JBL Venue Series Voice Center Channel 5-Inch 2-Way Dual Speaker
By: JBL Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 34
More Information
 On: 2008-06-30
This speaker had poor sound quality and was very large. I have the bose Acoustimass in another room and they blow this speaker away and for a fraction of the size.
 On: 2008-05-12
Sounds great as my center speaker. Im pushing it with a Pioneer VSX-5900S Pro Logic receiver with a center channel output of 25W.
On: 2008-04-21
It has good mid-low frequency response. High pitch is also very good. The only downside is it is not wall-mountable.
 On: 2008-04-15
This is my second center channel speaker, and I definitely feel like its a great value for the price. I didnt know very much about surround sound when I purchased my first setup, so my center channel didnt match my other 2 front speakers. But I just recently found this speaker here at Amazon, and I thought Id see how much difference it makes. I cant say that its an amazing difference from my Sony, but Im happy now that I have 3 JBLs in the front, keeping my sound consistant across all 3 channels. The sound doesnt blow me away, but its very nice for the price, thats for sure. Voices sound very clear, and action scenes come to life. Im very happy!
On: 2008-03-31
I didnt have a center speaker before and I dont have any experience with other centers, but what I can tell you is that there is a huge difference between having one and not. This JBL center speaker looks awesome and performs very well to. Im going to work on buying the rest of the venue series speakers for the full experience!
On: 2008-03-11
I ordered this center channel as an upgrade from the basic center channel that came with my Yamaha 5.1 Theater system. The difference in sound was obvious from the moment I turned on the radio. The sound is clearer and has a MUCH better range than the stock center channel. I would recommend this speaker to anyone with a "basic" theater system looking for an improvement in sound quality. I am looking forward to upgrading the satellites to JBL as well!
On: 2008-02-15
This is a great center speaker. The sound is great. I also purchased the sub woofer that matches and love both.
 On: 2008-01-31
This is an adequate center channel speaker. It will definitely be better than the center channel speakers that come with most home theater packages, but it is one definite step down from audiophile quality.
I bought it to expand my JBL "Studio Series" main speakers into a 5.1 channel system. It was immediately obvious that this "Venue" series speaker is just not a good match. It sounds a bit "boxey" and unnatural. Probably because it is only a 2-way speaker and actually is housed in a thin plastic housing. When you consider the price, it is a reasonable value, but I am now going to step up to the next level of JBL Center channel that will include a midrange speaker. Unfortunately, that level also costs twice as much. This is a classic example of "you get what you pay for." Even though it is a reasonable value, it did not satisfy my desire for a higher quality speaker.
On: 2008-01-22
Great sound quality, Superb speaker for the money. I have most of the other Venue series speakers and this speaker completed the system. I would recommend this speaker to anyone looking for a new center channel, you will be amazed.
On: 2008-01-12
I was looking for a good, somewhat inexpensive center speaker so that I could better hear the voices and speech in movies on my 6.1 system. With soooo many choices and so many widely ranging prices, without the benefit of being able to compare different speakers with my own ears I was left to rely on others reviews.
It is a well made speaker and even though the cabinet is plastic, it in no way sounds or feels cheap. It has some good weight to it, owing that to the ample sized magnets on the cones. It may not be wood, but it looks good nevertheless. It comes with low profile rubber pads so it stays put.
All I can tell you is that it does what it is supposed to do for a center speaker and it just sounds good. The voices come though nice and clear. The tweeter clarity is very good, considering my moderate high frequency hearing loss.
I thank the previous reviewers for their in-depth summaries of the speaker, making my shot in the dark purchase slightly less risky.
Unless you are ultra discriminating with a $10,000 system, you should be pleased with the performance of this unit.
On: 2008-01-11
I was looking for a good, somewhat inexpensive center speaker so that I could better hear the voices and speech in movies on my 6.1 system. With soooo many choices and so many widely ranging prices, without the benefit of being able to compare different speakers with my own ears I was left to rely on others reviews.
It is a well made speaker and even though the cabinet is plastic, it in no way sounds or feels cheap. It has some good weight to it, owing that to the ample sized magnets on the cones. It may not be wood, but it looks good nevertheless. It comes with low profile rubber pads so it stays put.
All I can tell you is that it does what it is supposed to do for a center speaker and it just sounds good. The voices come though nice and clear. The tweeter clarity is very good, considering my moderate high frequency hearing loss.
I thank the previous reviewers for their in-depth summaries of the speaker, making my shot in the dark purchase slightly less risky.
Unless you are ultra discriminating with a $10,000 system, you should be pleased with the performance of this unit.
On: 2008-01-02
A great center channel speaker for the money...delivers clear, crisp sound. Would recommend for anyones Home Theater system.
On: 2007-12-19
This center channel speaker is in a plastic case!!! That is my biggest complaint and it is pretty large. I bought this speaker because it was designed to match the floorstanding JBL speakers I bought. It does an adequate job on most dialog although on occasion it can disappear, but I may be able to rectify it with some work on the settings on my receiver. In summary it is an adequate center channel but I was much more impressed with the other JBL speakers in the Venue series.
On: 2007-12-16
Ive always been impressed by the sound of JBL sound speakers, and the sound I get from this center channel voice speaker is no exception. Very clear, even at louder volumes. Stylish, with a sturdy and well built design.
On: 2007-12-13
I needed a center channel speaker to compliment the in-wall speakers in our living room. I had tried a Bose center channel speaker at first but its tinny sound drove me to distraction. We use the living room for general purpose viewing and listening to music so I didnt need an expensive speaker. But the larger speaker cones give a rich full sound that matches the higher quality in-walls. The design is a bit large but we have a CRT HD set so it is proportionate to the speaker.
