JBL speakers are they really that good?

[rem69]

JBL Sound

Well its Friday night, kind of taking it easy tonight, so glad I was able to spark some interest with everyone. I meant no disrespect to JBL or any owners. I just wanted to know what is so good about about the sound that JBL's produce.

JBL speakers defined what was called the west coast sound for my generation
(teenager in late60's early70's). Everyone wanted a 100watt + amp and a pair of JBL speakers. Most could not afford them as min wage was $1.60 hr.
Now remember this was the Age of Rock and Roll, Big Loud Sound and most of, if not all of the Music was MASTERED ON JBL REFERENCE MONITORS, so if you were in to Audio and wanted to hear the music as the was heard by the Bands when mixing the Albums, then YOU HAD JBL's. They were Quality Speakers, very efficient and you did not need 1000watt Amps to produce 100+ db sound pressure levels. One reason you see Vintage JBL's going for such high prices today, is that a lot of people who always wanted them when they were new can now afford them.
Now do not get me wrong, I really like Klipsch Corner Horns Very Efficient and will play VERY Loud, but after about 3 hrs of listening at normal levels I find I want to turn off the music as my ears get tired. Like Infinity RS series, such as 2.5's, a friend has a bi-amped system, same thing ears tired and you need stock in the Power Company to Drive them Loudly.
All my JBL's I can listen to from the time I wake up until lights out and do most days, I have never found another speaker I can do that with.
I just purchased a pair of 4313b's really cheep, not because I needed another pair of speakers but just because I wanted a pair in early 80's and had to choose between L112's or 4313's and bought L112's.
I listen to Classic Rock 95% if time with Country Rock, some Country and once in a while a little Jazz or Classical.
Nothing Else Sounds Like JBL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yes:
Later
Roy

 

[Mas4260]

The current 911 could still be easily improved upon if the market would just let Porsche put the engine in the right spot and where they'd want to put it if they had a choice. Imagine what they could if they focused all that energy in a platform that wasn't so inherently flawed.

Let's be honest about JBLs, the detractors are a very distinct minority compared to other popular brands. Outside of LHF, I'm not sure there is a forum that likes JBLs as much as this site.

Why don't you stick to stereo equipment- I will assume you know something about that....:nono:

 

[rem69]

Mcintosh

I don't doubt that as I often search for JBL's on websites for sale, and as of yet have found a pair of the larger ones at a low price. That is part of why I asked the question, are they that good? I have been able to see what I consider good deals, and sometimes steals on other models of very good speakers, but I guess JBL's are so hot of sellers that you just can't find any for what I consider to be a good deal. That is pretty much the same thing with Mcintosh, yet evey once in a while I see a good deal on them, and even purchased a Mcintosh preamp that I use everyday that I really like.

Not to get off subject but this is true story:
I am originally from Scranton, Pa area.
Back about 1980 had a friend with a McIntosh Amp.
He was playing it on a Friday afternoon about 4pm when it DIED.
He was planing on having a Party at his home Saturday Night so
he called Mcintosh in Binghamton, NY and explained this to the woman on the Phone and asked if their was anyone in Scranton who could look at the Amp Saturday Morning.
Her Response was: You are only 1.5hrs away from US and if you can leave
in the next half hour I will have a one of our Technicians stay here and Fix the Amp while you wait. He drove the amp up and had it repaired FREE of charge.
You Can not get better customer service than that.
MAC got their reputation for good reason.:thmbsp:

Just something I thought was worth sharing
Roy

 

[rem69]

Amps

Yes I to would like a good pair of tube amps, and always keep my eye out for a pair. But unlike the JBL's I need a pair that have a lot of power, I am thinking a pair of Conrad Johnson Premeir Ones.
I would really like a pair of Audio Research amps, but I don't think I can afford the pairs that I like.

Another way to look at it
More Money for JBL's less Money for Smaller Amp
Your CL great bargain speakers MORE Money for Big Amps
Probably come out about the same $ wise
But the Big Amps will eat more power forever
And a lot of the smaller amp sound better than larger ones.
Ex.-IMO the Yamaha B2 sounds better than the B1, tried them both when
they were new and Bought B2
Roy

 

[GuyNoir]

I have received numerous post in other threads which referred back to this thread...

