JBL Eon Series

[watchnerd]

I'm halfway considering doing something fairly nutty.

Getting a pair of JBL Eon speakers for my living room.

Why would I even consider such a thing?

-Wave guide horn
-Woofer wave guide (on 2 models)
-Built-in PEQ adjustable over Bluetooth via an app
-DSP crossovers, Class D amps
-Balls-out dynamics
-Max SPL >120 dB for all models
-Cheap: $399 - $499 each, which puts it in the "WTF why not try it?" range

Stupid, insane, and doomed to sound horrible?

Or intriguing for the possibilities?

 

[fas42]

I would do it ...

 

[Thomas savage]

I'm halfway considering doing something fairly nutty.

Getting a pair of JBL Eon speakers for my living room.

Why would I even consider such a thing?

-Wave guide horn
-Woofer wave guide (on 2 models)
-Built-in PEQ adjustable over Bluetooth via an app
-DSP crossovers, Class D amps
-Balls-out dynamics
-Max SPL >120 dB for all models
-Cheap: $399 - $499 each, which puts it in the "WTF why not try it?" range

Stupid, insane, and doomed to sound horrible?

Or intriguing for the possibilities?

Great plan.. I want a pair too.

 

[RayDunzl]

Stupid, insane, and doomed to sound horrible?

Compared to what?

 

[watchnerd]

I would do it ...

Great plan.. I want a pair too.

Great...now which one should I get?

 

[watchnerd]

Compared to what?

Compared the speakers I already own? (Martin Logan Electromotion, Martin Logan Sequel, Dynaudio LYD 7, LBL LSR305)

 

[RayDunzl]

You're already used to a variation in speakers, so these will be another variation.

Which model?

610, 612, or 615?

 

[watchnerd]

You're already used to a variation in speakers, so these will be another variation.

Which model?

610, 612, or 615?

Tough call.

Looks-wise, the 610 reminds me the most of 'classic' blue faced JBL studio monitors. But the -3 db point is 60 hz.

The 615 has the deepest bass, -3 dB at 50 Hz, seems to have the most sophisticated wave guide.

As for dispersion, not sure what to think...the 610 is 110 deg horizontal, the 615 is 90 deg horizontal.

I guess narrower is better for home?

 

[Thomas savage]

Are those bass driver face plates ( wave guides? ) interchangeable ?

 

[watchnerd]

Are those bass driver face plates ( wave guides? ) interchangeable ?

I doubt it...they're different shapes and diameters.

 

[watchnerd]

Are those bass driver face plates ( wave guides? ) interchangeable ?

More on the woofer wave guides:

 

[RayDunzl]

I guess narrower is better for home?

That seems to be a subject for debate.

---

My guess, based on my limited experience with the '308 vs now 19 years with the reQuests, would be that they will be able to go silly loud for home use, have a room-dominated measured frequency response but have knobs to twist and turn to adjust that, and (in my case) give an artificial stereo that doesn't quite pass close inspection from the sweetspot, but will sound fine over a wide area.

If you're under-powered now you won't be then, and that will be a noticeable difference.

Having a little experience with a PA, you'll be able to fill a small club or entertain 50 people outdoors with them. That's what they're made for.

 

[watchnerd]

That seems to be a subject for debate.

---

My guess, based on my limited experience with the '308 vs now 19 years with the reQuests, would be that they will be able to go silly loud for home use, have a room-dominated measured frequency response but have knobs to twist and turn to adjust that, and (in my case) give an artificial stereo that doesn't quite pass close inspection from the sweetspot, but will sound fine over a wide area.

If you're under-powered now you won't be then, and that will be a noticeable difference.

Having a little experience with a PA, you'll be able to fill a small club or entertain 50 people outdoors with them. That's what they're made for.

Yeah, I do live sound engineering, so I'm familiar.

With the 615 and their 90 deg spread, I was thinking I could stick them in the room corners like Klipschorns.

 

[fas42]

IME, the smaller cabinets give tighter sound - but bass waveguide in the 12" looks interesting, and has more weight - wouldn't get the biggest, I would try to get some feedback on difference in sound between 10 and 12".

 

[watchnerd]

IME, the smaller cabinets give tighter sound

Would you call any of these small? Even the 610 is 322mm / 12.7 inches wide. Plus the cabinets seem to be ABS and metal.

 

[fas42]

Tried to find some videos of these things working - in ones that I found where they stop talking about them they are appallingly bad; why do "professionals" always try and make these things sound like bad transistor radios ... ?

 

[fas42]

Would you call any of these small? Even the 610 is 322mm / 12.7 inches wide. Plus the cabinets seem to be ABS and metal.

No, none are small, but I would think the 10" myself - I found a video of the 15" working, which, ummmm ....

 

[watchnerd]

and (in my case) give an artificial stereo that doesn't quite pass close inspection from the sweetspot, but will sound fine over a wide area.

FWIW, I no longer care about pinpoint stereo imaging like I used to.

After several years of experience mixing 6-tracks down to 2, and even using simple 2 track only stereo cardioid mics, I've come to realize what an artiface stereo is and that lives music events don't sound like or have ghost-like imaging like stereo recordings.

 

[watchnerd]

No, none are small, but I would think the 10" myself - I found a video of the 15" working, which, ummmm ....

I don't think I can draw any conclusions at all from that...

 

[amirm]

I have not heard them but would not be my choice for home use.