JBL S38II Main / Stereo Speaker

Pros: Classic JBL Rock&Roll Sound, Bass Response, Full Dynamic range, Driveable
Cons: Lacks Transparency of High End Speakers

I went looking for speakers for my daughters personal stereo system. My priorities were: best possible sound for a small footprint and price. Her listening habits are fairly diverse for a gen-Z-er. Primarily Rock&Roll, but her music interest spans...

Pros: Excellent overall sound for either music or HT; impressive highs and very deep low-end.
Cons: Their size and positioning may make fitting them into some rooms a bit awkward.

Thirsting for more technology in recent months, I decided to replace my front mains in my 6.1 home theater. I had been considering the JBL S38IIs for a while and came back to them for this little bit o'shopping. Here are various thoughts about them. ...

Pros: Very musical, very precise bookshelf speakers.
Cons: Oversized for a bookshelf speaker. Difficult to place on stands.

JBL's reputation in consumer speakers has taken a hit over the Net in the past few years, although few argue that they continue to produce sensational speakers for professional/movie theater/studio use. What I've always liked about their consumer line is...

Pros: Excellent depth and imaging. Very flat response.
Cons: Speaker is very unforgiving to room acoustics. Must be horozontal to get full imaging.

I just purchased these online for $331.00 including 2nd day shipping. I'm very satisfied with this purchase. I did quite a bit of research online prior to buying. I did NOT listen to them in a store as the only place around here that carries these...

Pros: JBL , what else needs to be said
Cons: DISCONTINUED - similar model E50...So you still in luck!

I've been looking at these speakers for a year now and to my surprise last week, I saw them on sale for the unbelievable price of 255 for a PAIR.... So I bought them... How could you not!... I can't add to the terriffic opinions already written about ...

With these speakers you get much more than you pay for. Before breaking them in the tweeters can sound a little harsh. But after breaking in the speaker they sound very flat. However, they are very strong in the lower frequencies which many find attractive in a bookshelf speaker. They will perform great without a subwoofer. When matched with a nice sub, the low range extension of the speakers allow the crossover setting to be set lower on the sub. This help stop boomy base and improve imaging. Overall the speakers are great for any stereo application and could work well as part of a home theater system. They are the kind of quality you expect from JBL pro speakers. The only drawback some might complain about is the speakers large size. This is especially noticeable since the speakers need to sit horizontal to sound good. Good bass needs a big cabinet so its a trade off. The JBL S38II will crush most other speakers in its price range and many in higher brackets.