What about JBL? [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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Tetsuro
11-23-2007, 05:32 AM
How does sound JBL speakers? Particularly these: http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=ES20&Language=ENG&Country=IT&Region=EUROPE&cat=CLA&ser=ES

There is no mention about JBL in this forum, are they no good?

filecat13
11-23-2007, 11:49 PM
Tetsuro

The JBL ES Series was released in January 2007, primarily to the European market, so there's not much known here in the States

Physically, it is a very beautiful system, with attractive finishes.

On the inside, it's mostly typical JBL midlevel consumer drivers and networks. There are many similarities to the JBL products in the US, with the subs being quite similar to the old Northridge E Series and the bookshelf/satellites and towers being closer to the Studio L Series, which is also available in Europe. (I'd have to say the ES Series is more pleasing to look at than the Studio L Series.)

The ES Series benefits from the use of EOS Waveguides for the HF and UHF drivers, which offer excellent, uniform dispersion. The enclosure design minimizes parallel surfaces and internal resonances, while the narrow baffle assists in controlling baffle step while enhancing dispersion.

They are certainly worth a listen.

filecat13
11-24-2007, 12:08 AM
There is no mention about JBL in this forum, are they no good?

JBL is not widely discussed here. There is a very active JBL discussion thread on AVSforum.com, and there's an entire site dedicated to JBL and other Jim Lansing-related products at audioheritage.org, which includes a dynamic Lansing Heritage Forums discussion area.

JBL is one of the oldest and largest speaker manufacturers in the world, and as part of Harman International it enjoys access to the world's foremost design and engineering facilities (and engineering talent) at its Northridge, California facility.

JBL's products run the gamut, from sappy little multimedia and iPod speakers, to a wide range of consumer products (from $100 to $15,000 each), world class leading automotive systems, stadium sound systems, movie theater systems, concert hall systems, PA and band gear, marine sound systems, studio monitors, $60,000 high end speakers, and $150,000 Synthesis home theater systems.

There are many excellent speaker brands that represent well in one or a few market segments, but JBL is one of the few brands that has a serious presence in virtually every segment. In several segments, JBL is the clear leader, though it would be fair to say that it has also made some speakers that were far from best of class over the years. In fact, spotty performance and poor quality plagued its entry level products for half a decade in the late 90s, and it is just now regaining that lost momentum here in the US. In other places, like Japan it is a revered brand with an almost fanatical following.

This is a long answer to your short question, but I wanted to give you this information as accurately as possible.

Tetsuro
11-24-2007, 12:25 AM
Thanks very much for your detailed replies, filecat. ;)

hydroman
11-28-2007, 12:14 PM
I loved the way my JBL Titanium 1" tweets would cut crystal clear... sizzling highs.

filecat13
12-01-2007, 08:44 PM
I loved the way my JBL Titanium 1" tweets would cut crystal clear... sizzling highs.

You'd be surprised (and possibly delighted) by these JBLs then. I have a 5.1 surround music only set in the family room and a 7.1 set in the HT downstairs. Except for the 14" woofers, it's all Ti all the time. The inverted dome 4, 6 (in the center channel, not shown), and 8" Ti drivers are wonderfully musical and clean--no metallic aura to them at all. (Pardon the glare from the flash.)

musicman1999
12-02-2007, 12:08 PM
Those particular speakers are not very efficient at 86db sensitivity and don't really go that low so deep bass would require a sub.


bill