• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

I got quite a few new sets of speakers. Input needed!

D

dustin2123

Active Member
I've bought quite a few sets of speakers here recently. I've not really paid too much for any of them. No more than $25 on any 2. Looking to see if any of these are decent finds from anyone with personal experience. They list as follows:

JBL 630 (titanium)
JBL l96
KLH Series Six
Knight 2350A
Fisher XP66
Atlantis 3
Bose 301 Series II
Bose 501 Series IV
 
Register to hide this ad
The KLH Series 6 and the Knight 2350A's look interesting.
The KLH's are well known, I haven't seen much of Knight speakers, but that particular pair has cast frame woofers and horn loaded mids and tweeters, they look very well made.
 
They both have a material around the sub that is not foam. It almost looks like a woven material. This may be common in older speakers... I'm not extremely knowledgeable on this.
 
Very nice shopping!

Are the Atlantis 3's perhaps Atlantis Oracle 3 (upper drivers in open cabinet on top, 10" active plus 12" passive, walnut veneered cabinet all around)?

Assuming the drivers don't need refoaming, they're a pretty nice undervalued house brand from Team Electronics, that lend themselves to a few simple end-user mods like mirror imaging the drivers. They were contemporaries to the DQ-10, and cribbed a few design ideas from them. The drivers were primarily Becker drivers, and the lower midrange was in a transmission line enclosure.

Personally, I find the JBL titanium drivers to be a bit harsh, but that's my personal taste.
 
dustin2123 said:
They both have a material around the sub that is not foam. It almost looks like a woven material. This may be common in older speakers... I'm not extremely knowledgeable on this.
Click to expand...

They must have "treated" or rubberized fabric/textile surrounds, this is a good thing, it lasts a very long time.

It's very common for old drivers to have that type of surrounds, but a lot of modern PA style woofers do as well.
 
Can only comment on the KLH speakers - those are nice. They have cloth surrounds that were doped to make airtight since those are air suspension speakers. Most likely will need to be re-doped. There are numerous threads on KLH surrounds and the proper dope for the job. Depending on your set-up the Sixes are likely keepers. Re-capping them is also recommended.

Nice score on the speakers!
 
I'd be very surprised if the JBL L96 aren't the hands-down winner in that group.

I should live where people give those away for $25 - out here the grills alone would probably go for $200 the pair.

John
 
The jbl l96 have fetched as much as $500 on eBay recently I believe! The foams on those are trashed and will have to be replaced!
 
Use the correct surround when doing the L96s and you'll be pleasantly surprised. I own over a dozen JBLs and if I were to downsize and not be able to use my large ones anymore, the L96 would probably be the one speaker I'd hang on to. I call them my "desert island" speakers. They'll so everything well on any kind of music. One of my favorites!
 
They're probably worth more, if you base the value on performance. These are possibly better-balanced speakers than the larger L112 which can sell for a grand these days. The smaller L96 was a sleeper for a long time but has started to catch up to the L112 and L150A in the past couple of years in terms of market value. Can still bag them for a decent price if you're patient but it's getting tougher all the time.

The LE10H-1 woofer surround is a very specific part, make sure you either have them done at a trustworthy authorized JBL service center, or buy the foam from someone like Rick Cobb if you plan a DIY repair. If you do have someone else do the repair, insist on the foam being mounted to the rear surface of the cone as the originals were.

John
 
I've got two pairs of KLH Six's, and a pair of the 301 II's.

The Six's are outstanding, especially after the work mentioned has been done. Often the tweeters don't work due to bad caps.

The 301 II's are great sounding as well. Many consider this series is the best of the 301 series.

Comparing the two, the Six's win hands down. The 301's are more forward in the highs, bass is good, can take a good amount of power. This is a ported design. Often the woofer surrounds are rotted and need replacing.

The Six's are much warmer, less in your face highs, wonderful deep bass. You can listen to these all day long at volume and they won't fatigue your ears.
I listen to mine stacked and they are superb.

These speakers have woofers, not subs.

I'd love a pair of L96's some day. They get high marks here.

You have a nice assortment to play with. Post pics when you can.

Cheers, Glenn
 
I have the JBL 630. I like them a lot. They are obviously not high-end, but they sound really good to me. Surprising amount of bass for small drivers and great midrange. Yours have the uprated tweeters too, mine are just the regular version. That's a steal IMO. I paid $50 for mine a couple months ago.

But frankly they are kind of ugly. Low WAF even in my office/chill room. Wish I had the grilles. If you decide not to keep yours I might take them off your hands, I'm driving distance to you if you're in Seymour.
 
Last edited:
Roboturner91 said:
I have the JBL 630. I like them a lot. They are obviously not high-end, but they sound really good to me. Surprising amount of bass for small drivers and great midrange. Yours have the uprated tweeters too, mine are just the regular version. That's a steal IMO. I paid $50 for mine a couple months ago.

But frankly they are kind of ugly. Low WAF even in my office/chill room. Wish I had the grilles. If you decide not to keep yours I might take them off your hands, I'm driving distance to you if you're in Seymour.
Click to expand...

Definitely give you a shout if I decide to!
 
I second the vote for the Bose Series II 301's. I have two pair, and am listening right now to one pair hooked up to a Velodyne F-1000-B. Near musical nirvana. And, icing on the cake, they are at once cool looking and nondescript.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom