Anyone experienced JBL's K2 S9800?

I just heard a pair in NYC at Ears Nova. The mids and highs were outstanding with VIVA tube amp and Linn cd player. The bass did not extend very low, but the dealer was very nice and accommodating.

Peterayer -

You should have asked them to fire up one of the Viola amps they carry. I use K2's with Cello Duets (aka, Viola nowadays) with excellent results, both on the top AND bottom end!

The K2s is a US hidden treasure! No other spot in the major audio locations of the world are they so unknown!!

A treat and pleasure indeed.

Did Ears Nova bring them in specifically for you or they just happened to have a pair 'sitting' around?

Thanks,
Dan

Porschecab,

I stopped by on a lark as I was in NYC for the weekend and had a couple of hours to kill. I told Mr Joshua Cohn that I am fairly new to the hobby and wanted to hear something different from my Pass/Eggleston combo and so he let me listen to the VIVA tube/JBL horn combo.

He could not have been nicer. It is remarkable how different equipment can sound. The JBL's are so immediate and seemingly transparent. The speakers seem to be set up in his main system and are the first horn/hybrid speakers that I have ever heard. My only regret is that I did not bring any familiar music with me. It was a real treat and if I ever have the money and room, these will be on my short list.

According to the JBL website you can buy them directly from the Harmon on line shopping site, for a mere $15,000 per speaker plus frieght. And yes they say they are in stock.

I have used Beveridge model 2 with Jannis W-1 subwoofers. Also used the Double Quad with Decca ribben tweeters. Here I used Jannis W-1 subs,too. Beveridge RM-1/2 preamplifier.
These things sounded nise, but not the dynamics by far when you compare to the real thing.
After many systems later, I had the opportunity to get me a set S9800`s. When I put them into my system, I was so dissapointed that I started to cry.I had bought "The cat in the bag". This was much money for me, and difficult to sell in Norway. But, time went on, and I let the speakers " play " all day and nights for many months. LOUD!! I have a good music-room! Used sattelite radio for this purpose.
After about a year, after I had tried to sell many times- there was something happening!! The tweeters opened up much more, and the glass-sharpness dissapeared. The midrange came and a few weeks later the whole system sounded so different, I could nearly believe it. When my daughter came on a visit during the weekend at this time, she suddenly turned her head to me an said. Pappa, have you bough sub woofers, too, now? No, I replied. I told her what had happened sinse she was home the last time. After some time listening, she agreed that reprodused music like this, she had never heard before. I use ARC electronics, and that seems to do the job better then all other amps we have tried. Before I bought the S9800`s I had the M9500`s for a short time. I managed to sell them- this because I did not get the upper mid-lower tweeter range to sound good. Too sharp and edgy for me.You can find about my system and S9800`s in discussins on the internet, but sorry, I do not know where I can find it. They who have heard my system with the S9800`s, begins to laugh after a short time listening. This can not be true? I have never believed I could get the sound like this from a stereo- system! YES! YOU CAN.
Now the S9800 sound very, very good, indeed! I have listened to many systems around in my life, but none like the one I do have now: AND- the speaker system is JBL K2 S9800!

AND- I am just these days moving into my new listening room that is double the size of the old one. It has taken me nearly 3 years to build it. But, I know that I have here a very, very good room for the S9800`s.I am an engineer in electronics, and have built radio-studios, and made many recordings. Acoustics have allways interested me, too.

GOOD LUCK!