The JBL Classic L52 Review | The Old School Sound
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- These speakers make listening to music FUN!
Review Sample was purchased from Crutchfield. This review is free of sponsorships, affiliate links, and financial compensation.
Video brought to you by BDI Furniture: www.bdiusa.com/
Zero Fidelity Patreon
/ zerofidelityhifi
JBL L52 Product Information
www.jbl.com/bookshelf/L52.html
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Also Featured in this review.....
IOTAVX SA3 Integrated Amplifier
www.iotaenterprises.co.uk/pro...
Sound Artist LS3/5a
www.china-hifi-audio.com/soun...
KEF LS50 META
us.kef.com/products/ls50-meta
Buchardt Audio S400 MK2
buchardtaudio.com/products/s4...
Klipsch Forte IV
www.klipsch.com/products/fort...
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Really great to see you back. I am a retired musician and your views on sound reproduction align with mine. Your reviews are the best. Thanks, Steve.
Yes, give an update on your life...... :)
Great to have you back Sean! These JBLs look great. And as an aside may I just say, I'm GLAD you're getting sponsors and affiliate links because your time is worth something just like anybody else's time is. Looking forward to watching Zero Fidelity in 2023! Get it!!
Thank you for putting together a review that actually tells us what we need to know about an product. Just excellent, glad your back!
Sup giys
yeah.... I like that they "are not for everyone" i.e. they don't sound like something for me, would much prefer that speakers disappear and give a large sound
Great review Sean! Your ability to compare different speakers, discuss system matching, and listening across different music genres is appreciated. Very helpful to us consumers.
Sean, I'm so happy to see you back Sir, another great review from you as always, please keep 'em coming.
I love your reviews because I feel like I really understand the product. This review I felt like I understand how much joy these speakers bring you. Bravo
Man I’ve been missing these reviews. I regularly watch your older videos because they are really good.
I recently bought a pair of their 4309’s and love them. Truly a pair of speakers that can play anything well!
Rare.
Nice to have you back :)
JBL = juke joint fun. Back to the feel of music, atmosphere over precision. Step into the purple haze and jump into the fire. It was the sound of the 60's. Lived it, loved it and happy to hear its still here. Thanks!
right there with ya!
Back in the Building. The Original. Zero Fidelity.
Where did he go?
Surround Sound in the mix now?
It’s always great to have a new review from you! Big thanks
Hey Sean
Good to see you reviewing
Wishing you the best
Using most of my time listening to music
But glad to see you helping those still out there searching for new equipment
Take Care
Feel the serenity again listening to you. Welcome back.
Glad to see you back Sean! You're so good at making these videos seem easy.
It is absolutely wonderful to be able to watch your review again.. always be able to analyze from different angles..both subjectively and technically... Thanks a lot.
A great review. Super informative with a top notch presentation. Well done sir!
Zesty! I’m using that one. Great to see you back and looking forward to more reviews.
Sean has just come back from the mountains meditating for a year and pondering on the meaning of Audiophile. Welcome back!
The prodigal son returns! Welcome back. I look forward to the reviews you have been teasing.
Glad that your back and a great review👍
Appreciate your efforts, I am fan of your approach towards audio reviews, hope if you can have have more audio equipment's review every week, don't want to wait longer than that.
Thanks Sean! Good you reviewing again.
Nice. Love that style. Good to see a review. Keep them coming. 🤘🏼🎸🤘🏼
Great review, glad your back!
Aahhhh, doesn’t that feel better now Sean?
Keep ‘em coming!
As always very detail and informative review
Glad you're back! Good detailed video. But at that speed it was hard to keep up..😩. Hope to see a more relaxed review next time...
Thanks for this review. I _really_ appreciate your take and style with this. I just have to agree with you about JBL's intentions and the likely audience. They're doing something appealing to not only actual nostalgic boomers but also folks who are nostalgic for something they never experienced. I don't actually need speakers but I'm seriously considering getting a pair because I grew up in the 70's and those foam cubes are like sirens on the rocks.
(btw, I listened to your review on my HD414's that I bought new in the 70's and have spent more than they're worth on multiple replacement foam earpads for. Another iconic audio product that really should make a return!)
Awesome! And welcome back, Sean!
nice... good to see ZF back in action. Everything is right again in the world!
I'm glad you mentioned the pairing with the IOTAVX, since that's what I own:-) I really like the retro look of these little speakers.
Wow. So many years later and still impressed with the Iota. It's something that I am glad that I bought.
