Jbl e90s really fatiguing high frequency

[Mr Boochie]

I could still use some minor adjustments, but huge improvement...

Maybe you just need some room treatment. If you have wood floors, a throw rug could help with irritating high-frequency sound reinforcement.

A nice video to check out.

 

[onanysunday]

You might consider replacing the tweeter cap with one of better quality. I have no personal experience, but I've heard (read) that Clarity caps provide a smoother sound than some others. Here's a little 'light' reading on different caps. Humble Homemade Hifi - Cap Test

It sounds like you've improved it some, but this is what I am thinking. Remove a woofer and look for any electrolytics in the tweeter circuit. They're usually the smallest capacitance caps in a crossover. If it's electrolytic, that's what I would suspect first. If so, upgrade to MKP. Audyn Q-4, Jantzen Standard-Z or Cross-Cap at a minimum. Do you have any "silver" cables in the signal chain? Real silver cables don't necessarily do this, but cheap silver-alloy plated cables can cause this.

 

[knotscott]

So the built-in variable EQ on your system isn't enough to tame the JBL speakers' highs?

I've heard of people covering or physically muffling offending high-frequency drivers with insulation cloth when all else fails. Seems you have a double whammy. A bright Onkyo receiver and bright JBL speakers.

Sorry!

I've added felt trim rings or 1/2" wool/felt wedge shapes around tweeters with good success at taming overly bright tweeters and shrillness. It's easy, cheap, effective, adjustable to suit, and fully reversible if it doesn't work out for you. A sheet of craft or ironing wool/felt is about $15 from Amazon and works great.

 

[onanysunday]

I've added felt trim rings or 1/2" wool/felt wedge shapes around tweeters with good success at taming overly bright tweeters and shrillness. It's easy, cheap, effective, adjustable to suit, and fully reversible if it doesn't work out for you. A sheet of craft or ironing wool/felt is about $15 from Amazon and works great.

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This sounds like a good idea. I've noticed this on my Vandersteens as well.

 

[knotscott]

This sounds like a good idea. I've noticed this on my Vandersteens as well.

Spica, Snell and others too.