Excellent dynamics, soundstage, imaging, low-mid bass

At this price range, absolutely nothing!

I wish to also praise these smaller inexpensive studio bookshelf monitors. I picked up a pair after visiting my brother in NYC, and was stunned when I heard them at his apartment! I thought he was running Tannoys or Mirage's or something similar in the $1000 and up range. When I found out he purchased these for only $180 the pair, I nearly missed a heartbeat or 2. With decent electronics, these sound THAT good! The sound IS high end, and I was impelled to go out myself and ship a pair back to London, which I duly accomplished. I am now in hi-fi heaven having only spent a fraction of what a much better speaker would have cost, and am probably 95% there in sound as well! JBL has a winner in this model in a big way!

Similar Products Used:

Wharfedale, MB Quart, KEF

Nice imaging, extraordinary midrange performance, laid-back sound, 5 WAY BINDING POSTS ON A $200 PAIR OF SPEAKERS!

Cabinets are pretty plain, other colors would be nice, could handle more power (but at the price... wow)

I suppose most people on a site like this bought their JBL HLS 610s after reading Corey Greenbergs review in Audio magazine (RIP, Audio. I fear I'll never read the likes of your magazine again). I'd heard these at Best Buy before, and was really impressed (I only stop at BB to, uh, er, I just read the articles, really...). In the otherwise typically-crappy demo room the 610s were the only really nice sounding speakers. Funnily, they're about the only JBLs I've ever cared for; I guess in my college radio days the JBL monitors in the booth were alright, but typically too bright. Figures that they'd 86 the first good speaker they've made in decades. Oh, well. That just means if you can find 'em you'll get a hell of a deal. I bought mine for $129, and took my sister in a couple weeks later to get a pair and she only paid, like, $109. Man if I'd known they were discontinued I'd have bought another. Never mind that I don't need them...

Mine serve bedroom duty, connected to a Technics reciever (the one with the blue light bar, sheesh). I can hear my audiophile credibilty falling, but hey, that's why it's in my bedroom! What's in your bedroom, Krell?

Seriously, the little JBLs need no apologies. It's really remarkable to me how far sound has progressed in the last decade. It wasn't too many years ago that really good speakers were relatively rare at most price points. I don't know if it's the cheapness of computer power for design, better materials technology, or just the higher expectations of a generation raised on digital. Oh, wait. I've heard mini-disc and MP3; can't be higher standards...

Fifteen years ago you couldn't have touched this kind of sound for $500. My hope is that efforts like this will show the youngsters how much decent sound can enhance the experience of music, and how much good music can enhance life. Okay, maybe that's a tall order, but the speakers are great.

If you can find 'em, buy 'em. Qualified by their price, five stars.

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Infinity, heard most every common brand and several uncommon ones.

Everything

Have heard they blow easily

Being a "poor" college student, I was looking for something to match my JVC 884 Dolbly Digital Reciever. I needed cheap, but I still wanted quality. I needed something with enough guts to be my main channels until I graduate and have enough dough to spring for some bigger speakers. Along that line of reasoning, I wanted something small enough that I would be able to mount them on the wall as satelite speakers in the future.

The 610s fit the bill. They sound great in movies and in music. I'm not too worried about the sweet spot. I can hear them everywhere in the room just fine, although it is rather easy to find the sweet spot.

I would recommnend them to anyone.

everything

finish

These bookshelf speaker is so cool you have to listen to it to believe it. Doesn't sound that good if you don't have a powerful amp. Otherwise it's an all round player.

Similar Products Used:

none

Everything, for a ported 6.5 the woofer does very well when placed a foot from the wall. Everyone of my friends were amazed at the sound that filled the room. The highs are brilliant and can be tamed. These speakers sound very warm with soft music.

Ummmmmm.......OH yeah I would like to speak to the rocket scientist that decided to discontinue the HLS series of speakers. Bad move JBL shoulda kept the line up, it was a grand slam.

I noticed these speakers at best buy on sale for 90.00, whoa I said is that right? Sure enough they are discontined I was told so I bought a pair wish I would have bought the 615's also (kicking myself). I knew these speakers were good from the reviews I have read. they're all true, the highs were brilliant and smooth, the lows were accuate and tight, sorry to all of you who think the highs are too sharp, try turning them down a few dB's. Thank you JBL for this piece of art.

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Bose, Yamaha, AR15....very nice smooth sounding, infinity (also a brand of Harmon Karmon)