Home > Consumer Reviews > JBL Duet PC Speakers (2-Speaker, Silver)

I was very pleasantly surprised that such low-cost speakers could sound so good. The sound is full and balanced, with suprisingly deep bass. And you can crank them up; they fill up a 200-square foot room with no problem. I compared these with the Altec-Lansing MX5020, which cost twice as much, and like the sound of the JBL's much better. However, it's obvious that JBL cut some corners to keep the cost down (see below). So far, though, I'm very pleased.

Pros:
1. Rich, accurate sound. The bass is full without being boomy, the mid-range is warm, and the treble is clear (although maybe a little edgy.) They're good for all types of music.
2. They sound good at both low and high volumes.
3. They have plenty of volume for small to medium rooms.
4. Cheap! I may buy an extra pair for replacement parts.
5. They're small (only about 8" tall.)

Cons:
1. There are no tone controls, so you can't easily compensate for the acoustics of the room. To contour the tone, you'll need software that includes an EQ, such as WinAmp or Rhapsody.
2. I'm not impressed with the quality of the construction. The volume knob is very hard to turn for the first few notches, and the power light on one speaker flickers when music is playing, which leads me to think there's a loose connection. I've only had them for a few days, so I don't know how well they'll hold up over time. You may want to get an extended warrenty, just in case.

The JLB Duet speakers are perfect for those of us who either despise 3-piece PC speakers or never know where to put the extra box (subwooofer). The highs are strong and vibrant without being tinny, but the lows are a bit lacking -- but then, you won't ever get a high-end stereo system out of most PCs.

The size of the speakers are misleading. They look like a cheap throw-in by the manufacturer, but they sound wonderful. CON: The headphone jack is in the back, not the front. Bummer.

No, they won't replace a 3-speaker system, but I'm very impressed with the sound quality (and volume) coming out of these little desktop speakers. Lot of bang for the buck. They also look great on the desk (I got the silver version to match my laptop and phone) and are half the size of my previous very marginal computer speakers. I play iTunes off my laptop, so I use the equalizer that comes with that program. If you don't have an EQ in your media software, you might want to consider that these speakers don't offer any sound-shaping options (volume is the only control). Overall, very pleased.

I bought these to replace/upgrade the default speakers that came with my Gateway at work, and they're much nicer. They will NOT replace a 3-speaker system, however. I compared them to my Yamaha set at home (2 satellites and a subwoofer) and there is NO contest - if you're used to subwoofer sound quality, don't downgrade to 2 speakers. If you're used to 2-speaker quality, these are pretty good! My biggest gripe: there is NO tone control, not even a simple High/Low dial. Volume control is the ONLY knob you get!

With computer speakers you gotta know what you are looking for as far as environment. Some are really targeted for pre-teens.... others for high schoolers and college students, etc. JBL in particular targets their market along these lines (different speakers targeted for different customers).

For me, I do not feel I am gonna get 'high end audio' sound out of a computer, so it is a matter of what I want otherwise, and I want the two speakers on either side of my monitor, because that is when I am usually using them (when at the keyboard). Also, I personally don't like the idea of a separate woofer in my setup. Clunky as far as placement in my environment and you lose some of the stereo image to boot.

So... the JBL duet speakers... are targeted for people just like me . Great sound overall and about an octave of extra bass that most speakers without a sub-woofer simply don't have.
Great price, great sound what more could you ask.

One thing though... I was concerned that the one speaker was getting kinda warm and I hadn't seen that in computer speakers previously. Got no respone to my email from their web page and so I called them and, amazingly, got a real person on the other end (and, did not speak in 'foreign' english to the point where we could not communicate). Turns out that is normal heat from the amplifier on the one speaker and so... no problem there.

Great purchase from my end.... should be the same for those looking for this type of speakers.

Walt

P.S. And they look great also.