JBL Arena B15 vs JBL Studio 580: which should you buy?

The JBL Studio 580 is my pick. It takes sound quality and bass response by a clear margin, edges ahead on treble detail and value for money, and only gives up midrange clarity and design to the Arena B15.

Buy the Arena B15 if your room is small or your speakers have to live on a wall or a shelf. It leads on design by a clear margin, and the keyhole mounting plus the wire channel down the back make it the easier of the two to install cleanly. It also takes midrange clarity by a narrow margin, so voices and acoustic guitars come across smooth and articulate at sensible listening levels. Go in knowing the low end is thin on its own. Add a subwoofer and the presentation fills out properly.

For anything larger or more demanding I would take the JBL Studio 580. It wins sound quality and bass response by clear margins, adds narrow leads on treble detail and value for money, and its 90 dB sensitivity and 200 W handling let it fill a bigger space without strain. The 5 yr warranty against 1 yr counts for something as well. Accept two compromises: the finish and the plastic feet sit below the standard of the sound, and the bass needs sensible placement and the supplied baffles before it behaves. Do that and it plays well above expectations.