★ *REVIEWING: **bit.ly/3ms4cY9** - DETAILS IN DESCRIPTION⬆︎* ★ *QOTD: Between the L100 and L82 Classic, which are you picking and why?* ★ *Love our conversation/outtakes? Be sure to watch to the end* ★ *COMMENT RULES: Please be respectful. No outside links, URLs, email addresses, etc. Violations are automatically deleted.*
JBL has always sounded like a PA to me regardless of model. All wall of sound with little sparkle. They roar, but they always feel like you’re in the control room and not the other side of the glass with the band. Probably why the majority of JBL speakers I’ve heard were actually in control rooms. So, neither for me but your mileage may very.
greetings from germany! as a young person with low $$$ these reviews are always for indulgence sake, but if/when the career takes off, I will have this channel to thank for my expertise!
If you are low on funds I'd take a look at the SMSL AD18, and some Sony SSCS5's when they go on sale (under $100 a pair in the US). Great speakers for the money, and GR Research just came out with an upgrade kit if you want to improve them later on. Hopefully prices are similar in Germany.
Even though your English is (was?) imperfect, you managed to nevertheless express yourself not merely clearly, but poetically as well. I wonder if you read a lot, or studied language, or even if you fancy yourself a writer!
Check out the KLH Kendalls if you want a sub 1300 dollar pair with kevlar mids & bass drivers, and an aluminium tweeter. It's a hugely dynamic system for the money. Easy to drive too.
I really enjoy your reviewing style. I like all the detail, and in particular I like that you will be candidly critical of certain aspects of a product. But this is one where I think if you just said “meh, I didn’t love it” it might have saved everyone some time. If I’m wrong please correct me, but that’s what I came away with.
@@edd2771 Yes, they obviously panned these speakers. IMO, you're paying for that nostalgic look. Speaker design is not rocket since and this is not a revolutionary design to command $2500, especially considering the average sound quality and poor built quality.
I had a lot of questions about the JBL L82's sound quality. This video has gone far in answering most of them. I now have a good sense of these JBLs and what I would be in for were I to buy them. Andrew Robinson always gives a good video - outstanding, really. I trust his point of view; his criticism.
Thanks for the review! I got mine with the blue grilles as well. When I took the complete package of aesthetics/acoustics into account, these simply couldn't be beat. I happen to really like the sound, I suppose that I'm in the "buy the seats and enjoy the show" category of listener that Kristi was talking about. I wish you could have paired them with the Cambridge Audio EVO 75 or 150...I'm considering one of those (probably the 75) as my next upgrade.
Oh I wish we could have made that pairing but like most things these days, shipping and availability is a real bummer. I think it will be here this week so look for it to be featured in something soon! Also, nothing wrong with being a "seat" guy! Thanks for watching and enjoy your speakers!
Love the channel guys. I’m really enjoying the conversations that are happening at the end of the videos lately. Need to get Kristy on camera tho. Just downloaded “my number” - thanks the reco... great track and it sounds amazing on Klipsch.
Kristi's comment asking are you a "seat" person or "GA" person really resonated with me. I never thought of it like that before. I'm a GA person, which probably explains so concisely why I find some speakers lacking. I could never really explain it before, now it makes perfect sense.
Focus on who you are what you like to listen to more than the gear. That will help you when it comes time to shop. Never lose sight of your interests and needs.
My stereo system speakers are JBL S-99’s, 51 years old. They still sound perfect and the rubber mount rings are still soft. Amazing to me that they’ve lasted this long. As compared to my Paradigm home theater speakers where the rubber mount ring on the subwoofer tore after 9 years. It got replaced with an SVS.
I really enjoyed your review. My first speakers were JBL L19 from the 70s that I still own. I have been a professional audio engineer since then mixing music, television, and movies. Almost entirely listening to JBL. I owned JBL4311 (pro-L100) for personal use, I found them a bit boring. I do have a pair of L65 that I love the best tweeter ever! I also have B&W and Mission in my home theater. I am looking forward to future reviews!
Great review! I have had the L-100 Classic since it’s release - actually bought because I fell in love with the design plus Andrew’s review was so positive. I continue to be amazed by them. They provide an awesome soundstage, I like the neutrality, and they sound awesome loud and at low volumes. I have the blue grills as well along with the black - blues definitely preferred. Agree that you need to drive it properly (I have the MC-312 amplifier hooked up to them so no problem with power). I will get the L-82s for a master bedroom system this year.