I hope you know that when I asked you in another thread if you'd wrangled a set of JBLs yet, that there was absolutely no malice intended.

 

[sensei91]

JBL speakers defined what was called the west coast sound for my generation
(teenager in late60's early70's). Everyone wanted a 100watt + amp and a pair of JBL speakers. Most could not afford them as min wage was $1.60 hr.
Now remember this was the Age of Rock and Roll, Big Loud Sound and most of, if not all of the Music was MASTERED ON JBL REFERENCE MONITORS, so if you were in to Audio and wanted to hear the music as the was heard by the Bands when mixing the Albums, then YOU HAD JBL's. They were Quality Speakers, very efficient and you did not need 1000watt Amps to produce 100+ db sound pressure levels. One reason you see Vintage JBL's going for such high prices today, is that a lot of people who always wanted them when they were new can now afford them.
Now do not get me wrong, I really like Klipsch Corner Horns Very Efficient and will play VERY Loud, but after about 3 hrs of listening at normal levels I find I want to turn off the music as my ears get tired. Like Infinity RS series, such as 2.5's, a friend has a bi-amped system, same thing ears tired and you need stock in the Power Company to Drive them Loudly.
All my JBL's I can listen to from the time I wake up until lights out and do most days, I have never found another speaker I can do that with.
I just purchased a pair of 4313b's really cheep, not because I needed another pair of speakers but just because I wanted a pair in early 80's and had to choose between L112's or 4313's and bought L112's.
I listen to Classic Rock 95% if time with Country Rock, some Country and once in a while a little Jazz or Classical.
Nothing Else Sounds Like JBL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yes:
Later
Roy

I was also one of those teenagers at the time, but in 1973 , I was lucky enough to be able to buy a brand new pair of L100s, for around $ 600.00

I think I set them up in my first apartment with an Onkyo TX 440 receiver. I think maybe it only put out around 15 wpc, but that was plenty loud, indeed too loud for an apartment.

When I moved into seperates (and a house) with a Mcintosh c28 and a 2105 amp, it really brought the speakers alive. I got a bit carried away, and ended up frying one of the woofers. I had it repaired by an authorized JBL center. I was then a bit more careful about how loud I played them.

Then around 12 years ago, I decided to look at different speakers. I ended up purchasing a pair of Definitive Technologies BP 10. As much as I love my JBLs , they aren't even close to the sound of the Def Tecs. I still have the L100s ,as they are on the rear of my HT system. They sound quite good back there, and I doubt I'll ever let them go.

When I was listening to them yesterday, I couldn't believe that I have had them for 39 years. The foam grills have long since rotted away, the cabinets have a couple of scratches and such, but they are like an old trusted friend.

 

[Tom Brennan]

Since you asked, my "beef" is the endless pairing of the initials "JBL" with the term "West-Coast sound". It's about as much crap as saying a current Porsche 911 exhibits uncontrollable oversteer.

Neither are true statements given the continued evolution of both iconic products............

Yes, I know all that. But the fella was expressing his opinion of old JBLs and Altecs. We can't have a caveat everytime we talk about old JBLs, it would make things tiresome.

Of the other hand given that this site is frequented by many whose hi-fi mindset is stuck in the 1970s (and on medicore 70s gear at that) I understand your frustration that people may think 1970s JBL represents current JBL sound (and quality) which IMO ranges from speakers that are much better than the 70s models to speakers that are much worse.

 

[Tom Brennan]

Why don't you stick to stereo equipment- I will assume you know something about that....:nono:

You assume correctly.

Does your Porsche have the optional zimmerit finish?

 

[WhiteSE]

Not to get off subject but this is true story:
I am originally from Scranton, Pa area.
Back about 1980 had a friend with a McIntosh Amp.
He was playing it on a Friday afternoon about 4pm when it DIED.
He was planing on having a Party at his home Saturday Night so
he called Mcintosh in Binghamton, NY and explained this to the woman on the Phone and asked if their was anyone in Scranton who could look at the Amp Saturday Morning.
Her Response was: You are only 1.5hrs away from US and if you can leave
in the next half hour I will have a one of our Technicians stay here and Fix the Amp while you wait. He drove the amp up and had it repaired FREE of charge.
You Can not get better customer service than that.
MAC got their reputation for good reason.:thmbsp:

Just something I thought was worth sharing
Roy

well, try doing that now.:scratch2:

 

[Ken Boyd]

I hope you know that when I asked you in another thread if you'd wrangled a set of JBLs yet, that there was absolutely no malice intended.

