Jaycar JV60 - Speaker Kit - 2010 Version

[Musiccynic]

Can I ask has anyone finished or listened to the current version of the Jaycar JV60 (JV60 6.5" 3 Way Speaker Kit - Jaycar Electronics)

What are your impressions?

I say the current version even though it is marketed as the same kit from 10 years ago, I doubt it would be indentical.

I have been to Jaycar in Melbourne where they have a pair hooked up to a digital radio, that pumps out very bad top 40 music.

The listening conditions were not ideal, I walked away feeling that while these speakers could pump a nice sound at loud volumes I did not feel any magic, having said that the music was pretty terrible.

I had to get down to a squatting position to be level with the speakers to here some of the detail in the music

I know the obvious thing to do is to go back with my own music (my preference, James Brown - Sunny, Massive Attack - Unfinshed Symphony, Womack & Womack - Teardrops).

I was hoping to get a few opinions, I feel the kit has potential, so I guess i am after a little confirmation from other users.

All I can find on the web are 10 year old discussions or current discussions about a build from 10 years ago.

Any help is appreciated and will be returned if I build this kit.

[dabbler]

I owned the original kit over 10 years ago.

IMO they are smooth, flat and don't do anything particularly wrong. However, like many audiophile speakers, its a kinda dull and unexciting listen which may or may not suit your tastes.

[Musiccynic]

I went back to Jaycar this morning and played a few mp3s on my phone.

At first I had to wait while another chap listened to Play by Moby through those speakers. Unfortunately I think that is one of the most overated albums of last decade, it is just souless. So I did not get off to a good start.

I was playing a lot of soul, electronic, R&B (The Bamboos, Trentmoller, Alice Coltrane). I did not get any goosebumps or the hairs standing on the back of my neck, but I did hear a lot of detail and what I would describe as a balanced sound, the lows, mids and highs were all working well together all were clear and up front.

When I played rock (Black Sabbath, Eddy Current) I thought that they lacked a little oomph, but I do not listen to to much rock anymore, so I was not to fussed.

I am not an audophile, I am moving bit by bit to improve my system, my past listening experiences have been my current 70's Radio Shack speakers, Tannoy M Custom F4 (these are boomy) and a KEF iQ50 (mids and highs were to dominant) so please do not interpret my views as that of an expert.

I am tempted to pick these up, just got to get them past the other half, will post again when bought.

[robywan]

See my post on these kits, I have finished building revision 2 crossover for them to make them pure 2 way but not 2.5 as the normal kit comes with.

I found they are a bit lacking life like you have found, Overall though i like them (with my crossover :P) they are on the other hand a little boomy and coloured and some times you can hear the boxes flexing (i prefer my open baffle speakers)

[Francec]

Musiccynic,
If you want to listen to some active 3-ways for comparison, let me know.

Frank