Home > Consumer Reviews > JBL S38BE 3-Way Bookshelf Speakers (Beech)

I searched for months for the right speakers at the right price. These are it. (You can get them cheaper elsewhere).

The JBL S38 speakers are perfect for home theater, with warm mids, decent bass and crisp highs. I'm still looking for some decent stands, though. They are large for bookshelf speakers, and not light. Get the beech. They are more attractive, which is especially important if you have a wife.

Ideally, I will add a JBL PB12 subwoofer at some point, but movies sound great even without a subwoofer with these babies.

One warning: JBL does not honor its 5-year warranty unless bought through an AUTHORIZED online dealer. I learned this the hard way when one of the speakers' woofers blew after a few months. Also, make sure you have good quality cables (I use 12-gauge).

You can check them out at Best Buy, by the way. They sound twice as good as the cheap speakers from Sony or Bose.

I know someone who has the Bose 301 Direct/Reflecting speakers and the JBL's put the Bose to shame. I have heard speakers that have cost up to $5,000 and I honestly believe these sound very similar. I bought the beech series and like them a lot more then the black ones due to the fact the wood blends well with the woofers and the cast-aluminum frames. These are a must buy for anyone who is looking high quality pair of bookshelf speakers that don't cost as much as a KIA.

First time i saw them i fell enlove with their design. First time i heard them i just couldn't believe the perfect sound i was hearing. These are not very big speakers, but they have a very powerful sound (mostly the bass). I highly recommend it. YOU JUST WONT REGRET IT YOU BUY IT! AND THE PRICE IS REALLY SMALL FOR SUCH A PAIR OF SPEAKERS.

Although they are a bit larger than I wanted, the sound from these speakers is the best I have heard. Extremely clear at high or low volume for Coltrane or Zeppelin. I sat for hours in front of them slipping in CD after CD and marvelled at the clarity and depth. They also sound great from other rooms--they virtually fill space with sound. This is definitely one of the best buys you can make in a bookshelf speaker. They out-Bose Bose by a long shot and the price is truly incredible for this quality.

I've had these for 5 years now, and I'm still in love with them. I have the cherry cabinets, and they are sitting atop plaster pedistals for stands. The S-center sits in between, and S-36 in the rear. Paradigm subwoofer with cherry finish matches these almost exactly.
I compared these side-by-side with Paradigm bookshelf speakers of their higher design, and I am very pleased with my decision.
You see, all speakers have their own sound. None are perfectly true throughout their freq range, each having its own sound qualities. But it is JBL speakers that are used in recording studios. You've seen video clips where the guys are sitting behind soundproof glass, listening to speakers, adjusting the mixer board? They set the sound qualities to perfection, and that is the final product pressed to CD. They are setting them based on JBL's sound. To hear the same thing in your home, you have to also use JBL speakers. Anything else will produce subtle differences from what the studio recording artists created. Even $10,000 speakers will "color" the sound. They mix to JBL. You need JBL at home to reproduce the same sound. Period.
The S-38 is modeled directly after their top studio model. They use similar parts and technology. They even look similar!
Also, most movie theaters and concerts use JBL.
It is just silly to buy anything else, in my opinion.
But that is just a Appeal to Authority, pointing toward the company's unquestioned dominance in professional equipment. My own experience is overwhelmingly positive. While even JBL sells "better speakers," I can report that I have never heard speakers that I thought were significantly better. I listened to a pair of $10,000 Martin Logan electrostats, and I wasn't particularly impressed after hearing my sub-$1,000 JBLs for years. Didn't sound much different, except that there was no bass!
I absolutely love these speakers. If you can find them, just get them.