Short answer: the Sony SS-CS3. It ranks #47 of 56 floorstanding speakers by sound quality at $450; the JBL Studio 590 ranks #54 and costs $2000, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Sony SS-CS3 side: Affordable entry-level floorstanding tower offering solid sensitivity (88.6dB SPL at 2.83V/1m), making it easy to power with standard budget AVRs. Set against that: Severe cabinet and driver resonances plague the passband between 100Hz and 600Hz, imparting audible coloration and chesty resonances to male vocals and acoustic instruments.
The case for the JBL Studio 590: Pretty deep bass. The tradeoff: 3dB peak at 1.7khz, about a 4dB peak from 8k to 13k, going to be bright up top.
Buy the Sony SS-CS3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Studio 590 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 56 floorstanding speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony SS-CS3 | JBL Studio 590 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $450.00 Discontinued | $2000 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #47 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #54 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 32Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 72Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 48Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 36.3"H x 9.1"W x 10.2"D (922 x 230 x 260 mm) | 49.7"H x 12.7"W x 16.3"D (1263.0 x 322.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal | 6 ohms nominal (5 ohms measured minimum, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 88.6dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 90.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 0.75 in. supertweeter, 0.98 in. polyester main tweeter, dual 5.12 in. MRC woofers | 2x 8" (200mm) PolyPlas cone woofers, 1x 1" (25mm) Teonex dome tweeter on Bi-Radial horn (2.5-way) |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each | 107.8 lbs / 48.9 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported, rear |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Sony SS-CS3: $450.00 Discontinued
Pros: Affordable entry-level floorstanding tower offering solid sensitivity (88.6dB SPL at 2.83V/1m), making it easy to power with standard budget AVRs. Harmonic distortion remains reasonably low at moderate listening levels (86dB SPL) when high-pass filtered above 80-100Hz with a dedicated subwoofer. Front-ported design allows relatively close placement to front boundaries without excessive port occlusion.
Cons: Severe cabinet and driver resonances plague the passband between 100Hz and 600Hz, imparting audible coloration and chesty resonances to male vocals and acoustic instruments. Irregular frequency response peaks and dips make automated receiver room correction difficult to equalize effectively. Poor low-frequency extension (F3 of 72Hz, F10 of 39Hz) for a floorstander, combined with rapid distortion escalation below 80Hz at higher SPLs (96dB+). Supertweeter driver adds crossover complexity without providing audible high-frequency benefit within the human hearing spectrum. Discontinued.
Full Sony SS-CS3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 72Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 36.3"H x 9.1"W x 10.2"D (922 x 230 x 260 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 0.75 in. supertweeter, 0.98 in. polyester main tweeter, dual 5.12 in. MRC woofers |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 88.6dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
JBL Studio 590: $2000 Discontinued
Pros: Pretty deep bass. CEA2034 spinorama is flat on-axis at a high level, with high sensitivity around 89-90dB. Predicted in-room response is good aside from a dip between 800Hz-1.5kHz. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is good outside of the 8.5kHz resonance.
Cons: 3dB peak at 1.7khz, about a 4dB peak from 8k to 13k, going to be bright up top. Just okay vertical off axis. Really bad resonance at 8.5khz, which shows up as a sharp distortion spike at both 86dB and 96dB SPL/1m. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) reveals many fine resonances across the midrange and treble. At 96dB SPL/1m the midrange and treble get notably messier, with broad distortion elevation from 2-8kHz. Discontinued.
Full JBL Studio 590 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 48Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 49.7"H x 12.7"W x 16.3"D (1263.0 x 322.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 8" (200mm) PolyPlas cone woofers, 1x 1" (25mm) Teonex dome tweeter on Bi-Radial horn (2.5-way) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (5 ohms measured minimum, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 90.3dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 107.8 lbs / 48.9 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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