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Anyone experienced JBL's K2 S9800?

There is such a dearth of commentary on this speaker anywhere, and yet I have some reason to believe that this may be one of the finest speakers currently in production. I recently was able to audition a pair in a most unusual setting--an art gallery.

The speakers were raised up off the floor on pedestals (perhaps 18 inches) with no walls or corners within 10 feet or more. All the front-end equipment, including amplifiers, were Mark Levinson, but I later learned that in order to hide the speaker cabling, there was approx. 80 feet of speaker cable running up vertical columns and then across the ceiling and down other columns in order to reach the speakers. Now that's gotta hurt.

Nonetheless, during that audition, I was blown away by this speaker's ability to resolve complex orchestral passages, its dynamic capability, and its overall neutrality (though it was distinctly lacking in warmth), but I was also completely non-plussed by a lack of transparency that I heard in two separate piano recordings of the highest quality (the pianos sounded muffled and much low level detail was missing). I found this mix of good and bad to be most unusual.

Is there anyone out there who owns these speakers and could comment on their performance relative to others they have owned or listened to? I have a feeling this one may be a real sleeper that, by virtue of its price tag, has been overlooked by most. If I could resolve the transparency issue, I just might blow my life's savings a buy a pair. Any commentary from anyone with actual experience would be most welcomed and appreciated. Thanks!
theloveman
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
Porschecab,

I stopped by on a lark as I was in NYC for the weekend and had a couple of hours to kill. I told Mr Joshua Cohn that I am fairly new to the hobby and wanted to hear something different from my Pass/Eggleston combo and so he let me listen to the VIVA tube/JBL horn combo.

He could not have been nicer. It is remarkable how different equipment can sound. The JBL's are so immediate and seemingly transparent. The speakers seem to be set up in his main system and are the first horn/hybrid speakers that I have ever heard. My only regret is that I did not bring any familiar music with me. It was a real treat and if I ever have the money and room, these will be on my short list.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
According to the JBL website you can buy them directly from the Harmon on line shopping site, for a mere $15,000 per speaker plus frieght. And yes they say they are in stock.
dbla
3 posts
 
I have used Beveridge model 2 with Jannis W-1 subwoofers. Also used the Double Quad with Decca ribben tweeters. Here I used Jannis W-1 subs,too. Beveridge RM-1/2 preamplifier.
These things sounded nise, but not the dynamics by far when you compare to the real thing.
After many systems later, I had the opportunity to get me a set S9800`s. When I put them into my system, I was so dissapointed that I started to cry.I had bought "The cat in the bag". This was much money for me, and difficult to sell in Norway. But, time went on, and I let the speakers " play " all day and nights for many months. LOUD!! I have a good music-room! Used sattelite radio for this purpose.
After about a year, after I had tried to sell many times- there was something happening!! The tweeters opened up much more, and the glass-sharpness dissapeared. The midrange came and a few weeks later the whole system sounded so different, I could nearly believe it. When my daughter came on a visit during the weekend at this time, she suddenly turned her head to me an said. Pappa, have you bough sub woofers, too, now? No, I replied. I told her what had happened sinse she was home the last time. After some time listening, she agreed that reprodused music like this, she had never heard before. I use ARC electronics, and that seems to do the job better then all other amps we have tried. Before I bought the S9800`s I had the M9500`s for a short time. I managed to sell them- this because I did not get the upper mid-lower tweeter range to sound good. Too sharp and edgy for me.You can find about my system and S9800`s in discussins on the internet, but sorry, I do not know where I can find it. They who have heard my system with the S9800`s, begins to laugh after a short time listening. This can not be true? I have never believed I could get the sound like this from a stereo- system! YES! YOU CAN.
Now the S9800 sound very, very good, indeed! I have listened to many systems around in my life, but none like the one I do have now: AND- the speaker system is JBL K2 S9800!

AND- I am just these days moving into my new listening room that is double the size of the old one. It has taken me nearly 3 years to build it. But, I know that I have here a very, very good room for the S9800`s.I am an engineer in electronics, and have built radio-studios, and made many recordings. Acoustics have allways interested me, too.

GOOD LUCK!
marioluis
1 posts
 
Dear Dan, did you have the opportunity to compare JBL K2 X Revel Salon 2 ? If yes, what did you think ?
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