All in all we are extremely happy with the quality and style of this speaker. I wouldnt hesitate to recommend it.
On: 2007-11-26
Exactly what I was looking for! Crisp, clear voice & sound effects! No cons as far as I know of yet, and I recommend this center channel to anyone building a jbl home theater!
On: 2007-11-12
Exactly what I was looking for, for movies and stereo music, is just a great sound, for all the JBL speakers system bought from Amazon.
On: 2007-11-10
Great center speaker for the surround sound i have very crisp and clear no distortion at all worth the money
On: 2007-11-08
Very crisp when playing movies and music. When I play certain lossless music that splits well over the 5 channels, it really seems like the voice is perfectly centered just above head. I had an older Bose center channel which was just terrible with movie voices and not quite adequate with music so this is a major improvement over what I had.
On: 2007-10-28
I bought this product based on the recommendations of my fellow reviewers. For the price, I am very happy with it. Although it is large it fits perfectly on top of my 32" TV. There is a noticable difference (for the better) in the sound quality from my old, very small center-channel speaker. The sound blended well with the front speakers after a little adjustment of the sound field and the dialogue is much easier to hear.
On: 2007-10-10
Got his to replace my last remaining speaker from HTIB(Onkyo), had the Onkyo Center turned to +4 on the reciever. Had to turn it down after got this. Very nice can turn up quite loud before any distortion. Good range. Probably best Value in this price range.
On: 2007-10-07
this center channel is great. clear and crisp and wont let you down. dont let the price tag fool you its a great product. and will make a great addition to anyones home entertainment system. the only thing you will regret about this speaker is not buying it.
On: 2007-10-04
I was considering the Polk, the Sony, and the Cerwin Vega instead, since the JBL was originally over $90. Since the price dropped to just $72, it was just right for me, since theres nothing else that has dual 5" woofers for $70 beside the Sony & BIC.
I like the rounded-off shape of the JBL much better than the squared-box shape of other center-channel speakers. It just looks much nicer sitting on top of my TV, and Im even considering leaving the front-face grill off as it looks pretty attractive without it, too :). Since I have nothing else to compare it to, I can only say that it sounds very clear, and having a center-channel speaker really makes watching movies a lot more enjoyable as I can hear the conversations clearly.
I believe this is the best-value for a known-brand center speaker.
On: 2007-10-03
Bought this through JR electronics. I have a Samsung LCD TV, Yamaha 6.1 processor and Harmon/Kardon 6.1 speakers. The center channel on that unit is very weak and this was the replacement. When I first connected it, I was not to crazy about it, but after I adjusted the processors settings and popped in Mission impossible 3 on HD DVD.....WOW. It sounds great
On: 2007-10-01
I needed to complete my surround sys so after weeks of research I decided to go with this JBL center channel. (I also purchased the JBL SUB-10) and with the two new addition, my surround sys ROCKS! The center channel is very clean and the dialogue is clear and precise. You cant go wrong with this one!
On: 2007-09-19
The sound that comes out of this thing is much much more clear and pronounced then my last center channel. The only thing is I really wish they used a wood housing instead of the platic one. Everyone once and a while on very QUICK and SHARP sounds it echoes VERY slightly and you can hear that its a little pitchy. Otherwise very powerfull and a great upgrade from an older JBL center. Thanks Amazon! %30 cheaper then best buy!
On: 2007-07-03
Really enchances any room with vocal sound!! Bigger then expected, but fits well in the room!
On: 2007-06-30
I auditioned a bunch of center channel speakers at a large store. This one had the clearest tweeter and was the best speaker for understanding dialogue. It isnt too tinny either. A great choice. I got rid of my old center channel speaker and now I can hear dialogue much better in my home theatre.
On: 2007-05-12
Crisp clear center channel sound. Perfect for voice. Looks great. Good price.
On: 2007-04-07
All I can really say is WOW! I mean this speaker looks incredible and sounds even better, I couldnt ask for anything more.
On: 2007-01-28
For the price this is an outstanding product. Mine sits directly on my 37" HD TV and although it is a bit large looking, their is no distortion at all. In fact it so clear that Im catching dialog now on my DVDs that Ive missed before. Im now seriously considering replacing my bass unit now with JBLs sister product to this Center unit. Also one other reviewer complained about the speakers "plastic ness" I find it sturdy and very aesthetic.
On: 2007-01-22
I use this center channel speaker almost daily for regular TV, and about once a week, it gets turned up pretty loud. For home use on a decent home theatre, it works very well. Excellent price too.
On: 2006-12-28
If your budget is under $200 for a center channel, BUY this one. I auditioned this next to several other speakers @ Best Buy and this one was the best sounding by a large margin in the under $200 crowd...even held its own against a much more expensive Klipsch. I bought it on the spot for $160, then returned it because I found it on Amazon for half that.
If you have a lot more than $200 to spend on a center, Im sure you can find better, but at any price under $200, this speaker gets 5 enthusiastic stars.
On: 2006-12-27
This is better than the small speakers that come packaged with home theaters. It is lightweight and easy to pick up and move to the coffee table for night TV watching (My receiver allows me to leave On only the center speaker).
Sound is OK but not great. This is to be expected from a speaker made of thin plastic. Even at very low volumes I can feel vibrations when I put my hand on the top. The thin hard plastic resonates and probably colors the sound. My wooden JBL speakers sound more transparent.
Unless weight is important - get a more solid speaker for about 30% more.
by: jrm275beast On: 2006-07-21
This speaker is bigger than I would like, it looks funny on top of my TV. That being said, it sounds really good. I am happy with it. It is very loud and clear and a great voice channel, I am not sure what the more expensive ones can do that this cant. highly reccomended, worth the money.
|
|
