Anyone have any input on JM Lab Cobalt 816S

I bought a 5 channel Focal surround system with the 816s in the front left and right main speaker positions. Using the Marantz SR-EX14 surround reciever (which many credit with sounding phenominal in 2-channel stereo mode) I also found the 816s to be bright. I then added a McIntosh SL1 12" subwoofer to the mix which balanced the 816s highs and now it sounds crisp, detailed and has the bass impact that should have come with the 816 to begin with (maybe the 826 has the extra midbass for this reason). Nonetheless, by adding a subwoofer the 816s become bargains. If you want to warm things up from there you could always integrate a Conrad Johnson tube preamp or a maybe even a used tube stage buffer like the Z-Man or Musical Fidelity X10v3 tube buffer.

I just bought Cobalt 806S speaker a few months ago. I think they are a step up from previous Chorus speakers but a newer version of the Chorus is out and looks really good. I wish I had bought the 816S as they handle more power but I am very happy with the 806S. Audio Advisor has a great deal on the 806S,816S and 826S as the Cobalt line is being discontinued. Stereophile has rated both the 806S and 816S in "B" category. I agree that they are great speakers but I am using two subooders with my speakers. At a little higher price than the JM Labs Cobalt line I would recommend Paradigm Reference Studio Line. They are great for the price and highly rated.

I now own Electra 926 and agree that it is much more musical, engaging and also transparent speaker than Cobalt 816S. The Electra 926 gives you the full range with deep, fast and utterly clear low end. Be aware that you don`t get much bass from the 816S. Despite of some brightness the 816S imaging and detail is pretty good for its prize.
If you can stretch your budget the Electra 926 is in a whole new universe. The Electra line is almost Utopia it uses many of the same parts and technologies including drivers.

I also owned the 926 which was in a completely different class,and it was easily one of the best speakers I've ever heard up under the 8k mark,The only speaker I've had thats better than the 926,is what i have now the Onix Mini Strata and they cost $1995,close to what the Cobalt 816S cost,but in a different statosphere in performance.I think If you want Focal,the Electra 926 are on one of the best deals on the used market,and many many stetups from the Cobalt 816S and can be had for about new 816's cost new.

I have the JM lab daline 3.1

same tioxid tweeter I beleive. not bright at all but using all conrad johnson eqpmnt. and CAL front end for cd and linn/koetsu analog. they really sing.

Well i had some pretty high qaulity stuff with them here is the amps i had with them:Nad 320bbe,Jungson Class A amp,Musical Fidelity 3.2 amp &3.2 preamp,Quicksilver preamp & Monoblocks,Unison Unico with modified Mullard tubes,Ming Da 22 watt intergrated tubeamp with modified GE tubes and Mullards and a Musical Fidelity X-150.Cd players:Musical Fidelity 3.2,X-V3,X-10 tube buffer,X-Dac,X-PSU,Unison cd player with modified Mullard tubes.Speaker wire and interconects,Various Cardus,Audioquest,Zen,and I settled for the Kimber Timbre interconnects and 8TC speakerwire which was the least bright of the bunch,and best at the frequencey extremes,I think thats plenty of gear that should've have worked and I even tried them out on my friends Rogue Zues tube amp and my other friends VTL monoblocks,and they were still bright as hell.

My experience was with the 806S. While I didn't find them as bright as Tawaundabomb talks about, they were a little on the bright side. (maybe the 816 is different)

I think for the money there is better out there.

This question is for Tawaundabomb. What kind of amp and interconnects were you using at the time you owned the Cobalt 816s. For the price range I think they are fantastic speakers if paired with the right equipment.

You can take this with a grain of salt I owned them and they were the brightest speaker I've ever heard,no matter what I paired them with and i had a well treated room,I kept them for a month and a half I couldnt wait to get rid of them,and worst of all i traded in my Totem Arro's for them,the worst audio mistake i ever made was the 816 Cobalt S.