Ohhh how I love thee....

[PeruvianSkies]

Just got done finishing a good friend of mines home theater. Nothing too fancy, he just wanted a way to integrate a pair of JBL monitor speakers that he had into a new 5.1 sytem, but also have a 2-channel system out of it as well. Anyway, long story short...

The JBL's were very nice, so I hooked him up with a really sweet Parasound classic amp, a Velodyne Sub and a Pioneer Elite DVD/CD player, plus Pioneer Receive. He's quite happy and since he was on a budget it was tight, but we made it happen.

So, the point...

Well, after spending quite a many hours installing his system and calibrating I re-realized just how much I love my system and just how great my PSB Platinum T6's are in comparison. I mean, there really is no comparison, but I suppose after awhile you get used to your own gear and every now and again need to be reminded of what something inferior sounds like to really help appreciate what you have. I am constantly trying to think of ways to upgrade and improve what I have, but I guess it's not THAT necessary. So, what was I able to clearly notice about my speakers compared to his....

Well, I was blown away again at just how invisible the T6's really are. His JBL's are pretty sweet monitor speakers with some nice highs, mids and lows, but they are also quite IN YOUR FACE with their sound and they don't really 'blend' as well. They are clearly not as refined or controlled, but when I began listening to my system again I was immediately aware of just how amazing the T6's blend into the room and allow the music to permeate without any aggression or control issues. I was also aware that no matter how loud the volume knob went it never became ugly it just seemed to fill the room naturally instead of become too ear-bleeding.

I realize that some of this sounds pretty dumb and I am not sure where I am going with this other than to try to explain my experience. I suppose for those that are familiar with this expeience than you are aware of what I am talking about. I've had people over and they have listening to my setup and are usually surprised because they are thinking that based on looking at the system that it would be this loud booming experience, but it's amazing how they are suddenly just swept into the music and that it never seems loud (although it's very loud) yet it never feels that way....

Am I crazy????

[Feanor]

Just got done finishing a good friend of mines home theater. Nothing too fancy, he just wanted a way to integrate a pair of JBL monitor speakers that he had into a new 5.1 sytem, but also have a 2-channel system out of it as well. Anyway, long story short...

The JBL's were very nice, so I hooked him up with a really sweet Parasound classic amp, a Velodyne Sub and a Pioneer Elite DVD/CD player, plus Pioneer Receive. He's quite happy and since he was on a budget it was tight, but we made it happen.
....
Am I crazy????

Many, many years ago (circa 1971) I heard a pair of JBL Lancer 77's in dealer's show room. I thought they were great! But at Cdn$700 at the time I had some serious saving up to do. A few months later I was in another dealer;s and got to compare the the Lancer 77's with a AR 3a's: the 3a's just killed the Lancers: far more natural and resolved. The AR 3a's were a bit cheaper too. The sales guy told me, "Around here we say, 'JBL means just bloody lousy'".

What kind of buck are the T6's these days? Not that I'm think of trading my MG 1.6QR's any time soon.
:20:

[audio_dude]

yuck, now JBL means "Junkie But Loud"

[anamorphic96]

If you stay away from the bottom of the line stuff JBL produces there speakers are very respectable. I just took a listen to some of the new Studio L series available at Tweeter and many other places and it sounds very nice. It easily competes with Paradigm, PSB, Energy, B&W and many others. It is in no way Junkie But Loud. Even Stereophile liked the L880's and has liked many of there speakers in the past.

These are the models I spent some time with -
http://jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=L830&Language=ENG&Country=US&Region=USA&cat=BFS&ser=SLS

http://jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=L880&Language=ENG&Country=US&Region=USA&cat=BFS&ser=SLS

[audio_dude]

yes, those are the decent ones... but i'm saying like the northridge series and all those other ones.. they all sound like crap.

plus, those are JBL's studio series... yeh...

[PeruvianSkies]

Well, the T6's are a bit less expensive than the T8's, which are around $4-$6,000 these days, but you could probably pick up the T6's under $4,000 if you find the right place.

