JBL L82 Classic Loudspeaker Review w/ Upscale Audio's Kevin Deal

upscaleaudio.c...
This rebirth of the iconic 8" two-way features genuine walnut satin wood veneer over a well-braced cabinet, and with a striking grille available in black, orange, or blue. Kevin loves the orange because it matches his beloved JBL coffee mug from his factory visit in 1981. This is not some poser company, says Kevin, this is a company with a real engineering background, and an important history.

[@gglibert3238]

How do these compare to the 4312? At the same price, I’m trying to figure out the difference

[@dm95422]

Would the L82's base capacity be powerful enough to rattle walls & pictures using a 50wpc @ 8 ohms amp ??

[@upscaleaudio]

How large is the room?

[@dm95422]

@@upscaleaudio 11 feet by 21 feet.

[@DabblelyDiddly]

unfortunatly harman international is now owned by samsung and I really can't see samsung not destorying JBL.

[@Drackleyrva]

Good review! BTW, I have a few friends in their late teens and they're into Kraftwerk, Pet Shop Boys, Steely Dan, Bon Jovi, Led Zeppelin. They have renewed my faith in Gen Z. :)

[@teddyhan1720]

Im from indonesia. Such enjoyable watching u sir. U just like a professor of hifi . I hope u healthy and i love everything from u sir.

[@thomasedward2231]

JBLis fantastic

[@fbio8438]

Hi, does anyone know, the sound is similar to the JBL NORTHRIDGE E 50, they are more or less the same size

[@yorkemar]

8 inch is an ideal size woofer. You can still get decent bass..while also get a good lower midrange response. There is not enough 8inch 2 way designs around.

[@dm95422]

I would have bought a pair had a the grilles been magnetic instead of traditional hooks (which can break).

[@jfuzzz]

Bought these to use with a Sonos Amp. Not sure how the typical person who would buy these kind of speakers feels about sonos, but the WAF is huge. Regardless, they sound as awesome as they look! Before receiving I thought they’d need to be paired with a sub... yeah I was wrong. I actually found the sub way too distracting, and totally unnecessary, when paired with these. Great for my normal sized living space. Listen to lots of electronic music and they never disappoint. Can get way louder than is comfortable - with no struggling or distortion. But also sweet at gentle levels. Really warm mids. The manual mentions break in too - surprised to hear you say it takes as long as 500 hours. Couldn’t tell if I was adjusting to them or if they really were sounding fuller and tighter after more use.

[@StewartMarkley]

One way to find out if speaker break-in makes the difference or if it's you getting used to the speakers is to use just one speaker for awhile then use both and compare the two. If you hear a difference then it's the speaker breaking in. If you don't hear a difference, you can continue the test then repeat later . Eventually you will know if there is a difference due to break-in or not.

[@darrenzwengel7988]

Oh the break in period is real. I have the L52’s and the difference after a month of daily use compared to day 1 was pretty huge. They really started to punch.

[@FelixtheMetalcat]

Would love to audition these....been years since I've heard JBLs. I can thank that misfortune to the "home theater in a box" mentality of the 90s that shut down so many independent dealers.

[@jchborg90277]

$1000 speaker with a $1500 logo.

[@miguelflo2]

Kevin, do you carry the JBL 4429? Wondering how it compares to the L100.

[@lok777]

I would be interested in that comparison as well. I have heard nothing but good things and positive reviews for both speakers, and they are within 1k of each other. I really would like to hear them both- I have the JBL 4307s and love them, am fairly confident the L100 would be similar.

[@briancody8663]

well said on placement! Had a guy come over buying my JBL 590's and asking me about bi amp / bi wiring.. I had him focus on placement and sound treatment before even thinking about cables etc.

[@celticwoodworking8706]

I was a musician in the late 60's and 70's every studio I walked into had JBL Studio Monitors as the main playback source. From that point on JBL has been my go to speaker for reproduction sound. The JBL L100 seems to be the the best speaker , now available again, and the L82 the next best. I now that musicians and audiophiles live far apart in their listening taste, but if you want what most 60, 70, and 80's bands want you to hear, then JBL is your speaker.

