I recently purchased a pair of the SVA-1800's, from Best Buy, for use as main speakers on my HT setup. These speakers replaced a pair of Cerwin Vega RE-30's, as I took advantage of Best Buy's 30 day return policy. The JBL's were more than twice as expensive as the Cerwin Vega's however it is my opinion that the difference in accurate sound reproduction justifies the difference in price. I find that dialouge in video sources as well as music is much clearer and cleaner. I was wondering what others thought of these speakers but was quite surprised to find that there were no post for any of the SVA series. The salesperson at Best Buy informed me that these were a new speaker for them. However when I wrote JBL inquiring as to why the SVA series is not on their website a JBL representative responded to my e mail inquiry and told me that the SVA series had been discontinued by JBL. He also stated that he hated to see them discontinued because he owns a pair personally, that he uses for floor monitors in his home recording studio, and he believed they were the best speakers JBL had ever produced. I would be interested in hearing others opinion of the speakers. Even though I am happy with them I am considering possibly returning them, while I'm in my 30 day window, to go with the B&W DM604 floor speakers. Of course they are $1,600./pair compared to the $940.00./pair I paid for the JBL's and I'm wondering if the B&W's would be worth the difference in price. I have aprox $2,100 in the complete JBL setup: SVA-1800 mains, SVA center, PSW-D112 Sub and HLS-610's for the rears. The complete price to go with the B&W DM604 mains, CC6 center, ASW1000 Sub and DS6 Dipole speakers would be $3,250.00. Do you think the difference in sound is worth the difference in price? I know it is all a matter of personal preference and taste however I would appreciate input from those who may have more experience in audio components than I and who would have an opinion regarding this subject.

this is primarily for lance, an audio enthusiast. I had the pleasure of listening to some of the best speakers money can buy,....wilson watt/puppy,....b&w silver signature 30's,..martin-logan's nova-audio believe me man if you spend big bucks in your music dump it into a properly balanced tube amp and keep your jbl speakers (sva 1800's and center)! you'll be glad later when everyone's trying to buy them from you later! i heard those things set up right and it blew me away,......literally! Dynamics openess of sound and just the right amount of bass, boy can these speakers rock. That rep at jbl was telling you the truth when he said that the sva's were the best he thinks they ever made, i agree with him, but on a whole new level as an audiophile, not a sales rep! Again i don't want people to think i'm blowing these speakers up because i have a pair, but i'm sure going to get some because it's ridiculous how some companies trick you into thinking how good a speaker performs while your'e looking into the bird's eye maple! I don't know much about crossovers, but i'm sure this is where all or most of the engineering went into these speakers and i had to let you know.

I just bought the SVA 1800's at Best Buys on an open box close-out. Never actually been opened. Wow! What fantastic speakers for the price. I'm selling my Bose 901's (they're crap in comparison). These JBL's crank and imaging is excellent. I have a subwoofer running from a separate amp and it gets down way low, but these JBL's run real close on the low freqs. The highs are crisp and the mid bass is TIGHT. I highly recommend this speaker, if you can still find them. LANCE, hang onto those baby's. You'll miss them if you sell them.

I have recently audutioned these SVA's at Best Buy and to say the least, I was shocked from the first note I heard to the very last. best Buy however is running out of them fast!! I plan on having the money for 2 pair and the matching center channel, I hope they aret gone though. I Don;t actually own these yet but if they sounded good in Best Buy, I cant imagine how good they would sound in my room. If you are one of the lucky people to own these..Do NOT give them up, they are of audiophile quality! Ive heard many speakers, I do not exaggerate when I say they are indeed, the BEST I have ever heard. Simply stunning. I might even buy another pair just to have, they really do sound that good :o). Ill update this when i get them in my home theatre, take care you JBL fans.....!Just Better Listening!..e-mail your comments if you so desire.

I just can not say enough about these speakers. They are COMPLETELY and TOTALLY the best speaker that your money can buy!!
Not many people no this but they are discontinued due to the fact of the price, that many people couldnt afford. They were not selling as much as they produced because they could only be bought at a JBL Authorized Dealer or Direct from the Company.

These are Professional Studio Monitors, used widely in Studios. You can not beat the sound quality and power that these speakers produce.

BELIEVE ME--IF YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON THESE BUY THEM!!!

There ORIGINAL Price was $2400 per pair for these speakers and then they came down to $1500 per pair after there was no sales. Best Buy got the JBL Rights to sell their final stock at $1000 per pair and since then they have come down even more!!

I auditioned many speakers like Polk, Klipsche, Energy, etc..They do not even come close to the SVA's

I can not stress enough, if you can find these BUY THEM!!

I've owned a pair of these speakers for two months now and I am very impressed. In the past I've owned quite a few of the "hi-end" speakers from B&W, Alon, Dunlavy and Mission and they have all sounded good (at a price!) But after hearing the SVA1800's, I couldn't believe how good they sounded. I wasn't even in the market to buy speakers and was at Best Buy when I heard these playing and couldn't believe how good they were. I was able to get the demo pair for $460 (perfect condition!)
Strengths:

Excellent, tight and defined bass; great tonal balance from bottom to top; incredible and effortless dynamics; very efficient.