[MikeyBC]

I seem to remember someone else on this forum mentioning the JBL Control One 's and the Contol 1 Xtreme's from time to time.

[Carl Reid]

Am I crazy????

YES. And it's about time you admit that to yourself and seek treatment!!!


Seriously though, I suspect you're just facing the same problem that most audiophiles face. No matter how good and carefully selected your system is, you will get used to it and to some extent bored with it. It's why so many of us suffer from Terminal Upgradeitis. One of the best ways to fight Upgradeitis is to listen to inferior systems, which allows you to remember what's so special about you own setup.... It's why I now keep a Panasonic Minisytem in my bedroom. so that once I've assembled my setup, I'll always have the Panasonic there to remind me of just how good my setup is....

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, it's nice to get a little reminder as to just how good our systems are once in a while.

[anamorphic96]

yes, those are the decent ones... but i'm saying like the northridge series and all those other ones.. they all sound like crap.

plus, those are JBL's studio series... yeh...

There called the Studio series but are part of there home (consumer) division. Available at Tweeter and other consumer electronic chains.

The Northridge series where not all that bad either. Especially when they had a good amp driving them.

[Jimmy C]

...that I feel is very important to a listening experience in your own home... "relaxation".

Maybe I'm just getting older, but I think resolution and a relaxed presentation is more important than rattling walls and fixtures. Yeah, a bit of that is fun at times, but now I feel a full-flavored listening experience a LOW volumes is more satisfying these days. Sort of analogous to cars - I can remember (we ALL can :*) wanting the quickest rod, now I'm quite content with the newer vehicle that has no putty, shines, gets you from A to B with minimum fuss, includes warranty, and even gets decent fuel mileage... lol.

Alright, not a perfect analogy, but you get the idea.

And the "blending" thing"? Subs are tricky... may work, may not. I know of a Reference 3A De capo owner that used a Hsu for augmentation... too boomy and detached. The 3As are much better on their own, IMO.

By the way... a small H.T. store opened up not too far away... the PSBs are definitely nice, although I haven't heard the larger floorstanders.

It took me about an hour to type this... Travel Channel is doing a "Best Beaches" type thing... lots of eye candy!

[bobsticks]

Best cure for system complacency = 40 minute commute to work with a crappy car stereo...nobody is more grateful for their system on a daily basis than I.

Cheers to eye candy

[jrhymeammo]

We get used to it pretty fast, dont we?

I was listening to BlueTrain on SACD thru my cans about an an hour ago. It was sounding great (not quite RVGish in my opinion) while reading Vonnegut. But after awhile I got up and made sure it was still playing in SACD mode. Not that I can change it from SACD to CD playback, but I had to make sure. Then got back into Slaughter House 5....

Then I switched to another RVG rec on RBCD. That's when I realized the greatness of SACD, but after about a minute my ability to enjoy music kicked back in. Oh how I love thee.

[PeruvianSkies]

Well, I guess my analysis is that basically I don't really enjoy music that is loud and aggressive, my current system provides huge sound, but it's the presence of that sound that is awesome. I guess this was just a great reminder of just what a fantastic design the Platinum series is from PSB and what those dollars go to. It's such a invisible speaker AND more importantly it truly creates a soundstage that I have only heard rivaled by a few other speakers, but they cost 2-3x the price.

[filecat13]

yuck, now JBL means "Junkie But Loud"


I wish you'd get fined every time you write trash talk like this. What would your post count be then? 300?

DUDE, it's time you grew up and moved on. Wouldn't you really rather be remembered for writing something useful than for something so lame?

[filecat13]

Glad you not only still like your speakers but are still in love with them. Audio preferences are a very personal thing, and your friend maybe leans in another direction.

Given that you're calling his JBLs "monitors" are they studio monitors? If so, then it's no surprise that their character is quite different and somewhat out of place in a home environment. They were meant to be used in a specific studio environment in a nearfield situation, usually mounted high rather than low.

I know some guys who think that's the "best" for in home audio, too, but I don't share their enthusiasm for studio monitors in the home.

You've got the right speakers in the right environment, so you're bound to come out ahead. Play on!