fgarib Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Sorry... crappy internet connection... Not only did I double-post... I double-topic-started! Read the other topic with the same name! -F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylanl Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 What is JM Lab? Never seen them or heard of them. Do they sell them at Kmart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemonman Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Yes JMlab rocks, I own the little Chorus 705 and its a great speaker. The entire Chorus line are great speakers. I also listened to the Cobalt 806s. Never heard the Electras but they are out of price range anyway. and they don't sell at Kmart, they sell in high end dealerships! They are a French company and make speakers costing from $300 - $80,000/pair (yes eighty thousand dollars a pair, its called the JMLab Grand Utopia and most audiofools consider it the best speaker on the planet). Their drivers are also used in other high end speakers like Wilson and Legacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylanl Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 I learn something everyday. Here I have been slumming around with Klipsch & Altec all this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 " called the JMLab Grand Utopia and most audiofools consider it the best speaker on the planet" I dont think most do. It is a well respected speaker and I have heard it - but the best - no. Personally I would take an avantgarde Trio over them in a heartbeat - but there are others that would go Wilson Grande Slam, Kharma Ceramique somethingorother for $83,000, the big old B&W 800 $70,000 speaker that the nautilus was derived from .... I am yet to meet a JM Lab I like - but that is just me - and I have heard most of the range. Berylium is over-rated IMHO... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royster Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 ---------------- On 3/20/2005 1:59:06 PM lemonman wrote: Yes JMlab rocks, I own the little Chorus 705 and its a great speaker. The entire Chorus line are great speakers. I also listened to the Cobalt 806s. Never heard the Electras but they are out of price range anyway. and they don't sell at Kmart, they sell in high end dealerships! They are a French company and make speakers costing from $300 - $80,000/pair (yes eighty thousand dollars a pair, its called the JMLab Grand Utopia and most audiofools consider it the best speaker on the planet). Their drivers are also used in other high end speakers like Wilson and Legacy. ---------------- WOW!!!! One would think they would have thier OWN web site and FORUM!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royster Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 I also am not a fan of the French. They can keep thier antiamerican attitude. Let me check, do i have any sissy made components? Nope, all my speakers were made in HOPE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 In our neck of the words, The Audio Center in Deerfield Beach is the first one, and the only one I know of in our neighborhood, who has home movie and music reproduction systems that sound magically right. (Except that the owner, Howard, hates horns. But then every dealer I know has subtle ways to put down the competition, only Howard is not subtle.) He sells the French made Audio Refinement front-end, with the French made Focal JMlabs speakers. So take his advice judiciously. They know what they are doing there, but they are traveling down a different path than horn lovers. The JM Labs are very light drivers that provide a charming, soothing, delicate, coherent and smooth sound. It is NOT the hard, stiff B&W cones with Krell concrete blocks that Tweeter/Sound Advice once sold. While the French sound does not have the tangible "thunk" of the Krell and B&W mid-bass, they do have a wonderfully liquid mid-range and a clear high-end (almost as good as Klipsch horns). Cymbals almost sound like cymbals on these systems. If I knew I was going to spend as much money as I have (a few $K) and I was starting out again, I could see myself getting his whole set-up (with the deliciously polite and detailed Rotel CD player) and never becoming a tweaking audiophile. There are many things that his smoothly cohesive system does not do that the massive amp and solid cone approach of Krell and B&W does, or that super-efficient horns do, but there are far more things that they do "right" and "musical." (See http://www.audioplusservices.com/audiopl/mn1-aps.htm). In fact, as wonderful as the drums and the bass on the $70K ML Statements, with their foot-locker size Krell amps were, "little miss sensitive ears" and I were more impressed with the Audio Refinement & Focal JMlabs combination. She was a flautist in high school and still has the precious thing. This is nice to be able to compare the real thing in my listening room against a recorded flute piece on my system (see "DMP does DSD" on SACD). I can't say I have listened to flute pieces on lots of other systems. I can't say I have listened to lots of other systems. Yet, no other system that I have heard captures the smooth tones of this instrument as well as this French combination. JM LAB ELECTRA 905 has a very refined sound, using dual 5 bass-mid drivers, provides stunningly vigorous bass reproduction from a compact enclosure, with overall quality worthy of a true Studio Monitor. Rear porting eliminates the unpleasant midband colorations found in most front ported systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironwoods Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 ---------------- On 3/20/2005 1:59:06 PM lemonman wrote: Their drivers are also used in other high end speakers like Wilson and Legacy. ---------------- Hi, do they make their own drivers, or are the drivers they use, also used by other high-end speaker manufacturers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 ---------------- On 3/21/2005 10:50:55 AM Royster wrote: I also am not a fan of the French. They can keep thier antiamerican attitude. Let me check, do i have any sissy made components? Nope, all my speakers were made in HOPE. ---------------- LMAO!!!!! I almost spit my coffee, black not stirred, over that one Fauzi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fgarib Posted March 22, 2005 Author Share Posted March 22, 2005 Hey guys, I've now spent about a week listening to the speakers, and I have to tell you that I am extremely extremely impressed. Like some people, I had not heard of Focal / JM Labs until very recently when the Berilium drivers were being advertised, and the Grand Utopia was making waves at audio shows. But I had written off these speakers as "showcase" material that rich people keep in their houses to impress others at their audiophile prowess. However, after having heard them for myself over an