JBL 4411 - what is your take on these?


I have them and enjoying them, but wondering what you all think about them? Are they "audiophile"?

How do they compare to the modern offerings?

Thanks in advance...
liquid-smooth
I first heard these speakers back in 1980.At a store called Sensuous Sounds in Tampa Fl. This is considered Mid-fi grade stuff. works well with recivers and integrateds of the same period.Good news is they have a real classic JBL sound and they are well built.I would find a good classic reciever and hook them up and have fun.Fix them keep them and enjoy them ,they are hard to find Period!

Matt M
So this is the 'studio monitor' version of the L-112. The L-112 was the last of the L-100 upgrades, better than the L-100 and a little better than the L-166 Horizon. I can remember hearing them on occasion at the Tower Records on lower broadway. Not a good place to decide if they are any good or not... This model JBL is probably less hashy-harsh and a little warmer presentation if I remember. Not high end but not bad, can fill a big room easy. The better amp you use, the better the bass and sound. Upgrade the caps, wire and jacks and you're in business.
Thanks Xie for the comment.
So not quite audiophile, he?
I did notice a little lack of refinement in the sound with them.

If you had to upgrade them, what would you choose for classical and female pop music?
"Liquid" to get back to you, I did some improvements to my JBL L-166 Horizons but honestly it did not change the sound that much. I put in cardas speaker jacks, much thicker internal wiring, and added some dampening materials here and there inside. If I were to do it over, I would perhaps change out the capacitators in the crossover, however, the original capacitators used by JBL are fairly high quality and perhaps don't need to be messed with. For classical and female vocals I would head in a different direction... smaller british minimonitor Harbeth Spendor you get the idea.
Audiophiles so often fall for bogus manufacturer claims, pretty finishes, biased reviews, pumped up bass and/or highs, I wouldn't worry if they are "audiophile".

On the other hand, being not "audiophile" could be a strong vote in favor of any loudspeaker!
Matt,
We are opening a new showroom in Downtown Tampa, if you want to hear some really nice speakers feel free to drop by.

Intelligent Environments
520 North Willow Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33606
(813) 935-7111