JBL has officially pulled the covers off the 4369 – a two-way floor-standing studio monitor first previewed at Tokyo’s International Audio Show last year. It’s a big loudspeaker in every sense: a newly developed 15″ (380mm) mid/bass driver handles the low end and the lower midrange, whilst a 3″ D2 compression driver, mated to JBL’s patented Sonoglass HDI horn, takes care of everything above its 800Hz crossover point.
What’s inside?
That mid/bass driver, designated the 2219Nd-1, relies on JBL’s Differential Drive technology: twin 3″ voice coils; a pure pulp cone with a copper cap and a short ring for lower distortion; a neodymium motor that JBL claims delivers 50% greater amplitude performance than its predecessors. The cast aluminium frame is new too, designed for both stiffness and ventilation, while a dual damper arrangement targets nonlinear distortion when the cone is really moving.
The D2830B compression driver stacks two ring-shaped Teonex diaphragms, each driven by its own independent voice coil and neodymium motor. The payoff, says JBL, is stronger high-frequency output with a broader, more even response.
Boxing specs
Between the drivers sits a MultiCap crossover network — lots of small capacitors doing the job typically handled by fewer large ones. The advantage? Lower ESR (equivalent series resistance — essentially energy wasted as heat inside a capacitor) and cleaner signal delivery. The 25mm MDF cabinet adds a thicker sub-baffle beneath the mid/bass driver for extra support, with two internal braces linking all panels to keep resonances in check. Cabinet dimensions place the compression driver at (seated) ear height. IsoAcoustics’ isolation feet – borrowed from JBL’s flagship Summit Series – come fitted as standard.
Round back, we see dual binding posts for bi-wiring or bi-amping. On the front, twin bass reflex ports and trim controls for dialling in high and ultra-high frequency balance.
Key specs: 93dB sensitivity (2.83V @ 1m), 6 Ohm nominal impedance and 28Hz (-6dB) bass reach. Each cabinet tips the scales at a hefty 63.5kg.
Pricing with a reality check
The JBL 4369 arrives this spring, priced at ¥3,520,000/pair in Japan. That’s approximately US$23,000/€21,200 at current exchange rates.
One wrinkle worth flagging: JBL calls the 4369 a “studio monitor”, but it’s a fully passive loudspeaker: no built-in amplification, no active crossover. The naming nods to JBL’s professional studio heritage rather than describing what’s actually inside the box. Don’t let the label fool you: you’ll need to bring your own amplifier to this party.
Further information: JBL
