JL Audio C5-650

A two-way component speaker system with separate tweeter units, midbass drivers and passive crossovers. Complete with a mounting kit to fit the tweeters in more than one application and screws and fixings. The chassis of the midbass drivers are cast and the magnets are large and powerful. There are four possible settings of different attenuation of the tweeters’ output, achieved by moving a jumper that offers, -3dB, -1.5dB, Ref and ‘+2dB’. As a passive has no amplification a ‘+’ will refer to a level of no attenuation. The set arrives with a card template for mounting the speakers, fixings, badges to apply to the grilles once fitted and quality crimp terminals, both spades and forks for attaching the speaker cables which are not supplied. No fancy tweeter kits, just an effective flush mount hardware set.
– Power Handling 75wRMS
– Sensitivity 89.5dB 1w/1M
– Own Pink noise test figure 115.1dB (Vol @20 @ trk 9 dB Drag Vol III)
– Passband 48Hz to 25kHz
– Tweeter diameter 19mm
– Tweeter Mounting Depth 15mm
– Midbass Mounting Depth 65mm
– Cone: Mineral filled Polypropylene
– Tweeter: Silk Soft dome with Ferrofluid cooling and Neodymium magnet
– Crossover:1st order lowpass and 2nd order highpass, 4-position HF output, 3-position mid output
– Chassis: Cast alloy
– Complete with: Card template, fixings, speaker crimps, spades and forks
Review by Adam Rayner
These were hot-in when I got my grubby mitts upon them and represent a lot of R&D by the JL people over the years. They are another true high end product with some massive construction and have cast chassis midbass drivers. The sound was quality and absolutely deserving of a nine rating despite having a tiny bit less midband presence than the Morel set I tested just in front of them. The bass end they can generate was stupendous and with my test box actually reached feel-it-in-your chest levels which is remarkable for a set of sixes.
The tweeters are very fast and go up a long way and you can tell immediately they start up. So, they have lovely wide passband that goes down a long way and reaches up to bat-frequencies too along with the ability to bring some real high power audio into your world. They are also gorgeous to look at.
The passives are not too complex yet offered adjustment of midrange presence as well as four layers of attenuation for the highs spread across some 5dB. My notes say ‘WONDERFUL BASS!’ like that in capitals. So although not quite as rarefied a hifi output as the Morels, these are a powerful all rounder and earn a Recommended accolade.
Overall 8.6
Sound Quality 9
Build Quality 9
Power Handling 10
Efficiency 9
Value For Money 8