When is a JBL not a JBL?

[Doc Mark]

Greetings, All,

A while back, I bought a pair of small bookshelf speakers, JBL model 2500's at a swap meet, for just $20, or was it $25.... can't remember. Anyway, I brought them home, hooked them up, and they worked just fine. Recently, I brought them into the studio where I work everyday, and hooked them up to the small receiver on which I play my music whilst working. It's a crumby old Realistic, from Radio Shack, and has a cassette deck built into it, as well. Bought it eons ago, along with a few pairs of Realistic Minimus 7's, for use on hotel rooms when I was on the road as a musician. Oddly enough, it's still working, even after all these years!

Anyway, I listened to those 2500's for about a week, and realized that I was ending up with ear fatique every night, after having listened to them each day! Using a DB meter, I saw that I was sitting about 5 feet away from the system and was being in the wave of about 70-80db's of SPL everyday. Today, I decided to replace the JBL's with a pair of small satellite speakers I built back in 1984. I used a 6 1/2" polypropyene woofer from Peerless, and a 1" dome tweeter from Peerless, as well. I've always loved the sound of these speakers, and after lisening to them once again, decided that they actually sound MUCH better than the little JBL's!! Comparatively, the 2500's had a very muffled high end, despite the supposed Titanium tweeter, and a very boomy, and mushy bass. The Peerless-filled speakers had a nice, open high end, with far better definition, and a tight and solid bass response.

I will probably give the 2500's to someone who doesn't really care about real "listening" to music, like my Mom! As for me, I'm sticking with my own speakers, as they sound better than the cheapo JBL's and I do not have any ear fatique, at all, after having listened to them all day long.

What are your thoughts about such small, cheap JBl speakers? I would imagine that the components are not made in the USA. Am I right? Thanks, in advance, for your comments on this type of JBL speaker. To me, it AIN'T a JBL, by any stretch of the imagination!! Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

[Tom Brennan]

. To me, it AIN'T a JBL, by any stretch of the imagination!!
Doc

Well sure it's a JBL, it just isn't a good one.

[Doc Mark]

Well sure it's a JBL, it just isn't a good one.

Hey, Tom,

OK, I'll comprimise with you, and call it a jbl, instead of a JBL! How's that??!! Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

[BMWCCA]

If it helps to restore your faith, I'd suggest trying the L20T, 18Ti, or L1. The 2500's are all over Craig's List and Ebay for not much more than you paid for yours. Seems you were the only one not to get the memo!

[Doc Mark]

If it helps to restore your faith, I'd suggest trying the L20T, 18Ti, or L1. The 2500's are all over Craig's List and Ebay for not much more than you paid for yours. Seems you were the only one not to get the memo!

Morning, MBWCCA,

Yeah, I guess I was out primering the Jeep when the memo came through! I have already given thought to junking the components and using the little boxes as tweeter houses, but in truth, they are vinyl-wrapped, and not that nice. So, I'll just give them away to my Mom, or someone else that wants a small little speaker, but who is, shall we say, less picky the quality of sound that comes out of them! Live and learn, I say.... Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc