The JBL Classic L82 Speaker Review. The CURE to the AUDIOPHILE Disease?

The JBL Classic L82 Speaker Review. The CURE to the AUDIOPHILE Disease? 

By Steve Huff

My video review is right here…but below is 6000 words on these speakers as well. Enjoy!

I am just old enough to remember the MAXELL ads from back in the day that featured the JBL Century L100 speakers. The guy in his chair, the sheer force of the speaker blowing his hair, lamp, glass and tie. This commercial not only conveyed the message about Maxell Tape but also the force of the original JBL L100, JBL’s most popular speaker ever. It’s a classic and many of you reading this may have even owned a pair of the L100’s back in the oh so sweet 1970’s.

This old ad featured the original L100 Speakers back in the 70’s

Not so long ago (Jan 2018 to be exact) JBL announced the return of their legend with an all new and updated L100, simply named the “L100 Classic”. All new drivers and materials were implemented all while keeping that same vintage look from the era of big guitars and massive drum beats, oh yea, the groovin’  1970’s. The L100’s are sweet looking if you are into the retro vibe yet they provide some very serious sound. In fact they sound much better today with the updated tech inside as they are indeed modern day speakers that happen to look like the old classics. No mushy flabby bass, no shouting highs, and the cool grilles will not be falling apart with age. Pretty cool indeed!

The L100’s were announced in 2018 and were an instant hit due to the retro looks and style but at $4000 a pair, they were/are not for everyone. They are also large, and for small rooms the L100’s may be too much of a good thing. For medium to large rooms, the L100’s seem to be incredible with a huge and rounded big full airy sound but in a room like mine, the all new smaller L82 seems like it is just what the music doctor ordered. Smaller is not lesser, in fact, the L82 can sound better than the L100 in a smaller room. if I have learned anything in my 30 years of HiFi it is this. We should always pick our speakers based on our room size. 

It’s been a great time for music lovers lately. Here we are in this miserable year 2020, yet we have the pleasure of owning a new JBL that looks like it landed here from a time machine, as brand new and updated! These will not break the bank in the form of the L82 which is it’s own little musical monster (a good one). At $2500 retail per pair, and available in blue, black or orange these L82’s are $1500 less than the L100’s. That’s great news during these times we are living in as it brings these vintage inspired beauties into the realm of possibility for many more music lovers. I’d take 1976 over 2020 any day, and just looking at these speakers makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

It’s true. Music can de-stress us and uplift us. When we listen and when the sound coming back is pleasing for our brain it can release a sort of rush that sends goosebumps down your body and arms. Music is life for some of us and in times like these, music fills many of my days. I love a speaker that communicates the soul of the music and I wondered if these JBL L82’s would be able to bring that to my listening room. 

As cool as the L100 Classics are (shown above in all three colors, same as the L82’s) I was happy to see that JBL has now released the smaller L82 for smaller spaces and rooms. As much as I lusted after the L100’s looks ever since they were announced (and I almost bought them, twice) I always assumed that they would be too large for my small room and hence, I never ended up giving them a try. Everything I remember about the JBL of the 70’s and 80’s was that they put out a big beefy fun sound, and I really wanted to hear these speakers and play some of my old classic 70’s and 80’s rock and metal albums that have NEVER sounded GREAT on other speakers. I listen to all kinds of music, not just audiophile fluff. ; )

Will the L82’s impress me as much as the L100’s impressed this guy? 

A Better Time back in Time? 

I often tell Debby that my favorite decade was the 1970’s as it was a time very much different than today. For me, a funner time and yes, that is obvious as I was after all, just a kid without responsibility or stress. Even so it was a time when we spoke with our neighbors, kids played outside every day, and we lived with less worry. A less toxic time. A simpler time. A time when we were friendly to each other and when neighbors came by for lunch or to hang out. For me, the good old days indeed. A time when I could walk down the street as a kid and meet other kids playing in a fire hydrant they opened up, or join in to that tee-ball game that was going on at the park. A time where the simplicity of life was the beauty of life. If I had a time machine, I would go back to 1976 as the 70’s brought us some amazing music, people and good times, and we weren’t so mean to each other back then either. 

