Short answer: the Klipsch The Nines for better sound quality, the JBL 306P MKII for the lower price. The Klipsch The Nines ranks #28 of 40 powered bookshelf speakers at $1349.99. The JBL 306P MKII ranks #35 at $398, $951.99 cheaper.
The case for the Klipsch The Nines: Erin calls these his favorite Klipsch speaker he has heard. The tradeoff: The app’s flat setting leaves the treble elevated, and Erin preferred a -2dB tweeter trim.
What the JBL 306P MKII gets right: CEA2034 spinorama shows a nice, smooth on-axis response with very good directivity control for a compact 6.5” monitor. The catch: A narrow but noticeable dip around 1.6kHz shows up in the on-axis and listening-window curves.
Buy the Klipsch The Nines if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the JBL 306P MKII if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the JBL 306P MKII. It ranks near the bottom of the 40 powered bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch The Nines | JBL 306P MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,349.99 | $398 |
| Ranked | #28 of 40 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #35 of 40 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 8" high-excursion fiber-composite woofer, 1" titanium LTS vented tweeter with Tractrix horn | 6.5" woofer, 1" neodymium tweeter |
| Output Power | 240W total (480W peak; 100W LF + 20W HF per powered speaker) | 112W total |
| Inputs | HDMI ARC, Bluetooth 5.0, phono/line RCA, 3.5mm, USB, optical | - |
| Dimensions | 19.13"H x 9.5"W x 13.38"D | 16.1"H x 11.2"W x 12.9"D (408 x 285 x 328 mm) |
| Weight | 28.4 lbs primary, 27.0 lbs secondary | 13.4 lbs / 6.1 kg each |
| Sensitivity | 82.5dB (measured at 0.30V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Frequency Response | 34Hz - 25kHz +/-3dB (manufacturer specified) | 39Hz - 24kHz (-10dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max SPL | 115dB at 1m (stereo pair, manufacturer specified) | - |
| App | Klipsch Connect (bass/mid/treble EQ) | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | rear-ported bass reflex | - |
| EQ | - | No |
| DSP | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Kali Audio LP-6 vs Klipsch The Sevens
- Adam Audio T7V vs Focal Twin6 Be
- Kali Audio LP-6 vs Focal Twin6 Be
- Kali Audio LP-6 V2 vs Klipsch The Nines
- Klipsch The Nines vs Emotiva Airmotiv 6s
The Two Speakers In Full
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
- Klipsch The Nines vs Kali Audio LP-6
- Klipsch The Nines vs Adam Audio T7V
- Klipsch The Nines vs Adam Audio T8V
- Klipsch The Nines vs JBL 308P MKII
- Klipsch The Nines vs Edifier R2850DB
- Klipsch The Nines vs Yamaha HS8
- Klipsch The Nines vs Focal Twin6 Be
- Klipsch The Nines vs Kali Audio LP-8
- See all 19 comparisons
JBL 306P MKII: $398 Bhphotovideo
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a nice, smooth on-axis response with very good directivity control for a compact 6.5” monitor. Dual 56W Class D amps keep the design affordable at $398 per pair while following JBL’s well-regarded 300-series voicing.
Cons: A narrow but noticeable dip around 1.6kHz shows up in the on-axis and listening-window curves. Distortion runs classically high for this series, reaching around 5% near 200Hz at 96dB SPL. Amplifier hiss is audible from roughly 2 feet away, and the monitor runs out of headroom at higher volumes.
Full JBL 306P MKII review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 16.1"H x 11.2"W x 12.9"D (408 x 285 x 328 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" woofer, 1" neodymium tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 39Hz - 24kHz (-10dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 112W total |
| Weight | 13.4 lbs / 6.1 kg each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons