Short answer: the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower if sound quality matters most, the JBL Studio 698 if price matters most. The Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower ranks #12 of 228 floorstanding speakers, rated 4.6/5, at $5,698. The JBL Studio 698 ranks #62, rated 4.3/5, at $1,499.90, $4,198.10 cheaper.
The case for the JBL Studio 698: Big floorstanding speakers with a horn tweeter, high sensitivity and solid bass, an easy to drive home theater pair at a modest price. The catch: Measured response exhibits a prominent mid-bass emphasis bump around 80Hz that can sound overly thick or chesty in smaller rooms without DSP EQ.
The Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower is the more accurate, deeper-bass option. Highly accurate three way bamboo towers with a ribbon tweeter, deep tight bass and a long warranty. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.97 against 4.20 for the JBL Studio 698. Its bass reaches about 38.7Hz before falling 3dB, against 53Hz for the JBL Studio 698. The catch: Listening window smoothness measures a moderate 0.40 and on axis deviation runs 0.286dB average, both trailing the tighter figures posted by some smaller passive AsciLab and Ascend bookshelf models.
Buy the JBL Studio 698 if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower if sound quality matters more than the price.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Big floorstanding speakers with a horn tweeter, high sensitivity and solid bass, an easy to drive home theater pair at a modest price.
Highly accurate three way bamboo towers with a ribbon tweeter, deep tight bass and a long warranty.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Studio 698 | Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,499.90 per pair | $5,698 per pair |
| Ranked | #62 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #12 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 28.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 38.7Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Dimensions | 41.7”H x 11.8”W x 15.7”D (1058 x 300 x 400 mm) | 43”H x 7.5”W x 10.5”D (1092 x 190 x 267 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 90dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 87.5dB @ 2.83V/1m anechoic (manufacturer) |
| Drivers | 1 in. High-Definition Imaging compression driver, 6 in. PolyPlas midrange, dual 8 in. PolyPlas woofers | RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter, 6” SEAS Excel Curv midrange (sealed sub-chamber), 2x 6” SEAS Excel aluminum woofers |
| Weight | 78.9 lbs (35.8 kg) each | 56 lbs (25.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.20 | 6.97 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.14 | 8.42 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Enclosure | - | ported |
| Power Handling | - | 400W continuous, 600W peak |
| Frequency Response | - | 36-27,000Hz +/-3dB anechoic (manufacturer) |
| Warranty | - | 7 years parts and labor |
| Country | - | United States |
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