JBL 4367: What an AMAZING sounding speaker!


Less of a review and more of my initial impressions after living with the Jbl 4367 for about a month now. System consists of a Kinki Studio ex-m1 integrated amplifier, a schiit Yggdrasil v2 being fed by my computer, interconnects are Dyson Audio, Cullen cable power cords, and blue jeans speaker cables. My taste in music is predominately classical, jazz, and hard rock, as well as rap, and metal. I love me some Metellica and Kanye West almost as much as I love Mozart and Coltrane. The room is small, 15x10x9. They are set up on the long wall, 12.5ft apart from tweeter to tweeter, and I sit 10 feet away, with the speakers toed in not insignificantly; pointing just to the sides of my head. Believe it or not I have had very little issues with the JBL behaving in my room. Perhaps because it is furnished just right, my careful use of bass traps and absorption panels, the actual construction of the room (suspended wood floor, and dry wall in front of brick for the walls) but I have felt no want for better sound, given my situation. I dare say that the JBL 4367 are perhaps the best speaker I could have picked for my room.

This is a very good loudspeaker. Sound is much better than my previously owned speakers, KEF LS50, KEF R300, Arteluthe Cadenza and Harbeth 30.2. All were very good speakers In their own right but the JBL 4367 makes them all sound like toys. Soundstage and imaging is ridiculous, and the midrange is to die for. Joni Mitchell both sides now and Diana Krall When I look in your eyes and Sarah K. Turn Into Nothing are my 3 reference tracks that I use to judge the midrange, specifically the female vocal midrange. These 3 tracks really have a thick presence, if played on a system done right you genuinely feel you are there in the venue. This is not a case of “it’s like the performer is in the room” no, it’s a case of “I feel like I’m there at the venue live”, the titular track from Both Sides Now, Joni Mitchell’s voice hangs in the air and when I close my eyes I can just imagine myself transported to a dimly lit jazz bar, The air heavy and thick with cigarette smoke, and her singing so soulfully into the mic. What a wonderful album. It has slowly been becoming one of my all time favourites.

I am constantly floored how real the musical presentation is, on albums and tracks recorded in the studio, I get the sense that the singers are floating in the air in front of me. There is a real “stage” to the sound, an intimacy to the music that is soulful; engaging to the point I’m emotionally moved. This is constant, from song to song. Albums that I love to death but have always sounded quite harsh on almost unlistenable are now extremely pleasant and FUN. Bon Jovis vocals on many of the tracks on Slippery When Wet have a sibilence to them on the many speakers I tried. Somehow, the JBL 4367 compression driver and horn system brushes away the sibilence and presents vocals that are crisp, detailed and heavy. This is my kind of rock! On my previous setups, I found the vocals to get very confused and muddled in with the hard rock riffs. The guitars on Rush’s Moving Pictures never sounded so good. I cranked Tom Sawyer and YYZ at pretty ear splitting (100db peaks) levels and it was nearly peeling the skin off my face. Crunchy bass the real deal kind of bass guitar noise: the JBL can deliver that accurate sound. And the drum kit, espesxially on YYZ. Just FUN!! I’ve heard people say that Neil isn’t a good drummer, or he’s boring, or has no soul. I DARE you to say that after hearing Moving Pictures on the JBL 4367!

The JBL 4367 offered and continues to offer up dynamics on an unheard level for me. Sheffield drum kit at 105db peaks felt exactly as I imagine it should have. Guttural bass slam that startles you with its huge swings in sound pressure. The large 15” woofers can stop and go on a dime. When I listen to music I find myself losing track of time. What was supposed to be just a few songs turns into a marathon session of at least 6 hours. I really get carried away often and forget to eat.

I hope this impression was useful to someone. If you have other questions please Ask and I will be happy to answer.
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I have mine raised about 2” off the basement floor, using landscaping pavers. I also run a pair of JL Audio Fathom subwoofers with them. Not sure the subs are all that necessary. 
I have had my pair for a number of months but have been too busy to do much with them. They are certainly designed within Toole's philosophy. Although their tone is dry they are not quite as bleached out as I have experienced the similar sounding Revel Salons. They are so low in distortion and hyperarticulate they do well with dense recordings. I agree they are not the best in resolution but good enough for me. 

I have them on temporary dollies to play with height before ordering stands, likely from Sound Anchors. There is a thread on whatsbestforum about an owners journey from which I learned Isoacoustics knows how to make them for the 4367. 

The bass extension does not belie the fact they are really giant 2-way book shelves. The upside is there is no distracting additive notes from the ports, but my opinion is they require augmentation. REL's website has a recommended model for the 4367, but I do not know how that works. I would like to try voxativ standalone woofers but they are really expensive.  
I’m a recent convert to horns in my hifi rig (horns in my pro audio stuff are there now and always), and imaging is astonishing with the weird fat little Klipsch Heresy IIIs (boosted with 2 REL subs)...I bet the JBLs sound great as a classic 2 way horn speaker should...the mid-high range large diaphragm horn has similar specs to the Altec A7s I owned for years, and they sounded beautiful.
No I never said it was not a good speaker. I was just pointing out 
when funds are available to start buythe Kimber 12 TC cables a small investment for noticable gains . Then maybe in a year or two
or when funds allow upgrade the Xover . I am a bit on the extreme side .i look inside the speaker the first week I But them andlook to see how cheap the parts quality is . I called Marten Logan after I rebuiltone of their New models over $10k ,and their flagship
$80k speaker using Mundorfs cheaper white ego oil caps is a disgrace ,I told them at that price they should be using their best 
which the the Supreme ,Silver,Gold oilcapacitors which might add $1200 and they get 50% off. Sometimes,or most times MFG 
should just spend a bit more to start for to rebuild 1/2 the cost now is Labor. A perfect example is on tweaks Synergistic a Research sell 
what they calls The Carbon Xrossover purifiers . The plug in the back of your speaker $450 in a pretty shell and two wires inside a resistor and capacitor ,the quality not even close it balances out the impedance dips and allows to amp to work a bit easier.iI bought them and sold them . I am building my own and using the best parts in the world like a Duelunds Silver foil paper oil capacitor and top 
resistor with rhe best wire and Copper connectors and sell for 
less then Synergistic for a product Much better .if you are going to build something take some pride in at least going at least extra 
to some extent on parts quality. Most people donot even realize what is inside.ifit sounds good ok . That’s fine ,Myself being an Audiophile and ex store owner know what to look for and mods are a great way to get a Giant gains .thst is how Modwright got going 
in electronics. Just my observations nothing more .