Audiophilepure

The JBL 4305P audio streaming system is a classic ‘game of two halves’. The first half consists of perceived value, pride of ownership and all that stuff – and let’s not beat around the bush here, the 4305P come up short in this regard. That ‘1970s studio’ look might have some retro-appeal but it is not for everyone, and other, more modern-looking designs have greater tactility than this system. When the second half kicks off, though, and we start to consider the way the 4305P performs, well, it’s a different story.

In every meaningful respect, the JBL 4305P is an enjoyable and galvanising listen. It gets all the technical aspects right, and it manages to do so without being in any way dispassionate or analytical about it. ‘Meticulous’ is not the same as ‘emotionless’, after all, and the way the 4305P looks and feels is not the same as the way it sounds.

Not inexpensive, the Bobby S Ultimate seemed high value to me with two-way speakers selling for $30,000 and more but not outperforming these beauties. Holger Stein, CEO and chief designer of these speakers, recently won the Counnas Innovation Award from the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society, a first for a designer from Europe. I have never tried anything he has designed that did not perform to the max for dedicated audiophiles and music lovers. The Bobby S Ultimate fit the bill for audiophiles who want the best two-way stand-mounted speakers available today and are most highly recommended