Short answer: the JBL Studio 698. It ranks #21 of 71 floorstanding speakers by sound quality at $599; the Triangle Esprit Antal Ez ranks #69 and costs $1799, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL Studio 698 offers: High-Definition Imaging (HDI) horn waveguide paired with a 1” compression driver provides excellent high-frequency directivity control and seamless acoustic handoff to the 6” PolyPlas midrange. Dual 8” PolyPlas woofers deliver robust low-end authority with solid bass extension down to an F3 of 53Hz and F10 of 34Hz. High voltage sensitivity (90dB SPL at 2.83V/1m) and clean power handling provide effortless dynamic headroom and low distortion for home theater and music listening. Watch for: Measured response exhibits a prominent mid-bass emphasis bump around 80Hz that can sound overly thick or chesty in smaller rooms without DSP EQ. Treble response lacks top-octave ‘air’ above 12kHz compared to high-end dome or ribbon tweeters. Physically large, heavy cabinet (35.8 kg per speaker) requires careful room placement and a wide acoustic footprint.
What the Triangle Esprit Antal Ez offers: Predicted in-room response sums rather nicely aside from the resonance and bass issues. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±50 degrees is reasonably controlled. Watch for: Resonance around 260Hz and a number of other resonances show up on-axis, along with a dip in bass response. Two distinct distortion sources - one around 250-300Hz, another around 3-4kHz - already cross the reviewer’s audibility threshold even at moderate output, and get much worse at 96dB SPL/1m, where distortion broadly exceeds 50% relative level across large parts of the spectrum. Directivity is not great overall. The reviewer does not recommend it.
Buy the JBL Studio 698. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Triangle Esprit Antal Ez and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Triangle Esprit Antal Ez. It ranks near the bottom of the 71 floorstanding speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Studio 698 | Triangle Esprit Antal Ez | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.00 | $1799 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #21 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #69 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - low confidence - on-axis curve shows an unusual notch/dip around 250-300Hz for this floorstanding tower |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - low confidence - on-axis curve shows an unusual notch/dip around 250-300Hz for this floorstanding tower |
| Dimensions | 41.7"H x 11.8"W x 15.7"D (1058 x 300 x 400 mm) | 43.9"H x 11.8"W x 15.7"D (1115.0 x 300.0 x 400.0 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal (2.7 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 90dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 90.7dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 1 in. High-Definition Imaging compression driver, 6 in. PolyPlas midrange, dual 8 in. PolyPlas woofers | 2x 6.5" (160mm) fiberglass cone woofers, 1x 6.5" (160mm) natural cellulose midrange, 1x 1" (25mm) titanium dome tweeter |
| Weight | 78.9 lbs / 35.8 kg each | 98.5 lbs / 44.7 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, front |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Revel F206 vs Infinity Reference 253
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- JBL Stage 2 280F vs Triangle Esprit Antal Ez
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The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Studio 698: $599.00 Amazon Crutchfield eBay
Pros: High-Definition Imaging (HDI) horn waveguide paired with a 1” compression driver provides excellent high-frequency directivity control and seamless acoustic handoff to the 6” PolyPlas midrange. Dual 8” PolyPlas woofers deliver robust low-end authority with solid bass extension down to an F3 of 53Hz and F10 of 34Hz. High voltage sensitivity (90dB SPL at 2.83V/1m) and clean power handling provide effortless dynamic headroom and low distortion for home theater and music listening.
Cons: Measured response exhibits a prominent mid-bass emphasis bump around 80Hz that can sound overly thick or chesty in smaller rooms without DSP EQ. Treble response lacks top-octave ‘air’ above 12kHz compared to high-end dome or ribbon tweeters. Physically large, heavy cabinet (35.8 kg per speaker) requires careful room placement and a wide acoustic footprint.
Full JBL Studio 698 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 41.7"H x 11.8"W x 15.7"D (1058 x 300 x 400 mm) |
| Drivers | 1 in. High-Definition Imaging compression driver, 6 in. PolyPlas midrange, dual 8 in. PolyPlas woofers |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 90dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 78.9 lbs / 35.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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Triangle Esprit Antal Ez: $1799 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Predicted in-room response sums rather nicely aside from the resonance and bass issues. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±50 degrees is reasonably controlled.
Cons: Resonance around 260Hz and a number of other resonances show up on-axis, along with a dip in bass response. Two distinct distortion sources - one around 250-300Hz, another around 3-4kHz - already cross the reviewer’s audibility threshold even at moderate output, and get much worse at 96dB SPL/1m, where distortion broadly exceeds 50% relative level across large parts of the spectrum. Directivity is not great overall. The reviewer does not recommend it. Discontinued.
Full Triangle Esprit Antal Ez review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - low confidence - on-axis curve shows an unusual notch/dip around 250-300Hz for this floorstanding tower |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - low confidence - on-axis curve shows an unusual notch/dip around 250-300Hz for this floorstanding tower |
| Dimensions | 43.9"H x 11.8"W x 15.7"D (1115.0 x 300.0 x 400.0 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" (160mm) fiberglass cone woofers, 1x 6.5" (160mm) natural cellulose midrange, 1x 1" (25mm) titanium dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (2.7 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 90.7dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 98.5 lbs / 44.7 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs JBL Studio 590
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs Bose 901 Series V
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs Magnepan LRS+
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs JBL Stage 2 280F
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs Infinity Reference 253
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs Sony SS-CS3
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs Focal Aria Evo X N°2
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs Polk T50
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