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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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czarivey
4,494 posts
 
I agree with you 100%! Lots of the vintage JBL models (4312, 4310, L800 and surely more others as well) will challenge today's desings with open natural and well tonal balanced sound, with incredible soundstaging abilities and also ease to drive as well. I'm definitely a fan of JB Lansing!
There are lot more 'sleepers' in JB's huge array of speakers so far made, so other posters will chip-in as well with list of great vintage models.
dkarmeli
332 posts
 
I would say that there's a lack of knowledge rather than a bad rap. The two audiophile rags here chose to ignore JBL in favor of boutique manufacturers, even when they had clearly inferior products. Even the current Everest which is an engineering tour de force with a gorgeous industrial design is ignored by them.

JBL's been making some of the best high end musical speakers for decades while flying under the radar here in the States they enjoyed huge success overseas. As Czarivey mentioned they have a huge catalog, there are some losers there too.

david
wolf_garcia
4,650 posts
 
Having cut my musical (recording) teeth in early 70s recording studios I can testify to why JBL got a bad rap...extreme treble and boomy bass was what people thought they needed and that's what JBL gave 'em. Amazingly, engineers were able to work around this (mini single speaker monitors as additional reference points) and make some great recordings. A recent Hifi mag just gave a rave review to the latest Everest flagship horn speaker, so one can assume they're doing fine now.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,483 posts
 
I have some JBL L-7 vintage 1992 speakers that retailed for $2,000.00, I first bought them in 2012 to flip for more money because they were in brand new condition when I got them, which was unbelievable for the age of them, I hooked them up to a fricken walmart RCA small all in one unit, I could not believe what I heard and the huge sound stage presatation, today, I removed the stock bi-amp plate and inserted Tara labs Omega jumper cables and the speakers are now hooked to a modded krell 700cx amp with Tara labs zero gold interconnects and omega gold speaker cables untill I get my hands on the discontinued JBL Everest DD-66000 or the new top of the line JBL Everest DD-67000 speakers, however, I will be keeping the vintage JBL-L7 speakers, BTW, they have the titanium laminate tweeters, the bass is none boomy period, rather for 30hz, the best I have ever heard considering what my cables do for them, these JBL-L7 speakers have a natural open well balanced tone, I am still scratching my head as to why these speakers are that good, cheers
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