Wow! That Foal’s track is amazing. Even on an iPhone, turned horizontal for stereo the heaviest phased effects sounded like the originated inside my ears.
Thanks again for great content! Kristi absolutely nailed it with distinguishing between the seats and the floor! Perhaps you can use them as general categories on all reviews?! I love the floor! 🤘🤘
I worked for a while selling and installing high-end stereo systems. I never recommended a speaker. I would play a range of speakers for prospective customers and ask them which they liked best. It's like anything else, people have different likes in speakers. I always thought JBL speakers "honked". I preferred (for example) AR3as. I still have a pair. In no way do I think the ARs are "better" than the JBLs. It's all down to tast.
I wanted to comment about your video on your health problems. For you to open your heart to people who values your opinion means you see us as part of your family .your heartfelt comments really hit the home with me and with so many others .! You bared your soul .o personally want to wish you and lovely wife all the best .looks like we're one big family on this channel ! Love to you all .
gettin close to 200k, Robinson's!! QOTD: I think i would go with the L100's mainly for its legendary status, classic original look and feel. I'm always tweaking sound by other means to make speakers sing. I would get the L82's for the office (when i get one ;-)) but yeah. L100's.
Guess I'm a JBL man. Had the L36 in the 70s and am absolutely crazy about these. I am also a jazz man. Paired these with the Yamaha A-S801. Great review from the two of you.. Love the format.
Your reviews are always so pure, so honest and so intelligent. Thank you for HOW you do what you do. Including your lovely bride is so great...usually, its the wife clashing with her husband over amount spent, equipment placement, etc... must be so great to both be on the train! Thank you.
Another great review! I'm glad to see you hitting the L series.. L100 is most likely my next purchase. I'm running 4311 Control Monitors and really like the classic JBL sound. Check out "Hide In Plain Sight" by Jim James if you get a chance... great song for JBL build.
Great video Andrew and Kristi! Andrew I hoped you would love this speaker but I appreciate the honest review. Sadly there are better options below $2000 - I would love to have those blue quadrex grilles but not at $2500!
Andrew, we did like the speaker, even loved it at times, but there are other speakers we feel are equally as good or better than the JBL at or around this price. It's still a good speaker, make no mistake, it just wasn't ultimately the "perfect" speaker for me or us that maybe some where hoping for.
Another thought is maybe the distance you have the speaker from the rear wall is reinforcing the bass and creating cancelling some frequencies that create that lack of energy.
I think the Deakins lighting trick is working (whatever you did to tweak it from last vid to this). Something about the way it wraps around brings out the textures. Good show. Probably could use to go up a stop in power, but, it's good.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I wondered whether the Unity Atom would drive those Diablo Utopia OK. From other reviews they seem to like power, but Naim is their sister brand...Cant wait for the review!
I’m really loving Christie’s addition to these video’s she has a remarkable, insightful and unique take on whatever particular items you are reviewing. Not to mention her lovely wicked sense of humor! This video left me with one question. Where does that put the JBL model L 88? With a 12 inch woofer and different tweeter slightly larger than the L 82 it might be right in the sweet spot?!
The Local Natives are really good thank you for that new discovery. May I recommend LP live version of Lost On You. She's an amazing artist that has stayed out of the spotlight for many years. All her music is worth a listen
Listening to her now. Very cool! She reminds me a little bit of a mix of Gwen Stefani, Miley Cyrus and very faintly, Stevie Nicks. Thank you so much for the reco!!
Thanks! The JBL 100 will always have a place in my memory lane from High School and after that I determined I would have an audiophile system to my dying day.
I would choose the 82. Definitely a fan of the blue over the orange. I don't know if I'd ever own these but I wouldn't mind some time with them and a stack of RCA Victor "Living Stereo" albums.
Great description, good overall review and you are one classy fellow. Glad I found your channel and can't wait to find the JBL's to try. And then, Kristi lays out the bomb/gut feelings add a total different expression of the sound. Very interesting duo.