Weaknesses:

Not quite up to the absolute very best in terms of imaging and soundstage. (You have to spend at least 5 times the money to get better in this area I think).

Having said this, there are very, very few speakers at any price that can match these JBL's in terms of bass, power and dynamics. So, I can absolutely say:

THESE ARE THE BEST HOME THEATER SPEAKERS OUT THERE! These speakers are perfect for home theater. Amazingly good. They have enough bass output to put most subwoofers to shame; they are so dynamic and hold up to even the loudest explosions and sound effects with ease; dialog is clean and clear and the sound dispersion is very directional. Perfect for Dolby Digital recordings and DVD movies. Also, these are perfect for rock, dance and pop music. I would have to give the edge to my B&W CDM7SE speakers for classical, jazz or vocals. The B&W speakers also list for $1800, which is 4 times more than what I paid for the JBL's.

If you have the chance to buy these, DO NOT WAIT OR HESITATE! I didn't know about these speakers at all - never heard of them - and bought them on the spot. They are that good. It's not often that you come across a genuine steal, but this speaker is definitely that.

MY HOME THEATER SYSTEM:

Toshiba TP61H95
Theta Casanova
Parasound H2205A 5-channel amplifier
Velodyne HGS15 Subwoofer
ZCable interconnects and speaker cables

I've had the SVA-1800 for about 2 months. I agree, they are great. They replaced my M&K's that I have had for the past 10 years. I think the SVA-1800 are better. They have more depth, great highs. I need to figure out how to bi-am these speakers. I don't understand how to do that. I heartly recommed these speakers.

I agree with Jimmy. The JBL SVA1800s are a good speaker for the price. I agree with his description on the sound of these speakers. I have the JBL SVA2100's for my left and right channels and the 1800's for my center and surrounds. I can't believe how awesome this setup is. I have them all powered by a Bryston 9B 5-channel amp. This is just like being at the movies. The 1800's are great for DD/DTS surround sound and the 2100s are great for music listening, so I feel I have the best of both worlds. It sounds to me like the previous poster probably has Klipsch or something and doesn't want to see the JBL's get the praise they deserve. I have also listened to the SVA1500's and 1600's and they are great speakers also. These speakers have been discontinued by JBL and can be purchased at a major discount. So if the price is great and the sound is great, how can you give it less than 5 stars? Everyone that has heard my home theater rig has rushed out to try and find the SVA1800's for their stereo/home theater system. BTW, I'm not going to purchase a sub for my system now that I have the SVA speakers. :)

I agree with Jimmy. The JBL SVA1800s are a good speaker for the price. I agree with his description on the sound of these speakers. I have the JBL SVA2100's for my left and right channels and the 1800's for my center and surrounds. I can't believe how awesome this setup is. I have them all powered by a Bryston 9B 5-channel amp. This is just like being at the movies. The 1800's are great for DD/DTS surround sound and the 2100s are great for music listening, so I feel I have the best of both worlds. It sounds to me like the previous poster probably has Klipsch or something and doesn't want to see the JBL's get the praise they deserve. I have also listened to the SVA1500's and 1600's and they are great speakers also. These speakers have been discontinued by JBL and can be purchased at a major discount. So if the price is great and the sound is great, how can you give it less than 5 stars? Everyone that has heard my home theater rig has rushed out to try and find the SVA1800's for their stereo/home theater system. BTW, I'm not going to purchase a sub for my system now that I have the SVA speakers. :)

I have purchased 3 pairs of the JBL SVA1800's in the past two months. I got 2 pair for $500 and the demo pair for $440 from Best Buy. For that price, these speakers are terrific. If I had to pay $1500 a pair, then I might reconsider my enthusiasm for this speaker. I feel that these speakers really shine in home theater, especialy Dolby Digital and DTS. I use them for all channels and I've never heard home theater sound this good. For music listening, I will agree with the previous post that these speakers do not image or soundstage that well and at at times, can be somewhat bright. These speakers are very directional in nature, which makes them perfect for Dolby Digital and DTS. I have not experienced any detriment to the sound when played loud either. The JBL's give me great dynamics and incredible bass and now I don't need to use my subwoofer at all. The JBL SVA1800's do not deserve to be bashed for sure. I wonder why Mr. Warshay felt it necessary to post his review twice and why he was tempted to give it a one star rating to "balance things out." No speaker deserves one star and it seems that Mr. Warshay wants to be judge and jury on these speakers. If Mr. Warshay has read the posts, he should know that most of us have gotten these speakers for $500 a pair. If that's the case, why didn't Mr. Warshay give it 4 stars? His quote: "For anyone who can get these for $500/pair new, they deserve 4 stars." All I can say is listen for yourselves. For $500 a pair, these speakers are great. The 1800's do not claim and are not out to seduce or impress the selective high-end audiophile. I personally would give them a 4 star for music only, but for home theater and price, definitely 5+++ all the way. For me, paying $1440 for 3 pair of these speakers actually saved me money. Now I can sell my subwoofer and still come out ahead.