I am starting to see that you can get the jbl arena x 36be 3 way for +-$1000
Other than the mounting issue with the waveguide is there a better 3-way speaker setup for this price range?
My current setup is the stereo integrity 3 way. Would it be a noticeable change to go with the jbl?
IMO, as
@kaijerke alluded to, the mids & highs on the JBL set are almost certain to be better. And if you wanted another 3-way 6.5"/3.5"/1" set with Beryllium tweeters specifically, it would really be difficult to beat the price-to-performance ratio of that ~$1000 price point that you get with the Arena X 36Be.
In fact, I would probably even buy this set if I wanted to build a "quick & dirty" pseudo-DIY "High-End" Active Home Loudspeaker set that would effectively match some of the passive Revel home speaker lineup (also by Harman).
The current Arena X 36Be are based off of the original 660GTi set, which was/is excellent. Other than the Beryllium domes for the tweeters, not much if anything has changed except for simple cosmetic alterations and the grill design.
For example, even JBL is transparent about the fact that the drivers in the 670GTi comp set that was introduced 10 years after the original 660GTi set are exactly the same! The only difference was that the 670GTi set did not offer the large waveguide faceplates for the tweeters and the included passive crossovers changed a bit.
So, other than adding a 3.5" midrange to the lineup and beryllium material for the tweeter domes, it's likely that not much has changed (technically) from a manufacturing/design/tooling aspect from the 660GTi to the Arena X. But that doesn't diminish their legitimacy considering the high level of performance that JBL had already achieved with the 660GTi.
Could you "pick & choose" a 6.5", 3.5", and 1" tweeter from separate brands and models to make up a 3-way set that performed equally well or a bit better for ~$1000? MAYBE...but again, I think it would be really difficult to come up with and would involve a lot of research and careful consideration, while you already know that the drivers in the Arena X 36Be set were specifically designed to work together.
Think about it...
What individually chosen Midbass, Midrange, and Tweeter drivers could you put together into a DIY 3-way for just $1000? With a Total of 6 drivers in this set, that averages out to spending $167 for each driver! That's fairly expensive for a reputable and established brand's flagship line of speakers.
Let's compare that with a somewhat popular and similar tier SQ set of Audiofrog GB-series drivers at their available MSRP or Crutchfield pricing. (NOTE: pricing from your local dealer may be slightly lower, but not significantly):
$1200/Pair GB60 6.5"
$700/Pair GB40 4" (or $570/Pair for the GB25)
$1000/Pair GB10CF (new Carbon-Fiber GB-series tweeters to match the JBL Beryllium dome tweeters)
That adds up to a Total of $2900 (or $483 Per Driver vs. $167!)
Are the Audiofrog's 3x better? That's doubtful.
FWIW, Andy at Audiofrog also derived or based the design, motor, and performance of the GB60 off of JBL's 660GTi 6.5" midwoofers.
And BTW, I 100% agree with
@kaijerke regarding his assessment of the Stereo Integrity component drivers. The TM6 & TM8 are excellent performers for the price and also solve most shallow mount restrictions while doing it. But considering other available options at similar pricing, the S.I. mids and tweeters are MEH.
HTH