Guy I understood that, and I have not yet found any JBL's, but I did get a pair of Sansui's that are kind of like JBL's. I can't say if they sound like all JBL's as I suspect that not all JBL's sound the same, but from the JBL L100's that I heard I like these Sansui's better than them. I can't say everyone would agree with that as I am sure there are many people would would prefer the L100's.

 

[RobRoy]

Whats the big fuss about older JBL speaker? I notice that many people seem to pay a lot of money for older JBL speakers, like the L100's and others. Whats the big deal about them, they don't seem like they are that good. For the same price I have seen and purchased much better speakers IMO. How could a simple three way ported speakers compare to a line source or good electrostatic panel pair of speakers.

People pay a lot of money for older cars that can't hold a candle to modern stuff. It's not all about doing the job the best. Sometimes it is the same mindset as collecting antiques, but antiques you can drive or, in the case of JBL's, listen to.

Back in the day I sold the L-100's. They were great speakers but a bit overpriced. I only sold them to people that really were not price conscious or understood that a stereo was only as strong as it's weak link (usually the speakers and phono cartridge) and they would drop down a bit on their receiver price and spring for the JBL's.

 

[RobRoy]

Now remember this was the Age of Rock and Roll, Big Loud Sound and most of, if not all of the Music was MASTERED ON JBL REFERENCE MONITORS, so if you were in to Audio and wanted to hear the music as the was heard by the Bands when mixing the Albums, then YOU HAD JBL's.

When I sold for Jafco in the late 70's, we would give this JBL speaker comparison album to customers. I ended up getting five or six copies and still have them. Only one is opened.

 

[RobRoy]

Which would be +/- $1275 today

My grand parents paid $850 for a console color TV back around 1965 (and my parents were paying $60 a month rent for a nice brick three bedroom house at the same time). I used to sell Mitsubishi 35" color TV's for $3,499 in the early 1980's.

But just like those old Mitsubishi TV's, the L100's would not hold a candle to what you could get for the same money today, in 2012 dollars. Like so many vintage items, their value is not about their quality, though it is high for their day. Nobody who wants a top performing sports car is going to dip into 1950's stuff. It's not as good and it's more expensive.

 

[jdurbin1]

How's the content on this LP? I bought this one and another JBL LP recently, but they're both sealed & hadn't decided whether to open either to listen to them.

John

When I sold for Jafco in the late 70's, we would give this JBL speaker comparison album to customers. I ended up getting five or six copies and still have them. Only one is opened.

 

[RobRoy]

How's the content on this LP? I bought this one and another JBL LP recently, but they're both sealed & hadn't decided whether to open either to listen to them.

John

It's interesting stuff. The narrator explains the nuances of each instrument and sort of teaches people how to listen when auditioning speakers. I like how they take each instrument in a song, recorded on a separate track, and have you listen to that instrument alone, and then combine it all. It also has some just plain music. It is interesting just as a piece of history, similar to my selection of spec sheets I collected back in those days when you could walk into a stereo store and see a large rack with factory promotional media with specs on most of the equipment the store sold. I used to grab a copy of every one. I still have them in boxes.

This record is a part of that long gone culture.

 

[BMWCCA]

Yes, I know all that. But the fella was expressing his opinion of old JBLs and Altecs. We can't have a caveat everytime we talk about old JBLs, it would make things tiresome.

Of the other hand given that this site is frequented by many whose hi-fi mindset is stuck in the 1970s (and on medicore 70s gear at that) I understand your frustration that people may think 1970s JBL represents current JBL sound (and quality) which IMO ranges from speakers that are much better than the 70s models to speakers that are much worse.

My point was that JBL prior to and after the L100 era did not share that sound. My 030s from 1958 didn't, neither did the Olympus S8Rs of that era. The broad brush with which the ignorant paint all JBLs is simply the L100, and its variants. But then those who continue that "west coast" crapola may not have ever even heard a JBL for all we know.

