JBL 4338 (2007–2010)
The JBL 4338 was the company's flagship studio monitor of the late 2000s. It was introduced in 2007 as the successor to the JBL 4348 and produced until 2010. It's a large, floor-standing three-way bass-reflex design, the kind of speaker that anchors a control room rather than a living room. JBL Professional positioned it as their new reference standard for the high-resolution digital audio era.
The driver complement is a 15-inch woofer with a 4-inch edge-wound voice coil, a 4-inch neodymium midrange, and a 1-inch neodymium compression driver loaded by a waveguide for controlled coverage. Crossover points sit at 840 Hz and 8.5 kHz. The cabinet is 25 mm MDF with internal bracing, ported on the front. Rated sensitivity is 90 dB (2.83V/1m) at 8 ohms nominal, and JBL recommends 250 watts continuous average. Frequency response is spec'd at 42 Hz - 20 kHz (-3 dB), extending to 38 Hz - 42 kHz at -10 dB. Maximum peak output is rated at 112 dB at one meter. The 4338 can be run passively through its internal crossover or bi-amped via dual binding posts. It also has continuous HF and MF level controls (-1, 0, +1 dB) for room and boundary compensation.
A review described it as a dynamic, powerful speaker that images well and has tremendous transient response, and called it one of the best three-way monitors at any price. The same review noted it's forward-sounding and not to everyone's taste. Owner reports on forums agree: they praise its immediacy and presence, with the caveat that it needs space and a solid 100-watt-plus amplifier. A common maintenance problem is foam surround deterioration on older units. Replacement drivers are expensive and hard to source when they fail.
The 4338 was never inexpensive, and it's only available on the used market now. Recent listings have ranged from roughly $2,900 to $4,500 per pair depending on condition.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.
Related Models
- JBL 075
- JBL 077
- JBL 120Ti
- JBL 124A
- JBL 124H
- Braun AUDIO-1 (1965)
- Braun AUDIO-250 (1965)
- Magnavox Component Systems (1972)
- Acoustic Research AR (1967-1976)
- Acoustic Research 11