Buy JBL Northridge E50 3-Way 8-Inch Horizontal/Vertical Bookshelf Speakers, Pair (Black Ash)JBL Northridge E50 3-Way 8-Inch Horizontal/Vertical Bookshelf Speakers, Pair (Black Ash) Product Description:
- 8-inch shielded PolyPlas woofers; 4-inch shielded PolyPlas drivers; 3/4-inch shielded titanium-laminate dome tweeters
- Straight-Line Signal Path crossover network divides signal with minimal processing
- 90 watts continuous, 360 watts peak power handling; 175-watt maximum amplifier power
- Gold-plated 5-way binding posts for strong connection
- Each measures 17-1/2 x 11-1/2 x 12-1/4 inches (W x H x D)
Product Description
Inspired by the horizontal monitors that JBL supplies to top recording studios around the world, these Northridge E Series E50 horizontal/vertical, mirror-image bookshelf loudspeakers are a compact solution for filling your room with sound. Or, combine them with a Northridge E center channel and subwoofer to create a powerful home theater system. Equipped with JBL's titanium-laminate tweeters and PolyPlas woofers, the speakers reproduce high notes with extreme clarity. The lows and mids, assisted by the dual FreeFlow flared ports, are loud and clear, without unwanted distortion or boominess. Features 175-watt maximum amplifier power with 90-watt/360-watt continuous/peak power handling. Dual sets of sturdy gold-plated, 5-way binding posts enable bi-amping or bi-wiring. The computer-designed, miter-joint cabinets virtually eliminate distortion, and their slim European profile won't overpower your room. Each speaker is 25 lbs. 11-1/2Hx17-1/2Wx12-1/4D".
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
56 of 58 people found the following review helpful.
JBL E50 Shoot Out
By Hammerhead
I have been a JBL fan for years. I am a professional Audio Engineer, and I am familliar with the tonality and durability of JBL products.I purchased a pair of JBL Northridge E50 bookshelf speakers to do a shootout with a pair of Polk Monitor 40 speakers for a client I am desigining a home stereo install for. The client paid approximately $250 delivered for each pair of speakers.After several days of testing within tolerances, I could still differentiate between the two, but it became nearly impossible for the client to tell which speaker was which in a blindfold test. Both television and CDs were tested through the speakers, and the music ranged from Josh Grobin to Stevie Ray Vaughn. It should be noted that the Polk Monitor 40s and the JBL E50s both required the use of a subwoofer in order to sound complete. By sheer weight, the JBL wins hands-down. At 25-lbs. each, it is a much heavier box than the 17-lb. Polk.Through much of our testing, the 3-way JBL seemed more transparent in it's tonality, but when switched back and forth between the 2-way Polk within the same piece of music, it sometimes sounded a bit mid-rangey through the 800-1600 Hz range. I'm not sure whether the Polk was missing through that range, or whether the JBL was adding, but the Polks sounded more like what I was hearing in the AKG headphones. Also, the JBLs seemed to be lacking a bit in the lower range, through the 60-160 Hz range. This was the most surprising result, because the 8" woofer in the JBL looks as though it should be kicking the tail of the Polk 6" dual woofers, but the Polks had a deeper, richer bottom end.The JBL E50s are rated for greater power than the Polk Monitor 40s, so if you plan to rock the house, the JBLs are probably a better choice. When pressed to their Continuous Power Handling rating, the Polks began to sound as though they were suffering from distress. They didn't distort, but they were obviously uncomfortable, while the JBLs never winced. However, for the purpose of this comparison, my client stated that the listening area (15 ft. X 20 ft.) would never tolerate that much volume, and confessed he would never be listening to the JBLs as loud as they were tested, so keep in mind the space where you will be using them.In the end, it was decided that the Polk Monitor 40s were smoother and did not inject their own tonality onto the music. The JBL E50s would have required a physical change to the shelf on which they were to reside, so the client made the choice for the Polk Monitor 40s, but if you have a good sturdy shelf with room for the E50, and a listening space large enough to turn them up, you may make a different choice.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful.Good performance, excellent value
By Alvin Lau
The build quality is excellent and the E50s image well. The sound is warm and smooth, very easy to listen to. Bass response is adequate but not strong. The treble could use a bit more air as well.Since the E50s are bookshelf speakers, they seem best suited for a small to medium sized room or for use as surround speakers. If used as main speakers for a large room, I suggest adding a separate subwoofer. Overall, an excellent speaker at this price point.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Good choice
By Traveler
I was replacing floor speakers and wanted a pair of speakers which had a smaller footprint (my wife didn't want a room filled and dominated with speakers)...yet still provided performance. I got what I wanted by purchasing the JBL E50.I am using the speakers primarily as the front main channels (5.1 configuration) in a room that is 15'x15' with a 10'ceiling plate. The room is filled well with sound. The audio is clean and provides good spatial depth to the movie sound tracks. This in tandem with the other (center, subwoofer) JBL Northridge speakers.Playing music from my CD player....sounds good and inviting. Good definition. Good reproduction.I believe I made the right choice and very pleased with my purchase. I would recommend JBLs.
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