Short answer: the JBL 4319 for output and bass, though both have real flaws, though neither ranks well in its class. The 4319 is highly sensitive at around 90dB with controlled bass distortion from a large 12-inch woofer, but its spinorama shows a pronounced 800Hz dip, comb filtering and poor, uneven vertical directivity. The NS-10’s peak of about 7dB above the midrange average around 1.7kHz gives it the familiar forward, tinny character. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 134 bookshelf speakers, so if sound quality matters, consider the March Audio Sointuva AWG instead, ranked #5 at $4,150.
Buy the JBL 4319 only if you find one used in good condition; both are discontinued, and it is the better rated of the two. For a new speaker, start with the March Audio Sointuva AWG instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL 4319 | Yamaha NS-10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4,000 per pair Discontinued | $499 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #128 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #129 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 58.6Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 126Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37.8Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) | 75Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 12” Differential Drive dual-voice-coil woofer, 5” inverted-dome midrange, 1” compression tweeter (3-way) | 7.1” woofer, 1.4” soft dome tweeter |
| Dimensions | 23.5H x 14.25W x 12D in (with grille) | 15”H x 8.5”W x 7.8”D (382.0 x 215.0 x 198.0 mm) |
| Weight | 35.9 lbs (16.3 kg) each | 9.5 lbs (4.3 kg) |
| Sensitivity | 89.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) | 90.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | sealed |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal | 8 ohms nominal, 5.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.41 (spinorama.org) | 2.24 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.61 (spinorama.org) | 5.63 (spinorama.org) |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Revel Performa M22 vs Yamaha NS-10
- ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 vs Yamaha NS-10
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The Two Speakers In Full
JBL 4319: $4,000 per pair Discontinued eBay
Pros: High sensitivity around 90dB and controlled bass distortion mean the large 12” woofer plays loud with copious bass and modest amplifier power needs. Impedance dips are well controlled, so it isn’t a hard speaker to drive despite its size. User-adjustable midrange and treble level controls are built into the back panel. Measured bass extension of 58.6Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 89.5dB.
Cons: CEA2034 spinorama shows a pronounced 800Hz dip and a comb-filtering pattern in the woofer response consistent with a delayed reflected source, plus poor and uneven vertical directivity. The reviewer described the sound as “boxy and closed in with some brightness” and could not recommend it “unless you like looking at it more than listening to it.” At 23.5” tall, it’s closer to a small tower than a typical bookshelf speaker. Discontinued.
Full JBL 4319 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37.8Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 58.6Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 23.5H x 14.25W x 12D in (with grille) |
| Drivers | 12” Differential Drive dual-voice-coil woofer, 5” inverted-dome midrange, 1” compression tweeter (3-way) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 89.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.41 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.61 (spinorama.org) |
| Weight | 35.9 lbs (16.3 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
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- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Yamaha NS-10: $499 per pair Discontinued eBay
Pros: Legendary studio reference monitor with a well-documented history; Yamaha’s original spec sheet included genuine measured data (frequency response, distortion, impedance, polar response) rather than just marketing numbers, unusually transparent for the era. Distortion, compression, and multitone performance all measured better than the reviewer expected for a decades-old design: in some respects competitive with newer speakers he’s tested. Vertical dispersion holds up reasonably well for a speaker of this vintage. The redesigned “Studio” cabinet is more robust than the original, with crossover tweaks and nicer binding-post terminals. Sealed cabinet design allows placement close to a wall without added boominess, though at the cost of overall bass extension. Measured bass extension of 126Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 90.2dB.
Cons: A pronounced peak of about 7dB above the midrange average around 1.7kHz gives the sound a forward, bright, or “tinny” character: this is the real underlying issue, and it wasn’t actually fixed by the “Studio” revision. Comparing the Studio version’s measured response to the original NS-10M’s published data, the original arguably measures more linear: Yamaha’s fix (lowering tweeter level by 2-3dB) left the core midrange peak largely untouched, addressing the wrong problem. The famous “tissue paper over the tweeter” mixing-engineer trick doesn’t actually help: testing it directly showed it adds diffraction and comb filtering rather than correcting the real midrange peak. Poor horizontal directivity, especially in its designed on-console orientation: usable window is only about ±20° off the tweeter axis before tonal character shifts noticeably. Directivity mismatches between direct and reflected sound make this difficult to properly correct with EQ in a typical farfield listening setup with nearby wall reflections. Bass is quite limited (F3 around 100Hz in most rooms once corrected for the inflated on-axis sensitivity reading), typical of a small sealed monitor design. Correcting the main midrange peak with EQ likely requires two bands rather than a single simple filter, since the peak isn’t perfectly symmetrical. Possible age-related tweeter compression at very high output, potentially from degraded ferrofluid affecting heat dissipation in these decades-old drivers. Discontinued.
Full Yamaha NS-10 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 75Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 126Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 15”H x 8.5”W x 7.8”D (382.0 x 215.0 x 198.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 7.1” woofer, 1.4” soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 5.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 90.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 2.24 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.63 (spinorama.org) |
| Weight | 9.5 lbs (4.3 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | sealed |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons