Help with speaker decision

[Teddyo]

I’m replacing a pair of JBL S38BE Studio Series speakers and looking at these 3 speakers. Any info on a preference would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TheWarrior]

I would stick with JBL. The waveguides on all of their current models really help their speakers disappear in to a room, while also ensuring good sound at almost any seat position.

And $400 is waaaaay too much to be paying for an previous generation Klipsch!

 

[lovinthehd]

Curious, why replace them at all? These aren't quite similar speakers either. I do like my JBL 5 series speakers (I use 530s for rear surrounds) but that's a pretty nice speaker you have. If it needs repair I'd do that first.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I had a pair of s-38’s, but not the beech ones which I liked a lot. IMO the 530’s might be slightly better due to the compression driver, but the 38’s have a pretty good French sourced titanium tweeter and an 8” woofer. The person I sold them to said that he has experienced both studio lines and they are more similar than not. Both were designed by Greg Timbers, famous JBL designer.

Just curious, why you’re replacing the 38’s. They’re not be all end all, but are pretty good.

 

[Danzilla31]

I would stick with JBL. The waveguides on all of their current models really help their speakers disappear in to a room, while also ensuring good sound at almost any seat position.

And $400 is waaaaay too much to be paying for an previous generation Klipsch!

+1 to this if you need to sell those speakers the JBL I can highly recommend I have them in my home theater and they are great on and off axis up close and far away that wave guide really is designed well

I love those compression drivers in those things and they have a surprising amount of kick for there woofer size!

 

[Teddyo]

I had a pair of s-38’s, but not the beech ones which I liked a lot. IMO the 530’s might be slightly better due to the compression driver, but the 38’s have a pretty good French sourced titanium tweeter and an 8” woofer. The person I sold them to said that he has experienced both studio lines and they are more similar than not. Both were designed by Greg Timbers, famous JBL designer.

Just curious, why you’re replacing the 38’s. They’re not be all end all, but are pretty good.

The left one is blown.

 

[lovinthehd]

Too bad you just missed the recent sale on the 530s, if you go that route. Might consider waiting (sale was $300/pr).

 

[Teddyo]

I had a pair of s-38’s, but not the beech ones which I liked a lot. IMO the 530’s might be slightly better due to the compression driver, but the 38’s have a pretty good French sourced titanium tweeter and an 8” woofer. The person I sold them to said that he has experienced both studio lines and they are more similar than not. Both were designed by Greg Timbers, famous JBL designer.

Just curious, why you’re replacing the 38’s. They’re not be all end all, but are pretty good.

The left one is blown.

 

[lovinthehd]

The left one is blown.

Blown how particularly?

 

[shadyJ]

Blown how particularly?

'Blown' as in there is an easily repairable problem but let's use it as an excuse to upgrade 'blown'

 

[Teddyo]

I found a local speaker repair place that’s gets great reviews so I’ll give them a shot on Monday. Thanks for the feedback everybody.

 

[Teddyo]

Blown how particularly?

Crackling and cannot handle the lows on Coltrane live at the Village Vanguard.

 

[lovinthehd]

'Blown' as in there is an easily repairable problem but let's use it as an excuse to upgrade 'blown'

Hard to know....

 

[lovinthehd]

It discriminates particularly on Coltrane live at the Village Vanguard? What is crackling? Like static?

 

[Teddyo]

'Blown' as in there is an easily repairable problem but let's use it as an excuse to upgrade 'blown'

I really like the JBLs I have. I can’t really speak audio but they seem to have more presence than most. By “presence” I mean that you feel like you’re in the room with the musicians. Is that presence or transparency... something else?

 

[Teddyo]

It discriminates particularly on Coltrane live at the Village Vanguard? What is crackling? Like static?

That’s just the first album I noticed it with. There’s a slight loss of volume, intermittent cracking and then buzzing when bass or kick drum are played.

 

[lovinthehd]

Have you tried swapping the leads left to right and see if the problem follows the channel or speaker?

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Yeah, HD has a good idea. Also, I think you can find replacement drivers and maybe even crossovers too. Easy fix is so myself. Unless you’ve never opened up a speaker before, and the shop is cheap.

 

[Teddyo]

Have you tried swapping the leads left to right and see if the problem follows the channel or speaker?

Yes. It’s the speaker.

 

[lovinthehd]

Hard to know from your description what the issue is, but if you have a local speaker repair shop you can take it to that might be a good first step.