JBL L3 Floorstanding Speakers

JBL L3 Floorstanding Speakers 

DESCRIPTION

(See reviews)

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-10 of 15  
[Feb 06, 2023]
rosendamanns


Strength:

What I heard was a sound that was faaaar more tight. More controlled, I then began to truly experience the Arcam sound. Details started to appear, very forward but controlled. Arden Towing Company

Weakness:

None . .

Purchased:
New  
OVERALL
RATING
5
[Aug 24, 2020]
CharlesLemieux


Strength:

For the price, hard to beat. Very hardy......and they look beautiful.

Weakness:

I use mine as surrounds. Believe me they would also make an excellent Main.Specs. 35HZ to 27KHZ impressive especially for a two way speaker with a 8 inch sub. Let me tell you it's feels good to have those when I'll get back at the end of the day from my plancher epoxy job.Guaranteed to blow any surround speaker off the face of the earth.

Purchased:
New  
OVERALL
RATING
5
[Oct 14, 2020]
eschmuntz


Strength:

This is my favorite two way speaker that does just about everything well. It has a really great 8” woofer model. Good low end grunt and very flat response. The 035tia is one of the best tweeters out there. They are getting scares and expensive. I haven’t found music that’s not reproduced well. I’ve bought up 6 woofers that people screwed up on eBay. My guy knows how to get the surrounds done correctly. I be enjoying this speaker for another 30 years. I like them so much I have two pair.

Weakness:

The plastic base blows. It cracks easily. My local speaker manufacturer has a stash of very heavy spike ready bases that provide a solid footing and raise them 3.75”.

Price Paid:
190
Purchased:
Used  
Model Year:
1991
OVERALL
RATING
5
[Feb 15, 2009]
audioguru
Audio Enthusiast

ok, I found a pair of these speakers on craigslist for $120. I quickly went to audioreview to see the reviews There were several very positive reviews from folks that had experience with some serious audioproducts. Still, it was kind of hard to believe. There was also a bad review, but it was so bad, i had to discount it.

Anyway, i bought the speakers and the guy who demo'd them had them hooked up to a 30 watt amplifier and he also had bunch of strange equipment. I was less than impressed. Also, it was off putting that the speakers came with a cheap plastic base.

well, i got them home and i agree with several reviewers that said this speaker doesn't do anything really incredibly, but it does everything very well (well, mostly) and the overall presentation snatched my rapt attention. i usually play some music in the background, but when i put several discs on this, the music became center stage.

it is great with subtle sounds, it's great at giving each instrument it's own "space" in the soundstage. I would say all of the songs sounded "decompressed" and "unfolded" like the music was literally blooming out of the speakers. the imaging was great, i got the impression that the music was moving back and forth and hanging in the air in the way the artists intended.

some things this speaker does, doesn't sound right. but the vast majority of what it does, comes through so authentically, that it makes you question if the speaker is wrong, or the original recording.

In any event, these are the speakers i will use (i also have vandersteen's and klipsch) when i have non-audiophile friend come by and i want to blow them away.

in all respects, an absolute steal for $120. there's magic in these speakers.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jun 03, 2004]
dogboy_from_nz
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

quality build keep going and going and going

Weakness:

none really, but placement makes a big difference to sound quality

I have had the JBL L3's for some 10 years now. Used to run them with a 75watt Yamaha amp, but now use a 100w yamaha. These speakers have amazing depth and clarity and friends who visit can't believe they are 10 years old. Amazing speakers for thier strenght and long lasting quality. Since upgrading to full surround, I thought may have to change, but to my delight they are flawless for home theater. At the moment they are placed a little to close to the walls, and can get a boomy effect on low bass notes, but thats where the wife says have to be. To get the best out of these speakers they need loads of power ( I still need more) and placement makes big differeneces in sound. I listen to a variety of music and dvd from thrash metal to opera, these babies are great for everything and when you hear quality recording through these you will be blown away.

Similar Products Used:

paradigm, polk

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Mar 18, 2002]
Richard75
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

The JBL L3 capability to sound so live and play the "whole sound picture"!

Weakness:

None!!!

These speakers are the bomb! I run them with harman/kardon citation 21 & 22 and give them the ampere they want to produce awsome sound. The accuracy, live and well balanced sound makes you wanna listen more and more. You don''t need a sub to feel the low bass cause the L3''s take care of everything. I had a pair of L5''s before and they didn''t sound as good as the L3. I even have a pair of L1''s and they are very good to but lack a bit when it comes to very low bass....but they produce a very satisfying sound with it''s 6,5" bass element. I love JBL and especially the L3''s....

Similar Products Used:

JBL L5, L1. (Tried some speakers in the TLX and LX series too..)

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Sep 20, 2000]
Joe
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Crystal Clear mids and highs,tight bass

Weakness:

need power

Hooked up these speakers to a moderatley powered Yamaha A/V receiver originally and the sound was good but not better than the other products listed. Always in pursuit of improvement, I beefed up the power with some 200W/C monoblocks and these speakers came to life. The bass is tight and accurate and the mid/highs are breathtaking. Vocals are lifelike and instruments can be distinguished in even the most complex classical music. B&Ws and the others don't seem as balanced. A great overall speaker, if you can find some don't hesitate to buy.

Similar Products Used:

B&W 3's and 6's, JBL, Energy

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 03, 1998]
Douglas Morgenstern
an Audio Enthusiast

The JBL L-3 (discontinued a year or two ago) are my reference speakers because in my opinion they have the best tonal balance (superb bass and highs, good mids) and transient response of any speaker in its price range (around $750 pr.)I've owned more than 40 speakers since 1970 (and have driven audio dealers crazy in Northern California and Massachusetts) and these compare favorably overall to speakers in their price range (or higher) from: Snell; Paradigm; PSB; Definitive Technology; Vandersteen, etc. I stress the word "overall," since there are speakers which have individual characteristics that are superior to the L3's (female voice on some PSB speakers, midrange on some late 1980's ADS speakers) or equal to it (Boston Acoustics VR series also have wonderful bass but bright, harsh highs; Snell J and E speakers can be just as exciting with great transients, but inferior highs). They need to be placed far from walls to prevent excessive bass at around 60-80 hz (as do some Polk towers, which I've also had). Otherwise, they are exceptional. Don't hesitate to search from them used or as demos.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Jul 11, 1999]
Michel Schoenmaker
an Audio Enthusiast

I only heard them ones but I bought them at once.But I want a picture off it so badly I can't sleep at night
So pleace help me

What a speaker!!!

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Jul 22, 1997]
Tony
an Audio Enthusiast

I know this sounds corny, but I fell in love with my JBL L3 speakers at first, uh, listen. I've auditioned quite a number of speakers over the past few months (Bose Acoust-o-Mass, Cambridge Soundworks Ensemble II, various JBL models, etc.), but have NEVER heard speakers as sweet as these. These speakers really kick. Killer bass, clear highs, nice mid tones. I am honestly picking up music off my CD's I've never heard before! If you've been dissatisfied in your quest for the perfect sub/sat speaker system (as I was), do yourself a favor and look at this loudspeaker system. One listen, and you may decide that you, too, have room for these skinny, floor-standing speakers.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
Showing 1-10 of 15  

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