JBL 4349 Studio Monitor Preview

The JBL 4349 Studio Monitors I’ve just received for review present a unique and interesting challenge for me.

Most of us have never given much thought to what a “studio monitor” speaker is, or why we should be interested in one. Studio monitor speakers require a specific set of attributes that will allow them to function reliably and with specific characteristics in an environment that requires both high volume and high dynamic range. Specifically, they must have:

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Flat frequency response
Low distortion
Relatively compact physical size
High volume capability
Durability sufficient to tolerate occasional abuse without damage
Clarity sufficient to hear what is on the recording being monitored
Ability to tolerate equalization without audible distortion

If you think that those virtues sound like a good recipe for a home speaker as well, then you’re absolutely correct!

The JBL 4349 Studio Monitors exemplify every one of the virtues listed and do so with startling clarity. The amazing midrange-tweeter horn used on the JBL 4349 has not even a trace of the “honk” sound traditionally associated with horn-loaded speakers. This alone would make the speaker worth listening to.

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But in this case, the whole exceeds the sum of the parts by a significant margin. The JBL 4349 Studio Monitor speaker is one of the best speakers I’ve heard in several ways. Watch for the upcoming review for details

Glenn Young

I learned to play the guitar in high school, hoping to persuade Berma Sanchez to date me, but alas, no such luck! In the late 1970s, a neighbor who was the station engineer for the local PBS network took me under his wing and taught me the electronics of audio reproduction. Throughout college, I used that knowledge to modify Dynaco vacuum tube equipment for friends. After graduation from LSU, I took a job in the chemical manufacturing industry, learning about industrial hygiene and the mechanics of hearing. In the 1990s I learned to write, initially as the newsletter editor for my local Safety Engineering chapter. In the early 2000s, I had my first book published (I’m now working on my third). A few years ago, the Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity website issued a call for authors. I responded and was excited to be selected. Over the years, I’ve published a number of equipment reviews and am honored, in 2019, to be given the title of “Senior Editor.” But none of the above offers the “why” of my interest in home audio. My musical tastes are highly diverse, and my love of music (acquired probably in the church choir of Grace Baptist Church) has been passed on to my daughter, who got her B.S. degree in music and her M.S. in violin performance and music education before being switching gears and then going on to graduate from Harvard Law. Although the majority of my extended group of friends and family prefer hobbies such as hunting, fishing, football games, etc., I’ve found that I still greatly enjoy time with my audio system and discovering new music. At some time in the fairly near future, my hearing will decline and I’ll no longer be able to listen analytically. But so long as my audiograms show acute hearing, I’ll keep doing what I enjoy best - listening to wonderful music and sharing my thoughts and impressions with like-minded friends.