I have owned the Snell model J/ii for 30 years in 1997 I had the woofers replaced because of surround rot. I have listened to even today's speakers and these speakers compare favorably with everything I have listened to. Although they are large bookshelf models they sound more like large tower models. They seem to sonically disappear and the stereo imaging is superb. The soundstage is enormous (width, depth, and heights) these speakers never break up with the loudest sounds I can throw at them. They can also sound very good at a more moderate volume. My wife is not an audiophile, but she has been to all kind of live concerts of different guandras (with me and before me) and she loves the way these speakers sound. I love the fact that these and any other model by Snell was matched to plus or minus .5 dBs from there factory prototype, and that they were given 100% quality control. They were grain matched for there veneers. The enclosures where hand rubbed with special oils. The older they are, the better they look. I bought them in 1986 and they have been the best sounding speakers I have ever owned.

Yes - no. 1 review is right: Snell J II is a cassic indeed.

Very efficient = plays well with low-power amps (though often with a litte loose bass then). The efficiency also let's much of the fine detail through.

Very well tuned. These speakers were produced as matching pairs. Because they are so matching, they disappear out of the listening 'window'. An instrument stays in the exact place regardless which tones it plays becuase both speakers react exactly the same to all impulses. This quality cannot be over-estimated.

Dynamic. An easy load, let details through, plays clean and quite loud if need be.

Coherent: They're designed for playing with the grilles on, and these do not subtract from the output. But when you remove the grilles you won't believe that an 8" and a 1" could sit right next to each other and blend so easily and seamlessly. A Snell J II very much sounds like ONE speaker with ONE element in it.

Strengths: All of the above. Mostly all music can be easily enjoyed. Both value gear and expensive gear, willl excel through these speakers.

Limitations: 1. With a very good power amp, the bass is good down to 50Hz or so. A little loose with a lesser power amp (but still a dynamic vivid bass). 2. If much musical complexity, ie choir + guitar + bass + percussions, the J II looses some composure/ability to single out everything and maintaining all its qualities. For some rock and rythmic music a 3-way speaker can be better, but it needs to be a good speaker to beat it, and mostly all speakers below 5.000$ and quite a few above, will fall short of the natural, almost supernatural ease and LIVELYNESS of this speaker.

Highly recommended.

(I paid 1500 USD for the pair in 1987, and it's the best hi-fi investment made. I've repaired the foam around the bass drivers once and they play like new after 23 years).

Forget all the bull-s--t: These speakers make you want to listen to music and never stop. They never get tiring. Never.

Need ample power and quality of power to bring out their true potential. I recommend a very clean power amp with a high damping factor so the bass response is as rich as can be. Again, without the proper amp, these speakers sound good, even great, but you'll be missing a big piece of the puzzle....

These speakers, driven by the right amplifier, are better than any speakers I've heard that cost up to $4800. For apartment living in rooms no bigger than 15x16', you can't find a more well-rounded speaker, especially for the money, and that, my friend(s), says a whole lot. Sadly, the original Peter Snell speakers (these were his last, along with the E II), are not being produced. Hence, these are a rare find, a rare jewel to be treasured if found.

I'm astounded at how well these little J II can sound with sufficient and clean power sources. The bottom line is they are like a good drug-- try it (them) and you'll want more, more, more...(music, that is!)

All the technical yada yada yada aside, these speakers, though bookshelf style, will floor you. I've been the happy owner of a pair for 21 years and they just sound better to me every day....no matter what other speakers I try out.

Similar Products Used:

Klipsh Forte, Klipsh Heresy, Snell E II, Rega R1, Rega R5, Monitor Audio PL100, Bose 901, Infinity floor standing (model # forgotten)