Great review Sean! Reminds me of my audio journey. Back in the late seventies I bought my first audiophile speakers, Allison 2s. Loved them but I was looking for something different. A few years later I bought a beat up used pair of JBL 100s. Needless to say the JBLS got a lot more playing time!
NEW CONTENT WHADDUP
Glad you're back, dude :)
Great to see you back in the saddle!
Glad you’re back!
Thanks Sean, great video. One other advantage of choosing the JBLs over other similarly-priced options is resale value. If you do buy these, enjoy them for a while, then decide to upgrade or go in a different direction, you’ll probably get more of your money back when you sell or trade them.
Talking about speaker. Not cars.
Finally, a new video! Thank you! Hope you're doing well!
Thanks for bringing the FUN back into the music...
Nice review man! Good to see you back at it. A little wobbly on your feet maybe, but also upping the production ante a little bit. While your live streams have been enjoyable, your voice in the space has been missed. I know I'm not the only one looking forward to your upcoming videos.
I‘m glad you‘re back Sean. I missed you. BR
Yes! He's back!
My take, I would probably really enjoy these. To bad I'm not in the market
I really like that you specified the amount of money needed in electronics to bring out the best out of these speakers.
The review looks and sounds great!
Have not heard any home stereo JBLs in years and dig the retro aesthetic though our JBL studio & work-horse monitors for music and commercial audio reproduction are phenom. Thanks for the review.
Yay!!!! You're back!
Nice speakers, like jbl. Hope I can listen to them by occasion. Thanks for the review 😉👍
Now the world makes sense again! Ok, maybe not, but I'm glad you're back.
I’ve had the L52’s for almost a year and love them. Mostly powered by a refurbished 1973 Sony STR-6036 that’s only 14wpc at 8 ohm (a little more than that @ the 4 ohm L52’s. They sound fantastic your review is spot on. So much fun to listen to. Also, there is definitely a break in period, after about 2 months they really started to punch.
OMG !! You're Back
👀 CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO!
- A Special THANKS goes out to BDI for supporting this channel with the Elements 8777 Media Cabinet. You can check out their awesome catalog here: www.bdiusa.com/
- If you live in the US and want to try out the JBL L52, consider buying them from Crutchfield (No Relation). You'll get a 60 day period to determine if they are the right fit for you. Non-Affiliate link here: www.crutchfield.com/shopsearch/JBL_L52.html
- Lastly, I touched on a couple subjects in this two-take video that I should probably expand upon.
1. About the KEF LS50 Meta and L52 Comparison: One of the critical things that I forgot to mention is how the LS50 META is capable of laying down a wider, more spacious soundstage all the while providing great focus in-between the speakers. While these advantages are highly mitigated in the desktop environment, they are worth considering when it comes to use in a traditional 2-channel stereo system.
2. About the Harbeth P3ESR and L52 Comments: I should have been more clear on this one. The reason why I (briefly) considered selling my Harbeths in favor of the JBL'S was due to the realization that I was having (almost) as much fun listening to music through the cheaper speakers. For a moment, I wondered if it was time to end my 12-year relationship with the P3ESR and settle with something that makes more financial sense. That was until I put the Harbeth's back into my system, and thus clarity was restored. The P3ESR's are staying. But I have to say, the L52's would absolutely be my personal top-choice for a desktop speaker at and under 1k USD.
Yeah , i must check out this Media Cabneit !! I need a new one for my living room thanks Sean
Small Lab top Table top is Dope !
Great to see your back , missed your reviews 👍
A buddy of mine had those.. he had those mounted up on the wall and they were freaking great!
Cool beans.Great review as always.My price match ups would be the Polk R200 or if the pot weer sweetened the Wharfdale Linton.What kind of caught my eye recently in the Harmon/JBL stable were the JBL 4305P studio monitors -not that I'd buy them but just to see if I were into an all in one what DSP could do with $2K horns.They also make a bigger version for $4500.hey didn't we see you sneak in an E-800 a while back?
Hey Sean, great to see you back! Curious how these compare to the Buchardt P300 (pretty sure I saw them in your room during a live stream some time back)
Welcome back ... my neck of waiting is long ... but worth it. Cheers
Love this channel. Have you heard anything about the JBL L82 black editions? Supposedly the L100 and L82 black editions will have upgraded crossover and other updates. (Not so much for the L52 black edition?) Anyway, appreciate your channel!
New phone, Who is this? :) glad to see you back! Have a great day
Thank you for this comprehensive review! Curious, what are those speakers stands you’re using?
Do more videos. You're good at this!
