JBL N28 Bookshelf Speakers
JBL N28 Bookshelf Speakers
USER REVIEWS
[Dec 13, 2011]
Marcelo
Casual Listener
Estimados,
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[Sep 05, 2011]
Explosive
Audio Enthusiast
Awesome speakers. I listened to the eagles in dts with these as front left right.
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[Jan 19, 2008]
zimmazam
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Sound and bass response. Perfect compromise btw size and performance
Weakness:
These are compromise speakers between a bookshelf that would deliver no bass and a floorstanding that would take up too much space. I have had these speakers for several years acting as the two fron speakers in my home theter setup and thus as my primary stereo speakers fo music. I am thoroughly impressed with their performance in my Mnahattan apartment. I am now moving to the burbs and would love to see these solid speakers mount on the wall next to my 52 inch LCD. Does anyone have thoughts on a wallmount that can handle speakers that are 12 inches wide and way 22 pounds each? |
[Jan 06, 2004]
AHYoung
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Superb mid-range and highend sound reproduction and adequate bass. Excellent value.
Weakness:
Made in Mexico, but build quality is what you would expect from JBL. Only available in black; would have prefered cherry or beech, which is available on its floorstanding models. I was shopping for a pair of bookshelf speakers to replace my Klipsch KG2.2s, which I was never really happy with--too veiled with mutted highend. After doing much research in the under $300 per pair range, and reading the reviews here, I decided on the N28II by JBL. From the moment I hooked these up to my Denon amp, I was smiling. Being bookshelf speakers with an 8-inch woofer, the bass rolls off at 50 Hz. Nevertheless, these were among the best speakers I have ever listened to for the price, and I have owned various speakers over the last 30 years. That is to say, they are accurate, which JBL has always pursued--musical accuracy. I purchased this pair for only $165, which works out to just over $80 a speaker. So, in terms of value, I give the N28II five stars. I listened both CDs and records and was extremely pleased with their performance, although the lower end was somewhat limited, but that was expected. To boost the bass, I did more research into getting a subwoofer, and bought a JBL PB10. With proper hookup and adjustment (it is easy to overdo the amount of lower frequecies the PB10 plays as well as the volume, but I will post a separate review of the PB10)the sound in my bedroom now is great. I used these speakers for listening to music; I do not use them in a surround sound system. Whether I am listening to Paul Desmond, Julie London, or Paul Hardcastle, the performance of these speakers is excellent. For anyone on a budget, these speakers are an excellent choice. Most listeners will be very pleased. I recommend them highly. You can purchase them through various internet audio sellers. Similar Products Used: Klipsch KG2.2, ESS AMT4 |
[Jan 03, 2004]
Steven S
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Price Loud
Weakness:
Sound Quality (bright) Lacks Bass Purchased these onsale at futureshop (half off). Figured I couldn't go wrong, boy was I dissapointed. Sure these speakers can get loud but the sound quality/accuracy is lacking. These speakers are awefully bright (paired with a Yamaha HTR5660). After auditioning them for a couple of weeks I returned it to futureshop (30day return policy) and picked up a pair of Polk Rti6, and am satisfied with these. Similar Products Used: Polk Audio Rti6 Athena ASB2 |
[Oct 12, 2003]
dcibel
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
-clean, accurate sound reproduction -VERY good frequency respone
Weakness:
none I actually own the N26II speakers, which are basically the same speaker as this one, with a 6" driver instead of an 8". When shopping for speakers, I compared these to a pair of Athena speakers of the same price, and needless to say, the Athena's sounded tinny and small compared to the JBL's. I am very impressed with the frequency responce, clarity, and output of these speakers. It is definately more than I could ask for from such a small speaker. I would highly recommend these to anyone looking for a bookshelf speaker that sounds clean and powerfull without any help from an expensive subwoofer. |
[Mar 16, 2003]
rickbrand
AudioPhile
Strength:
-Very Good Build Quality -Quality Transducers -Speakers look great with screens on or off. -Very clear sound without harshness -Nice vocals and imaging (when proper setup is practiced)
Weakness:
I belive that the speakers can be damaged below maximum power rating with high levels in the bass region. Be sure not to crank the bass knob all the way up to increase bass. ADD a subwoofer instead. I recomend a SUB for Home Theater Users. This loudspeaker system has been a reliable and faithfull system providing honest sound reproduction for me through the last year and a half. The speakers I own are used as my "stereo pair". They are connected to a Yamaha HTR-5150 Receiver that supplies 70WRMS a channel. I thought I'd mention the amplifier used in my setup because the capabilities of the amplifier can alter the ending result of the sound to a large degree. My overall impression of the N28 system is one of good overall clarity and quality for this market segment. I would say that this system has a strong mid-range section with nice, neutral highs. The bass response is adequate. The location of placement will largely determine the results. Overall, I am happy owning these speakers. Similar Products Used: Other JBL models Yamaha Infinity |
[Feb 25, 2003]
Brad
AudioPhile
Strength:
Compliment bass systems well, systems where you would not want expensive speaker sound to get lost in the poor transient response of the fronts.
Weakness:
Big and awkward, not the best buy for the cash. Durability is somewhat questionable, not something that you would to test the rated wattage. I bought these for surrounding music and they do exactly what I expect them to do. These are not designed to get down to 40 Hz, but they do brighten music up on DD2 and DTS modes when bass heavy fronts are used (DCM or Vegas or something of that type). These should definately not be the feature of the sound system, but they do produce a nice sound when used in surround mode. They also work very well with a powered sub using speaker level connections. They can be crossed over at 120 Hz to compliment the bass. |
[Nov 06, 2002]
Andy Gallant
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Good bass extension for any type of music except maybe rap, even at that, they are still very strong
Weakness:
A very pronounced midrange by times, sometimes too pronounced... possibly due to the high crossover point of the large 8" driver. These speakers are now on sale at futureshop for what I consider to be a steal. $200 CDN for a fairly large speaker made by a reputable company. The price and company were an attractive combination. After having listened to these speakers for the past couple of days I can say for the price they are worth what I paid. From previous reviews I thought bass extension may be a problem, in reality it is absolutely no problem. These speakers will extend well into the bass region for mostly any type of music. I have no problem there. My only complaint would be a midrange which is sometimes too pronounced. Overall, these speakers are a good deal. Similar Products Used: Alesis MK2 Active, Paradigm Titan |
[Aug 25, 2002]
Michael Patterson
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Exceptional clarity and nice mid-bass punch. Also a great tonal match to the rest of my N-Series Speakers
Weakness:
They are a little bulky, and if I needed more bass from them I would have an issue I have always been a devoted JBL owner and have been slowly upgrading my home theater system. I currently have these speakers as my surrounds. I have the N-38's as my mains, the N-Center, and the PB-10 Sub. I find these speakers to be the perfect compliment to the rest of my system. They are bright and clear with just the right amount of mid-bass for a surround speaker. I can think of nothing bad to say about them. I did not purchase them with the intent of producing a lot of bass, so the lack of bass I have seen mentioned is not an issue for me. Some day I may upgrade my system to something a little more exotic, but until the kids are through college, I will be very content to enjoy my current set-up. p.s Price listed includes shipping. Similar Products Used: As mentioned in review |