Home > Consumer Reviews > JBL Northridge E100 3-Way Dual 10-Inch Floorstanding Speaker, Single (Black Ash)

I'm no audiophile, but I definitely have an ear for quality in my music. So, after moving out on my own I decided to invest in a stereo system for my own entertainment, and for entertaining guests. I picked to get a pair of the JBL E100 units.

I'm not into movies, or TV; I don't even own a TV. But, I love listening to radio and recorded music.

The build quality of these speakers is very good, metal spikes are strong, and the speakers are all individually hex-bolted into the tower frame. The rigidity of the cone, and the thickness of the surround really show off how well built and long-lasting these speakers are. And at about 70lbs each, they definitely hold themselves to the floor; and aren't terribly top heavy.

Now, I was aiming at these speakers for a 2.0 system (just left and right, no subwoofer) because I live in an apartment, and my music of choice isn't very bass heavy. But, regardless of that, the bass is VERY aparent and quite clear all the way down low. Manufacturer's specifications say they are still within 3db of signal at 33hz. I have to turn the bass on my equalizer down a few decibals (I vary from -2 in music and -6 in talk radio) to keep it from overpowering the rest of the sound.

As far as performance of mid and highs, this speaker sounds fantastic. VERY clear and clean.

But, I'd rather not comment on that much further. Really, this is a high end speaker, for a good value, that is probably more than most people will ever need; whether it be for home theater, classical music, or party music.

The key, for me, in picking a speaker is finding a speaker cabinet that matches my expectations, and fits the bill for what I listen to. For me, this sounded like the best speaker set for a 2.0 music system, for a decent budget, and a big sound that would fill my room.

These are the best floor standing speakers I have ever owned. The 10 inches make for movie sound that rivals the theater. The last speakers I remember having this much sound reproduction qualitiy were the old Radio Shack Mach I or Mach II's, which they don't make anymore. Modern floor speakers are designed for integrated sound systems and don't require the floor speakers to produce the bass reflex or mid ranges that these guys give you. And nobody buys 10 inch speakers anymore.

I fondly remembered the Mach II's I owned (and foolishly let go for next to nothing in a garage sale) when I was shopping around for floor speakers. I already had the E-series bookshelf and sub-woofer so I gave a listen to the center channel E-35 and was blown away. I quickly located a store that had the E-100's and compared away. They swallowed the competition, even in the $5,000 range.

Next thing I know I'm saving up for these babies and lo the holidays came and the family decided to get me these jewells instead of individual gifts. Can't beat that deal!!!!

I can not emphasize enough how pleased I am with the sound coming from these behemoths. And yet JBL still managed to put them in cases that are manageable. They are tall but not too wide. They weigh in at 70 lbs each, so be careful moving them around.

Bottom line. JBL Rocks! The E-Series is fantastic and I'd suggest you go with them for your whole system. And at Amazon prices and no tax you can't beat the hit to the old wallet.

I watched Eight Legged Freaks last night and I knew the system was knockout, but when one of the spiders landed "Whump!" right in front of me, and the vibration from the body hitting the ground rattled my bones, I jumped two feet in the air!!! Pair them with a good receiver and you'll have movie theater sound at home that's almost as good as the real thing!!

For audiophiles, my music sounds great too, but I'm not an expert in that arena so judge for yourselves.

I have a pair of E100s and couldn't be happier with them. The sound is very full and warm, maybe moving toward bright at the top of the range. Don't pay too much attention to Mr. Dogen down below; these speakers are very tough to beat at the price offered here (I'd like to know where he intends to get the kind of speakers he mentions for $500 or less). Also, don't fall for his claim that smaller speakers require less power to drive; the idea here is the same as water in a pipe, just like the cable. These speakers are rated at 91dB efficiency, which places them in fairly rare company at this price level. I say you can't beat these JBLs for anywhere near this money.

These speakers produce very good sound.[...].Yes you can buy speakers ,that are smaller with more accurate sound,but for those wanting big sound in a large room,these just might be right for you.These speakers are quite tall but are fairly slim in width. You will need a lot of clean power,but the payoff is the speakers are very open dynamic and a little bright.I recommend you use a receiver or seperate power amplifiers,that have a more subdued ,or netural sound ,to give a more musical presentation..I intend to use a pair in my basement.I highly recommend these speakers and i rate them 5 stars...I thank you. Stewart L.

I wanted a high quality speaker at a reasonable, low price. I got both with the Northridge speakers. I play big band, jazz, and classical music and I want accurite reproduction in respect to the music in a stereo mode.The grille arrived broken on one of the speakers and HK replaced it at no charge to me. I was pleased with this kind of service.