Thanks Sean, excellent review. As you pointed out, the JBL's have a signature sound, it's know as the 'West Coast Sound' (I think they're the official speaker of the state of California!). Many love this sound -- and some don't. They pair best with vintage gear, say Marantz or Pioneer -- but they will give you that sound with all gear regardless of topology of the amp. If you're new to this hobby, you can't go wrong with JBL -- they have been around forever and they know what they're doing. You will get a good, solid, reliable speaker. If people are uncertain about JBL, buy the A130 and give it a listen. Chances are you will be happy!
Years ago 1979-1983 I worked in a Stereo shop that sold JBL speakers, we carried the L52 - L82 -L100 and could special order other models. The entire JBL speaker line required quality electronics and our recommendation at that time was the Harmon Kardon 730, for the receiver, an ugly duckling for sure, and then the beautiful cabinets by JBL came to the rescue attracting some of our more financially well off customers and wives who did not mind spending the extra money, thereby making the sale.
My opinion on the sound is, the L series are great speakers for that era of recording technologies, a lot of punch where it mattered, with the right amp and other equipment, along with proper setup, they rocked big time and still do. Thanks for the video :_)
Good to see you, Sean.
I imagine these might compare well to my JBL L26's as a good replacement when they finally go. Its all about the fun. Point well taken
Subscribed! Love your way of presenting the review! Thinking of grabbing these based on your video..Any thoughts how this would sound with a Yamaha 801 and Yamaha 303 CD player?
Thanks! To answer your question: I haven't tried that exact Yamaha/JBL combo, so I cannot say for sure. Having said that, my guess is that the warm(ish) sound of the 801 will make a fantastic match with the L52's! I'd say... go for it!
Welcome back, Sean! You haven't missed a beat....................👍🔊🎶🎶
Appreciate the reviews! Closing my eyes it's like Ralph Macchio audio review ASMR.😊
Hi there, good review. I bought these speakers in England for half the rrp. £500 and I think they are brilliant, mind you, I am old and started my hifi interest in the 70s. But seriously, I think they are pretty awesome, especially at this price.
Glad I found ya!
Good review! How would people rate these if they are 650 instead of 1000? I have a pair of original LS50 but think they are at bit bright at times and wish for something more dynamic. Would the L52's be a good match??
In the 80's a couple of my friends had JBL's when I was in college. I had a pair of Spica TC50's that I'm still using today.
Like you said, it's a matter of your own taste and musical preference that drives our decisions.
I have a friend who had the TC-50's and he encouraged me to purchase the Spica SC-30's around 1992 or so. I kept those up until the early 2000s when the woofer foam surrounds disintegrated.
@@bob7501 Too bad about your speakers. I've never heard of SC-30, I was lusting for their Angelus but it was way out of my price range.
Sean, good review. Now box and return them. Order the LRS+ and review that one please!
Even though I wasn't in the market for new speakers, I purchased a pair to match my Mint 1974 L100's w/ orange grills. The L52's Sound good w/ my Reisong A10 tube amp. My L100's sound "Killer" w/ the Willsenton R8.
The champ! He's still got it!
I just grabbed a pair of these to do double duty. Mainly as rear surround with my L100 Classics fronts and JBL center. Secondly, I’ll be using them in a second two-channel system. Haven’t heard them yet, but I’m surprised at the reviews they are getting as they seem to have a big sound for their size. I’m pretty excited, to say the least.
Nice!
In 1972, I had purchased a set of double ADVENTS. They sold them as a single pair or wired in parallel and turning the bottom pair upside down. In that time period, a lot of my friends had a decent stereo or their parents had a more expensive stereo. Music was a shared experience, much more than TV or FM. We would go to each others homes and hear the latest Elton John, Jefferson Airplane/starship, Beatles. OMG, there was so many superb albums coming out, sometimes 3 or 4 a week. You had to decide what your really wanted because few people had both a great stereo and a bunch of albums. The original JBL's these are based on were standard sized, heavy, with an excellent grill. They were also ported - a hole on the front. It made them boomy and to much base. Like Bose radios sound today. I spent $420 buying the double Advents and the JBLs were $800 to $1,000. 50 years later, I still have my original double Advents, I've replaced the rubber around the bass, so they still sound great and balanced. Recorded music did have it's limits back then, if you had too much highway end it only revealed the tape hiss of the recording process. I've added 4 extra tweeters and that brought them up to date. The JBL did look way cool, but your ears were fatigued after an hour. I'm glad to see them back, but they wouldn't be my choice. Steven Pettinga, Indianapolis.
Nice review!
