Thanks for giving a small pair of speakers a fair hearing, Kelvin - they're often overlooked by reviewers. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the similarly-sized Technics SB-F1 speakers!
Picked up a pair of these a few years ago in a garage sale €25.00 they sound excellent with my little Creek 4040 amp and Creek 3140 tuner. i have this system set up in my work shop and it just performs very well, Kelvin keep the vids coming very refreshing.
They had a lot of mid emphasis because they're were used extensively for vocal monitoring in outside broadcast trucks. They're practically bomb proof with their rubberised sides and metal grille covers, (I've own 2 pairs and they survived many a wild party!) They're also great for a budget surround sound system because all the speakers are exactly the same, therefore there would be no change in sonic tone when sound effects are whizzing around the room, plus the centre channel would give great vocal clarity and can be oriented on it's side to either fit into a rack below the TV, or present a lower profile if sitting on a shelf. At £180 for six quality loudspeakers, they're an absolute steal! Just add an active subwoofer for the full experience.
I just bought 2 pairs at £39.00 each from richer sounds, will be used as front Height, and rear Height, in a 7.2.6 Dolby Atmos system. I have 2 SVS PB1000 Active subs, Klipsch front soundstage, and a Denon AVR X6700H Receiver, with an Emotiva BasX A6 power amp. I had a pair of these in my kitchen hooked up to an old Sony amp to listen to music as I cook, and was happy with the sound. they should be fine for height effects in my system.
So I know this is 2 years old, but now that Atmos is surely becoming the norm for commercial mixing, those are the *only* speakers I can think of that make it possible for home studio owners like me to build an actual 7.1 surround rig. They come with their own brackets, won't make your breakers trip out, don't break the bank, reduce wiring (you basically connect them in pairs, the only practical issue being the side speakers needing to be connected together)... overall this is making it possible for me to have an Atmos rig, as well as many mix engineers working from home. Those boxes are amazing!!!
Yes they are a total bargain the only thing is everyone sees them in pubs and clubs and they’re made of plastic if they were made of wood and looked fantastic it will be a different story I’d say for those speakers
It was not until I got my JBL control1 pair that I learned my other speakers were lacking in the midrange. I redid the foam surrounds and discovered the cabinets are very robust. They are heavy duty. It is true when you move them closer to the wall the sound changes. The sound spreads out more the closer to the wall. They have mounting slots integrated into the cabinets, they were tuned to be mounted close to the wall. These speakers are worth their price. Good video, thanks.
imo best review about these JBLs so far, thanks for sharing !! in Germany these JBLs are offered as a pair for around 100 EUROS in the black version and up to 150 EUROS in the white version (mid 2022) based on my own experiences and comparisons, these small JBLs are the best for the low price that you can use especially on the PC, many times better than all these plastic cookie jars that are offered specifically for use on the PC even in higher price range ... imo these little JBLs are more than enough for most normal people and the normal music enjoyment without an always much more expensive "audiophile" claim (whatever that`s supposed to be) and they are absolutely "wife friendly" ;-) I used the active/powered version of this JBL Control One for years on the PC and just only with a portable Sony CD Walkman in my living room or on the go at parties with friends, I didn't have any sound problems with these speakers + the little Sony in any party cellar, and I never used the loudness button ... I was absolutely thrilled, not matter what kind of music I've heard, from Pop/Rock, acoustic to "World Music" to classical, the best little speakers I've ever had especially for the PC ... unfortunately the foam surrounds have rotted after only a few years, what should be a typical and well-known defect in these JBLs, as far as I've researched, and for inexperienced they are hard to replace ... ok, at that price you can just buy new JBLs again, no real problem, and just buying complete new chassis isn't much cheaper either ... and also unfortunately, as far as I know, the active/powered version of this JBL Control One isn`t no longer offered respectively I haven't found them anywhere ... or am I misinformed?
dunno if you guys gives a damn but if you are bored like me atm you can stream all of the latest movies on InstaFlixxer. I've been binge watching with my girlfriend recently xD
I use the Pro version for about 5 years and they play music good indeed, they can show every change in the chain like cables, phono cartridges...One thing i know that they change character with different positioning so one must find the best for them.
Brilliant video thanks. I have been using a pair of these for the last 10 years in my games room for music & game music and today were going to swap them out for a pair of Eltax Monitor III speakers which are slightly bigger about the same output and price range, I ended up putting the JBLs back up and the Eltax back into storage, the Eltax had a nicer more substantial bass but the JBLs had a much nicer sound with my Technics SU-V500 amp, I used the wall mounts that came with mine, black screw thread things on a bolt, lacking in deep base like you say and perfect for a smallish sound for a smallish room.
Thanks for a honest and balanced review Kelvin. I’ve revisited my old pair of ones over the last few weeks and have really enjoyed them. Totally agree with you about use of the loudness button. I’ve also found putting foam bungs in the ports really tamed the lower frequencies and let the mids shine through even further. Placed at ear level and close to a wall they give an outstanding imaging and soundstage. A bit finicky with choice of amp, but as said a tremendous bargain.
Hi Kelvin always enjoy your honest opinions on gear thats in the reach of mere .mortals. these speakers ive had for years and what they offer is truly amazing, i used these in a bar once powered by a yamaha AX 496 and a upgraded marantz 63 mk11 signature. Just playing a mix of music and the party really got started in fact people just looked at them in disbelief at the huge sound they made, if your offered a pair snap them up, There awsome
I bought a used pair a few years ago for my garage and they are outstanding. I have them on wall mounts and they are positioned close to wall so bass is acceptable. Recently I sold all my hi fi to release some money for other things. When I bought the cheaper replacement components, I bought JBL control one just as a cheap speaker to get me buy until I decided what speakers I wanted. I ended up just settling with the JBL control ones for nearly a year before buying something at £600 to better them. My previous speakers prior to the jbl's were tannoy cheviot legacy so the fact that the wee jbl's kept me interested in the music after I sold the Tannoys is great praise indeed. They have got to be one of the greatest bargains around.
I have 7 pieces of them and a Subwoofer on a Yamaha 880 receiver in a small living room . It's unbelievble with a Marantz cd player and a good glass of wine . I really enjoy my favorite cd's . Thanks for the review .
They routinely go for between $50 to $100 in Canada. Mainly they're sold as outdoor speakers. The tweeter is a titanium laminate which is impressive at the price.
@@ravithompson1082 I looked them up and yes you are right... the tweeters are polycarbonate. My bad. But they are styled to look like JBL's titanium domes that were also made back then.
Hi i have been a hifi buff since 1997 but i still consider myself a newb i dont know anything about vintage stuff. however i have been using these speakers for the past 15 years and im thinking about getting another pair. i really appreciate your review.
The C1 is just a beautiful "all around" "General Purpose" monitor for price/performance! They pair great with subs too. It is considered a pro-audio model according to JBL, and you do find these used commercially all over the USA including the NYC subway stations for announcments!
I heard these speakers 6 years ago in a restaurant and I was surprised how natural they sounded. Brought it and used it as front speakers with a sub. Tonally they are warm and smooth sounding speakers, a bit on the muddy side if placed closed to the wall. I have the Kef LS50 now and still have these control one speakers. Jumping to the LS50 was what made me feel like was a proper upgrade, which says a lot about these small speakers. Kef has a much better soundstage that makes these sound flat but tonally they are close and shouldn't be compared to LS50.
Ive had these in the summer hse at the bottom of the garden for a few years since moving house, problem is when I listen to music down there it now sounds so good I'm thinking of bringing them back indoors. Your observation about the mid range are so spot on. Melody Gardot smashed it out the park on these, but then she always does. I love the lamp inside too.
I have not heard these little jbl's but I have a pair (actually 3 pairs) of jbl l1speakers made in 1992 with a 6.5" woofer and titanium tweeter. They can be found here in the states for $200-$300 and will blow the Sox off most modern day budget speakers. They retailed for $750 and I would put them up against most contemporary 2 way speakers in the $1000-$2000 price range. Though they are only rated at 47hz-27khz they sound and feel like they go deeper. Sometimes you may have to fuss a bit with toe in as the tweeters can be a bit bright at times if they are pointed right at you. I would definitely recommend the l1 to anyone on a budget but wanting amazing sound. My room is 17x23 feet and the l1 speakers have no problem filling it with sound at ear bleeding spl if desired and no subwoofer needed. I am currently setting up a home theater using the jbl l1. Seriously Kelvin try to get your hands on a pair of l1's. I am sure you will be impressed.
@@stereoreviewx I love the fact you can hear things in songs that you didn’t know was there. To be fair even the bass is spot on (for the size) I run mine through an old onkyo 7.1 dsp cinema amp. 99% of the time just set to pure audio.
TLDR everyone should own a pair of these (edit: or better yet, the Pros). I don't know if this comment is gonna make sense to a lot of people but if you've got lots of studio time under your belt I highly, HIGHLY recommend getting the Pro version of these. They manage to sound a bit like active monitors while these ones less so. I'd say the Pro version is absolutely worth up to 30-40 quid more than these, if you can find them at that price difference. Dunno how much they go for. Like other comments said both these and the Pros need an amp that can deliver. They like their juice. PS shocked at the "loudness" comment, that is SO true. And laughed at the foam comment because mine are in their box for that very reason! Foam turned to... tar. But they're so damn good I'm actually gonna bother to get them fixed someday. Awesome video. Cheers.
Hey. Thanks for a nice honest unpaid rewiev. I got these as backspeakers in a 5.1 setup. I got the subwoofer as well SB-5. Mine are called one plus though. Wonder what the plus means. Looks exactly lke yours. And yes guite a nice sound. Take care 😁
Hi kelvin. Recently back into the hifi game. Glad you’ve done a pair of small speakers I’m currently listening to a pair of wharfedale super diamonds from the late 80;s being driven by a sugden A25 and a Cambridge audio axc 25. I heard you say on a previous review that wharfedale don’t really float your boat but I think they really do achieve a surprisingly big sound for such a small box and it’s all about what is pleasing to you at the end of the day and I am very happy with what I’m getting from my little set up. I should add that I’m listening in my man cave ( back bedroom)
Nice material! Keep up finding gems like this! You can go Grundig Box 800 or the Super Hi-Fi, Sony SS CHX70, Onkyo D-N7BX... those are all quite good and afordable.
Very good to start out with speakers. They are what I started out with when I bought my first speakers over 20yrs ago. Yep about 4yrs ago the foam disintegrated so will put them up on eBay.
Hello. Thanks for you reviews, always interesting. Is it possible to review modern speakers as ProAc (studio 130, mine 🙄) compared to vintange one? I'm wondering which older speakers could be challenging. Best regards.
I totally get that, better speakers that do one or two things really well than everything mediocre or just fine but nothing great. I have a pair of vintage Philips speakers with 5" full range AlNiCo magnet and paper dual cone drivers. No base no treble but the mids are just beautiful and the imaging puts many expensive speakers to shame.
Just add a subwoofer, maybe like the Emotiva 8 inch with passive radiator, about $299. would be solid. Never heard you mention using sub, but that is only expected to be used with such a small speaker. Great review thank you. I always thought they were good.
I had these in my home studio and found them so-so compared to my Yamaha NS10M monitors which I let go due to downsizing. I must tell you Kelvin about the best small 2-way speakers that are absolutely amazing. Cambridge Audio S30 can be picked up for very little cash (£50-80) and, in a small room, they have it all. I can distinguish between the kick drum and bass guitar, proper soundstage and detailed separation galore. I would love for you to review them if you get a chance.
Kelvin! I have a very same feeling from Gale Gold Mk2 speakers. I bought them in Bromley for £25. Before that I had little Gale 3010. But similarly I prefer them much more than stupid Mission's LX-2 which cost me £180 clearance price, otherwise normally £270. These Gales give pleasure, beautiful midrange, kind a sweet fairy tale feeling, solid, tight base (of course relative to their size). They really keep me enjoying and listening my music apart from Mission's better detail, perhaps more balanced trebles yet blurry, muddy, muffled, boomy base which is so annoying and discouriging me from listening. It is noticeable that the Missions sound is more open compared to Gales a little bit veiled sound, but even this improves considerably when bi wiring them. Gale 3010 are even non-ported which I love. Other thing which I noticed is that these Gales are much more responsive to treble/base controls if I need to adjust a bit something (I often listen to the radio) than the Missions. I am a big fan of these Richer Sounds' Gale speakers.
Hi Daniel interesting stuff thanks for that let me just mention I have just been listening to the ELAC Debut 2.0 which go for £300 and I just have to turn it off because there’s nothing good about them definitely prefer the JBL is to them don’t tell anyone they get very upset. Cheers K
I got them myself 2 years ago and they are amazing for what you pay. combined with a good sub it is a very well rounded sound. I do like them tho with a little EQ on the high end more. Even without a sub they are incredibly fun to listen to when it comes to acoustic where real instruments are played. Using a 90s Jbl GTs50 car amp which only gives like 20 watts per channel but that is more then enough.
@@stereoreviewx Yea that is sadly a theme that cheaper means worse. But since they are a proven design since the 90s it has only gotten cheaper but being the same quality. And the fact that they are under normal circumstances indestructible.
I got a budget price pair of Bang Olufsen C40s with pristine drivers and your description of these matches the C40s exactly. Really curious if anyone who's heard them both has any comments on how they compare. Their mid-range, detailing and stereo imaging are superb. I can't believe the price I got them for.
In Ukraine, 130 pounds cost new Jbl Control 1 pro speakers, and Jbl Control One - about 90-100 pounds. Thanks for the review, going to buy a used Control One for my Yamaha rx 300, I like mid range ))
Oh yes , i use loudness aswell dear, take a pair kefs 102 reference from'90...instead of using the kube , i put big yamaha amp with tunable loudness and bass correction and these kefs sound much better then with the kef kube corrector...the loudness compensate our sensitivity issue on low level for frequencies below 600 hz and above 8000 hz...our ears are not flat at all!!!!
