JBL Northridge E90 Floor standing speakers
There were no any precedents of such a good three-band system for such money within living memory. All four drivers of the largest participant in our test look extremely seriously, especially a pair of woofers - hurricane! Record high mass of the speakers is caused almost equally by luxurious case made of MDF and large magnetic systems of LF-drivers. It seems that the rigidity of the design covers all the "norms" more than enough. LF-heads are multiple electrically, but "organizationally' they are divided into different isolated from each other compartments. The lower one is communicated with the external environment through the bass reflex port. The diffusers, driven by large voice coils, are made of the branded PolyPlas - cellulose, covered by the silver viscous polymer (a proven expanding method of the piston radiation area) in tone to the faceplate. Recessed in the horn dome of the tweeter is titanium composite; head magnet is neodymium. Additionally, you can screw the supplied spikes in the foundations of the non-removable rubber bearings.
Expectations, related to an impressive appearance of the speakers, were quite satisfied. The powerful, clear, deep bass immediately creates wide-scaled theatrical space, for which our large studio seems to be small - we think, E 90 is able to asound a small concert hall... The features of AFC construction (see technical comment) appear in the character of sound quite predictably: a raised upper middle as if enhances the emotional content of the composition. Wind instruments are very sculptured - fortunately, the dynamical resource of the mid's creates all conditions for relaxed sound rises. Moreover, in order to appreciate the dynamics of E90 you can operate the volume control handle without hesitation. However, energetic neighborhood sometimes seems to belittle the meaning of high-frequency details, but this, so to say, is the effect of the second order of smallness.
E90 is a reliable, ultra powerful speaker system for reasonable price, plays well any musical material and is able to keep the tonus of a youth party. Of course, this is a great theatre front (the series has everything you need).
Technical comments.
The AFC graph is strictly drawn in the middle bass. The sensitivity in the zone of 300 Hz-2 kHz turns out to be a bit higher in comparison with its level in the rest part of the range; at the tops it is almost as steady as in the bottom; however, on the frequency of 6 kHz the effect of a small overhang was registered, approximately at the same place the focus of speaker intensifies. The coefficient of non-linear distortion slightly increases at low volumes, but at 94 dB in basses CND turns out to be the smallest in the test - 0,4 %. A rare achievement! The maximum of the impedance module, overestimating the parameter of impedance instability (mean square deviation), is almost beyond the operating range (66,3 Ohm per 28 Hz)4 the resistance in the most of the part of the range is quite stable.
