Customer Reviews

JBL Invader 4.1 Surround Speaker

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

When I first saw these on the JBL website I thought they looked cool but had no idea about the sound.
I ordered them from Amazon.com because they were priced a lot lower, and I received them 5 days earlier than expected. I was so excited!
I got them for my Apple Power Mac G5 and they look great next to that beautiful computer, but they would look good next to any computer.
One of the first songs I played was "Faint" by Linkin Park and the sounds were incredible. The song had a lot of bass, which the JBL Invader really brought out, and the song also had some trebble parts which it also played great. There was not any distortion of sound at all when the volume was turned up, and it kept really good levels. The subwoofer really makes a difference and the surround sound is just amazing, how realistic it sounds. These would be great for watching a DVD movie on your computer.

Conclusion is that the JBL Invader is a great set of speakers for almost any use, they can also be used as a 2.1 speaker system so you can save room and cable clutter if you don't need all 4 speakers. They have a beautiful design and JBL has really hit it's mark with the Invader.

I bought these speakers for my wife as a Christmas present .

My wife is a art director and has considerable knowledge with the Mac OS and networking. She installed the speakers on Christmas morning and immediately RAVED about the sound quality. I have no problems with the sound quality or outward appearance of this speaker system.

OUR problem is customer service. This is the first electronic purchase for which we have had a problem--ever. AND WE CAN'T GET SOMEONE TO RESPOND.!!!

The subwoofer part of the system that also serves as the base (brain) overheated last weekend ( it is less than 2 months old) --after just 4 hours of continuious use. The sound was not overly loud nor were the trebble or base controls set above a normal level. The system now no longer functions. My wife has barely had the chance to enjoy the speakers because she works so much.

Herein lies the problem-- we have repeatedly tried to contact the company by email and support phone number for service. A company as large as Harman and JBL does not have an automated support line nor do they appear to have the ability to allow you to stay on hold while "they assist" other customers. Your only option is to leave a phone message which I have now done 4 times in the past 3 days. I have called numerous other times without leaving a message in an attempt to get a "real" person.

Additionally, My wife has emailed the support line with all of OS and situation specifics several times without an acknowledgement.

NO ONE has contacted us.

I ordered the system from APPLE since I was ordering other Apple products. I am sorry I did not purchace from Amazon since it looks like it would have been 40.00 less.

We are both VERY disappointed.

If someone wants to get a good low priced surround sound speaker system the invaders are your best bet. They are stylish at the same time emmit great sound. It is enjoyable made to look different from other speakers and its sub is powerful. Look into it, BestBuy does not carry it anymore so her is a good price for the speakers.

For the price I enjoy these speakers very much so. I use them on a PC despite JBL's association with Apple, but I found them very easy to set up and once set up they have a terrific sound, very clear and good bass response. I bought them mainly for the purpose of listening to my large music library and for that they have been wonderful.

I see the reviews where people had problems with these speakers and the lack of customer service, and maybe I was lucky, but I have not experienced any problems and I would recommend them to someone who wants good sound for their computer but is on a budget.

The speakers stopped working after 4 months and then the customer service was terrible. I couldn't get a hold of anyone. Don't buy unless you want your speakers to break and then not have anyone help you!

I have had my JBL Invaders for about a year now and I have experienced no difficulties with them at all. They handle high volumes very well. They give out great bass and some incredibly reaslistic highs. I use them for movies and Halo 2 and they really help with the surround. Easy setup also. Great if you can find for a good price. One drawback is that they don't give out good voice over volume. That doesn't detract from the overall sound unless you are an audiophile though.

I just got this system for Christmas a few weeks ago and I could not be more pleased with it. Not enough good things can be said about the subwoofer. It is nearly half the size of the subwoofer from my roommate's system, but it is just as loud, if not louder. It fits very comfortably and discreetly under any desk, but it is not so discreet once you begin playing your music. The treble/bass controls are on the face of the woofer and easy enough to control. Whereas the subwoofer is the key to the sound, the satellites complete the system with their amazing look. Sleek, silver, stylish, and space-age, they match my silver HP laptop perfectly, but still stand out in my room. They do a exceptional job of producing the mid to high range sounds. The volume control is conveniently located on the face of the right front satellite. There is more than enough wire on the rear speakers to position them farther away from your desk. Although this system has the need for 2 audio inputs (one for front and rear) from your computer, laptop users and desktop users with only one audio line-out port need not worry. The system includes a Y adapter which separates the audio from the single line-out/headphone into front and rear outputs. Setup is extremely easy, although I will say I had one issue in that I found the color coding for the inputs on the back of the subwoofer to be inane. Two of the colors, a light orange and tan looked similar under low lighting so I incorrectly plugged in those 2 some speakers and spent a while trying to figure out what was wrong.

Only cons are that there is no headphone jack on one of the satellites and that power switch should be anywhere but the back of the subwoofer.

Also, the price for the system tends to fluctuate on this site dramatically. I bought this system brand-new for $80 in early December '04, but now the price has risen nearly $60. If you're interested in this system, watch the price fluctuations.

I've had my Invader speakers for a little over a year now and I absolutely love them. Unfortunately, I lost the AC Power Adapter and Audio Input Cable while moving into a new apartment. My first probelm was finding a phone number to call the manufacturer, instead I found an e-mail address. I got a response telling me which product #'s I needed to order as well as the order form. I sent it in and when I finally got the package in the mail it contained only the AC adapter, but it was for the wrong type of speakers. I found a phone number on the shipping package and told them they shipped me the wrong product. I asked to exchange the product and he said they don't sell those two products separately from the system and I would have to go to some other store and buy some generic product that's compatible with the speakers. The customer service was just horrible. The guy talked down to me and treated me like an idiot, then wondered why I was getting angry. After about 10 minutes he finally offered to refund my money. I am very disappointed with this whole expreience.