Knucklehead

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $50.00 from Craigs list

Summary:
These work great for a bedroom speaker. I have a Sony STR-D1015 @ 120wpc driving these and they sound pretty good at medium levels. The Sony could easily overpower them.
They excel in the highs and mid range, but lack much bass. I didn't expect them to rattle the windows, and they don't.
For the price they are very hard to beat. I can't believe someone would sell these as such a low price. When I saw these for sale I didn't hesitate. They looked like new and were being used for fronts on a 3 speaker setup with a center channel. The owner kicked them to the curb after buying some crap Bose cubes. Bet he's kicking himself in the pants now. His lose, my gain.
I already had the JBL Northridge E50s I use at the corners for my HT so I knew what to expect, sort of.
While these aren't going to outperform the E50, they do in fact compare nicely if you don't expect lots of bass. I didn't and they didn't.

Strengths:
Great high and mid level range. Get a sub if you want anything lower than about 100hz. JBL lists the FR as 50hz - 20khz. The Sony amp is designed, like all Sony's to give lots of bass. And it does great with the E50s, just not with the E30s.

Weaknesses:
BASS BASS BASS

Similar Products Used:
Currently own: E50-for 5.1; Infinity IL40-music in the LR;
Long gone but mostly not forgotten: AR's, Speaker Lab; Radio Shack Optimus; Pioneer; KEH; Paradigm; Boston Acoustics:and so many others I can't remember any more.

Price Paid:  $95.00 from craiglist

Summary:
These JBLs are really great especially with the mid and highs. I make these as my fronts. I always keep enjoying listening with these speakers and my other JBL's rears and front for a year already.

Strengths:
Best Buy for speakers lower than $200. You'll appreciate the mids and highs.

Weaknesses:
little come short with the lows. Nothing else

Similar Products Used:
None

seunghun

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.75 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $65.00 from craigslist

Summary:
as a college student in a small apartment, i exclusively deal in 6"/6.5" bookshelf speakers. driven by Cambridge Audio A300 v2 amp with Klipsch SW-12 subwoofer, i have pleasant enough experience.

as for the value, there are other players in the 6.5" bookshelf such as infinity P160/P162 which in my opinion has just as good bass performance and better high frequency performance. They both go down to 50hz which is a real plus when you're trying to use them as fronts. This is why i'm also more critical of the speakers than others. when used as surrounds, these subtle differences do not stand out as much.

Of course, the real killer with these two, either JBL E30 or Infinity P160, is that they are very insensitive. They are 88db, 90db respectively.

My real regret is blowing out my Cerwin Vega L-7. while not a high-end brand, they were much more sensitive and especially much lighter at high end. memories 'mrs. robinson' by simon and garfunkle on these speakers still haunt me.

These are simple small speakers with simple design. a woofer and a tweeter and a capacitor and a bit else and wires in a cabinet. big name brands mean much less in these simple designs vs the cerwin vegas who are good at simple designs (with much more practice).

To recap, while having phenomenal specs and performing true to the spec, the JBL E30 have just as capable competitors in the same price range and its sound does not inspire passion with any particularity.

Strengths:
nothing in particular

Weaknesses:
none really. high-ends not as vibrant as i am used to.

Similar Products Used:
Cerwin Vega K-7
Infinity Primus P160

Price Paid:  $65.00 from craigslist

Summary:
as a college student in a small apartment, i exclusively deal in 6"/6.5" bookshelf speakers. driven by Cambridge Audio A300 v2 amp with Klipsch SW-12 subwoofer, i have pleasant enough experience.

as for the value, there are other players in the 6.5" bookshelf such as infinity P160/P162 which in my opinion has just as good bass performance and better high frequency performance. They both go down to 50hz which is a real plus when you're trying to use them as fronts. This is why i'm also more critical of the speakers than others. when used as surrounds, these subtle differences do not stand out as much.

Of course, the real killer with these two, either JBL E30 or Infinity P160, is that they are very insensitive. They are 88db, 90db respectively.

My real regret is blowing out my Cerwin Vega L-7. while not a high-end brand, they were much more sensitive and especially much lighter at high end. memories 'mrs. robinson' by simon and garfunkle on these speakers still haunt me.

These are simple small speakers with simple design. a woofer and a tweeter and a capacitor and a bit else and wires in a cabinet. big name brands mean much less in these simple designs vs the cerwin vegas who are good at simple designs (with much more practice).

To recap, while having phenomenal specs and performing true to the spec, the JBL E30 have just as capable competitors in the same price range and its sound does not inspire passion with any particularity.

Strengths:
nothing in particular

Weaknesses:
none really. high-ends not as vibrant as i am used to.

Similar Products Used:
Cerwin Vega K-7
Infinity Primus P160

albacora14

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
2.83 of 5, 6.00 votes

Price Paid:  $170.00 from Home Audio Specialis

Summary:
Very good speakers, highs and bass are so fine, sounds like a tower loudspeaker I used to use as main, now are surrounds, believe me sound great stereo image. Beautyful design of E Notrindrige Series..

Strengths:
Excellent Bass, high definition EOS tweeters. $170 for the pair!!

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
JBL Northridge E Family, main, center ans those kids!!