Does anyone use JBL speakers with Rotel

[greenjudas]

Hi there, reading through many,many threads on this site,I don' see anyone using JBL's.I have an RMB 1075 and am about to get a RSP 1066 pro[I know I'm a bit behind ]My fronts are LX55's [10-12 yr old] 3 way studio monitors with the JBL S-Center and polk audio rti 25's at the rear.With a titanium tweeter the LX55's can occasionly be a little bright but am hoping the 1066 will smooth things out.At present I am using a budget Marantz av receiver as processor. I am really hoping this new combo is going to sing.Anyone out there using JBL's and if so,how do they perform with Rotel. Appreciate any responses....Thanks

[Taito]

Hi greenjudas, for about a year, I've been powering a pair of LX60s with an RB-1080. I also have an RC-1070 and an RCD-1072. I assume we have the same tweeter (somewhat angular-surfaced, 1" titanium dome).

For what they are, these speakers produce a good sound when driven by my Rotel gear to reasonable levels, and you could say that they 'sing' up to a point.... then they scream. At least that is what I have found. I have found that these speakers really can lose their composure (particularly in the treble department) when played at high levels. It isn't the amp clipping, as the volume is generally around a third of max when this starts to occur. In all fairness however, the RB-1080 can put out 200W continuous into 8-Ohms, and the LX60s have a max recommended input of 75W.

The speakers are much better behaved with the electronics they are currently partnered with then with the older (12years) and much less powerful 2ch rotel integrated amp which they used to be run with.

You should find a large step up in overall sound quality using an RSP-1066. Using an RC-1070 as a preamp instead of the preamp in the old rotel integrated resulted in a very significant improvement in the system's presentation. Another big step however (particularly when it came to taming the treble) was taken by my RCD-1072 (over an older RCD-855). This brought the treble back from what I would call 'harsh', to merely 'bright', which is much more liveable (as well as improvements in other areas).

At normal listening levels with my current setup, the JBL's produce a big, dynamic sound. You really could say that they 'sing'. The sound produced is one that I could quite happily live with if 1) I didn't have to give the speakers back to my old man, and more importantly 2) If I hadn't been spoilt by hearing significantly superior speaker systems in my search for my own pair of speakers.

So, yes these speakers do sing when partnered with Rotel gear, but you should keep in mind that your source will also make a significant difference to the nature of your system.

Finally, the best opinion to trust is your own. If you can, audition the 1066 in your system. If not, I'm confident that it will be significant improvement over your old receiver. It may not get your system to exactly where you would like it to be, but it will certainly be a large step in the right direction.

I hope this is helpful.
Cheers, Ben

[greenjudas]

Thanks for your input Taito,I couldn't find out anything on your LX60's so as to compare,but my LX55's are 200w max but do probably have similar tweeter.To give you some indication they were retailing in US 10-12 yrs ago for $820 pr.The closest I could get as far as auditioning goes,was to listen to the RMB1075/RSP1066 combo with Klipsch speakers and it did sound wonderful. In regards to the source I am using an early 90's NAD cd player.Cheers

[Taito]

No worries. I don't know a huge amount about the LX60s either, but I can tell you that they are floorstanders, 75W, 8ohms, 3-ways (8" woofer, 4" mid, 1" titanium tweeter) that are rear-ported. Since the 55's are rated at 200W, I'd expect yours don't turn nasty until significantly higher levels than mine do.
-Ben

[thyname]

I have JBLs two, floorstanding, Northridge series, 3-way E60, with my Rotel RX-1052 receiver, RCD-1072 cd player. For me they sound great, especially for the music I listen to, heavy metal, hard rock. Everybody says that I should upgrade my speakers, but I can't seem to justify the extra cost of buying new speakers. They may be a little bright (not harsh though) but so I like it... I have not auditioned other speakers, as I know that I will surely find better one for $2000 plus and be tempted. I just upgraded my speaker cable to (shot-gun) double be-wire and really sound great now, with deeper bass, more separate lows to highs, and crisp highs. I guess my JBLs are good for now, until I win my lottery :-)

[chrispy35]

I have a pair of L20T's in my bedroom with an RC-972, RB-1050, RCD-951 and Yamaha EQ-1100U. They sound great to me...nice even response and good imaging.

They look great too. It seems like it's been a while since JBL made speakers with a nice quality finish like the L20T's and their siblings.

[greenjudas]

Thanks for your responses.I must say that although they can be a little bright on occasions,their dynamics are fantastic and really sound great most of the time.I'm hoping with the addition of the RSP1066 it might just smooth it out just a touch.