Price Paid:  $1200.00

Summary:
I got these 86 250TI's of a guy who spray painted them BLACK! I guess he was trying to pass them off as the limited edition. With some paint stripper and oil, they were as good as new. (After replacing a tweeter and midbass; and some wood filled for chips around the bottom). They sound excellent! The really make the music very clear. Newer recordings sound really outstanding. You can really get the sound of a live perfromance. I hear a lot of things in the music that I have not noticed when listening on other speakers. I really can't used my dbx 120X or dbx impact restoration on many recordings because these effects sound "over the top" with the 250TI's. A lot of what I used these processors for was already there in the recording but my other loudspeakers could not reproduce the sound accurately enough to reporduce it.

Strengths:
They sound great at any volume level. They are always clean, clear, and balanced.

Weaknesses:
I have enjoyed them so much that my electric bill has went up $200 a month. It's time to get a more efficient amp.

Similar Products Used:
L100T, L20T , Infinity SM155, Bose 901, Polk SDA SRS.

Price Paid:  $4200.00 from Pointe Electronics

Summary:
I purchased these speakers new in 1985 and still love them. I had owned and listened to many speakers prior to buying these things and were never completely happy. Some of these speakers included Vandersteen, Thiel, Spendor, Quad, B&W, Snell, etc, etc. I believe this system to provide the best overall balance of Dynamics, Imaging, Bass linearity, Upper frequency "air", midrange accuracy and Overall frequency response. All from JBL. JBL not previously known for audiophile grade stuff. High quailty, High Technology, Professional Gear...Maybe.

If you look at the technology and cost-no-object design you can begin to understand why. Massive magnetic structures on all elements (18lb. on woofers), Cast speaker frames, Edge wound voice coils, Pure Titanium dome tweeters, "Mineral filled" polypropylene midranges (JBL didn't believe a pure polypropyline midrange alone would provide enough speed in this area of the frequency range). Many high end speakers were just beginning to use pure polypropylene alone for their midrange drivers. Today many of the better speakers manufacturers have learned from this and are employing "filled" polypropylene midranges to improve speed and stiffness with the benefit of polypropylene's high internal damping. Also JBL used the highest quailty electrical components in their crossover networks.

The Teak cabinets are a sight to behold. All speakers are mechanically time aligned and the enclosure is pyramid shaped to provide the optimum baffle area for the speaker element installed. This, along with the rounded corners of the cabinet helped reduce the diffraction effect of the cabinet and improve the overall imaging of the speaker.

With good source material and high quality electonics, these speakers can provide one of the closest approximations I've ever heard to a live concert. And when its time to turn them down, they can sing you to sleep at lower power levels without any loss of resolution or a disproportional frequency response. I just wish JBL made timbe matched surround components for multichannel music (DVD-A and SACD). You would feel as if you were there!

Strengths:
Excellent imaging. Unlimited Dynamics. Clean midrange.

Weaknesses:
No timbe matched center and surround channel speakers available from JBL. Bass Surround foam decays every 15yrs

Price Paid:  $2500.00 from Bought from someone getting married

Summary:
The flat response and clarity of sound is revealing. The sound quality improves with volume. The treble needs to be tamed and the bass needs to be enhanced at ridiculous volumes. Sounds slow, dull, or harsh with poor quality amplifiers. Sounds flat and ordinary with average CD material. Generally only about one song in every 10 on a pop music CD gets these speakers really firing and then listening is pure joy.

The 250 has a flatter response than recent JBL home models. Modern boutique speakers from other brands have a more 'home friendly' sound and superior staging in a smaller box but some of this must be cabinet coloration.

The 250 has a flatter response and less generous bass than the very largest JBL sudio monitors.

Strengths:
These speakers will deliver extraordinary sound with excellent source material and amplification hardware.

Weaknesses:
The rubber surround of the bass driver must be replaced every 10 years; the grill cover is flimsy; children can dent the woofer centre dust covers; the treble cut adjustment is insufficient.

Similar Products Used:
I sold the huge matching JBL 18 inch subwoofer. I found most 'pop' music does not require it.

Summary:
I am presently using this speaker with a carver C4000 preamp, Luxman M117 amp and a Rega Planet 2000 with Audioquest Lapis Interconnects. This combination sounds great. I have just purchased the rega and that made a bid difference in the sound. I now listen to more music on this system and am downsizing my home theater system. I am planning on updating my preamp with the Rogue 66 magnum.
These are indeed the best speakers that I have auditioned.

Strengths:
The best speaker at any price. This speaker has the low end mids and highs that all work together to produce the best sounding clear music that you can find.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Sony Esprit APM 6, BMW Matrix 801 llls.

Price Paid:  $3000.00 from dealer

Summary:
Years ago I heard a sound... And it was everyting I looked for. Searching for the speakers I'd discover these two and the price was then $6000. Well that was far above my budget. Years later I could finally afford them for a bargain. Yes, they are far too big and ugly. And that makes the price more friendly when you are really looking. But than I know that a bass needs some space. Electrostatics are as clear as a sound can be, but they are very critical in direction and there is always a lack of bass. Above that they are very vulnareble for moister and dust. No matter what they say.
Sonus Faber is a very neat speaker. Well designed and small. I was very surprised to see the size and the sound. But it is still a compromise. The 250TI are not in every aspect.
They are driven by two brystons 7B (800 watts). The specs say the max for the 250's is 200W. Well I haven't noticed it. They deliver the sound as they are driven. No matter what. And that's another drawback. You need serious equipment. I had a preamp (parasound). It's not good enough. I had a marantz cd-player. Well it's not good enough. Every enhancement to your system is an improvement.
I am still searching.., upgrading.., listening.
I've just purchased a preamp (Van Medevoort). Well it looks nice. It's clear. Still I've got the feeling the 250's can do more... Should it be a Mark Levinson??? I hope not. They are much to expensive..
The Brystons are okay. No limitations what so ever.
The cd-player is now a 6000 signature. A local dealer can modify it...

Strengths:
Very clear sound. Not critical in listening position. Very dry bass

Weaknesses:
They are big!! And I mean big

Similar Products Used:
Electrostatic speakers from audiostatic, several home made models, sonus faber, etc