Does JBL get a bad rap?


For years, all one heard regarding almost any JBL product, especially vintage consumer grade products was that they were all boom(bass) and sizzle( highs). I feel this is an unfair generalization. Surprisingly, I find much of their budget minded gear(80s-90s) actually soft in the treble and very non-fatiguing(titanium laminate tweeters). I also have experienced the L100T and found them fairly well balanced and nuetral. The midrange does lack some realism magic especially on vocals but so do other highly touted speakers. In short, I am a little late to the game in regards to the JBL, but as a mainstream maker I am impressed. And that doesn't even take into account their 4xxx studio monitors which are highly regarded. Back me up jbl fans!
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Hello again Kiddman. Good to hear your 'well trained ear' support these truly great JBL horn speakers. By the way, have you experience with SOUND APPLICATION AC power conditioning products? I've just had a remarkably good experience. (I admit to wanting absolutely clean AC power and total isolation of digital from analogue.)
Great post Dave_72, However, I believe their is no such thing as the best speakers anyway, personal tast for sound plays part of each audiophiles quest for sound reproduction, what may sound really good to me and you, may be bad to someone wanting cold bright analitical detail that would bring us fatigue!
As I said above, I love the early JBL models, and I'll admit I am not really up to date on their more contemporary models. I just took a look at the link from Stereophile, posted above by Kiddman (JBL Synthesis Array 1400 BG). To me, it looks like a horn stuck to a speaker. Everyone will have an opinion, that's mine. Aesthetics should count for something. I'm not trying to be controversial and you don't have to agree with me, but if you like the look of that speaker, we have nothing more to talk about.
Hi Tonykay, input JBL-Everest DD 67000 speakers on your search, you will enjoy what these new JbL speakers look like, as a matter of fact, the 1400 Array is the only pair of speakers in the model line up that look like that, all the other models have the horns in the cabinet, cheers.