JBL J216 2-way Bookshelf

[StarMover]

I was out at the thrift mart looking for a turntable when I turned up a pair of JBL J216 speakers. These are smaller speakers and the cabinets need some veneer work, but it doesn't look like anything I can't handle. The speakers themselves look very nice, the surrounds are great although the dustcaps on the tweeters are dimpled in. I paid $20 for these... I hope I didn't get ripped off. I can't wait to get them home and hook them up. They will be just the right size for my family room bookshelves. :yes:

Oh, while I'm here. Why do they call some speakers "studio monitors" instead of just "speakers"?

 

[StarMover]

Got em home and cleaned them up. All the drivers look and sound great. The cabs need some work, but they have potential. The sides are vinyl veneer and the tops are particleboard painted black. The paint on top needs touching up on one and and the veeneer is loose on a couple of the end strips, but it can be glued back on. If I was real ambitious, I could replace the veneer with reall wood veneer (a good winter project). Overalll a good find. I'm sure I can use them somewhere in the house.

 

[Andyman]

Kegger and I played with a set of J216As last night out in the garage and were amazed at how nice these little 2 ways sounded. nice highs, good lows,(much better than we expected) and great soundstage and imaging, it was hard to believe that these little 2 ways were playing and not the larger speakers they were set upon.

I'd certainly recommend grabbing any you find out there.

 

[Zilch]

http://manuals.harman.com/JBL/HOM/Technical Sheet/J216 ts.pdf

http://manuals.harman.com/JBL/HOM/Technical Sheet/J216A ts.pdf

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"Studio Monitor" implies a higher standard of accuracy and power-handling capacity for demanding work in professional recording. With JBL Pro, at least, the term is meaningful. L100s, for example, do not meet the criteria, and were never called that.

Given the higher quality of speakers made to these specs, it did not take the consumer audio industry long to apply the term to just about anything they could even remotely associate with the proper applicaton and dilute its meaning in the interest of selling product. JBL themselves played "bait and switch" with the concept when first attempting to convince the general public that studio monitor accuracy was appropriate for home use, as well.

In truth, consumers are so used to loudspeaker colorations of varying sorts and degrees that true studio monitor accuracy and transparency is perceived as "dry" and "lifeless." It's definitely an acquired taste.... :yes: