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Review 1 of 1
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from On line Summary:
This is part of the JBL Performance Series, which is usually sold by authorized JBL dealers who carry the Synthesis custom install line. It is intended to work in conjunction with the PS1400 subwoofer and can even be docked with that unit to create a 4-way floor standing unit. Four PT800s, two PS1400s and a PC600 center comprise a basic 5.1 Performance Series system; add two more PT800s and you've got 7.1.
The PT800 has titanium and titanium alloy drivers, so you might expect a metallic cast to the sound, but you'd be wrong. Surrounded by rubber and held in aluminum cast frames, the speakers are wonderfully smooth, clear, and powerful. They're bright but not harsh. They're full but not fat. They're precise but not mechanical.
They have a presence and detail that reveals the music in a very real manifestation. They're very easy to listen to at low volume, yet they will handle all the power from just about any sane amp and produce a prodigious amount of sound.
These speakers need to be broken in a bit, and they reach their potential in a few days, say after 20-30 hours of use. Their 8 inch drivers should not be driven below 80Hz (by design) and are meant to be crossed over to the PS1400 sub through your receiver or pre/pro, or by docking them with the PS1400 itself.
The cabinets are rigid, eight-sided enclosures, plus the top and bottom, and they easily can be hung on the wall with the included hardware, docked with the PS1400, or placed on a stand or shelf. They're narrow (front to back), so they look like they'd be easy to knock over if not properly secured.
The drivers are quite attractive, sort of a pale champagne color, and completely inverted--no dust caps to mess up the concave dish. The 4" titanium pistonic drive midrange is identical to the midrange used in the vaunted Revel Ultima Salon (around $17k ea.).
I'm driving these with Soundcraftsmen PCR800 MOSFET amps, 210W/ch @8 Ohms, and they respond very enthusiastically to the power. They easily drive above 100db SPL, with no signs of fatigue or stress. I chicken out before the speakers do.
This entire Perfomance Series system is a terrific solution for those of us who love great music and great HT. It has the stones to handle whatever music you throw at it with great control, clarity, and realism. Yet, it also delivers the goods with the hyperactive, super-real, wildly dynamic demands of DD and DTS movies.
I'm a believer. After much research, auditioning, and searching, I chose this over more expensive alternatives, and it wasn't a matter of money. This JBL speaker line is worth more than it costs, and if you can actually find one to buy, give it very, very serious consideration. Strengths:
Brilliant highs
Exquisite midrange
Powerful upper bass octaves
Cabinet design: shape and rigidity
Power handling
Efficiency
Distortion free at high volume
Beautiful drivers Weaknesses:
Hard to find
Narrow design makes tipping possible if not properly placed/anchored Similar Products Used:
Many other JBL products, including L7 and SVA1800, Martin Logan, Sonus Faber, Fosgate Audionics.
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