 

[bluesky]

Best JBLs I ever had were these tent sale 3115s, a most excellent speaker with a midrange realism that was quite lifelike. I bi-amped them with a big hog QSC on the woofers and a Teac chip-amp on the mid-treble. I'd put these up against damned near anything including the Altec 19s that were in another room.

They sounded much better than the Altec 605s I'd previously used in that room; the 605s were fine speakers but for some reason didn't work at all in that room. In other rooms the 605s would do the big "over the shoulder" imaging trick but in this one they sounded dead and flat. But the 3115s came alive there.

3115 !!!

Those are some ' B a d - A s s ' looking speakers! I really love em already and I bet they would sound fine enough for me! Those things look serious like they belong on stage!! Don't think the wife would like em, i'm sure the wife would hate them...I LOVE EM!! 3115, got it. Now all I have to do is find a pair!

Very nice Tom Brennan. Wish I had a pair. When I'm looking for JBLs I'm going to keep my eyes open for 3115s! MAN, THOSE CABS ARE SO SERIOUS LOOKING!!!!!!!!! Blows my mind. My brother plays on stage and they look exactly like stage equipment.

I've been thinking about getting a pair of JBLs. Been thinking about it for 40 years only but have really been thinking about it seriously the last couple years.

After reading this thread and 2 other long threads...I'm pretty confused and have no idea what's going on in JBL land. All I remember is that JBLs sounded wonderful in 1970.

I've got a lot of research to do. It 'sounds' like what you really have to do is just find some for sale, forget the model number...and just 'listen to them'.

Maybe I'll just recap the speakers I have. It's a lot easier than trying to figure all this out. :>)


J B L - STORY......

Used to own a pair of some really super large JBLs (used to own a vintage musical equipment store), like 15+ feet wide, 5 feet deep, and with the mid and tweets stacked on top of the woofer they were about 8 or 9 feet high. Also used to own some JBL professional stage tweets, different tweets, the ones with the 6 or 8 fins attached. Well, there was no-way way I could ever use the stage JBLs, they wouldn't even 'FIT IN A HOUSE', COULDN'T EVEN GET THEM IN A HOUSE!!! HAHA, but I really wish I would of kept the tweets and fins. They 'looked' simply outrageous and probably sounded the same.

Guy I understood that, and I have not yet found any JBL's, but I did get a pair of Sansui's that are kind of like JBL's. I can't say if they sound like all JBL's as I suspect that not all JBL's sound the same, but from the JBL L100's that I heard I like these Sansui's better than them. I can't say everyone would agree with that as I am sure there are many people would would prefer the L100's.

Ahhh, a fellow Sansui guy.

I think maybe I'll just re-cap my NOS 1970 SP-2000 speakers with AlNiCo magnets I have in the closet and call it a day! haha. Honestly, I'm using another pair of SP-2000s right now in the living room and they sound pretty good. I wouldn't even consider taking the backs off to do anything. We'll just keep those exactly the way they are.

3115s! I can hear the wife screaming already.

 

[bluesky]

I bought a pair of JLBs from a guy in a van once. Figured "$1999 list...these HAVE to be good." He wanted $600...all I had on me was $133.28. He still sold them to me. Did I do good?

Yes you did Gunga Din!

 

[tubed]

It's interesting stuff. The narrator explains the nuances of each instrument and sort of teaches people how to listen when auditioning speakers. I like how they take each instrument in a song, recorded on a separate track, and have you listen to that instrument alone, and then combine it all. It also has some just plain music. It is interesting just as a piece of history, similar to my selection of spec sheets I collected back in those days when you could walk into a stereo store and see a large rack with factory promotional media with specs on most of the equipment the store sold. I used to grab a copy of every one. I still have them in boxes.

This record is a part of that long gone culture.

Very much right on , RobRoy:thmbsp:
The most interesting point the album made,to me, was that vinyl recordings of the time were recorded with bass frequency responses of only 50Hz and above:sigh:
The reason stated was an economy of space on the album. Bass tracks below 50Hz cut too wide a groove thus limiting the amount of music alotted to the limited space of the LP.

 

[Mancave Man]

I've had JBLs since the 70's. 4311's & L150's. I now have a Performance Series 5.1 system. The PT800/PS1400 stacks sound incredibly good. It's too bad that they were not readily available for auditioning. I'm sure they would have sold a lot of them.