JBL Northridge EC35 3-Way Dual 5" Center Channel Speaker, Single (Black Ash)

Rating:
Summary: Incredible sound from a great company
Review: I had been using my system as a 4.1 system for a while before I had finally worked my budget out for a center channel speaker. Being a student taking college classes I am naturally online all the time. Being online all the time and doing research papers I naturally get tired and decide to surf a bit before getting back on topic. I spent more than a month reading reviews on every message board and searching every site for good deals. I tried out floor models at all the local audio stores and came to the conclusion of the EC35.

So many reviews talk about breaking in speakers, and if this is true, then wow. Out of the box the EC35 was incredible adding all the difference in the world to my system (no brainer). It has been about a month now and the speaker does seem to have highs that are a bit more crisp. Of course it could just be my mind playing tricks on me, but in any event, this speaker replicates any sound with perfection I have never heard before from any floor model.

The size and weight might cause some concern however, I would not put it on top of a television. It just so happened that it fit perfectly on my tv rack so that it is at ear level with my couch. Others that are not so lucky might end up having to get a center speaker stand, another lighter speaker, or dare to put it on top of the television set.

Rating:
Summary: Great 3-way speaker
Review: I love this speaker. After I hooked it up I threw in Secret Window (just rented it - not worth renting or watching) but after being able to hear the sound of the couch cushion sinking down when being sat upon I knew I had purchased the right speaker. My wife put on Ice Age (for the kids) and the ice cracking comes through with great clarity. I couldn't ask for a better center channel and am glad I made the purchase.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing Clarity
Review: I received this speaker this week to replace the center channel from my roomate's "Home Theater In-A-Box" system. I had replaced the floor speakers with JBL E80s last week and I thought that difference was incredible. Well, that upgrade was nothing compared to the EC35 upgrade. This speaker is exponentially better than your standard "HTIB" center channel. I put in a couple movies and was amazed at how clear the dialog was, it was as if I was there listening to these people speak in my living room. This is also a great speaker for those who use their home theater setup to listen to music. Vocals are crisp and clear, it's almost as if there are sounds that were placed into the recording since I last listened to these CDs on the old setup. That's how great the difference is. The only possible downside for some people is the size of this speaker. I have a shelf on the entertainment center above my TV that allowed for easy placement of the EC35, but at 22" wide, don't expect to sit it on top of your 24" TV, it was almost as wide as my 27" TV. Overall, this speaker is an amazing value, though I purchased it for 1/2 the retail price at stores like B.B. through an online JBL vendor. Look around, get a good price, and you'll be very satisfied with this speaker.