Home > Consumer Reviews > JBL CS480BG Complete 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System (Black Gloss)

Let me start by saying that I couldn't be happier with these speakers. I did my homework when it was time to take my 6 year old HK SAT-TS2 5.1 system off the wall and make the next step toward turning my living room into a true cinema. Although I have the 6.1 capable Sony receiver and Blueray player (AKA PS3), I decided to stick with a 5.1 system due to the size limitation of my living room (13x16). My room was already wired, but the system does come with speaker wires and subwoofer cable. Another bonus are the two sets of speaker brackets. This system includes fixed (uni-directional swivel) and pivoting brackets for all the speakers. I also liked the departure from the spring clip connectors. These speakers have quality screw terminals that can handle a 10 gauge wire. The only issue I discovered was that the fixed bracket for the center speaker may create a short between the speaker wire terminals. A little electrical tape solved the problem and I was finally off to the races. HD TV, Dolby Digital 5.1 movies, and PS3 games have been raised to a new level with this system. Zero buyer's remorse!

We just have this system set up, paired with Denon AVR 787 receiver and Monster cables. Not sure how much cable adds to it, but definitely a good receiver is a must for this speaker system to playback perfectly. The sound is pheonomonal. The sound is deep and rich, with layers and details. It is not overtaking the movie if the movie is not loaded with sound effects. We have tested with Movies: Shrek, Chicago, Matrix, Nemo. Each one of them is played very nicely. It is definitely cinema quality sound, much better than the bose 5.1 system I listened to in the store. It also enhances your movie experience by so much that you feel like watching a new movie discovering scenes you never discovered before. For example, I never noticed the water was so clear in Nemo, now I feel it, all because the vast calm water sound of the ocean.

Excellent! I would recommend this system to anyone!

p.s. To listen to music, make sure to connect with a CD player (not a DVD player), and use 5 channel stereo, otherwise, the sound will not come out right.

I was looking for a set of surround speakers that were both small but also gave punchy, crisp sound. After a good deal of searching, I decided that the JBL CS480 speakers were the best deal. Set-up was easy, with both cables and brackets provided (you'll need to have screws if you're planning on screwing the brackets into a wall).

First of all, the sound is great. I hooked them up to an Optimus professional series reciever. I have no complaints. I've been trying them out on different movies and music and everything sounds good. Secondly, the brackets to hang them on a wall are very good-easy to set up, and they look good too (the speakers and the brackets). The sub is powerful; I haven't turned it up past 3/4ths but that is more than enough.

I would recommend these speakers for someone whose room is not very large--they are relatively small and unobtrusive and blend in well with the room. The sub also looks nice. Good purchase.

I bought these speakers for my living room in a townhome. They are great sounding speakers providing more than enough bass. Watching blu-ray movies with lossless audio via my PS3 is awesome. Sometimes I have to turn down the sound because I think my neighbors can feel the bass. These speakers are a nice choice for someone that wants to enjoy surround sound without breaking the bank.

I purchased this speaker system for my new media room. For the setup, I have a Denon AVR-3808CI, a Samsung LN52A750, Sony upsample DVD, XBox360 and a home built media server.

The speakers perform very well, they look good and sound excellent. I am sure that if you are a real audio nut, then you could justify spending more, but for the money this is a great system.

My one complaint is the mounting brackets. The instructions say not to ceiling mount the speakers. I hard-wired audio wire drops on the ceiling I decided to use the provided brackets to ceiling mount. I suspect that the reason they say not to ceiling mount is looks, not function or security of the speaker. So far no problems, some might find it annoying to see the brackets, but I really don't care.

Samsung LN52A750 52-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color

Denon AVR-3808CI 7.1-Channel/5.1-+ 2-Channel Multisource/Multizone A/V Home Theater Receiver with Networking (Black)

Sony DVP-NS700H/B 1080p Upscaling DVD Player, Black

Xbox 360 Console Includes 20GB Hard Drive