I just had to metion this since it looks like most people here or others watching other JBL Control 1 reviews are confused about the difference between JBL Control 1, Control 1 Pro and Control ONE and Control 1X or Xtreme. Basically, all use the same woofers, and the older Control 1 vintage has a slighly different enclosure which is the tweeters wave guide for example, but ultimately the same. The Control 1 and Control 1 Pro uses the same tweeters and woofers as well, but slightly different crossovers, mainly crossover points. Some Control 1 and Control 1 Pros have two SK3 lamps to protect both drivers. The Control ONE, Control 1X or Xtreme are exactly the same speakers. All drivers, enclosures, etc are the same. All have the Titanium-Laminte tweeters and same woofers. The consumer Control 1 series use the same woofer as the Professional versions, by the way. Also, JBL measures the drivers size differently on JBL consumer and JBL Pro, but they are all the same size. Also, JBL tends to measure the frequency response differently from their Pro and Consumer website. All have a usable frequency response from 50hz to 20kHz. But. if you want to know where the sound is flat, then it's from 100hz to 18kHz. The enclosures are all the same size and you can actually swap drivers from another if you want. Even you can do this with the Control 1 and the Control 1 Pro as well. It's really confusing to many people since JBL doesn't really keep the same specs because they measure them differently, but are the same for all of the these Control 1 series. Now the Control 1 Plus actually have different drivers but the same size woofers and the same enclouses as the Control 1. They use a better woofer and tweeter that is actually Pure Titanium rather than Titanium-Laminate. All of the consumer Control 1 series have Titanium-Laminate tweeters. If you want, you can actually use the crossover from the JBL Control ONE, Xtreme or X to have the JBL Control 1 or Pro have 8 Ohms rather than 4 Ohms to work on most receivers. Now there is something to note. If you want to use the recent Control 1 Pro woofers on other Control 1 series, you will have to slightly make the plus pin on the cable a little wider. For some reason, JBL decided to slightly change the pin that you connect to the plus wire for the woofer. The minus is the same size so it will fit. All in all, it's all about how it was measured, like the frequency response, or woofer and tweeter size measurements, like JBL Consumer website shows 100 mm size woofer and JBL Pro website shows 135 mm. Also, the wattage as well are measured differently. That's why there are so many different numbers. Ether way, I had found these things out because I had all of these speakers and also even replaced parts for it and all are universal parts as you notice when you look up parts for these speakers.
@@Stormmover Yes, and other Control 1 speakers as well. Like the Control 1C for example. I just wished that JBL didn't due this since it really would confuse people even though they are the same speakers.
@@Stormmover All of the Control 1 series, except the Plus use the same drivers. Just the tweeter meteral is either Polycabonate or Titanium-Laminate. The Control 1 Plus uses the same size drivers for both woofer and tweeter, but the drivers is better. JBL Control 1 Pro basically used the consumer Xtreme, X, ONE front baffle because it has a better tweeter waveguide and also the bass port has a funnel like tip inside to help the overall bass. Also, for the Control 1 Pro saying that it goes 150 watts is the peak power. Same goes with the other Control 1 series. 80 watts is the RMS. You will blow the Control 1 Pro if you put 150 watts of music power. The Control 1 Plus can go louder though because the woofer is better. Also, it's nice that it has Pure Titanium vs Titanium-Laminate. But all, it's just preference on what type of highs you like to hear for the tweeters in the end. But if you want to use the JBL Control 1, Pro, G, C, etc, it's recommended that you use the crossover for the consumer version like the Control ONE, X, Xtreme so that you can use it on any receivers. Since it's 8 Ohms vs 4 Ohms. Now the front baffle for the Pro III uses a different front baffle so it can fit the bigger Titanium tweeter. But the woofer is the same so you can put any Control 1 woofer in them. You can swap crossover as well because the back baffle is the same. You might think that this is crazy but you can actually use the front baffle from any of the Control 1 series to the Pro III because the back part is exactly the same. Honestly, the true overall upgrade to the Control 1 series I would say is the Plus, because of the better woofer and also they made the front baffle tweeter placement to be mirror image. Also, I like that it has Pure Titanium tweeters.
I got set used around 2000 from car dealership. I think they were already 3 or 4 years old. Oh, they sounded great in that very large area. I re foamed a couple years ago and still use on patio in summer. These will crank and sound great for most modest applications. I use a Kenwood KR-5400 about 50 watts a channel, perfect!!!. Z.K.
Greta review, i think the A curve or good mid-range is under valued. the best dynamics in instruments come from the mid-range. they sound like a good desktop or background speaker. They use small JBL's down at NJT Penn station. at times play music and it' amazing how natural and good they sound. Always like to stand under one of them while waiting for my train to post.
The independent record store that I used to frequent to used these JBLs with a Rel sub. Sadly, the record store closed in 2002 thanks to Shawn Fanning's Napster. Speaking of this tiny JBLs, I still wonder what the hype is about behind those similarly sized Elacs?🤔
Love My Tiny Tannoy MX1 Speakers With a 4 inch Driver And 1 Inch Soft Dome Tweeter Connected To An Old Mission Cyrus 2 For Listing To TH-cam Great Bass, and Mids Are Lovely And The Highs Are Lovely Too Would Not Swap For Any Other Small Speaker As They Sound So Nice Great Video Kelvin !! Regards mike.
The JBL Pro III are shielded version of the control 1’s with a titanium tweeter. The control 1 has polycarbonate tweeter. I have the Pro III’s paired with the Control SB-1 subwoofer. And yes the surrounds are in need of the second set to be replaced. I bought mine while in Germany in the Air Force in 1991.
Some time ago I got attracted by a very delighful sound emanating from a terrace of a café when I was merely passing by. I had to look at them closely. They looked very similar as these JBL. They were branded as APART - quite obscure brand but sound wise very friendly really!
A friend had these for a long time and I heard them a lot and always liked them. The foam rotted, so I am getting them cheap and getting new mid drivers for them for $50 US. I recently bought a JBL Control SB-2 subwoofer (38-160Hz @-10dB) which is made for these as a system and for the contractor series. It has a 10" dual voice coil driver and is a slot loaded, vented bandpass design and handles 340W. It is a passive set up and I got it used for $100 US. The satellite output crossover is at 160Hz, so this should make a nice system. These Control 1s are older and have polycarbonate tweeters. A correction for you is they are 5.25" drivers. Other noteworthy specs are that they handle 150W and have a freq. range of 80hz - 20kHz (-10dB). I plan on using them for a small keyboard system and music listening. Good to know they are good with midrange and piano music. Running the system with a Hafler 500 amp. Thanks for the review Kelvin. Check out the JBL Control SB-2.
Update: I got the new JBL Control 1 Plus drivers installed and am very pleased so far and they have treated paper cones. They are a bit bright in the treble range and I trimmed down the upper frequencies a bit with my 31 band equalizer. They also worked well playing my Kurzweil keyboard through them. I have yet to try placing the SB-2 subwoofer in different locations to effect it's efficiency. The Control 1s by themselves put out a surprising amount of bass. New ones are $170 a pair US or 122 pounds UK.
Hi Kelvin, great review - just about to purchase a pair of these, just a quick question are these 8 Ohms? the reason for asking I checked many outlets and they mention that they are 4 Ohms and the manual says they are 8Ohms
#question Help me please. I have the JBL On Air Control 2.4, but I have the problem that only the speaker with the power input works and the other one doesn't (yes both LED`s are green). I connected them as per the description with speaker cables - it's so frustrating. I lost the remote, but I can live with it since I can control mute and volume from my PC's settings. Does anyone have an idea how I can fix this?
I had a pair of those on my test bench for about 20 years . We were a JBL dealer , so i got them cheap . They DO have a sub bass compliment (SB-1) . If I'm not mistaken , I think the surrounds are a butyl rubber and not foam ? mine are over 20 years old and are still not rotting out !
It's important to remember that when a bar or restaurant is fitted with these it's more than likely the decor installers are given whatever is available at the time. So jbl got the tender at the best price.Everything is about the price
I use these as centre and rear speakers in my home cinema setup. I use a pair of them with a yamaha active woofer in my office. I've had 'better' speakers in that rig, and only put these in on a temporary basis to see what they might sound like, but have never put the others back! I'm a retired classical music and film recording engineer, and their tonal balance with the woofer is fantastic for classical music.
Yes they are great speakers having done this review I realise the only thing that makes them that cheap is the plastic box if they are in a wooden box I’ll be £200 and people might appreciate the more crazy isn’t it
Thanks for putting the time into an everyman speaker. I wonder how many of your viewers will order a pair of these after getting home after a big night in the pub?
Sending out a MASSIVE SHOUT OUT TO Kelvin THE HIFI DOCTOR .. working my way through his back catalog of uploads ….. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK …. BERMONDSEY CALLING 👍
Is this the Wharfedale 507 good? I saw a guy also selling a JBL Control 1 made in California here for 169 euros (is this version better than the new ones from China or not at all?). I want to use through my handmade poweramp, to listen (and if it's possible for some mix monitoring). I Play and listen stuff from Pink Floyd to 90s Death Metal, so I want to use it sometimes to play guitar through plugins and stuff ... It's very difficult to find reviews about the Wharfedale 507.
These are not the pro/1 model and only 50 watts. The pro model has supierior tweeter which isnt titanium. The bass driver is also slighty bigger and are 150 watts.
I have 2 pairs of these and I am listening to you on them now. I have the original ones with 4 inch woofers my first pair had the surrounds go bad and they only sell the 5 inch foams for the control one pro in the us so I got lucky on ebay and found another pair of them for $60 .
I had a set of Control 5's in my home studio in the early 2000's and they were great. Might have to check out some of these to pair with a sub for TV use
@@nchristensen3309 I thought so. Many thanks. Are they a good low resonance design? As much as I do not like plastic, it's actually a pretty good material for many things, even if it isn't very nice to handle or look at. So I can imagine some really well made speakers using molded plastic cabinets.
One of the speakers I am looking at and low and behold. How do you think these would pair with a Keces E-40 and or a small class D Chinese amp? Perhaps a JBL A-120/130 better option? Thx.
If you love these, you will love System Audio 1005 even more, it has a bit more bass and is more an allround speaker, I use them with my Yamaha stage piano and they give me so much joy, I bought them for 80 euro, they were no 1 in a monitor speaker test in the nineties but also the most expensive in the test. But they are very rare and because of the brand name 'system audio' very difficult to look for.
I've never seen these for $82 here in America, they're usually a lot more. I'm pretty sure the tweeters are Titanium-Laminate or sliver colored Polycarbonate. You should try the JBL HLS610, and put them with the horn tweeter on the bottom. They've got that Polycarbonate tweeter sound I like with a fun waveguide. They're like Studio 530's but old and chilaxed. Also like the 530's they need to be near a wall with the proper distance to work well or else the port will chuff super bad. Once their positioned properly mmm, warm smooth and firm bass. Fighting the urge to buy the 8" version currently lol
My local college uses these. I heard them in action. They aren’t too impressive in the bass department, but they aren’t lacking bass. Of course, they are too small to reproduce deep bass. A lot of them are foam rotted at my college, sadly. I agree they got a good midrange. ☹️🔊
Yes !, For a small space these mini monitors can deliver quality. I use the sealed Monarch/Monacor LSP50 also from the nineties. I play them in concert with bigger monitors where I disconect the tweeter from. (Kef cresta 10, or cheap Sony´s) Its a ¨poor-mans-route¨ to higher quality sound.
I just bought a set in great condition I am in holland and for 35 euros about 27 pounds i just looked up the specs frequency response is from 80hz no loudness button for me better is a subwoofer and i have not used for years but still perfect a jamo sw-50 active vintage sub(10 inch woofer) i get the JBLs next week i think this is problem solved for me in my tiny workplace caravan powered by a scott a426 with 30 watts if that dosnt work well the scott has a split pre/power so i will put on my vintage peavey power amp and the scott as a pre amp its a shame kelvin you never actualy give us a live test with a good microphone
A pair of these are for sale on a FB marketplace near me. (I'm a little worried by all the variants though). Grateful for your assessment as my experience of JBL gear is 4560 and 4550 bass cabs from many years ago! At £30 for a pair I think I may take a punt. Again, thanks for your opinion
I’ve got the JBL 1 pro - same size but 150w handling and with the orange badge on the front - mounted on the hatch on my catering van. Perfect size for the job but had to build my own mounting brackets as the supplied ones aren’t gonna stand up to being shook around. With a bit of a scoop to calm down the midrange and boost the bass around 80hz they sound spot on paired up with the equally budget conscious stageline rack amp.
I have a pair of these as my rear surround speakers. I bought these years ago and still have the manual for them. I am a little confused with the specs. My manual says my frequency response is 50Hz - 20kHz. Online it says 80Hz - 20kHz. Not sure which one is correct. They are just the plain control one not the pro.
I have had the Control one’s. Picked them up up for free. You should try other vintage JBL. I am thoroughly enjoing a pair of JBL L110 on my Sansui au9900A. I had a pair og Kef Concerto. A tad warmer than the JBL, but also a really nice set of speakers 😊
Sound like fashion keeps on changing, you CANNOT Stop the changing tastes of music and hence sound reproduction. This does not imply modern sound is superior to 'old' sound, it is a matter of tastes.
Thanks! If possible, I’d like to have your opinion on pro amps Crown XLS series. They are very cheap and many hifi people like them and reviewing in TH-cam.
Thank you very much, Kelvin. I didn’t know they were that good actually. Humm, I think I could make an interesting set up with these Control Ones in a 4.1 architecture. What do you think..?
Thanks for giving a small pair of speakers a fair hearing, Kelvin - they're often overlooked by reviewers. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the similarly-sized Technics SB-F1 speakers!
vintage ones that cant be bought any more
Picked up a pair of these a few years ago in a garage sale €25.00 they sound excellent with my little Creek 4040 amp and Creek 3140 tuner. i have this system set up in my work shop and it just performs very well, Kelvin keep the vids coming very refreshing.
They had a lot of mid emphasis because they're were used extensively for vocal monitoring in outside broadcast trucks. They're practically bomb proof with their rubberised sides and metal grille covers, (I've own 2 pairs and they survived many a wild party!) They're also great for a budget surround sound system because all the speakers are exactly the same, therefore there would be no change in sonic tone when sound effects are whizzing around the room, plus the centre channel would give great vocal clarity and can be oriented on it's side to either fit into a rack below the TV, or present a lower profile if sitting on a shelf. At £180 for six quality loudspeakers, they're an absolute steal! Just add an active subwoofer for the full experience.
I just bought 2 pairs at £39.00 each from richer sounds, will be used as front Height, and rear Height, in a 7.2.6 Dolby Atmos system. I have 2 SVS PB1000 Active subs, Klipsch front soundstage, and a Denon AVR X6700H Receiver, with an Emotiva BasX A6 power amp. I had a pair of these in my kitchen hooked up to an old Sony amp to listen to music as I cook, and was happy with the sound. they should be fine for height effects in my system.
So I know this is 2 years old, but now that Atmos is surely becoming the norm for commercial mixing, those are the *only* speakers I can think of that make it possible for home studio owners like me to build an actual 7.1 surround rig. They come with their own brackets, won't make your breakers trip out, don't break the bank, reduce wiring (you basically connect them in pairs, the only practical issue being the side speakers needing to be connected together)... overall this is making it possible for me to have an Atmos rig, as well as many mix engineers working from home. Those boxes are amazing!!!
I have two pairs of these, I love them and everyone I've played them for loves them!
Yes they are a total bargain the only thing is everyone sees them in pubs and clubs and they’re made of plastic if they were made of wood and looked fantastic it will be a different story I’d say for those speakers
I owned a pair of these back in the 90s and you're right, they are very good for the money. What they are not, is an easy load for all amplifiers.
