A friend told me JBL DD67000 is actually very bad speaker, is it true?

@smodtactical --

What are more current thoughts on the everest... 3 years later?

The JBL Everest DD67000’s (the latest iteration I heard) to my ears are great speakers, despite perhaps being somewhat compromised by the mids horn profile (likely dictated by the choice of design aesthetics). They sport an unforced, relaxed presence with proper "image" size, are rather coherent, and are dynamically very astute.

I’d wager the horn profiles of the JBL M2 and 4367 are better, not to say it necessarily makes them more capable allround performers, but they are very, very good in their own right, at much cheaper at that (though lacking the overall wallop of the Everest’s).

I hope JBL with an upcoming new iteration of the Everest will apply their latest mids/tweeter horn profile (in solid wood, perhaps, or maybe even better: stacked plywood?) that isn’t compromised by enclosure design choices - as is, form-follows-function, and not the other way round - and not least turn them into all-horns. It would mean a more substantial, sculptural "package," and one likely missing a few hertz in the bottom range, but instead with true, very high sensitivity at +100dB’s and a potentially even more coherent, vibrant presentation. Bring it on, JBL.

@simonmoon --

"According to him, those Tidal, Kharma, YG, Magico, Vivid G1, Grande Focal and German Physik are truely good speakers, JBL ain’t no good...and his reasons: JBL is boxy, horny coloration as hell, zero imaging.

is this true?

It all depends on what one is looking for in an audio system.

If one is looking for that big, dynamic, lively "rocking" sound, the JBLs might be a good choice.

But, if someone is looking for a more detailed, open, more neutral, more accurate (timbre, harmonically), better imaging, speaker, the others will do that better. At a substantially higher price.
..."

It also depends on who’s making a statement like the above. Yes, I as well find the DD67000’s to provide a (in your words) "big, dynamic, lively "rocking" sound," but to my ears that in no way excludes them of most of the traits you’re lining up in the last quoted paragraph.

For one I find they image extremely well, but it’s more of a projected-into-the-listening-space kind of presentation that ignites the air, rather than the more laid-back, "spacious" (overly so, in my point of view) and thinner sound that comes from many of the brands of speakers you mention (especially the German Physik’s). Aspects of the Everest’s sound may have character, but I find it’s much less intrusive compared to speakers that are dynamically restrained, malnourished overall and less present sounding. Talk about character.

You describe them as (albeit high quality) brutes, which is a typical statement of many an audiophile; whatever possesses dynamics and full-bodied sound by definition almost must be devoid of nuance/subtleties, transparency, accuracy and spatial capabilities - indeed, haven’t we heard that before. God forbid power and presence of presentation, "hi-fi" is about the finer things where you listen to softened up music in what’s effectively an audio version of the past tense. Bollock’s, I say. This kind of "hi-fi" is what really imparts character to reproduced music and it sucks the life out of it. Or, shall we say: to each their own?

If not the DD67000's - which are really rather much more sonically capable and fleshed out than their smaller siblings, incl. the M2's to my ears - I'd go with actively driven Meyer Sound pro series speakers (Acheron/Studio) and add some big, high efficiency subs. 

As a general observation: midrange horn size matters, indeed the bigger they are the less they sound like horns. Modern horn profiles only do so much if they're size restricted (most are), why I'd rather have an older profile horn that maintains directivity control in its entire operating range to make for better coupling with the driver section below.  

And let's not forget the importance of sheer displacement below the midrange; dual 15" drivers (or a single or two horn-loaded) do for the vital frequency range they cover what singles can't equal, and so isn't about magic dust or other obscure recipe to accomplish. And when they're high-passed to be relieved of LF-duties and sub-augmented here it only makes them sound better (while adding further headroom) in their upper frequency range.