Alas, we are in 2020 right now, so back to why we are here, lol.

Not so long ago I started a long process (knowing it would take months) of evaluating smaller speakers for one of my my rooms as all rooms in my house are perfect for smaller speakers. I just want a set that I could live with for many years, or dare I say…LIFE? I am over the speaker and gear swap game, and just want a set I adore and love that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. A set that can play any music I want to listen to without much compromise in my room. Speakers that deliver drive, grunt and also give back some of the magic I hear in my favorite speakers. It’s not been easy and I was starting to think this speaker I created in my mind did not exist. I tried speakers from $1000 to $10,000 and some of the more expensive speakers sounded too light on their feet, or with too much body missing from the music. They were trying to be detail hounds and sometimes it can be too much of a good thing. Some were too much with Bass, and others were sort of homogenized sounding.

I still have the amazing Klipsch Cornwall IV here and while crazy good, they are large and do things differently from smaller speakers. Amazing in their own right but I also want a lifetime small speaker that I can live with and be happy with.

Some of the less pricey smaller boxes were nice but sounded muffled, overly warm or dark even (Elac/Definitive Tech D11). I needed something in the middle as there are times I listen to jazz, sometimes vocals, sometimes chamber, sometimes even 80’s heavy metal. Sometimes bluegrass and other times electronic. I listen to bands like Depeche Mode, Kiss, Megadeth and also listen to artists like Agnes Obel and AZ local Katie Haverly or even some Dana Krall when I am in the mood for some close mic’d vocals that are warm, sultry and in the room with me. The music I listen to runs the gamut and I wanted a speaker that sounded great with all of it. Many told me this speaker did not exist, and one friend suggested I just keep 3-4 speakers on hand, and switch them when my mood changes. I refused to believe I could not find one set that would make me happy with all music.

So I kept searching….and as a result, you guys have been able to read some reviews of a few of these speakers as I continued my hunt.

WHAT I NEEDED

I needed the bass performance to deliver the goods with bigger and heavier music yet also have the delicacy to bring me some magic moments when I listen to something more intimate. I also needed these speakers to sound good at low level for my late night listening sessions. A tall order indeed. I’ve had bookshelf sized speakers here in my room from Harbeth, Falcon, Klipsch, Proac, Dynaudio, ELAC, KEF Wharfedale, B&W, Martin Logan, RAM, Sonus Faber and others, so I have heard A LOT of speakers in this space ranging from $500 to $25,000 in cost.

The problem with small speakers at times is that they are either too small to fill the space and offer a thin sound or they offer too much bass and overload the room with a rear port. I have enjoyed many small speakers like the recent B&W 705 S2 I just reviewed. Even so, those were great but of course not superb with all music thrown at it, but they were oh so close, and I almost declared them “the one”, but alas..here we are and the B&W’s are gone. They had great bass but were still a little light footed with heavier music with the emphasis on the highs (after I compared them to the JBL’s). I just needed a bit more mid bass warmth for my long term happiness.

My new rule is that unless a HiFi product does something amazingly different and better than I had before, it will not stay for long. So it’s been a challenge to find that one perfect small speaker for all of the music I like. Again, I assumed it did not exist… but as I soon learned, now it does. 

The JBL Classic L 82 Speakers and Stands

SPOILER. I think these JBL’s are my current pick for Speaker of the Year 2020. Beating out the Klipsch Heresy IV for that spot ever so slightly due to the amazing body these speakers have, filling out that ever so important mid/low band that adds size, body and depth to the human voice and instruments as well such as piano and guitar. While the Heresy IV is indeed a little more refined, and offers a wider soundstage and better imaging, the JBL’s beat the Klipsch in punch, kick, oomph and with a huge sound that had enough meat and bass to make them sound like full range big speakers in my space. The JBL also did the soundstage thing, with imaging, but to a less defined degree than the Klipsch, which is good for some music. We all have different tastes in the way we want to hear music played back and these JBL’s bring in the meaty variety with serous kick and volume capability.

These are not only very cool looking in a retro kind of way but they sound oh so RIGHT!!! Not the most refinement, not the most etched imaging (that’s a good thing)  but for me one of the most MUSICAL small speakers with all genres of music. These have a drive, a groove and a big natural sound that just pulls you into the MUSIC rather than the technical aspects of it. This speaker showed me what I was MISSING with some more expensive more “audiophile” speakers. Mostly…the SOUL of the music. These JBL’s offer me just that, and it’s truly addicting. Yes they have some transparency and air but do not over do it. To me, it sort of melds old school and new school in a new balanced way I have yet to hear from another speaker.

I use a Roon Nucleus with Roon for my streaming of Tidal and Qobuz. This connects direct to my DAC in the Vinnie Rossi L2i SE via USB. NO streamer needed with this all in one solution, and to me it does just as well as any streamer in sound I have had here. 

How I was able to hear these in my room…

Dan over at Dedicated Audio in Scottsdale AZ told me he had these JBL Classic 82’s coming in, and asked if I wanted to try out a pair to see if I liked them. I have been a customer of Dan’s for longer than I can remember, and we know each other well. We talked about the history of the L100 and he told me the L82’s were in essence, smaller versions in the looks dept. Sound wise, the L82 is a two way vs three way. Its not an L100 but an L82, and these are not old rehash speakers. Rather they are all new speakers with the classic JBL L100 style. So they have the looks from my fave decade ever, and sound that mixes modern day (a moderate soundstage, imaging & air) with old school (leans warm, big huge IMPACTFUL sound, MUSICAL)!

I have always loved the look of the L100 but deep down knew they would be a bit too much for my room, so as much as I loved the retro styling I held off on a purchase. So when Dan offered to let me borrow a set of the smaller L82’s, with stands, in orange, I could not pass it up! As we loaded the boxes into my Jeep I said “You know, you may not get these back. If they are as good as they look, I will have to buy them”! Lol.

After they were Hooked up and Set Up

So, there is a difference here between what I expected from the L82’s and what I heard. I expected a big forceful sound, lots of bass, lack of refinement and either an overly warm and fat presentation or a shouty loud presentation with raggedy treble. I expected to like them, not love them. Sitting next to a pair of shoe box size bass anemic Falcon LS3/5a’s these L82’s look HUGE! I can fit 3-4 Falcons inside of the L82 but those Falcons do not do rock, hip hop, metal or any “big” sounding music very well at all. The Falcons are my near field setup, for when I want to go inside the performance and experience that audiophile magic, as that is what they excel at. Soundstage, details, imaging, holographic imaging, etc. They do not excel nor are they even good with bass or oomph, so I am limited to what I can play with them. What I do play with them is ethereal at times, but they are not full time speakers. The falcons are recommended by me as a “2nd pair” of speakers for a different kind of listening if budget allows.

The L82 on the other hand, as I soon found out, can play ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING! They present the music to you in such an enjoyable, pleasing, room filling foot tapping way. After two hours of listening I wondered why no other speaker I have had here sounded quite like this. The Klipsch Cornwall IV is the most similar but those are massive, huge, much more pricey and use horns which offer up a different sound. With the L82 I was impressed at the completeness of the sound, the wholeness of the sound, and yes there was some 3D going on with the L82s’s as well (with some well recorded music). Heck, with very well recorded music these were standing toe to toe with some other much more pricey speakers…maybe even bringing a more enjoyable, more musical sound. 

Those Grilles…

When I removed the lovely vintage orange grilles what happened surprised me. Normally when you remove a grille from a speaker like these you hear a little bit more transparency, spaciousness, and openness but here it was dramatic. They went from a bit warm and closed in to being wide open, more room filling and way more transparent when I removed the thick grilles. So that is how I listened as once I removed the grilles I could not listen (seriously) with them on. Upon further inspection, these grilles are quite thick! You will get more air and spaciousness with them off, but if you want a softer top end leave them on.

The L2i SE. A $26,000 Integrated with $2500 Speakers? Hell yea. 

I soon hooked them up to my reference integrated amp, the Vinnie Rossi L2i SE. These JBL L82’s were sounding delicious, big, detailed in a warm leaning way, somewhat 3 dimensional and oh so “right” with body, brawn and a nice meaty soundstage with bass that was just perfecto with my room. The front ported design truly makes placing these in a smaller room much easier than rear ported speakers. The bass here is the opposite of what some may think. It’s not loose, flabby or boomy. Rather it is super tight and punchy due to the 8″ driver, has impact and force when needed and can go deep enough in my room to rattle the pictures on my wall yet still sound tight and defined. No issues with room reflections or boomy bass pockets. The mid bass here is present and punchy when you listen to rock or metal and EDM but also throaty full and rich with vocals or jazz. These do not disappear as well as other speakers I have had here, but even so…there’s something about them that ticks the boxes for me.

These speakers play music and communicates that music direct to my heart with a sound I remember from my youth (but much better), a sound that just makes music sound as one, rather than in parts. Oh yes, these have some slight coloration to the midrange but so what, the color they add is beautiful and adds realism and life. Sometimes expensive HiFi speakers try to hard to be colorless and in effect sound lifeless. Just as we experience color in visuals every day, a little color in music is a good thing. 

As I sit and listen to these, playing some old 70’s vinyl I get goosebumps as it reminds me of the best of the old days, how music sounded…big, room filling, none of the empty mids, or hollow highs or lack of bass or too much bass. A time when music was made to get up you and moving out of your damn seat with a mid bass that could hit you in the chest if called upon. These smaller L82’s are powerful, dynamic, energetic and kick my behind with drums like no other I have heard here. They can also do well at low volume. May speakers go flat at low volume but these do pretty well, allowing me to still retain the body and texture even at lower volume. Even metal at low volume still has drive, grunt, body and kick. Amazing!

Some may ask how these compare to the Klipsch Heresy IV that I also loved (Heresy IV image above). Those Klipsch are also on my short list of “speaker of the year 2020”. While the Heresy IV bring more high end detail and more refinement over the older versions, they still do not have that fullness that the JBL’s have, they are more light on their feet and fast sounding in comparison. By fullness I do not mean the L82’s sound muffled or bass heavy as they do not. They just convey the music in a complete way from top to mid to bottom. Nothing is missing here besides the super lowest octaves of course but for me, a sub is not required or desired with these already beefy sounding speakers. Some will prefer the Klipsch sound, as it is more alive and fast. Some will prefer the JBL sound which is big n’ loud and hits you in the gut. Both offer up amazing BIG sounds for the under $3k price point.

The Heresy IV will bring a slightly wider soundstage, slightly more details and a more locked in imaging performance. If you lean to being an Audiophile you would want the Klipsch with their speed, dynamics, big forward midrange and wide soundstage. If you just want to enjoy the soul of the music with warmth, a big full sound, and a richness and quality that is not about razor defined imaging then the L82 is a perfect speaker in that regard. I could live with either speaker as they are both addicting and one could listen all day with these two speakers but when side by side the Klipsch loses out on the mid bass warmth and kick as well as the bottom end while the JBL lacks the all out transparency of the Klipsch. Two different kinds of sound. If you listen to classical, jazz or vocals…the Klipsch may win your heart. If you listen to music with bass, drive and boogie, the JBL will probably be preferred.

The grilles of the L82 are high quality as well. Thick, with a beefy wooden looking frame. You can also buy all of the colors for $199 a pair. Black, Orange or Blue. Again, I do recommend serious listening be done without the grilles as they do open up considerably this way.

L82 BUILD AND SOUND QUALITY

When I unboxed the speakers I was super impressed with the packaging. JBL went to great lengths to create packaging that ensures these survive shipping. Double boxed with a speaker in its own separate sealed box with foam and protective coverings over them. The packaging gets an A+++. I wish other audio companies would package their gear in this way…but most do not (Klipsch, take a note). 

When I removed the speakers from the boxes I also noticed the walnut veneer finish and I feel it could have been nicer or more unique, it’s kind of bland really. I preferred the veneer of the Klipsch Heresy IV but even so, it’s the sound that is top priority for me here. Make no mistake, these are solid, clean and are of high quality and while they will not make you think they are $10,000 speakers in build quality, they are better than the $2500 price tag implies. JBL also braced the inside of these to avoid cabinet rattle, and they succeeded here as if I turn them up LOUD, and yes they go LOUD without distorting or getting unruly, they do not rattle at all, or make any noises.

There are two basic speaker binding posts on the back (not for bi-wire) and I slipped in some Nordost Blue Heaven LS with banana connectors. Easy, and the Blue Heaven LS will open up that midrange beauty (yes, speaker cables can bring a huge difference in the performance of your speakers).

The stands, I feel are 100% mandatory with these. If you order the speakers, trust me here…you need the stands which are $250. 

The stands bring the speakers to the right height, and also tilt them up so they project the music to you in the right way. They are WELL worth the cost and I suggest everyone who buys these speakers to make the investment in the stands. I placed these L82’s on other stands I had, they were too large to balance, as these are larger than most bookshelf speakers. These are not small “bookshelf” speakers or “bookshelf” sized at all. I also tried these on a table and the sound shrunk, became closed in and darker. The stands…they really are mandatory to get the most from these speakers. Stands can be like a component change. My Falcon LS3/5a’s sound different on the three different stands I have here. The one made for them sound best with them. Same here with the JBL’s.

So yes, these are larger than speakers like the Dynaudio Special 40 and B&W 705 S2 and these are also ported in the front, so are MUCH easier to place in your room. You can place these closer to a wall if you desire with no ill effects besides more warmth and bass. Even so, I recommend pulling them a couple feet from the side walls and a couple feet from the front wall. They will open up more this way and bring a wider soundstage and more depth all while retaining that big full sound.

Pricing

These come in at $2500, $500 less than the Klipsch Heresy IV which I feel are the closest competitors to these. With the stands, which are a must to get the most from these, that brings them to $2750, still $250 less than the Klipsch. While these have a more complete sound than the Heresy IV (No sub needed with the L82 for most rooms) they are not as easy to drive as the JBL’s do not use horns. So these are not a super easy drive but at the same time, not a difficult drive if you have a decent amp or integrated amp.

On my Vinnie Rossi L2i SE I have the volume at 23-28 for daily listing and 17-22 for late night. With the Heresy IV those settings would be at 16-20 for daily and 10-13 for late night but with the Heresy IV’s you will always here some slight hiss from the tweeter as they are so sensitive. The JBL? Dead silent when idle.

The more I listen to the L82’s the more I adore them. These are just lovely and I could listen for 10 hours straight with zero fatigue. They have the perfect amount of bass weight, mid weight and treble energy in my space to make me want to move my body rather than examining every detail in the music and focusing on the details rather than the entire musical picture. The Audiophile inside of me says “Steve, these do not do separate instruments in space like the $10,000 speakers did” while the music lover in me says “WHO CARES. THEY SOUND BETTER THAN THOSE DID ANYWAY WHEN IT COMES TO THE SOUL OF THE MUSIC”!!

Listening to “Gentle on my Mind” from Glen Campbell makes me smile as I have never heard this song sound so good. Again, I have yet to have these L82’s present a song in any kind of negative way. Everything sounds amazing and the better the recording the better you will get back from the L82’s. Even so, some of the rock bottom thin sounding records I have, that are unlistenable on other setups I have had, sound shockingly good on the L82’s. I am re-visiting albums that I have not played in years. Seriously. Albums I NEVER pull out due to the bad sound, all of the sudden, sound amazingly good on the L82’s. That alone makes them worth a serious look for vinyl lovers who may have a setup now that sounds thin or “off” with their vinyl. I have been here again and again, and yet these L82’s make my vinyl sound absolutely fantastic. Im using a used $1300 Michell Tecnodeck with Dynavector 10X5 II. If you are looking for speakers for a vinyl setup? I suggest giving these a listen.

Yes these are fun speaker, but they are also serious. In fact as the title suggests, I would say these are the cure for the audiophile disease… and it is a disease. We call it G.A.S. in the photo world (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). In the HiFi world it may have a name but most audiophiles have this disease (and I have been one of them for a long time) as we can’t seem to stop tinkering with our systems, trying to get that last bit of performance. Always lusting after new gear that we do not need but want to hear.

The truth is this…

I have had 20 systems I could have lived with for the rest of my life but when you deal with high end, as in, $10k speakers and up, they do some things really well and yet they do not do well with others. You would think that an expensive audiophile speaker could do it all, but they normally do not. With some music we may feel our system is lacking when it is really the bad recording being played ruthlessly through uber accurate speakers, or the speakers trying to hard to be revealing! HiFI can lead you down some serious money sucking rabbit holes, and usually we are never happy for a true long term with expensive exotic gear because as good as our mega systems may sound, they sometimes are not complete, from top to bottom satisfying, and off we go to search for the next “final speaker” purchase. These JBL’s? I can not imagine removing them after living with them for a while.

As Audiophiles, we always want something new…we are never fully happy. So much hype and snake oil does indeed exist in this industry but in reality all one needs to enjoy real music is a simple setup. Speakers like the L82’s go a long way to help with curing that audiophile disease. Once you have them in and realize how good they sound and how they make every recording just sound pleasing, full and sweet..you may not want to take them out, even if you have a more pricey set of speakers waiting in the wings that are more refined. Heck, it may even make you realize that some exotic HiFi makes music sound….fake.

Are we not into this hobby because we love music? Do we want to be limited to what we can play on our system? Many audiophiles I know only play music that sounds good on their system, even if they do not like that music! It’s all about the “sound and magic” to them. I’ve been there as I enjoy that 3 dimensional experience but man, I also can tire of it. Sometimes exotic high end HiFi doesn’t sound like real music with emotion and soul, but instead parts of music with defined instruments in space are presented to your brain instead. The L82’s do some of that but in a subdued way, which makes the music more whole. What I am trying to convey is that we do not always need the most expensive speaker to receive complete enjoyment from said speakers.

DRUMS/PERCUSSION are so good with the L82’s. I have never really had a speaker here, no matter the cost, reproduce drums as these do. The power, the force, the snap, the feeling in my chest…wow. My L2i SE gives these speakers the grunt, power and also injects that 300B soul into them. Such a sweet match but these L82’s can be powered with anything that has good current and power. Give them a nice amp and they will sing.

Listening to Led Zeppelin’s Good Times Bad Times from Celebration Day and turned up to 50 brings me that feeling as if my hair WOULD be blowing, if I had any. Wow, these can fill this room with an ease and rather than sounding shouty, they just sound big, full and if I can say, a tad airy and 3 dimensional if the recording calls for it.

You can also adjust the tweeter energy. Turn it up or down or leave it at neutral. They sounded best in my room at 0, factory standard though I wish they had click stops so each side would be 100% matched. As is, you turn the dial freely and you may not set up each dial exactly the same. Even so, we should not worry about such things with a speaker like this. It’s about music not tweaking, and it is about having fun rather than making a listening session a study session. Even so, I settled on keeping them at neutral (0) as I found this to bring the right amount of treble energy.

These two way speakers are indeed what the music doctor ordered for my room and at around $3k after tax (retail price) for the speakers and stands, these are a much better buy than some other “higher end” names around the same price. These will bring years of enjoyment and hassle free music. Instead of wanting to tweak and upgrade you will just enjoy the sweet music that pours from these boxes.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

THERE ARE CONS WITH THE L82’s!

  1. I wish the high frequency dial had click stops to make sure we could set each tweeter up exactly the same. In no way a deal breaker, just something I feel should have been added. I like it best at 0, factory standard but it doesn’t click into place for an exact setting on each speaker.
  2. The grilles really should be magnetic. JBL updated the drivers and innards but kept the same plastic pegs of the original L100, which will break off after years of use if you remove the grilles often. Magnets are the way to go in 2020. No idea why they didn’t do this.
  3. These are not a super easy drive so current and power is needed to fully bring them to life.
  4. They did open up further after about 20 hours of use, and opened up more when removing the grilles for serous listening.

That’s about it. Now for the pros!

  1. Gorgeous retro design adds a pop to your room, and people will be asking you about these speakers!
  2. Big full rich sound that has elements of magic, but not overdone. Super pleasing whole sound.
  3. Adjustable tweeter to match the high frequency with your room and tastes can help you tailor the highs to your room.
  4. Smaller than the L100, so better for smaller spaces.
  5. Stands are extremely Hugh quality with padding in place to avoid damaging speakers. They are also pre-assembled so just take them out of the box and they are ready to roll.
  6. Big JBL sound but balanced from top to bottom.
  7. Easy to set up and place due to front facing bass port.
  8. Great for low volume listening at night.
  9. Great dynamics and force when in the recording.
  10. PERFECT classic rock speakers.
  11. PERFECT for vinyl. Best vinyl speakers I have had in my room.
  12. Heck, they excel with ALL music, even your audiophile tracks will have added life, warmth and musicality.

I can not say enough good things about these speakers, for me in this room. Maybe I can chalk it up to my integrated amp, that seems to make every speaker sound amazing and magical. I do hear that Vinnie Rossi character here and it seems a perfect mate to these speakers. They are after all, two USA brands that perform more like an American muscle car than Exotic Italian sports car.  Even so, this is an unlikely pairing for sure as most who spend big money on the Rossi will most likely spend big money on speakers. Me, I believe a well made lower cost speaker can excel with an excellent amp driving them.  The combo of the L2i SE and JBL is effortless, musical yet it offers that ever so important midband with body and bass and OOMPH. They can be delicate with Diana Krall or Agnes Obel. They have aspects of 3D and offer up a wide full soundstage. No surgical presentation with imaging but they do present rich vocals dead center with instruments coming from the sides and around me.

I can not overstate how much I enjoy these, as they offer up a sound I never had here and one I have not heard hints of since I was 17. It’s that sound I grew up with but even better due to the new modern day drivers and technology. At $2500 plus $250 retail for the stands, these under $3000 set of speakers are for those who are tired of the audiophile game, tired of not being happy with your sound and tired of spending thousands seeking the holy grail, which doesn’t really exist.

Buy a set of these, hook them up and just smile as you are hearing real music, presented as it really should be presented. With life and a soul. Earlier I mentioned I was looking for that perfect set of speakers for my room. Long term. A set I didn’t want to spend a fortune on. A set that could play all of my music and sound good while doing it. THESE ARE THE SPEAKERS!

My set came from Dan at Dedicatedaudio.com and he has a few in stock (I saw them stacked up in his warehouse when I picked these up). I highly recommend Dan, and if you email him or give him a call tell him you saw my review!