It was not until I got my JBL control1 pair that I learned my other speakers were lacking in the midrange. I redid the foam surrounds and discovered the cabinets are very robust. They are heavy duty. It is true when you move them closer to the wall the sound changes. The sound spreads out more the closer to the wall. They have mounting slots integrated into the cabinets, they were tuned to be mounted close to the wall. These speakers are worth their price. Good video, thanks.
can you show me where you get the foam surround? mine needs replacing
doesn’t mean your other speakers lacked; these are hyped in the mids sounding partly bc there’s no bass and are designed to be mid forward
You are very good at what you doing Kelvin ,Bless you !!
imo best review about these JBLs so far, thanks for sharing !!
in Germany these JBLs are offered as a pair for around 100 EUROS in the black version and up to 150 EUROS in the white version (mid 2022)
based on my own experiences and comparisons, these small JBLs are the best for the low price that you can use especially on the PC, many times better than all these plastic cookie jars that are offered specifically for use on the PC even in higher price range ... imo these little JBLs are more than enough for most normal people and the normal music enjoyment without an always much more expensive "audiophile" claim (whatever that`s supposed to be) and they are absolutely "wife friendly" ;-)
I used the active/powered version of this JBL Control One for years on the PC and just only with a portable Sony CD Walkman in my living room or on the go at parties with friends, I didn't have any sound problems with these speakers + the little Sony in any party cellar, and I never used the loudness button ... I was absolutely thrilled, not matter what kind of music I've heard, from Pop/Rock, acoustic to "World Music" to classical, the best little speakers I've ever had especially for the PC ... unfortunately the foam surrounds have rotted after only a few years, what should be a typical and well-known defect in these JBLs, as far as I've researched, and for inexperienced they are hard to replace ... ok, at that price you can just buy new JBLs again, no real problem, and just buying complete new chassis isn't much cheaper either ... and also unfortunately, as far as I know, the active/powered version of this JBL Control One isn`t no longer offered respectively I haven't found them anywhere ... or am I misinformed?
I use these in my little home studio. They're pretty good clarity wise and don't colour the sound too much.
dunno if you guys gives a damn but if you are bored like me atm you can stream all of the latest movies on InstaFlixxer. I've been binge watching with my girlfriend recently xD
@Cohen Harley Yup, I've been watching on Instaflixxer for since november myself =)
I use the Pro version for about 5 years and they play music good indeed, they can show every change in the chain like cables, phono cartridges...One thing i know that they change character with different positioning so one must find the best for them.
Thanks Kelvin all good stuff, Ideal for a small room and people on a small budget.
I had these as main speakers with Audio pro subwoofer and it was very good, especially with rock/pop.
These are actually overkill for a small room :) And anyone who loves speakers should try and demo the Pro version of these... Loud. Real loud.
@GeneralCurtis3LeMay Another thing I don't know is EXACTLY what species of bug crawled up your arse :D
Can connect to tv straight...? Direct out of tv..? Thank you
Brilliant video thanks. I have been using a pair of these for the last 10 years in my games room for music & game music and today were going to swap them out for a pair of Eltax Monitor III speakers which are slightly bigger about the same output and price range, I ended up putting the JBLs back up and the Eltax back into storage, the Eltax had a nicer more substantial bass but the JBLs had a much nicer sound with my Technics SU-V500 amp, I used the wall mounts that came with mine, black screw thread things on a bolt, lacking in deep base like you say and perfect for a smallish sound for a smallish room.
Yes Real bargain I think
Thanks for a honest and balanced review Kelvin. I’ve revisited my old pair of ones over the last few weeks and have really enjoyed them. Totally agree with you about use of the loudness button. I’ve also found putting foam bungs in the ports really tamed the lower frequencies and let the mids shine through even further. Placed at ear level and close to a wall they give an outstanding imaging and soundstage. A bit finicky with choice of amp, but as said a tremendous bargain.
Hi Kelvin always enjoy your honest opinions on gear thats in the reach of mere .mortals. these speakers ive had for years and what they offer is truly amazing, i used these in a bar once powered by a yamaha AX 496 and a upgraded marantz 63 mk11 signature. Just playing a mix of music and the party really got started in fact people just looked at them in disbelief at the huge sound they made, if your offered a pair snap them up,
There awsome
I bought a used pair a few years ago for my garage and they are outstanding. I have them on wall mounts and they are positioned close to wall so bass is acceptable. Recently I sold all my hi fi to release some money for other things. When I bought the cheaper replacement components, I bought JBL control one just as a cheap speaker to get me buy until I decided what speakers I wanted. I ended up just settling with the JBL control ones for nearly a year before buying something at £600 to better them. My previous speakers prior to the jbl's were tannoy cheviot legacy so the fact that the wee jbl's kept me interested in the music after I sold the Tannoys is great praise indeed. They have got to be one of the greatest bargains around.
I have 7 pieces of them and a Subwoofer on a Yamaha 880 receiver in a small living room . It's unbelievble with a Marantz cd player and a good glass of wine . I really enjoy my favorite cd's . Thanks for the review .
They routinely go for between $50 to $100 in Canada. Mainly they're sold as outdoor speakers. The tweeter is a titanium laminate which is impressive at the price.
It’s not titanium in any way. Dismantled it and you’ll see
@@ravithompson1082 I looked them up and yes you are right... the tweeters are polycarbonate. My bad. But they are styled to look like JBL's titanium domes that were also made back then.
Hi i have been a hifi buff since 1997 but i still consider myself a newb i dont know anything about vintage stuff.
however i have been using these speakers for the past 15 years and im thinking about getting another pair. i really appreciate your review.
The C1 is just a beautiful "all around" "General Purpose" monitor for price/performance! They pair great with subs too. It is considered a pro-audio model according to JBL, and you do find these used commercially all over the USA including the NYC subway stations for announcments!
I heard these speakers 6 years ago in a restaurant and I was surprised how natural they sounded. Brought it and used it as front speakers with a sub. Tonally they are warm and smooth sounding speakers, a bit on the muddy side if placed closed to the wall. I have the Kef LS50 now and still have these control one speakers. Jumping to the LS50 was what made me feel like was a proper upgrade, which says a lot about these small speakers. Kef has a much better soundstage that makes these sound flat but tonally they are close and shouldn't be compared to LS50.
Ive had these in the summer hse at the bottom of the garden for a few years since moving house, problem is when I listen to music down there it now sounds so good I'm thinking of bringing them back indoors.
Your observation about the mid range are so spot on.
Melody Gardot smashed it out the park on these, but then she always does.
I love the lamp inside too.
Control series date from mid 80.s
I have not heard these little jbl's but I have a pair (actually 3 pairs) of jbl l1speakers made in 1992 with a 6.5" woofer and titanium tweeter. They can be found here in the states for $200-$300 and will blow the Sox off most modern day budget speakers. They retailed for $750 and I would put them up against most contemporary 2 way speakers in the $1000-$2000 price range. Though they are only rated at 47hz-27khz they sound and feel like they go deeper. Sometimes you may have to fuss a bit with toe in as the tweeters can be a bit bright at times if they are pointed right at you. I would definitely recommend the l1 to anyone on a budget but wanting amazing sound. My room is 17x23 feet and the l1 speakers have no problem filling it with sound at ear bleeding spl if desired and no subwoofer needed. I am currently setting up a home theater using the jbl l1. Seriously Kelvin try to get your hands on a pair of l1's. I am sure you will be impressed.
Thank you, a review with all the right things. And most importantly - it is interesting, and as you say, it gives you something.
Your description of how you first noticed them is exactly how I noticed them, Our ears told us its a decent speaker.
I have a pair of control 1 pro. I love them. So honest and mid is faultless
Agreed, I think they’re underrated because you always see them in cinema, foyers and shops
@@stereoreviewx I love the fact you can hear things in songs that you didn’t know was there. To be fair even the bass is spot on (for the size) I run mine through an old onkyo 7.1 dsp cinema amp. 99% of the time just set to pure audio.
Great review kelvin. I always love a good bargain! Make sure to keep an eye out for the great IMF Compact II.
