Short answer: the JBL Control 24CT. It ranks #1 of 26 surface-mount and background music speakers by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $350. The Martin Audio CDD5 ranks #11, rated 3.0/5, at $315, $35 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The JBL Control 24CT is the better-sounding option. A 4” two-way ceiling speaker for background and foreground music with a coaxial 3/4” titanium-coated tweeter, a 130 degree conical coverage pattern and a built-in transformer for 70V and 100V distributed systems. The tradeoff: It has no 8 ohm bypass, so it needs a 70V or 100V amplifier rather than a normal home amplifier.
The case for the Martin Audio CDD5: A passive Coaxial Differential Dispersion speaker from the same Martin Audio CDD line as the measured Martin Audio CDD8 and Martin Audio CDD10: the smallest model, a 5.25” coaxial driver in an ultra-compact on-wall cabinet. The tradeoff: No independent measurements yet, so it can’t be compared with ranked PA speakers.
Buy the JBL Control 24CT. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $35 saving on the Martin Audio CDD5 is not enough to make up the difference.
About the ratings: the Martin Audio CDD5’s rating is estimated from measured siblings and predecessors rather than its own measurements, with a likely range of 2.6 to 3.4, so this verdict could change once it is measured.
Still deciding? The full PA & Live Sound rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Control 24CT | Martin Audio CDD5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $350.00 per pair Passive | $315.00 each Passive |
| Ranked | #1 of 26 in Surface-Mount and Background Music Speakers | #11 of 26 in Surface-Mount and Background Music Speakers Estimated |
| Weight | 6 lbs (2.7 kg) | 6.6 lbs (3 kg) |
| Rigging | None | 6 x M5 inserts; wall bracket |
| Passive | Yes | Yes |
| Drivers | 4” (100mm) polypropylene-coated woofer, coaxial 3/4” (19mm) titanium-coated tweeter | 5.25” woofer with coaxial 0.75” dome tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz-20kHz -10dB (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Maximum SPL | 102dB (manufacturer specified) | 116dB peak (manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | 30W multitap transformer (70V/100V) | 100W AES |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 7.35 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.65 | - |
| DIY Kit | No | - |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 100Hz (manufacturer specified) |
| Configuration | - | Passive 2-way coaxial installation speaker |
| Impedance | - | 8 ohms |
| XLR Input | - | No |
| DSP | - | No (passive) |
| Amplifier Power | - | Passive speaker; requires external amplification |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to JBL Control 24CT:
- JBL Control 24CT vs Electro-Voice EVID-S5.2X
- JBL Control 24CT vs Yamaha VXS5
- Martin Audio CDD5 vs Yamaha VXS5
- Electro-Voice EVID-S5.2X vs Martin Audio CDD5
- Martin Audio CDD6 vs Martin Audio CDD5
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Control 24CT: $350.00 per pair Passive Amazon eBay
Pros: A 4” two-way ceiling speaker for background and foreground music with a coaxial 3/4” titanium-coated tweeter, a 130 degree conical coverage pattern and a built-in transformer for 70V and 100V distributed systems. JBL’s data shows a very even listening window (0.13 deviation), for a preference score of 7.35.
Cons: It has no 8 ohm bypass, so it needs a 70V or 100V amplifier rather than a normal home amplifier. Output is limited to 102dB, and the on-axis response is less even (1.14 average deviation) because it is meant to be heard off-axis from the ceiling. That data comes from JBL.
Full JBL Control 24CT review and specifications →
| Bluetooth | No |
|---|---|
| DIY Kit | No |
| Drivers | 4” (100mm) polypropylene-coated woofer, coaxial 3/4” (19mm) titanium-coated tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz-20kHz -10dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 102dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Passive | Yes |
| Power Handling | 30W multitap transformer (70V/100V) |
| Rigging | None |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 7.35 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.65 |
| Weight | 6 lbs (2.7 kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Martin Audio CDD5: $315.00 each Passive Estimated Full Compass eBay
Same family: the Martin Audio CDD-LIVE 8 (smallest powered model, estimated 3.4/5), the Martin Audio CDD-LIVE 12 (powered model, estimated 3.1/5), the Martin Audio CDD-LIVE 15 (largest powered model, estimated 3.5/5), the Martin Audio CDD6 (larger passive model, ranked higher, estimated 3.1/5), the Martin Audio CDD8 (larger passive model, rated 3.2/5), the Martin Audio CDD10 (larger passive model, rated 3.1/5), the Martin Audio CDD12 (larger passive model, rated 2.9/5) and the Martin Audio CDD15 (larger passive model, rated 3.3/5).
Pros: A passive Coaxial Differential Dispersion speaker from the same Martin Audio CDD line as the measured Martin Audio CDD8 and Martin Audio CDD10: the smallest model, a 5.25” coaxial driver in an ultra-compact on-wall cabinet. CDD widens the horizontal pattern close to the speaker and narrows it with distance, which keeps level more even from front to back of a room.
Cons: No independent measurements yet, so it can’t be compared with ranked PA speakers. It needs an external amplifier, and its small woofer limits bass and output, so larger rooms need a subwoofer or bigger CDD models.
Full Martin Audio CDD5 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2015 (11 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | Passive speaker; requires external amplification |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 100Hz (manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Configuration | Passive 2-way coaxial installation speaker |
| DSP | No (passive) |
| Drivers | 5.25” woofer with coaxial 0.75” dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Maximum SPL | 116dB peak (manufacturer specified) |
| Passive | Yes |
| Power Handling | 100W AES |
| Rigging | 6 x M5 inserts; wall bracket |
| Weight | 6.6 lbs (3 kg) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons