JBL ES100 experience anyone?

[Sabaselfsit]

Have been offered a pair of JBL ES100. 4 way contruction, dual 10" woofers. I see online these weres introduced in 2010, and are currently discontinued. But the pair I have been offered are brand new unopened in original boxes because the guy selling them bought them (and some other stuff) from a bankruptcy audio shop.

My setup is as in signature, and I have been thinking about changing my old Cerwin Vega's for some time. But going down the dual 6,5" to 8" woofer lane which most towers typically from B&W/Dali and so on have I know I will never get the bass I have now from my 12" Vegas.

But the ES100 with double 10" woofers might be up for the task, at the same time as giving me a more "audiophile" upgrade in the mid and tweeter earea compared to the old Vegas? Or what you guy's think? I found a review of the JBL's where they claim they could reproduce the Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture credible. Other key words from the review; "balanced sound, lightning fast bass, can play loud, nice on acoustic music".

The problem is that I can't listen to these before buying. So any feedback would be appreciated.

[Macca]

IIRC they were not that expensive when they came out so I think it depepnds on how much is being asked for them. If they are a low price then snap them up anyway and if they don't better your CV then sell them on.

I like the old CV speakers myself, I think most who don't either never actually heard any or have only heard them with a rubbishy front end.

[Sabaselfsit]

IIRC they were not that expensive when they came out so I think it depepnds on how much is being asked for them. If they are a low price then snap them up anyway and if they don't better your CV then sell them on.

I like the old CV speakers myself, I think most who don't either never actually heard any or have only heard them with a rubbishy front end.

I know, my mate bought the same CV as me back in the day's - and he powered them with a cheap low powered amp - and his sounded horrible, while mine sing. And to be fair I don't really want to get rid of them.

[Macca]

Well if it were me I'd take a punt on them for at most £250.






If you have to sell the CV to take a chance on those JBL I'd say don't do it. Classic CV are pretty well regarded now except for in the UK. And you clearly appreciate what they do right.

[Lodgesound]

I have a pair of JBL 4412 studio monitors in my studio - their sound is to die for.

I would not hesitate - I would not consider letting the 4412's go (they are original) for less than £3800 now - the replacement bass drivers were 1500 pounds alone - each!

[ff1d1l]

I have a pair of JBL 4412 studio monitors in my studio - their sound is to die for.

I would not hesitate - I would not consider letting the 4412's go (they are original) for less than £3800 now - the replacement bass drivers were 1500 pounds alone - each!

+1 for JBLs...Have their smaller brother the 4410's...they're very good indeed. Also a pair of L40's, which like the flying bumblebee shouldn't work, crossing over from a 10" straight to a dome tweeter, but are lovely musical speakers, very clear, very dynamic and unfatiguing.
But good as they are, IMHO not as good as the 4410's which are even better.

With regard to the OP, JBL know how to make top notch speakers - I don't know those in the OP, but they look like they were trying...I'd guess they'd be excellent.

[Macca]

We are not talking classic 4 series JBL - these are the speaker in question:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JBL-ES100BK.../dp/B001AW5EGW

[StanleyB]

They look like a rehash of the JBL E100 Northridge. If they sound anywhere similar then I would avoid them like the plague. I bought the E100 and ended up giving it away in less than a week of use. Bass was plentiful. But that's about all that was of any note.

[ff1d1l]

We are not talking classic 4 series JBL - these are the speaker in question:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JBL-ES100BK.../dp/B001AW5EGW

Hmmm...maybe a body swerve then....

[Reffc]

Hmmm...maybe a body swerve then....

+1

The classic 4 series were a very different animal and even those can be improved beyond all recognition as despite their substantial construction and decent drive units, JBL cut corners elsewhere so most of the 4 series have lots of potential.

The ones that the OP has highlighted are more a Harmen International mass market tower speaker designed as an inexpensive AV solution.

They may sound ok. What they ought to have is lots of bass but whether it's all lumped up into a typical 40 to 60Hz lump as with many, I don't know.

I'd suggest that at best they'd be a sideways move from your CVs.

Now these would be more like it!