I bought a pair of L65s brand new in 1978 and have never been able to part with them. I suppose, however, the best JBL I ever heard was the Paragon (looked like an entire 1960s Philco or the like console system except it was a big speaker?). The year was '65 or '66 and I was at a home show in Houston TX with my parents......bored out of my mind until happening upon that stupendous sound. My father remarked at the time that he thought it could've produced a decent listening level all by itself next door in the Astrodome. I don't know how accurate that was but hearing that speaker(s) as a ten year old has remained the single most "impressive Hi Fi moment" of my life. Auditioning L 300s as a twenty-something at Pacific Stereo was pretty darned good but I don't think anything will ever compare to that "great big ol' speaker at the home show that time".
Best JBL's you have heard
I have a pair of highly regarded speakers that sell in the $4,000 price range. Several months ago I purchased a pair of JBL L200B's off Audiogon. I am amazed at the sound quality of the JBL's. Comparing both speakers back and forth, the 200's more than hold their own. I have two questions: first, is it just me or have any of you had similiar experiences with vintage speakers, and second, what are the best JBL speakers you have heard?