Deep_333
Not really any different from the JBL S9900 mentioned in the first post. It also has less than $1500 in drivers and is $55,000. It is all over priced.
JBL K2 S9900 vs Klipsch Heritage Jubilee Horn Speakers.
I recently had the opportunity the have extensive listening sessions both these two wonderful speakers. And, as great as the JBLs sounded (I believe that all horn type speakers are an acquired taste), I much preferred the Klipsch Jubilee speakers over the JBL speakers, and it wasn’t even close!!!. Also, the Jubilees are significantly cheaper than the JBLs. Are you kidding me??? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a horn speaker lover, per se, although, years ago, I did own a pair of Avantgarde Duo horn speakers for a while, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. But, it didn’t last. However, my goodness gracious, the Jubilee speakers just swept me off my feet!!! At the dealership, they used SS amplification for the bottom end and tubes on top to drive the Jubilee’s, and it was absolutely breathtaking!!! I found the Jubilee speakers so impressive that, I swear, if I had enough space in my listening room, it would’ve been extremely difficult for me to resist purchasing a pair of them right there on the spot. IMHO, the Jubilee’s are one of the greatest sounding, and also one of the greatest values in high end, cost-no-object speakers in the world, regardless of price. I believe that the Jubilee’s can complete with any speaker on the planet. And, I’ve heard just about all the greatest speakers in the world, either locally or at audio shows. The Jubilee speakers incredibly, just poured out a wide, open, huge soundstage, lush, greatly emotional, greatly involving, detailed, transparent, hugely dynamic, smooth, airy, bass to die for, holographic, 3D musical presentation like an ocean or a waterfall of musical delight. The Klipsch Jubilee speakers have got the one of the greatest best kept secrets in high end audio. Yes, you get the idea, I was supremely impressed with the Klipsch Jubilee speakers. If I only had the proper space for the Jubilee's, I would buy in an instance and never look back. Happy listening.
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- 26 posts total
@deep_333 wrote:
You mean Celestion developed and manufactured the horn in front the driver and everything else? Klipsch didn’t "steal" or take credit for the Axi2050; they were simply wise enough to use the unit, and it’s openly known they do. It does seem that the team at Klipsch (led by Mr. Delgado) developed an in-throat acoustic lens or phase plug extension in the Celestion driver, so by all accounts it has been modified to their needs.
For what it’s supposed to do I’m told it’s one of the best drivers around. As an outset, isn’t that the primary concern? And who needs "technical miracles" - a marketing term claimed all too often, and usually as a compensating act - when proper physics and design are in place to begin with. Klipsch did make an interesting design tweak with their horn-loaded bass bin, in that it amplifies not only the front wave of the dual 12" woofers, but as well the ported output from their backwave - in an effort to maximize extension for a given size, I take it. Most resort to simply porting woofers, but kudos to Klipsch going with the horn-loaded approach, albeit a modified one. Did I mention they’re outboard actively configured? Another thumbs up. And here I am thinking you were a pro-ish guy. Form follows function, anyone? If the finishing/looks keeps you from appreciating a given product (i.e.: its sound), well, only so much that can be done.. |
@phusis , Yeah, I am a pro-ish guy...I also do know that it costs a whole lot more (different ball game) to develop drivers from scratch (r&d, tooling, facilities, recuperation timelines, tc) and i can justify higher prices for that. If an entity is just buying drivers from someone else for pennies on the dollar, i expect pricing to be lower. Klipsch is not a small company with limited resources. It is either a lack of aptitude or taking the easy route/making an easy buck that I am not all that fond of. Would JBL, Yamaha, TAD/Pioneer, etc not make their own drivers? It would be a freaking joke and downright shameful if they didn't.... There's nothing stopping you all from buying anything. I just have different requirements and standards for manufacturers and what I'm willing to pay when such standards aren’t met.. |
I feel sad that most new 12", 15" drivers developed by JBL, Tannoy and other companies are designed for high power transistor amplifiers. One exception is Radian Audio. For normal home listening in a mid size room don't need heavy cone 15" drivers like modern JBL. These heavy drivers are good for huge rooms, high volume listening i.e. professional usage. |
@deep_333 wrote:
But what’s your product and segment reference here? Klipsch is a pro manufacturer, yes, but they also have a hi-fi division - incl. the Heritage series under which the Jubilee’s are found (apart from their (then?) pro equivalent) - and relative to the pricings of, say, JBL and anything approaching the same physical wallop of the Jubilee’s, the Everest’s come at about twice the price. Maybe not an apples to apples comparison, difficult to assess really (also depending on who you’re asking, not least the fanboys), but I’d say JBL more than have themselves paid for the R&D and what not developing and manufacturing (in Mexico) their own drivers. Klipsch on the other hand have the balls to let the design dictate size, shape and all horn-loading, whereas JBL is focussing more on aesthetics and building their design around that - not to diminish their engineering capabilities. The Everest’s are a more exclusive looking package (and you certainly pay for it), great sounding as well, whereas the Jubilee’s can come across more "crudely" but also larger and physically more all-out, and meant for active configuration only - again, at about half the price. I don’t see how the Jubilee’s are outrageously priced compared to the competition, all things considered.
At the end of the day, what’s the sound that meets the buyer? From my chair Klipsch made a smart decision going with the Celestion driver, because it gives them the opportunity to cross over to the bass horn just above 300Hz (where it’s needed, because crossing higher would have the bass horn at difficulties here), and that takes a special driver and fittingly large horn to come to fruition, not least controlling directivity that low. Mind you, they have a point source from ~340Hz on up. The only equivalent by JBL to reach that low was the 2490H 3" exit compression driver, but that was a pure midrange driver and had to be crossed not much higher than 2.5 to 3kHz, and so would necessitate and separate tweeter. BMS and B&C have coaxial driver offerings that on paper extends low, but no doubt at higher distortion levels at elevated SPL’s all the way down to 300Hz compared to the Celestion driver. So, as a necessity from a design point-of-view Klipsch made a good decision choosing a rather unique driver offering in the world today, indeed the only one really available to them. Going about that on their own would have been a mammoth undertaking, if they would ever meet such a design goal. Now choosing speakers from the actual pro sector is likely to see price drops, unless we’re speaking Meyer Sound and such. |
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