I partly blame JBL for not offering proper stands for these speakers. They are designed to be setup about 6" off the floor +\- 1".
The reviewer has some brass feet reposing on brass cups and roughly two inches from the floor.
And the two parts crossover:
_________
My impression (just from the pics and words and measurements):
One, they remind me of my second pair of speakers back in the 70s; Akai speakers, but much smaller, with a 10" woofer, a 3-4" midrange, a tweeter with a metal heatsink on front, but with open vents and aiming towards the floor. Plus a single vent on front. I was using 10 inches platforms to position them on, with a slight elevation angle (taller on front and shorter on back, to get the sound directly to my ears).
Again, just my personal "look" impression: They are not the attractive speaker design like say from some Sonus Faber models. But neither the Magicos and Vivid and KEF speakers...not my type of decorative art design. I do like the B&W speakers from their higher models though.
The reviews? It's always fun to read professional reviews from professional audio reviewers; it is one of my joys in life.
The sound? I've never heard them, but Michael (you) did.
The measurements? Not bad @ all, but then the Magicos and Genelecs and ATCs measure nice as well. And measurements there are so many of them, and all the rooms measure differently, and the preamplifiers and amplifiers as well (some are better matching partners than others, and that too will affect those measurements, including the waveforms, impulse response, impedance, phase response, coherence, distortion, power response, dumping factor, ...).
I know some people who pick expensive speakers firstly based on good looks ($10,000 to $100,000+). This JBL speaker model I would use it behind a cinema screen (invisible), and supplemented by multiple subwoofers that can reproduce low frequencies @ and below 35Hz with aplomb/full verve, and down to 5-10Hz.
For fifteen grands I want full range (down to 20Hz...minus 1.5dB).
Anyway, I shared my impression from the so little I know. I like some Revel model speakers.
Also, some Paradigm model speakers are pretty good for only three grands (half on the used market). ...Some Energy model speakers too.
Methinks that you can get good enough below $5,000/pair.
And for $50,000 I want Rockport Technologies, or top Magicos, or top Sonus Fabers, or top of the ultimate top for my penthouse in Dubai's highest skyscraper.
The JBL M2 is not even what this thread is about; the thread's title should be corrected, for sake of science accuracy, Keith.