What Would You Own If You Can't Have JBL?

[Dave_72]

We keep trying to tell you, its not always about the big money gear ...

Maybe so, but the big money gear is really, for the most part, superior to the average stuff like mid-fi.

Imo, you can't be a cheapskate when it comes to audio. Buy the best that you can afford, imo. Life's too short.

[grumpy]

I'd counter with buy what makes you happy... whether that's some notion of what's "best" or the thrill of being a "cheapskate"... or some combination thereof. Indeed, life is too short (and this is supposed to be fun!)

[hjames]

Maybe so, but the big money gear is really, for the most part, superior to the average stuff like mid-fi.

Imo, you can't be a cheapskate when it comes to audio. Buy the best that you can afford, imo. Life's too short.

Sure - its a choice, just like going to the car dealer and buying a new car.

I choose to skip all that markup and the first year's heavy depreciation, and buy at a more reasonable price on the used market.

Also helps me avoid the stuff that just doesn't hold up or is overhyped.

Life is too short to blow money without great attention to the results.

[SEAWOLF97]

Maybe so, but the big money gear is really, for the most part, superior to the average stuff like mid-fi.

Imo, you can't be a cheapskate when it comes to audio. Buy the best that you can afford, imo. Life's too short.

Sure - its a choice, just like going to the car dealer and buying a new car.

I choose to skip all that markup and the first year's heavy depreciation, and buy at a more reasonable price on the used market.

Also helps me avoid the stuff that just doesn't hold up or is overhyped.

Life is too short to blow money without great attention to the results.

thumbs up for HJ . I too have an audio system that is better than that of 99.9% of the worlds population (ed est) and most of it was near SOTA'ish in it's time. It's all "pre-owned" and I doubt that my outlay was over 40% of it's new cost.

read thru this forum ... this isn't the Wilson Audio forum. Many of us enjoy the find and rescue side of audio. JBL's traditional reputation is "bang for the buck" speakers that don't necessarily impress the reviewers. Depreciation ? hell yes, there was a member here not long ago selling his S9900's at half or so and having a hard time even getting that.

TO ME. once I've assembled a sufficient system that is enjoyable , yearly upgrades are not needed. The discretionary funds can be diverted elsewhere to more important projects, like helping out my kids.

[Mr. Widget]

I'd counter with buy what makes you happy... whether that's some notion of what's "best" or the thrill of being a "cheapskate"... or some combination thereof. Indeed, life is too short (and this is supposed to be fun!)

Very well put!


Widget

[DanMan]

DARPA makes a pretty 'cool' speaker system. Hook it up to your smoke detector ... and you might even get a discount on your homeowner insurance!??

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/ns...ing-sound.html

[Fort Knox]

About $3000 could put you in to some 44xx 4-ways which should pretty much blow away all of the above. Worked for me!

I know you know better!

who's kidding who...

[hjames]

Who doesn't know what?

We were here when BMWCCA found those KenRick 4345 clone speakers up north,
drove up to get 'em, muscled them into his van in deep snow and hauled them home ...

That that is, is.

who's kidding who...

[badman]

Audio Kinesis and Gedlee would be high on my list, as would BD designs, Sanders sound, Tannoy, Maggies, and others. There's a lot of good speakers out there, and I'd have to choose carefully. FWIW, though, I do use JBL components, not JBL complete systems, so better proxies might be B&C, TAD, 18sound, Radian.

[Dave_72]

Sure - its a choice, just like going to the car dealer and buying a new car.

I choose to skip all that markup and the first year's heavy depreciation, and buy at a more reasonable price on the used market.

Also helps me avoid the stuff that just doesn't hold up or is overhyped.

Life is too short to blow money without great attention to the results.

Well, I said to buy the best you can afford. This is not at all 5 and 6 figure stuff. Although, again, usually those components (depending on the manufacturer) are gonna sound better than mid-fi.

However, I will say there's some high dollar stuff that has lousy sound and lousy reliability.

On the other hand, mid-fi is kind of a waste of time. I tried that route, and I was most unhappy. Now I'm back to high end.

[Dave_72]

thumbs up for HJ . I too have an audio system that is better than that of 99.9% of the worlds population (ed est) and most of it was near SOTA'ish in it's time. It's all "pre-owned" and I doubt that my outlay was over 40% of it's new cost.

read thru this forum ... this isn't the Wilson Audio forum. Many of us enjoy the find and rescue side of audio. JBL's traditional reputation is "bang for the buck" speakers that don't necessarily impress the reviewers. Depreciation ? hell yes, there was a member here not long ago selling his S9900's at half or so and having a hard time even getting that.

TO ME. once I've assembled a sufficient system that is enjoyable , yearly upgrades are not needed. The discretionary funds can be diverted elsewhere to more important projects, like helping out my kids.

So are you saying that JBL has bad resale value?

[hjames]

So are you saying that JBL has bad resale value?

I think what he said was a lot of people overpay for JBL and we like to buy the brand when the prices come down to earth!

Don't be upset because you paid full list for that Cadillac and others waited until later in the model run and got a deal, ok?

Sheesh - put it in perspective - 7 years ago I bought a pair of 4341 Monitors in a small town 2 states away that had no grills,
and needed some work for $1800. I did some work to them, never got around to the grills, and sold them for nearly double that.

Now - when they hit the market in 1972 - I was finishing High School and had no money for speakers like those.
These days, I am watching investments, looking towards retirement, and not likely to drop $10-15,000 on new speakers.

[gferrell]

Thumbs up to HJ, Seawolf and all the other very knowledgeable contributors here at LH! I started collecting when I found some CL L'7's and looked here to find out what they were and y'all got me hooked. Now look what I have. I consider my stuff is high end to me. But I still drool over those 44xx 4 ways but may never even hear any. Well my new XPL200's and 140's have new foam and I am about to get a listen for the first time. All I have to compare to are my L7's. This is a fun hobby I have taken up.

[SEAWOLF97]

So are you saying that JBL has bad resale value?

please clue us into what has good resale value anymore ? Most of the answers in this thread are for speakers that were once "high end/expensive" , but due to many factors now fit into the <$3000 category.


(warning - snarky response )

well, for a test .... list your new S4700's or check ads for used ones and see what they sell for (I don't know/care). That's why audio is a hobby and not an investment , and sure you can find aberrations where the used gear is worth more than new , but don't fret if that is not your case .... generally only happens on classic/collectables/exceptional pieces and not so much on things produced this millennium.

do your speakers fit into the criteria of this thread ?

[macaroonie]

Most masonry built houses of old could not be built these days for their market value , too much labor and craftsmanship built in to do that.

M