I currently own a pair of PSB Imagine B speakers and feel they sound great but I'm looking for a little more weight from the bottom end. With that said I just ordered a pair of the L82's. I Went with the classic black grills. I Plan on getting the Technics SU-G700m2 next as I think the amp looks beautiful and should play nicely with my Technics 1200mk2 turntable. You, having experience with both pieces of kit, what do you think about pairing the JBL's with the Technics amp? Not sure if you had both pieces at the same time or not as the reviews were a bit spaced apart? As a kid my dad had a pair of the original L100's and I have great memories of rockin' out with those speakers. I guess I'm just trying to recapture/expand upon those memories with my own system. I originally considered the new L100 speakers but feel they are a bit large for the space I'm trying to fill. Thanks for the reviews and all you do. Keep up the good work :)
I will be getting a pair of the L100s in a couple weeks and I am really excited. I know they aren't the best speakers you could buy and I was leaning towards the L82s for price. In the end I wanted the 3 way speaker and to be honest I love the classic look. It's definitely not for everyone, but it really stands out and sells it for me. So I pick the L100 for the win.
Try the JBL Studio 530 or their bigger brothers. They are JBL smooth but detailed and lively up top. They've been in steady production for almost 10 years. The final love letter from Mr. JBL, Greg Timbers who designed the OG L100s. I would wager they would take it to these all day.
Hi guys, another great review! The model 5s are a clear winner for the money and sound. I’m with Christy wrt to the bass response, again the 5s are a clear winner. Thanks again for another awesome review
@@joeygonzo KLH has plans to offer at least one other finish option and I can't wait to see that. @Gary Fain - the Model 5s are so darn good. I imagine they are giving a few brands fits these days.
Heresy v L82 - I’d take the L82 because there’s no rear port - so many speaker reviews miss this critical point. Room compatibility should always be mentioned as a context.. you listen to your room, as well as the speaker.
Another very thorough review. Thank you Andrew for bringing in the Heresy IV's for comparison, bottom line, I will still save for the Klipsch Heresy IV's.
Im in the UK and brought myself a pair of L100 classics ex-demo for a sensible price last year after your review. Unfortunatly due to covid finance problems ive not yet brought a nice sterio amp and been driving them with a 5.1 amp in sterio which im sure does not do them much justice for music. Id love to get a pair of these for my 5.1 rear stalites when I can afford them. Plus a nice vintage sterio amp for music. I reckon for the £ spent they dont sound exceptional at all but they just look so cool which justifys the price for me. Im no audiophile but love loudspeakers and have a weakness for old JBL hifi and JBL PRO PA gear......of which I have a container full of old 4550s, 2" radial horns and altec 1" horns aswell as some old Martin Audio MH212 midrange horns and Martin Y bass cabinates. It sound samazing when you set it all up. Sounds so much nicer than modern high end PA kit.
y’all were right, i was about to comment on your affinity for blue on the grills after what you said about the bas-x amps but you beat me to it! I was not going to be mean about it though, I love you guys and your channel!
...saving pennies for 4312 g...loved my JBL L100 back in the day...and I sit back about 50 to 100 feet at concerts so the sound / line arrays fully unfold...keith urban live...2 to 1.
Good review! I have the L82’s paired with the Marantz Model 30. They make for a good condo setup, in that even with the bass hump, they don’t disturb my neighbors (and surprisingly good late night / low-volume speakers). I found that they they responded well to the tone controls of the Model 30 for the times I want a little bit livelier sound. It’s certainly not a perfect solution, but it helps bring out a little bit of energy for songs that need it.
Kristi makes a great observation when she says grooving to these jbl speakers was enjoyable ...until compared to something suited more to her preference. I have 4 systems set up in a stone henge scenario and enjoy the heck out of each one. I know some are better than others but they all sound great to me at the time of listening. Maybe because I enjoy the music more than the equipment and I'm not looking for perfection because that's a journey with no end? Some of the older equipment is so coloured it just sounds wrong but I still enjoy it.
Perhaps two things going on here - and I think you have touched on this. Way, way back in the 70's when first finding good audio gear, aside from the fact that there was an ongoing controversy of the East Coast Sound (AR, Advent, KLH) vs the West Coast Sound (predominantly JBL) then after you had made the determination of which direction you wanted to go, then you had to choose within that manufacturer's line. For Advent it was pretty simple: The Large Advent. For JBL, not so much. Most of my friends went for the L100. I liked the less expensive two way: JBL L26 Decade. It was flawed in that it had some loss in the mid range, but it had an "alive" quality that I found alluring. Henry Kloss always said: "It's much easier to get the voicing on a two-way right than on a three-way". But the problem with the JBL L82 is that it has a lot of really good competition and you make that clear in your video. A hard choice indeed.
