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.