Speaking purely subjectively, for me speaker brands highlighted different things. As a musician, I prefer to evaluate audio with music that doesn't rely on amplification for its realization, hence acoustic instruments. Since I was a young teen, I've loved the way piano sounds on JBLs (I've had a Steinway grand almost since then). I was blown away when I heard Wagner on a pair of Bozak Concert Grands. Strings always had an unmatched warmth for me on KLH.
I've owned and loved JBLs since a teenager (over 50 years ago!), acquiring a bass reflex system with D130s alone at first, adding "potato masher" horns around 1970. I still have them, and recently hooked in a pair of O75s. In the early 1990s, I lucked upon a Paragon and vintage McIntosh MC240 & MC275 amps. At first, I thought the sound impressive, but a bit harsh with weak bass. The harshness increased as one moved closer to the horns, of course. Subsequently, I learned that the previous owner listened at less than a moderate level (he had a cheap L Pad attached to it for convenient volume adjustment!) I added a graphic equalizer and used it for years until I noticed that the (stiff?) 150C woofers had blossomed. I took the equalizer offline and added a pair of JBL 2405s in parallel with the O75s.
My friends, mostly professional musicians, never failed to be impressed. However, for me, there was yet a ways to go. Five years ago I installed a McIntosh MEN220, "Room Perfect" component—bi-amped with an MC2105 for the low end and the MC275 for the horns and tweeters. After running the room correction algorithm, I found that a great majority of what I had perceived as shortcomings were essentially gone. There's nothing like live music, but this system continues to give me a thrill.
I've owned and loved JBLs since a teenager (over 50 years ago!), acquiring a bass reflex system with D130s alone at first, adding "potato masher" horns around 1970. I still have them, and recently hooked in a pair of O75s. In the early 1990s, I lucked upon a Paragon and vintage McIntosh MC240 & MC275 amps. At first, I thought the sound impressive, but a bit harsh with weak bass. The harshness increased as one moved closer to the horns, of course. Subsequently, I learned that the previous owner listened at less than a moderate level (he had a cheap L Pad attached to it for convenient volume adjustment!) I added a graphic equalizer and used it for years until I noticed that the (stiff?) 150C woofers had blossomed. I took the equalizer offline and added a pair of JBL 2405s in parallel with the O75s.
My friends, mostly professional musicians, never failed to be impressed. However, for me, there was yet a ways to go. Five years ago I installed a McIntosh MEN220, "Room Perfect" component—bi-amped with an MC2105 for the low end and the MC275 for the horns and tweeters. After running the room correction algorithm, I found that a great majority of what I had perceived as shortcomings were essentially gone. There's nothing like live music, but this system continues to give me a thrill.