Appreciate the comment Edward. You brought something up I didn't even consider in East vs. West with respect to sound. But to the L82 specifically, it's a great speaker, but it is one choice in a sea of really good options.
Kristi - what an incredible analogy. I am definitely the grumpy guy at the concert that wants to sit and enjoy the music ( in most cases) and gets annoyed with people blabbing around me. 😆
Loved the review overall. You both make a great team and really enjoy Christy's common-person perspective. The biggest compliment is that you both seem like a couple that my wife (Krystyna) and I would love to share a bottle of wine with.
I understand your position on bass. 30 years ago I owned a pair of L100T's and my best friend owned a pair of L100's. We put both side by side in the same room and took turns hooking them up to my Bryston 200 watt per channel amp with NAD Preamp. I was happy with my L100T's because they didn't have, what I called, the overriding bass response. He, on the other hand, preferred his L100's for the exact reason I disliked them. It's all personal taste. BTW, nobody kept the grills on their L100's, LOL
I really want to know how the JBL L52 Classic does. They can be found at a pretty reasonable price. Makes me think I should grab them if I love the styling. That said, I was previously planning on buying The Fives from Klipsch.
Stacked up against the Sonus Faber Lumina 2, they sounded thin and harsh in the upper register. I listened to them back to back with my Audiolab6000A. I did not enjoy the L52.
Thanks for introducing me to Local Natives. Love Sharon Von Etten and didn't even know she did a song with them. Sounds like you're panning these speakers but that's ok. These are (extremely) expensive and I'm sure their are many speakers in this price category that have higher levels of detail. Do you think you'll ever review JBL's Studio 590 or any in that series?
@@andrewrobinsonreviews in addition to your informative videos, I like that you include a female's perspective (presumably better hearing) and that you respond to the comments, so thank you.
Another great review. Looking forward to you reviewing the Wharfedale Linton Heritage’s. Would love to hear your thoughts on how those fit in comparison to these or the KLH 5’s.
Great review that I've been looking forward to since I've been considering these for a while now. Thank you, Andrew. I also loved Kristi's description of General Admission vs Seat listeners, that was spot on. Since my favorite spot is near the mixing board, I think I can audition these with confidence. :)
Interesting review. I wonder if these properties carry over to the JBL HDI line. With the price of those being marked down now it is very intriguing. Have you heard any of the HDI line?
Thank you for the recommendation on the KEF LS50 Metas & the Naim Uniti Atom! Worth the money. Like you said, my movie watching has reduced by half ☺️☺️
Lovely review as always! I would like to suggest some moving cone action in the b-roll, as the driver movement can really bring these lovely panning slow shots to life. Food for thought! Keep it up guys, you make our days that much better.
To see the drivers move the music has to be pretty loud, and I'm typically inches away from the speakers while I film so I try to keep the volume down, but I hear you. I'll see what I can do in the future. Thanks for tuning in!
Thanks for the great and balanced review. Do you find the Q Acoustics Concept 300s that you mention in your comparison to be compressed and sibilant at high volumes as you suggested? Thanks.
Awesome Review Andrew and Kristy. two things: 1) can i pair these speakers with the decware valve amp? 2) can you do a dummy guide to speaker connections i.e. what is bi-amp, why do some speakers have 4 gold connections vs 2....that tipe of thing
When we will see Focals reviewed? Heard Focal Aria 905 and my jaw dropped. I'm listening a lot of jazz and internet radio and those flax cones produce best vocals I've heard in speakers under a grand! Yamaha fan myself but these speakers made me question my past speaker choices. Wish I came across them years ago 😁
I so badly wanted to love the Concept 300s because they were more my room's size and more my budget. I remember begging you guys for a review as I was already in love with the Concept 500s that I knew well. But the gulf in listening experience was too large.
Quite honestly Andrew you need to go over the whole JBL line specifically the vintage ones. They all seem to be demanding major money for the retro buyer. You could cover the JBL guy who went on to Pioneer and Marantz too.