extended period of time, I have been forced to place my preconceived notions aside, and admit the fact that they are just a rocking pair of speakers. Mids and Highs are liquid and light, no doubt. Of course, compared the KHorns on my system, I have to toe them in and out to get a clear "picture" of the sound, but once you do, it's a rewarding experience. The interesting thing is, in another post going on currently about the B&W Diamond tweeters, I had mentioned that I was interested in getting my second system started with a pair of 802 Nautilus that someone had lying around. Auditioned them the other day with Mark Levinson pre and mono blocks, and even though it was a very dramatic experience, it did not have the warmth that I find with these speakers. Of course, the 802's weren't broken in yet... but then neither have the pair of Electras that I have sitting at home. The only thing that bothers me is that (ASIDE from Heritage) I'm sure at the price tag of about $5k new, I'm sure there are other speakers out there that might give JM a run for their money. I have yet to come across them. Just wanted to oooooze some more about them... they might be leaving my home soon (if someone on this forum talks me out of keeping them), so I'm enjoying them while they're there. Later, -F PS: As for the French comments being made here, hmmmm.... there's a certain je ne sais quoi about the Electra series, no matter who's made them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 if you are thinking about making the jump to cone speakers I recommend you listen to Revel Studios and/or Salons, after hearing hearing both B&W and JM Labs speakers (though not the new Diamond or Be versions) I give the nod to the Revels... None of the above has convinced me to put away my Klipschorns, I just have to resign myself to being a horny. Many people are not sure which sound they like better or have not optimized their systems for thier speaker choices, make sure you have decided on cone versus horns before making the leap. I have considered using the Revels in a combo music/movies system. The only thing that might knock the k-horns out of the box in my main system might be top of the line Maggies (I like that planar sound) or some "better" horn speakers (custom made vintage/new mix), though they will cost MUCH more than my beloved k-horns. If you don´t like horns the speakers you mention are some of the best out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
126mhz Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 "French Government Raises Terrorist Alert." AP- The French Government has raised their country's Terrorist Alert from "Run" to "Hide" for their citizens. The only two higher alert ratings are "Surrender" and "Collaborate." A French Government spokesperson said they fear terrorists may attempt an attack on their largest white flag factory effectively disabling their defense industry. Bill Woodward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Bold talk Woodward. I wonder how tough you'd talk if we'd had German armies on our soil four times in the past two centuries. And suffered FAR higher losses fighting the Germans in the 20th Century than we can even imagine, our losses were trivial compared to French losses. And our population was larger too. The average working-class Frenchman is probably far tougher than his American counterpart, for one thing he smokes where and when he wants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Tony---If you want cones I suggest you get some KRKs. For a couple of hundred bucks you'll get 99% of what any small cone system I've heard offers. If you want the dynamics and low distortion of a big cone system I suggest vintage Bozaks, perhaps with an add-on supertweeter. Ole Rudy Bozak knew his direct-radiators, yessir. Rudy's big gun, the Bozak Concert Grand used 4 12" woofs (wool-paper cones), a pair of 6.5" wool-paper (later aluminum) mids and an array of 8 aluminum cone tweets. Very good speaker; excellent bass and mids, smooth highs but a little soft for some. All drivers and cabinetry are of very high quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
126mhz Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 ---------------- On 3/23/2005 8:38:30 PM TBrennan wrote: Bold talk Woodward. I wonder how tough you'd talk if we'd had German armies on our soil four times in the past two centuries. And suffered FAR higher losses fighting the Germans in the 20th Century than we can even imagine, our losses were trivial compared to French losses. And our population was larger too. The average working-class Frenchman is probably far tougher than his American counterpart, for one thing he smokes where and when he wants. ---------------- Mr. TBrennan: No it was not "Bold Talk," it was a joke,...ha ha he he. But since you've jumped so serious, I know more about the French, especially their military than you could begin to fathom. (trust me ) Warm Regards, Bill Woodward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Bill---Sorry to be too serious. If you know more about the French than I do (which I'm not disputing) I'm impressed because I know damned near everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
126mhz Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Thanks for the reply, no worrys friend. I've spent a little time in France,... Bill Woodward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corvzr1 Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 I have listend to the JMlab grand utopia BE. While they were an amazing speaker, I dont think they were worth the huge price. The build quality is perfect which adds to the price and the sound was good but not great. I found them to be very clear but they had weak bottom end and at low volumes. They also sounded a little muffled on the high end. I tested them with Joe Satriani's "strage buetiful music". They were being powered by krell mono blocks. They were very power hungry too. Its funny that Ive listened to these but ive never listened to a Khorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franczyk Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Ive listened to the Jm Lab Nova Utopias with Boulder amplification and Accuphase source. (at Sound Minds in Austin, TX) I can honestly say that it was one of the best sounding systems Ive ever listened to. Granted, it was in perfect conditions... the amps were warmed up for several days before listening, the room was well treated, the cables were big $$$ Tara labs, etc.. On some tracks, it was sounded like you were there at the venue. On others, it sounded like the solist was standing in the room right in front of you. If I were blindfolded, and you had a bass guitarist standing in the room, I wouldnt be able to tell you if it were the real thing or just the system reproducing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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