TLDR everyone should own a pair of these (edit: or better yet, the Pros).
I don't know if this comment is gonna make sense to a lot of people but if you've got lots of studio time under your belt I highly, HIGHLY recommend getting the Pro version of these. They manage to sound a bit like active monitors while these ones less so. I'd say the Pro version is absolutely worth up to 30-40 quid more than these, if you can find them at that price difference. Dunno how much they go for.
Like other comments said both these and the Pros need an amp that can deliver. They like their juice.
PS shocked at the "loudness" comment, that is SO true. And laughed at the foam comment because mine are in their box for that very reason! Foam turned to... tar. But they're so damn good I'm actually gonna bother to get them fixed someday. Awesome video. Cheers.
Thanks for the info K
Loudness is a magic button for many speakers. Unfortunately It disappeared.
Hey.
Thanks for a nice honest unpaid rewiev. I got these as backspeakers in a 5.1 setup. I got the subwoofer as well SB-5. Mine are called one plus though. Wonder what the plus means. Looks exactly lke yours. And yes guite a nice sound.
Take care 😁
Hi kelvin. Recently back into the hifi game. Glad you’ve done a pair of small speakers I’m currently listening to a pair of wharfedale super diamonds from the late 80;s being driven by a sugden A25 and a Cambridge audio axc 25. I heard you say on a previous review that wharfedale don’t really float your boat but I think they really do achieve a surprisingly big sound for such a small box and it’s all about what is pleasing to you at the end of the day and I am very happy with what I’m getting from my little set up. I should add that I’m listening in my man cave ( back bedroom)
Nice material! Keep up finding gems like this! You can go Grundig Box 800 or the Super Hi-Fi, Sony SS CHX70, Onkyo D-N7BX... those are all quite good and afordable.
These are often used as outdoor speakers, I want a pair to put under my porch
Very good to start out with speakers. They are what I started out with when I bought my first speakers over 20yrs ago.
Yep about 4yrs ago the foam disintegrated so will put them up on eBay.
You are such a soft hearted man. Thanks for this review dude
Hello. Thanks for you reviews, always interesting. Is it possible to review modern speakers as ProAc (studio 130, mine 🙄) compared to vintange one? I'm wondering which older speakers could be challenging. Best regards.
I totally get that, better speakers that do one or two things really well than everything mediocre or just fine but nothing great. I have a pair of vintage Philips speakers with 5" full range AlNiCo magnet and paper dual cone drivers. No base no treble but the mids are just beautiful and the imaging puts many expensive speakers to shame.
JBL used to package the Control 1's with a SB-1 "Sub bass" passive subwoofer to compensate for the lack of bass.
Just add a subwoofer, maybe like the Emotiva 8 inch with passive radiator, about $299. would be solid. Never heard you mention using sub, but that is only expected to be used with such a small speaker. Great review thank you. I always thought they were good.
I had these in my home studio and found them so-so compared to my Yamaha NS10M monitors which I let go due to downsizing. I must tell you Kelvin about the best small 2-way speakers that are absolutely amazing. Cambridge Audio S30 can be picked up for very little cash (£50-80) and, in a small room, they have it all. I can distinguish between the kick drum and bass guitar, proper soundstage and detailed separation galore. I would love for you to review them if you get a chance.
Have had mine since the 90s and still sound great with my Sansui AU-217
Kelvin! I have a very same feeling from Gale Gold Mk2 speakers. I bought them in Bromley for £25. Before that I had little Gale 3010. But similarly I prefer them much more than stupid Mission's LX-2 which cost me £180 clearance price, otherwise normally £270. These Gales give pleasure, beautiful midrange, kind a sweet fairy tale feeling, solid, tight base (of course relative to their size). They really keep me enjoying and listening my music apart from Mission's better detail, perhaps more balanced trebles yet blurry, muddy, muffled, boomy base which is so annoying and discouriging me from listening. It is noticeable that the Missions sound is more open compared to Gales a little bit veiled sound, but even this improves considerably when bi wiring them. Gale 3010 are even non-ported which I love. Other thing which I noticed is that these Gales are much more responsive to treble/base controls if I need to adjust a bit something (I often listen to the radio) than the Missions. I am a big fan of these Richer Sounds' Gale speakers.
Hi Daniel interesting stuff thanks for that let me just mention I have just been listening to the ELAC Debut 2.0 which go for £300 and I just have to turn it off because there’s nothing good about them definitely prefer the JBL is to them don’t tell anyone they get very upset.
Cheers K
l bought a second hand JBL sub-bass SB-1 for £10 at a car boot! This has been a brilliant addition to my book-shelf speakers.
I got them myself 2 years ago and they are amazing for what you pay. combined with a good sub it is a very well rounded sound.
I do like them tho with a little EQ on the high end more. Even without a sub they are incredibly fun to listen to when it comes to acoustic where real instruments are played.
Using a 90s Jbl GTs50 car amp which only gives like 20 watts per channel but that is more then enough.
Thanks for the info the thing with these Speakers is there almost too cheap to be appreciate
@@stereoreviewx Yea that is sadly a theme that cheaper means worse. But since they are a proven design since the 90s it has only gotten cheaper but being the same quality.
And the fact that they are under normal circumstances indestructible.
I got a budget price pair of Bang Olufsen C40s with pristine drivers and your description of these matches the C40s exactly. Really curious if anyone who's heard them both has any comments on how they compare. Their mid-range, detailing and stereo imaging are superb. I can't believe the price I got them for.
In Ukraine, 130 pounds cost new Jbl Control 1 pro speakers, and Jbl Control One - about 90-100 pounds. Thanks for the review, going to buy a used Control One for my Yamaha rx 300, I like mid range ))
Oh yes , i use loudness aswell dear, take a pair kefs 102 reference from'90...instead of using the kube , i put big yamaha amp with tunable loudness and bass correction and these kefs sound much better then with the kef kube corrector...the loudness compensate our sensitivity issue on low level for frequencies below 600 hz and above 8000 hz...our ears are not flat at all!!!!
I dont think these are for background music application. Because it has no line level input.
I just had to metion this since it looks like most people here or others watching other JBL Control 1 reviews are confused about the difference between JBL Control 1, Control 1 Pro and Control ONE and Control 1X or Xtreme. Basically, all use the same woofers, and the older Control 1 vintage has a slighly different enclosure which is the tweeters wave guide for example, but ultimately the same. The Control 1 and Control 1 Pro uses the same tweeters and woofers as well, but slightly different crossovers, mainly crossover points. Some Control 1 and Control 1 Pros have two SK3 lamps to protect both drivers.
The Control ONE, Control 1X or Xtreme are exactly the same speakers. All drivers, enclosures, etc are the same. All have the Titanium-Laminte tweeters and same woofers. The consumer Control 1 series use the same woofer as the Professional versions, by the way. Also, JBL measures the drivers size differently on JBL consumer and JBL Pro, but they are all the same size. Also, JBL tends to measure the frequency response differently from their Pro and Consumer website. All have a usable frequency response from 50hz to 20kHz. But. if you want to know where the sound is flat, then it's from 100hz to 18kHz. The enclosures are all the same size and you can actually swap drivers from another if you want. Even you can do this with the Control 1 and the Control 1 Pro as well.
It's really confusing to many people since JBL doesn't really keep the same specs because they measure them differently, but are the same for all of the these Control 1 series. Now the Control 1 Plus actually have different drivers but the same size woofers and the same enclouses as the Control 1. They use a better woofer and tweeter that is actually Pure Titanium rather than Titanium-Laminate. All of the consumer Control 1 series have Titanium-Laminate tweeters.
If you want, you can actually use the crossover from the JBL Control ONE, Xtreme or X to have the JBL Control 1 or Pro have 8 Ohms rather than 4 Ohms to work on most receivers. Now there is something to note. If you want to use the recent Control 1 Pro woofers on other Control 1 series, you will have to slightly make the plus pin on the cable a little wider. For some reason, JBL decided to slightly change the pin that you connect to the plus wire for the woofer. The minus is the same size so it will fit.
All in all, it's all about how it was measured, like the frequency response, or woofer and tweeter size measurements, like JBL Consumer website shows 100 mm size woofer and JBL Pro website shows 135 mm. Also, the wattage as well are measured differently. That's why there are so many different numbers.
Ether way, I had found these things out because I had all of these speakers and also even replaced parts for it and all are universal parts as you notice when you look up parts for these speakers.
What about control 1g universe?
@@Stormmover Yes, and other Control 1 speakers as well. Like the Control 1C for example.
I just wished that JBL didn't due this since it really would confuse people even though they are the same speakers.
@@Ben10Worgenare they the same?
@@Stormmover All of the Control 1 series, except the Plus use the same drivers. Just the tweeter meteral is either Polycabonate or Titanium-Laminate. The Control 1 Plus uses the same size drivers for both woofer and tweeter, but the drivers is better.
JBL Control 1 Pro basically used the consumer Xtreme, X, ONE front baffle because it has a better tweeter waveguide and also the bass port has a funnel like tip inside to help the overall bass.
Also, for the Control 1 Pro saying that it goes 150 watts is the peak power. Same goes with the other Control 1 series. 80 watts is the RMS. You will blow the Control 1 Pro if you put 150 watts of music power. The Control 1 Plus can go louder though because the woofer is better. Also, it's nice that it has Pure Titanium vs Titanium-Laminate. But all, it's just preference on what type of highs you like to hear for the tweeters in the end.
But if you want to use the JBL Control 1, Pro, G, C, etc, it's recommended that you use the crossover for the consumer version like the Control ONE, X, Xtreme so that you can use it on any receivers. Since it's 8 Ohms vs 4 Ohms. Now the front baffle for the Pro III uses a different front baffle so it can fit the bigger Titanium tweeter. But the woofer is the same so you can put any Control 1 woofer in them. You can swap crossover as well because the back baffle is the same.
You might think that this is crazy but you can actually use the front baffle from any of the Control 1 series to the Pro III because the back part is exactly the same.
Honestly, the true overall upgrade to the Control 1 series I would say is the Plus, because of the better woofer and also they made the front baffle tweeter placement to be mirror image. Also, I like that it has Pure Titanium tweeters.
@@Ben10Worgen thank you. Plus version is not available not even on ebay.
I got set used around 2000 from car dealership. I think they were already 3 or 4 years old. Oh, they sounded great in that very large area. I re foamed a couple years ago and still use on patio in summer. These will crank and sound great for most modest applications. I use a Kenwood KR-5400 about 50 watts a channel, perfect!!!. Z.K.
Greta review, i think the A curve or good mid-range is under valued. the best dynamics in instruments come from the mid-range. they sound like a good desktop or background speaker. They use small JBL's down at NJT Penn station. at times play music and it' amazing how natural and good they sound. Always like to stand under one of them while waiting for my train to post.
The independent record store that I used to frequent to used these JBLs with a Rel sub. Sadly, the record store closed in 2002 thanks to Shawn Fanning's Napster. Speaking of this tiny JBLs, I still wonder what the hype is about behind those similarly sized Elacs?🤔
Love My Tiny Tannoy MX1 Speakers With a 4 inch Driver And 1 Inch Soft Dome Tweeter Connected To An Old Mission Cyrus 2 For Listing To TH-cam Great Bass, and Mids Are Lovely And The Highs Are Lovely Too Would Not Swap For Any Other Small Speaker As They Sound So Nice Great Video Kelvin !! Regards mike.
The JBL Pro III are shielded version of the control 1’s with a titanium tweeter. The control 1 has polycarbonate tweeter. I have the Pro III’s paired with the Control SB-1 subwoofer. And yes the surrounds are in need of the second set to be replaced. I bought mine while in Germany in the Air Force in 1991.
Kelvin, how do you think these will do coupled with the pioneer sa-506? will it render the amp more mild and balanced?
Thank you
In a word no
Not a good match in my opinion
@@stereoreviewx ok thanks...but why is that?
Some time ago I got attracted by a very delighful sound emanating from a terrace of a café when I was merely passing by. I had to look at them closely. They looked very similar as these JBL. They were branded as APART - quite obscure brand but sound wise very friendly really!
I have a pair of those. The sound is too harsh for normal use. They are meant for studio monitoring.
These are great small near field monitors in the studio.
Add a small sub and you're in business. A great addition to your main monitoring system.
A friend had these for a long time and I heard them a lot and always liked them. The foam rotted, so I am getting them cheap and getting new mid drivers for them for $50 US. I recently bought a JBL Control SB-2 subwoofer (38-160Hz @-10dB) which is made for these as a system and for the contractor series. It has a 10" dual voice coil driver and is a slot loaded, vented bandpass design and handles 340W. It is a passive set up and I got it used for $100 US. The satellite output crossover is at 160Hz, so this should make a nice system. These Control 1s are older and have polycarbonate tweeters. A correction for you is they are 5.25" drivers. Other noteworthy specs are that they handle 150W and have a freq. range of 80hz - 20kHz (-10dB). I plan on using them for a small keyboard system and music listening. Good to know they are good with midrange and piano music. Running the system with a Hafler 500 amp. Thanks for the review Kelvin. Check out the JBL Control SB-2.
Update: I got the new JBL Control 1 Plus drivers installed and am very pleased so far and they have treated paper cones. They are a bit bright in the treble range and I trimmed down the upper frequencies a bit with my 31 band equalizer. They also worked well playing my Kurzweil keyboard through them. I have yet to try placing the SB-2 subwoofer in different locations to effect it's efficiency. The Control 1s by themselves put out a surprising amount of bass. New ones are $170 a pair US or 122 pounds UK.
These make an excellent duel mono centre speaker wired in series for an 8ohm load.
Hi Kelvin, great review - just about to purchase a pair of these, just a quick question are these 8 Ohms? the reason for asking I checked many outlets and they mention that they are 4 Ohms and the manual says they are 8Ohms
#question Help me please. I have the JBL On Air Control 2.4, but I have the problem that only the speaker with the power input works and the other one doesn't (yes both LED`s are green). I connected them as per the description with speaker cables - it's so frustrating. I lost the remote, but I can live with it since I can control mute and volume from my PC's settings. Does anyone have an idea how I can fix this?
I had a pair of those on my test bench for about 20 years . We were a JBL dealer , so i got them cheap . They DO have a sub bass compliment (SB-1) . If I'm not mistaken , I think the surrounds are a butyl rubber and not foam ? mine are over 20 years old and are still not rotting out !
Mine rotted ... After 15 years !! Good value
@@edwardbalboa5528 How long ago did you get them ?
@@edwardbalboa5528 Mine too. At 15 years.
It's important to remember that when a bar or restaurant is fitted with these it's more than likely the decor installers are given whatever is available at the time. So jbl got the tender at the best price.Everything is about the price
I use these as centre and rear speakers in my home cinema setup. I use a pair of them with a yamaha active woofer in my office. I've had 'better' speakers in that rig, and only put these in on a temporary basis to see what they might sound like, but have never put the others back! I'm a retired classical music and film recording engineer, and their tonal balance with the woofer is fantastic for classical music.
Yes they are great speakers having done this review I realise the only thing that makes them that cheap is the plastic box if they are in a wooden box I’ll be £200 and people might appreciate the more crazy isn’t it
I should have perhaps pointed out that I drive my office/studio pair with a 700wpc Yamaha power amp, so there's plenty of 'body' to the sound!
My thoughts also. Good as duel mono centre speakers. Good mids and tops.
Thanks for putting the time into an everyman speaker.
I wonder how many of your viewers will order a pair of these after getting home after a big night in the pub?
Yeah and the cost is pretty similar😀
Yeah and the cost is pretty similar😀
Sending out a MASSIVE SHOUT OUT TO Kelvin THE HIFI DOCTOR .. working my way through his back catalog of uploads ….. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK …. BERMONDSEY CALLING 👍
Is this the Wharfedale 507 good? I saw a guy also selling a JBL Control 1 made in California here for 169 euros (is this version better than the new ones from China or not at all?). I want to use through my handmade poweramp, to listen (and if it's possible for some mix monitoring). I Play and listen stuff from Pink Floyd to 90s Death Metal, so I want to use it sometimes to play guitar through plugins and stuff ... It's very difficult to find reviews about the Wharfedale 507.
These are not the pro/1 model and only 50 watts. The pro model has supierior tweeter which isnt titanium. The bass driver is also slighty bigger and are 150 watts.
I have 2 pairs of these and I am listening to you on them now. I have the original ones with 4 inch woofers my first pair had the surrounds go bad and they only sell the 5 inch foams for the control one pro in the us so I got lucky on ebay and found another pair of them for $60 .
Nice Review, i have a pair of those, Vanilla speakers but very good Vanilla
1987 is first JBL Control produced, maybe not Control One
I had a set of Control 5's in my home studio in the early 2000's and they were great. Might have to check out some of these to pair with a sub for TV use
Please forgive me if I missed it, but what is the cabinet made of? Are they plastic? Are they aluminum? Are they pretty low resonance?
plastic
@@nchristensen3309 I thought so. Many thanks. Are they a good low resonance design? As much as I do not like plastic, it's actually a pretty good material for many things, even if it isn't very nice to handle or look at. So I can imagine some really well made speakers using molded plastic cabinets.
One of the speakers I am looking at and low and behold. How do you think these would pair with a Keces E-40 and or a small class D Chinese amp? Perhaps a JBL A-120/130 better option? Thx.
If you love these, you will love System Audio 1005 even more, it has a bit more bass and is more an allround speaker, I use them with my Yamaha stage piano and they give me so much joy, I bought them for 80 euro, they were no 1 in a monitor speaker test in the nineties but also the most expensive in the test. But they are very rare and because of the brand name 'system audio' very difficult to look for.
I've never seen these for $82 here in America, they're usually a lot more. I'm pretty sure the tweeters are Titanium-Laminate or sliver colored Polycarbonate. You should try the JBL HLS610, and put them with the horn tweeter on the bottom. They've got that Polycarbonate tweeter sound I like with a fun waveguide. They're like Studio 530's but old and chilaxed. Also like the 530's they need to be near a wall with the proper distance to work well or else the port will chuff super bad. Once their positioned properly mmm, warm smooth and firm bass. Fighting the urge to buy the 8" version currently lol
My local college uses these. I heard them in action. They aren’t too impressive in the bass department, but they aren’t lacking bass. Of course, they are too small to reproduce deep bass. A lot of them are foam rotted at my college, sadly. I agree they got a good midrange. ☹️🔊
Yes !, For a small space these mini monitors can deliver quality.
I use the sealed Monarch/Monacor LSP50 also from the nineties.
I play them in concert with bigger monitors where I disconect the tweeter from.
(Kef cresta 10, or cheap Sony´s) Its a ¨poor-mans-route¨ to higher quality sound.
I just bought a set in great condition I am in holland and for 35 euros about 27 pounds i just looked up the specs frequency response is from 80hz no loudness button for me better is a subwoofer and i have not used for years but still perfect a jamo sw-50 active vintage sub(10 inch woofer) i get the JBLs next week i think this is problem solved for me in my tiny workplace caravan powered by a scott a426 with 30 watts if that dosnt work well the scott has a split pre/power so i will put on my vintage peavey power amp and the scott as a pre amp its a shame kelvin you never actualy give us a live test with a good microphone
A pair of these are for sale on a FB marketplace near me. (I'm a little worried by all the variants though).
Grateful for your assessment as my experience of JBL gear is 4560 and 4550 bass cabs from many years ago!
At £30 for a pair I think I may take a punt. Again, thanks for your opinion
Well thing to know is there only 60 odd pounds new I think I have that right
Had 2 pairs of those that i flipped.
Didnt like the sound, which in hindsight was because of the amp.
I didnt like the cambridge sonata v2.
Yeah I put on a Cambridge amp it didn’t work with those speakers at all do you need a juicy bass rich amp
I have a pair in my Shed / workshop.
The control one pro are even better, with improved crossover and bigger cabinet/driver
Woofer is 5,25 inch, 4 ohms and these can handle 150W. There's an overload light bulb showing through port. I have a pair as surround speakers.
Thank you K
Thats all what people want to know... stuff that’s good.... nice work... keep going on....
Yes Control1 is Best value in the hi fi world .
I’ve got the JBL 1 pro - same size but 150w handling and with the orange badge on the front - mounted on the hatch on my catering van. Perfect size for the job but had to build my own mounting brackets as the supplied ones aren’t gonna stand up to being shook around. With a bit of a scoop to calm down the midrange and boost the bass around 80hz they sound spot on paired up with the equally budget conscious stageline rack amp.
I have a pair of these as my rear surround speakers. I bought these years ago and still have the manual for them. I am a little confused with the specs. My manual says my frequency response is 50Hz - 20kHz. Online it says 80Hz - 20kHz. Not sure which one is correct. They are just the plain control one not the pro.
You’ve got to review the realistic minimus 7 and Optimus 7 speakers!!! There amazing mini monitors..also the nht sun zeros!!
Are they better than control 1?
In the US, these are listed on eBay for $75 to $100 USD a pair (used).
I have had the Control one’s. Picked them up up for free. You should try other vintage JBL. I am thoroughly enjoing a pair of JBL L110 on my Sansui au9900A. I had a pair og Kef Concerto. A tad warmer than the JBL, but also a really nice set of speakers 😊
what is Sonic Guard HF overload protection?
I don’t know but it sounds like BS
Or could mean it cuts off if it’s distorting
Sound like fashion keeps on changing, you CANNOT Stop the changing tastes of music and hence sound reproduction. This does not imply modern sound is superior to 'old' sound, it is a matter of tastes.
Tengo 4 unidades primera serie profesional más un SB 5 y son brutales bien ampliados.
Original Disneyland has hundreds of, I think, these little JBLs all over, and they sound good.
Thanks! If possible, I’d like to have your opinion on pro amps Crown XLS series. They are very cheap and many hifi people like them and reviewing in TH-cam.
Today in eastern Europe, second hand cost 100 pounds cheapest.
I got a pair for 8 $ in a thrift store but dont have anything to hook it up
Thank you very much, Kelvin. I didn’t know they were that good actually. Humm, I think I could make an interesting set up with these Control Ones in a 4.1 architecture. What do you think..?
Well maybe the amp needs to be nice possibly a bit Basie Ior put the loudness on .
@@stereoreviewx You do mean that with two pairs of JBL control one I probably won’t be missing the subwoofer, don’t you?
No I wasn’t talking about that I would say get the subway because four of them will be too much mid range
@@stereoreviewx Ok. I might try 2.1 instead. Thank you very much for your advice. Cheers!