primary, 27.0 lbs secondary |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | - | 34Hz - 25kHz +/-3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Max SPL | - | 115dB at 1m (stereo pair, manufacturer specified) |
| App | - | Klipsch Connect (bass/mid/treble EQ) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | rear-ported bass reflex |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Buchardt A500 vs Focal Twin6 Be
- Buchardt A500 vs Buchardt A10
- Buchardt A500 vs JBL 4329P
- Klipsch The Nines vs Focal Twin6 Be
- JBL 4305P vs Klipsch The Sevens
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL 4305P: $2,200/pair Amazon JBL
Pros: Erin measured a 45Hz F3 and heard solid 40–50Hz in-room extension—excellent for a compact 5.25-inch active monitor. Tonality is neutral and non-fatiguing, vocal coloration is absent, imaging is precise, and the HDI horn maintains near-constant horizontal directivity above 2kHz. Each speaker is bi-amplified (125W LF + 25W HF), while USB, optical, balanced analog, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Bluetooth and 24/192 wired interconnect make this an unusually complete system. Grilles caused no meaningful response penalty.
Cons: The limiter becomes conspicuous around 96dB: Erin measured about 8dB lost near 50Hz at the highest drive and achieved roughly 93dB unweighted at 2m in-room, so this is a near/midfield system rather than a high-output theater speaker. A baffle discontinuity produces a 1–2kHz directivity mismatch that cannot be corrected uniformly in the vertical plane; stay within about +/-5° of tweeter height. Soundstage depth and layering trailed the KEF Reference 1 Meta, and wireless speaker linking caps resolution at 24/96.
Full JBL 4305P review and specifications →
| Amplification | 300W system: 125W LF + 25W HF per speaker |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 45Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 13.2H x 8.3W x 8.8D inches |
| Drivers | 5.25-inch pulp woofer; 1-inch annular compression driver |
| Maximum Output | ~93dB at 2m in-room before limiting (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Not applicable (active DSP loudspeaker) |
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Klipsch The Nines: $1,349.99 Sweetwater
Pros: Erin calls these his favorite Klipsch speaker he has heard. With the tweeter trim set to -2dB, the listening-window response stays within roughly +/-1.5dB from 40Hz to just above 10kHz, and they produced genuinely powerful bass that reached about 30Hz in his room. The 8-inch woofer remains below 3% THD from 30Hz upward at 96dB/1m; compression is well controlled through about 90dB, and its limiter was not a concern at realistic listening levels. Exceptional all-in-one connectivity includes HDMI ARC, phono, USB, optical, Bluetooth, analog inputs and a subwoofer output; the Klipsch Connect app supplies useful bass/mid/treble adjustment.
Cons: The app’s flat setting leaves the treble elevated, and Erin preferred a -2dB tweeter trim. There is a likely tweeter/waveguide breakup feature around 16kHz, though he did not hear it. Horizontal coverage is narrow (about +/-30 degrees), prioritizing a focused image over room involvement; listeners who prefer a wider soundstage may not like that trade-off. Ear height matters: he recommends the reference plane between woofer and tweeter rather than directly on tweeter axis. The speaker begins limiting above roughly 90dB/1m, and the two cabinets still require a physical inter-speaker cable.
Full Klipsch The Nines review and specifications →
| App | Klipsch Connect (bass/mid/treble EQ) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 19.13"H x 9.5"W x 13.38"D |
| Drivers | 8" high-excursion fiber-composite woofer, 1" titanium LTS vented tweeter with Tractrix horn |
| Frequency Response | 34Hz - 25kHz +/-3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | HDMI ARC, Bluetooth 5.0, phono/line RCA, 3.5mm, USB, optical |
| Max SPL | 115dB at 1m (stereo pair, manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 240W total (480W peak; 100W LF + 20W HF per powered speaker) |
| Sensitivity | 82.5dB (measured at 0.30V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 28.4 lbs primary, 27.0 lbs secondary |
| Woofer Cabinet | rear-ported bass reflex |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons