Great retro styled bookshelf speakers
William from Littleton, CO on 5/22/2022
I am really enjoying the new JBL L52 classic bookshelf speakers. I last bought stereo equipment in the mid 1980's and I needed some new speakers. The room is about 15' square, and these speakers are just right for this space. The mids and highs are balanced by plenty of bass from these small speakers when listening to rock and blues. They are paired with a Yamaha A-S301 amp, Kenwood CD-404 carousel, Carver TX-2 tuner, a Realistic APM-500 audio power meter, and an Esinkin Bluetooth adapter- all in a Pangea Vulcan audio rack. The speakers are sitting on IKEA Lack floating shelves. Dealing with Crutchfield was easy and they were here in just a couple of days.
Pros: Classic retro look, great build quality, and excellent sound
Cons: Pricey
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Amazing sound
Bruce from Brewster, NY on 5/4/2022
Great speakers! The sound is amazing and I love the retro look. Like the other reviewers, I was very impressed with the bass from these, considering their size. I'm happy!
Pros: Amazing sound
Cons: none
1 of 1 found this helpful
My JBL Classics
Gregory from West Seneca, NY on 4/12/2022
Small but Super Impressive ! Don't let their little size fool you. I had recently purchased the JBL L82 version as a second set of speakers for my main sound system and was so impressed with the sound and build quality I decided to purchase a set of the L52's for a different system in another part of the house. I hooked them up, and knowing that they were brand new and would need a little break in time I wasn't expecting much. I was dead wrong, they were just unreal for their size right out of the box with no break in time. Awesome sounding, Great bass output, way more than I expected. These are fantastic sounding speakers that can fill a small room with crystal clear, high quality sound at all volume levels. Just like the L82 series, the construction and real wood veneer as well as the classic foam fronts make them worth every penny.
Pros: Adjustable tweeter in such a small speaker, Great bass output, real wood veneer, not a vinyl covered cabinet.
Cons: None, absolutely none...
0 of 0 found this helpful
Classic JBL Sound in a small bookshelf form
Philip from Pt Pleasant, NJ on 4/5/2022
I received these speakers about two weeks ago and have been enjoying them ever since. They sound quite impressive and have a stunning design that mimics those nice big JBLs from the Maxell advert. I opted for these speakers because my listening room (my study) is on the small side. Out of the box, I was a little taken aback at the size of these speakers: they are little guys. Not too much bigger than a shoebox. But once I wired them in, any fear I had about the sound vanished. I was impressed right away by the wide sound stage and bass response; these might be smaller speakers but the bass is quite strong. I suppose the 4 ohm requirement comes into play here because these speakers move air. Put on Mahler's 6th and you can feel the giant hammer blows quite well, no need for a subwoofer. The wide range stereo effects of Daft Punk or Radiohead come across beautifully. Furthermore, they seem to not be picky about toe in or placement: they are dedicated left/right so I'm sure that helps, but I did not have to move them or play around much to get a quality stereo image. My only downsides are that they are quite 'bright' initially: I had to do some fiddling with my EQ to tone it down to where I wanted, and had to bump the bass a touch and cut the mids to make them more musical. Also, they are not the most refined: I've heard speakers that conveyed more detail. Regardless, the warm sound and classic look makes them a big winner for me and I am very happy.
Pros: Classic warm sound Great design Not picky about placement Ideal for a small space
Cons: Needs some break in, bright out of the box Not monitors, has a warm sound that I enjoy but might not be for everyone looking for high detail and flat response

5 of 5 found this helpful
Solid sound no matter what the source
Crutchfield customer from Baton Rouge, LA on 3/14/2022
The big sound coming out of these small boxes is impressive to say the least! Paired with a legacy Klipsch subwoofer and Yamaha Aventage receiver delivers a full-bodied wall of sound. Mine are used in my bedroom with a Samsung Frame TV and get the job done no matter the source. I am in love!
Pros: Classic, full sound you'd expect and then some.
Cons: Okay, the price. I wish they were a little bigger but once they start pumping, size is irrelevant.
5 of 5 found this helpful
JBL L52 Classic
Barrett from Portland, OR on 2/19/2022
I paired this set with a pair of JBL control monitors . A perfect combo for all types of music. Very happy!
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0 of 0 found this helpful
JBL L52 Classic
Crutchfield customer from Los Angeles, CA on 12/13/2021
Terrific sound in a small package. The balanced sound spectrum is surprisingly good for such a small speaker.
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1 of 1 found this helpful
Small Box, Big Sound!
Billy from El Cajon, CA on 12/10/2021
I suspect many people (and not just me) can't decide between the myriad of speaker options. I wanted something compact and stand mounted so as to not overpower my new listening room. After going back and forth I finally decided to go with something JBL--bite the bullet and pay the money JBL demands. I thought the L82's would be too large so I ordered the little brother. Once they arrived I thought I made a big mistake--these were a lot smaller than I had envisioned. However they were here and were a lot cheaper than the L82's, so I unpacked and hooked them up. These speakers reek of high quality, the walnut veneer cabinets were impeccable and brought back memories of how real speakers used to look. Packaging was excellent as well, not a mark on anything. Mounted on stands, fired up my stereo (tube pre-amp, hybrid amp) and boy was I amazed--these little guys sound Big! I have always loved the JBL sound and the L52's don't disappoint. Sound is big and full--amazing what these small speakers can put out. I have an 8" powered sub and that really tops things off. Not sure you really need it, the JBL's deliver an impressive amount of bass, but I always like the extra lows it provides. To my ear, In addition to the surprising amount of bass--slightly forward mids and not-too-bright & articulate highs. After listening I felt I lucked out and did get the right speakers for my room, these have a small footprint and put out big sound--nice job JBL! 1 star ding for value.
Pros: Great build quality. Big and full sound. Beautiful retro look.
Cons: High price.
5 of 6 found this helpful