Short answer: the JBL Studio 698. It ranks #15 of 54 floorstanding speakers by sound quality at $699; the Magnepan LRS+ ranks #48 and costs $1300, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Magnepan LRS+ offers: Thin, two-way planar-magnetic open-baffle/dipole panel design (about 48” tall, just 1” deep). Watch for: Extremely current-hungry and power-hungry: even a pair of 600W Macintosh monoblock amplifiers only averaged about 90dB output - a robust, high-power amplifier is essentially mandatory, and budget amps won’t cut it.
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. 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.
Buy the JBL Studio 698. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Magnepan LRS+ and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Magnepan LRS+. It ranks near the bottom of the 54 floorstanding speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Magnepan LRS+ | JBL Studio 698 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1300 | $699.00 |
| Ranked | #48 of 54 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #15 of 54 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 34Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 74Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 90dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | Full-range planar magnetic dipole panel (48" tall x 13.5" wide); quasi-ribbon design, two-way with separate mid/bass and tweeter ribbon sections | 1 in. High-Definition Imaging compression driver, 6 in. PolyPlas midrange, dual 8 in. PolyPlas woofers |
| Weight | 30 lbs / 13.6 kg | 78.9 lbs / 35.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | open baffle | ported, rear |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal (4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 48"H x 13.5"W x 1"D (1219.2 x 342.9 x 25.4 mm) | 41.7"H x 11.8"W x 15.7"D (1058 x 300 x 400 mm) |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Magnepan LRS+: $1300 Magnepan
Pros: Thin, two-way planar-magnetic open-baffle/dipole panel design (about 48” tall, just 1” deep). Delivers a uniquely dramatic and enveloping soundstage with genuinely three-dimensional depth effects that work across all music genres, not just classical or orchestral material as commonly assumed. Extremely tight, locked-in center-phantom imaging when set up correctly. Open-baffle design avoids the “boxy” enclosure coloration of conventional cabinet speakers. Multitone distortion is remarkably consistent from low to high frequency, a characteristic the reviewer hasn’t observed in conventional cone-and-dome speakers. Compression at high output stays modest (about 0.5-1dB) through the midrange and treble, giving roughly 20-26dB of usable dynamic range in that region. At its price, a strong contender for a dedicated secondary listening room, even if not a main-system replacement.
Cons: Extremely current-hungry and power-hungry: even a pair of 600W Macintosh monoblock amplifiers only averaged about 90dB output - a robust, high-power amplifier is essentially mandatory, and budget amps won’t cut it. Bass rolls off very quickly (F3 74Hz, F10 67Hz, described as falling off “like a rock”), making a subwoofer an absolute requirement for any low-end content. A roughly 3dB dip in the mid-bass (100-300Hz) region thins out vocal body and fullness compared to a conventional bookshelf speaker. A resonance/bump around 400Hz adds a mild boxy quality, though it responds well to about 2dB of EQ correction. Extraordinarily fussy about exact positioning - both seating height (must align with the acoustic reference point between the panel’s lower tie-down points) and horizontal aiming are unusually critical; moving just a couple of inches can cause treble content above roughly 500-600Hz to nearly vanish. Distinct off-axis cancellation zones exist directly to the sides of the panel, where very little sound is audible at all. Fails badly under extreme dynamic-transient testing in the bass, and the reviewer blew fuses pushing the speaker during testing - not built for high-volume or highly dynamic playback. A genuinely different category from conventional hi-fi speakers, requiring more setup patience and experimentation than a typical monopole design.
Full Magnepan LRS+ review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 74Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 48"H x 13.5"W x 1"D (1219.2 x 342.9 x 25.4 mm) |
| Drivers | Full-range planar magnetic dipole panel (48" tall x 13.5" wide); quasi-ribbon design, two-way with separate mid/bass and tweeter ribbon sections |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 30 lbs / 13.6 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | open baffle |
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JBL Studio 698: $699.00 Amazon Crutchfield
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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