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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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dave_72
1,399 posts
 
also, Dave_72, I did not know that your s4700s has the folded woofers

Yep. Check out the pics out there via google images. Again, the top of the line studio monitor, the M2, uses the same woofer that the S4700 does! The M2 is considered the best sounding JBL product out there regardless of price. Only the Everest competes with it. But it's only available in packages with DSP and ampiflication either from Crown or Levinson. The M2s have no internal crossover.
mbovaird
140 posts
 
I recently heard the JBL K2 9900's at the TAVES show and LOVED them. GREAT, big, natural sound.
dave_72
1,399 posts
 
I agree. And if I had the money, I would have bought those instead of the S4700s.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,483 posts
 
I believe JBL does not get the recognition they deserve here in the U.S.A., I mean, here on Audiogon, if you say you have JBL speakers, they believe they are junk audio, they blast me for tring to tell them anything about how much better the JBL's are than what they have when they ask what speakers are great because they are in the market to buy new speakers, my question is how much better is the Everest 67000 speakers compaired to the K2 9900's?
dave_72
1,399 posts
 
Good question. I haven't heard both side by side, so I can't give you a definite answer on that one. Just going by memory, however, the Everest is more dynamic, transparent, and more authoritative than the K2s. The K2s are no slouch, but I believe they are a bit overpriced, as are the S4700s that I use. However, it's pretty well known that JBL slashes prices quite a bit, and I was offered to buy a pair of new K2s for half off the retail price. Anyway, I don't think you can go wring with either one, but if you can swing a good deal on a pair of Everests, then by all means go for it!
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