If you were in your teens or early 20s in the 70s and 80s, it was impossible not to love JBL. Party on Wayne!
You nailed the review.
DAMN... is that a come back?
I've been replacing my 20 year old hifi last year with a nice stack of Cambridge Audio gear (CXA 81, CXN V2, CXC V2). And originally bought a pair of Dali Spektor 2 speakers to go together with my trusty little JVC subwoofer. As I am living in a small apartment I don't need big speakers. And since the walls are pretty thin, going loud on the volume isn't an option either.
The Dali's were pretty OK. However when I heard the JBL L52 Classic's playing in a hifi shop I requested to listen to them some more and with some of my favorite music. I was sold.
I've bought a pair and they really sound great.
Electronic, 60's-90's music, Celtic etc. are my favorite genres to listen to. And with a slightly added bass from the JVC sub I am very happy with the music coming from them.
Well...I'm sold, how much are those Kefs again?
For the asking price - at least they are mirror image; and yes the tweeters should (probably) be on the inside for better imaging.
hey sean nice review. i cant thank you enough for recommending the triangle bro 3"s. i hear about all the pit falls with alot of speakers in differant reviews and i think about what a bargain the triangle"s are.i can match yhem with anything and listen for hours and hours.. thanks again
I'm happy you're enjoying them!
Giveaway?
I have the L150 from back in the days when I was in the military over in Germany but I had to keep replacing the rims around the woofers because they kept getting dry rot.. Last year I just replace them with woofers that can go up to 500 watts. I brought these speakers for 700 a pair back then, Now they worth like $1,800 a pair. Good investment because they sound great. These towers🎛🎶🎛 are my two front speakers in my Home Theater..👍🏽✌🏽
You had me with "nostalgia boxes".
Gorgeous speaker. I remember when that style was new.
Hey, Zero. Do I see a Butcher Block Rigidrack behind you there? I got one and I really like it.
Nope. But hey, you gotta nice rack! Respectfully.
YOUR ALIVE!
awesome intro!
My old Yamaha CR400 amp has this specs:
continuous performance
8 Ohm: 2x 20 Watt
4 Ohm: 2x 24 Watt
dynamic performance
8 Ohm: 2x 56 Watt
4 Ohm: 2x 76 Watt
Will this be okay for the speakers? I will not hear them too loud, but I am worried about the rather low sensitivity.
It's very cool (I still swoon over JBL) and I'd love to hear them with my Marantz pm8005 but after owning a pair of L100s I cringe when I see foam grilles. I suppose even that technology has improved, but I remember my blue grilles going to powder if you accidentally touched them (my cat made the final kill on the bottom corners). I'm a little disappointed in JBL for changing the original brown grilles to black; the original three colors screamed 1970s.
EDIT PS TO SEAN: the Al in my name is short for Allan, not artificial intelligence. I know I drop weird comments now and then but I had hoped they seemed more analog...
Some day I will get new L-82's to replace my old ones that disintegrated after 20 years.
I have LS50 and L52 Classic and in a really small room I prefer L52 by quite a bit. Love the bass with these little speakers and the treble too. Both with great electronics. Low level listening especially - L52 wins for me. Love the titanium tweeters on them as well, maybe more than LS50 tweeters, but LS50 has less pronounced treble in general, I haven't really compared them that much. But I think it's the paper woofer and it's bass that makes it the winner for me. Pretty great little speakers. Looking to sell my LS50s.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Sean...if they weren't 1375$ in Canada, I could have been interested, you're right Buchardt are probably what I'd prefer.
I've got a pair of Kef Model 1's (from the 80s) I received for free a couple years ago which sound excellent to my ears (could use more bass though). Are the differences in sound big enough these days to upgrade to something new?
Only you can make that determination. Having said that, I think people who are big on imaging, a neutral frequency response, driver integration, detail, and dynamic output stand the best chance of preferring todays speakers over products that were available decades ago. If none of that matters much to you, then odds are you'll be perfectly happy with what you currently own. But as I said, you're the only one who can truly make that determination. Nobody else can do it for ya.
@@ZeroFidelity Thank you for your thoughts!
In the UK these are on a heavy discount, £499. Either they haven't sold well or being phased out, but they do look interesting.
I thought speakers with front baffles were not affected by how close or far away they are from the wall?
welcome back
I love my JBL L100 Classic and pair it with a warm Cambridge CX81 amp. The tweeter is amazing and I bet the L52 prob sounds just as good. People prob gonna hate that I mixed an American speaker with a British Amp, but in my home their aint no hate here! :D