Hello Andrew 👋. Sending my Respect from the UK 🇬🇧. I love the look of those classic L100s/L82s aswel. Both fantastic Speakers. JBL are still doing great in the "Audio world." I'm still waiting for you too get your hands on a pair of Dali Epicon 2s. I really think you would love them Andrew. The sound, the look. Especially the Design. Anyways, keep these excellent reviews coming. 👍
If someone could make aftermarket JBL style grills for the RB42, I would absolutely pay some serious first adopters money on those, even and especially in orange
Andrew points out right here the reason why this kind of channel exists where one tries to avoid the trials and errors in music and tastes with a fore taste of how specific speakers may sound to or against one’s likings in music.
Was considering these but settled for the KLH's instead. Your review makes me feel like I made the right choice. I was looking for something exciting but full bodied, not something overly neutral or lacking dynamics.
I'm restoring my original realistic mach 2s and a local speaker maker has said with some quality crossover tweaks you get 90 or so percent the performance of the l 100 for a fraction of the cost.
Good for you and yes the Mach 2s were monsters in their own day and age. (Read my rant, btw) Occasionally, Realistic (Radio Shack) sold excellent products. Not, even Arthur Fiedler could say no 😁😁.Their Lab 400 turntable was excellent. Keep researching those products that the cool crowd overlook, due to their ignorance. The Lafayette LR 9090 receiver is the Setton 90 watt per channel receiver. The Lafayette T-2000 turntable is the Marantz 6100. The Lafayette 120-db receiver is the same 120 wpc Luxman receiver. You can buy this electronics for hundreds of dollars instead of multiple thousands. Another overlooked company is Dual, whose turntables were the standard in the 70s and 80s. Yes, they were mass produced, but for the price, offered superior value. But, today's cool crowd only wants Thorens turntables. A good old restored dual will run you 300 bucks; a used Thorens, not restored, a minimum of 1500 bucks.
@@kevinfestner6126 I agree, if you looked at the right things. My minimus 7s are great, and a receiver which is a rebadged pioneer with a little more power tweaked out of it. Was also a fan of the linaeum speakers with a few minor mods.
@@koprcord5338 They were, you are correct. Radio Shack and Lafayette would outsource their manufacturing to Pioneer, for one, but also the same mass Japanese producers of Marantz turntables, etc. Keep in mind, Marantz made receivers, excellent ones. They outsourced their other manufacturing to Japanese mass producers. This allowed consumers to buy a Marantz suite. re: speakers....The Nova 8bs are attracting those who want to restore them. The 8bs had this weird two mids in an array, the same size as the single tweeter. And, the sound was very flat, with no color.
Andrew, what do you think about pairing these speakers with the Technics SU-G700? Medium sized listening room / bedroom. More like rock music. Currently, Audio Acoustic classic 5. Or maybe KLH No 5 even better? Although KLH is not yet available in Europe :(.
Hey Andrew, does speaker wire really matter? If so, any good budget options you’d recommend? Currently running some ‘77 JBL l19s, a u-turn orbit plus with ortofon Blue, and a cheap Onkyo reciever (hoping to upgrade that soon)
I’m not Andrew, and you didn’t really ask for my opinion, but I’ll give it anyway...speaker cables matter to a point. The appropriate wire gauge and connectors are important, and invest in good build quality that will be dependable and last (or build your own, it’s really not difficult). But is a $3,000 cable necessary? Will it deliver a discernible improvement in sound over say a $50 cable? No. And anyone who tells you that you need to sell a kidney to get quality sound is likely in the cable selling business. Components matter far more than cables, in my humble opinion, so invest in gear that you enjoy listening to. That’s what I think, anyway.
Hey Andrew, I really enjoy the quality of your videos, got myself a Samsung Q70t after your review and I love it. I got a question, I got a pair of Gallo Micro speakers connected directly to a powered TR-1 sub for a 2.1 system. My small class D amp goes directly into the subwoofer. If the sub is driving the speakers, does it really matter the quality of the amp?
I'm not familiar with that product so I cannot say for certain what you should or shouldn't do, sorry. Thank you for watching and I'm so glad you're enjoying your Q70T.
2:20 Looks like you've installed audiophile plants for room tuning! 😜 I'm still considering getting the L100 Classic, but these are a very nice alternative to consider! But I didn't expect it to sound a bit laid back like being in a chair instead of in the crowd. I wonder how this sounds with a Crown XTi 2002 poweramp, since that's pro audio amp which comes from the same company as JBL products (Harman Kardon).