[@keithneal5369]

I've seen very expensive bookshelf speakers placed on the floor. They sounded awful. Overblown bass and no imaging. It's a pity you're in the USA and I'm in the uk. I would send all friends wanting to purchase speakers to your store. Ps I'm a tannoy fan and own 2 pair of their speakers. Enjoy your video's.

[@geraldmellon740]

Great review and love the enthusiasm. Peace from Glasgow in Scotland

[@oluhamilton2121]

Just imagine these with a sub!!

[@billcarson7548]

Kevin, you need to be selling these baby speakers for $1,300.00 per pair, they would be priced fairly at that price.

[@Matasky2010]

Just got my L82s for $1539 Open-box at Music Direct Fyi...deal of the century...but you have to accept these JBL retro beauties come with an appropriate premium price tag.

[@darrenzwengel7988]

@@Matasky2010just scored some L82 Classics, open box $1,979. Super happy and not even broken in yet. How has your experience been with them for 10 months in? What amplifier are you running?

[@danieloherrick6332]

For fun listening, these or the Whardendale Lintins? One criticism I heard several times is the JBls (L82 and L100) is that the veneer is about as thick as an onion peels.

[@jesuguru2394]

True, Andrew Robinson's channel mentions that as well. Concerning for speakers at this price level.

[@Matasky2010]

@@jesuguru2394 Most modern veneers are going to be very thin, not sure it's really a problem. It's a 'box' that rarely gets touched, grilles are solid wood.

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

His on the money ! I agree JBL kickass ! Their i said it for ya 😆

[@coolprof1951]

I Love your Reviews.....they take me back back back to The good old days....bought my L100s in 73, the year I started working FT after college, for $630....bought a pair for my best friend, Fr Jim Jackson, who was teaching a course in rock history at Hawaii Community College here in Hilo!!! I lost all my equipment in a “great flood” in 2000....I’m trying to finally recreate my old system guts (McIntosh MA 5100 and JBL 100s) but what cost me about $1000 in the early 70s, would set me back over $10000 today.....WOW!!!

[@miamiron]

Subscribed due to your passion

[@pennfootball71]

Obe Deal Kenobe...does this have more bass than the new L100' classics did? That guy sounded a little thin to me. I was born in 1981 the year you went to the JBL factory.

[@lok777]

It is an 8" woofer on a 2way speaker vs 12' woofer on a three way speaker, new L100 should have more bass. I have not heard these L82s yet but it wouldn't make sense if they were more bass-heavy than the l100s.

[@gglibert3238]

What would be a good amp for these?

[@nobicubalibre2143]

every bit of your money back? that did not happend to me on my return!! what a stressfull return experince! will never buy from you guys again!!! sad

[@davidchampeau685]

Great Review!

[@salahchaaibi3556]

❤️👍

[@roverdad]

I still have the old school JBL L56 in my living room. I got lucky and foun some new old stock woofers when the surrounds on my originals decomposed. I paid someone to re-do the old surrounds before I found the replacements. Absolutely destroyed the sound. I’ve been looking around hoping to replace my L-56’s as the new cones will likely go soon and and some of the new speakers are better in many ways. However… the price on these is waaay higher than I am willing to pay. I would love to see JBL get back to its roots and bring back that signature sound but I think the market for multi thousand dollar speakers is too small to support it.

[@3by2youRreal]

Well is this thing fits for electronic stuff like the weeknd

[@Ceko]

JBL vs Tannoy Eaton?

[@M0D60]

8 / 4 ohm tap disregard? Thx for info

[@ernestounionista886]

I have a Primaluna amp and they say the same thing- try each and let your ears decide.

[@morespinach9832]

Decent, but like Klipsch big jumbo speakers, not a “refined” sound.

[@martyn_g]

Refined can be overrated.

[@morespinach9832]

@@martyn_g sure. Until you’ve actually heard better speakers.