JBL S38 3-Way Bookshelf Speakers (Black)

Other products by JBL

Product Details

Product Manual [189kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 17.5 x 11.5 inches ; 28 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 69 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00002EQBU
• Item model number: S38
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #221,161 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Review
With its Studio series S38 bookshelf loudspeakers (also available in beech), JBL strikes a happy balance between price, performance, and size, offering nearly full-range sound--from crystalline highs to stomach-punching lows--in attractive, mirror-image cabinets. Whether you buy four and put them to work in a home theater with a center-channel and a subwoofer or merely position a pair of S38BEs along a living-room wall for true-blue stereo music, it's hard not to be seduced by the sound from these speakers.

At its heart, each S38BE speaker is a three-way system using two magnetically shielded PolyPlas drivers (a 4-inch and an 8-inch) complemented by a 1-inch titanium-dome tweeter. PolyPlas, a polymer-coated cellulose fiber, adds rigidity and damping to the cones without unduly increasing their mass. This cone, together with a durable rubber surround (the part of the cone that attaches to the rest of the speaker), enables the speaker to deliver amazingly high sound levels without audible breakup or distortion.

The pure-titanium tweeter uses JBL's patented EOS waveguide to focus the sonic image and reduce time-delay artifacts. The EOS waveguide also increases the tweeter's dynamic range and its output at lower frequencies, which improves the transition between the high frequencies and the midrange. The LFP (Linear Field Proximity) bezel, which houses both the tweeter and the 4-inch midrange driver, smoothes out that transition even further. By minimizing the distance between these critical sound sources, JBL sidesteps the phase problems that result from sounds meeting your ears with different arrival times.

JBL's custom-designed drivers use simple, Straight-line Signal Path (SSP) crossover networks with quality electrical components. These networks further smooth the speaker's frequency and power response while minimizing processing that could otherwise degrade your audio signal.

On the inside, the drivers' oversized Kapton voice coils and HeatScape motor structures preserve performance accuracy during extended listening, prolong driver life, and reduce power compression through their responsiveness. Finally, JBL's FreeFlow flared bass port releases bass energy from behind the 8-inch woofer through a vent that precisely matches the size and configuration of the driver and speaker cabinet.

Some will want more low end than the S38BEs are capable of delivering, but this is not a shortcoming of the speakers, it's a limitation of the size. JBL has done everything in its power to maximize the S38BEs' low-end response, and it did a better job than we would have thought possible given the company's commitment to maintaining natural timbre (that is, a frequency balance that sounds neither boomy nor equalized). --Michael Mikesell

Pros:

• Great sound
• Dynamic prowess
• Impressive imaging

Product Description
The S38 is a unique horizontal mirror-image nearfield/midfield monitor that brings the studio experience into your living room. This 3-way 8" loudspeaker with MDF enclosure and Elliptical Oblate Spheroidal (EOS) waveguide reproduces sound with unparalleled spaciousness and definition.The pure-titanium tweeter and the midrange transducer are mounted on a Linear Field Proximity (LFP) bezel that ensures a seamless transition between the middle and high frequencies. The PolyPlas (polymer-coated cellulose fiber) cone woofer features traditional JBL engineering, the same technologies used in JBL's Professional equipment that can be found in stadiums, music halls and movie theaters around the world. Shielded components allow placement near video monitors. High-temperature, oversized Kapton voice coil and HeatScape motor structure allow these speakers to effortlessly play all types of movies and music. The woofers are built on cast-aluminum frames, which reduce distortion and increase power-handling capability. A low-diffraction IsoPower baffle directs the sound power into the room, reducing distortion caused by cabinet vibration. The lock-mitred, computer-designed enclosure requires no bracing. The FreeFlow flared port increases bass response without adding unwanted port noise. JBL's custom-designed drivers allow the use of simple, Straight-line Signal Path (SSP) crossover networks with high-quality electrical components that minimize processing that could degrade the signal. All Studio Series loudspeakers are equipped with all-metal, 5-way, gold-plated binding post speaker terminals.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great speakers..., August 15, 2001

By	Steven Dennis (Reston, VA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I searched for months for the right speakers at the right price. These are it. (You can get them cheaper elsewhere).

The JBL S38 speakers are perfect for home theater, with warm mids, decent bass and crisp highs. I'm still looking for some decent stands, though. They are large for bookshelf speakers, and not light. Get the beech. They are more attractive, which is especially important if you have a wife.

Ideally, I will add a JBL PB12 subwoofer at some point, but movies sound great even without a subwoofer with these babies.

One warning: JBL does not honor its 5-year warranty unless bought through an AUTHORIZED online dealer. I learned this the hard way when one of the speakers' woofers blew after a few months. Also, make sure you have good quality cables (I use 12-gauge).

You can check them out at Best Buy, by the way. They sound twice as good as the cheap speakers from Sony or Bose.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars These speakers are sharper than a barbers razor, September 23, 2000

By	Kaisang Tenzin (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews

I know someone who has the Bose 301 Direct/Reflecting speakers and the JBL's put the Bose to shame. I have heard speakers that have cost up to $5,000 and I honestly believe these sound very similar. I bought the beech series and like them a lot more then the black ones due to the fact the wood blends well with the woofers and the cast-aluminum frames. These are a must buy for anyone who is looking high quality pair of bookshelf speakers that don't cost as much as a KIA.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!, June 24, 2000

By	Alejandro Ponzio (Cordoba, ARGENTINA) - See all my reviews

First time i saw them i fell enlove with their design. First time i heard them i just couldn't believe the perfect sound i was hearing. These are not very big speakers, but they have a very powerful sound (mostly the bass). I highly recommend it. YOU JUST WONT REGRET IT YOU BUY IT! AND THE PRICE IS REALLY SMALL FOR SUCH A PAIR OF SPEAKERS.