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JBL K2 S9900 vs Klipsch Heritage Jubilee Horn Speakers.

I recently had the opportunity the have extensive listening sessions both these two wonderful speakers. And, as great as the JBLs sounded (I believe that all horn type speakers are an acquired taste), I much preferred the Klipsch Jubilee speakers over the JBL speakers, and it wasn’t even close!!!. Also, the Jubilees are significantly cheaper than the JBLs. Are you kidding me??? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a horn speaker lover, per se, although, years ago, I did own a pair of Avantgarde Duo horn speakers for a while, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. But, it didn’t last. However, my goodness gracious, the Jubilee speakers just swept me off my feet!!! At the dealership, they used SS amplification for the bottom end and tubes on top to drive the Jubilee’s, and it was absolutely breathtaking!!! I found the Jubilee speakers so impressive that, I swear, if I had enough space in my listening room, it would’ve been extremely difficult for me to resist purchasing a pair of them right there on the spot. IMHO, the Jubilee’s are one of the greatest sounding, and also one of the greatest values in high end, cost-no-object speakers in the world, regardless of price. I believe that the Jubilee’s can complete with any speaker on the planet. And, I’ve heard just about all the greatest speakers in the world, either locally or at audio shows. The Jubilee speakers incredibly, just poured out a wide, open, huge soundstage, lush, greatly emotional, greatly involving, detailed, transparent, hugely dynamic, smooth, airy, bass to die for, holographic, 3D musical presentation like an ocean or a waterfall of musical delight. The Klipsch Jubilee speakers have got the one of the greatest best kept secrets in high end audio. Yes, you get the idea, I was supremely impressed with the Klipsch Jubilee speakers.  If I only had the proper space for the Jubilee's, I would buy in an instance and never look back.  Happy listening.

kennymacc
kennymacc OP
251 posts
 

Thanks you all for your comments and also your very high tech input on the contrasting differences between the drivers, crossovers and design philosophies of the two speakers. I’m not very well versed in all of the technical aspects of the Klipsch Jubilee and the JBL K2 s99000 speakers like so many of you are. But, what I am pretty well versed in is great sounding speakers.  The Klipsch Jubilee is one of those speakers that managed to capture this over 30 year audiophile’s imagination like few others. Happy listening.

alexberger
863 posts
 

I have chance to listen Klispch Jubilee on Montreal Audio show last year.
The sound disappointed me. I think the reason was because the speakers were powered by TEAC amplifiers that are not a good match for these speakers. IMHO when I think about horn speakers, especially with horn bass I mean these speakers should be driven tube amplification SET, or DHT push-pull. But most modern big audio producers built their flagship horn speaker systems for power transistor amplifiers (that I never liked). The DSP crossover also makes me suspicious. I understand that DSP can correct frequency and phase response of the speaker. BUT if I use a digital source it can be OK as DSP ADC and DAC on the same level of source DAC. If I use an analogue source, it is not analogue anymore.

kennymacc OP
251 posts
 

@alexberger  There's a very nice high end audio shop in Sacramento California that has an outstanding Klipsch Jubilee set-up that I get to go listen to whenever I get the urge.  In this set-up, the Jubilees are powered by McIntosh SS amplification on the bottom, and McIntosh tube power on top.  And the sound that this hybrid amp configuration produces powering the Jubilees is nothing short of jaw dropping!!!  

james633
899 posts
 

AlexBerger,

 

I think you are correct I in saying this is a digital system and true analogue is lost. Klispch really does not say how the crossover works but it does not have a digital input. Does it add another digital to analogue conversion or is it done in the analogue domain (active can be analogue) . I am no expert but I always believed time delays really needed done in the digital domain.

From my own experience of using external crossovers (highpassing subs) I have found them to be very clean and it would be hard to tell in a blind A/B if they were in the circuit or not. I would guess making a passive crossover to smoother the drivers would degrade the sound as much as the active. Both muck things up a bit from a purist standpoint.

alexberger
863 posts
 

Hi @kennymacc ​​​​@james633
I think it is possible to make an analogue active crossover for Jubilees. But it will not be as easy. Time delay can’t be done like in DSP.

But I have a friend who builds DIY speakers with and without horns with passive crossovers. So, he physically moves the midrange section related to the bass section to get perfect phase alignment between drivers. In the case of Klipsch Heritage Jubilee it can ruin these speakers.
I believe Klipsch Heritage Jubilee can sound great with a good transistor amplifier on bass and tubes on midrange-treble. In audio shows and in dealer stores a lot depends on the person who set up the sound in the room. Sometimes these people don’t understand too much in sound.

I see on an audio show the room of the same dealer always sounds good even if changes his stuff. And with another dealer the sound in the room is always bad.
But I believe that the Klipsch Jubilee bass section can work very well even with a 300B SET amplifier in a reasonable size room. If the 300B SET amplifier is properly designed. 8 watt with 107dB speakers is equal to 400 watt with 90dB.

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