They were purchased today, 11-12-23, to replace the low-quality factory speakers located in the front doors of a BMW 3 Series (E90) model 2007 (more about the installation in the said car at the end).
The speakers have a resistance of 3 Ohms and a sensitivity of 90 dB, which means they will perform well even if the car's audio system does not provide a lot of watts.
I must admit that it was a somewhat blind purchase because, on the one hand, I don't know if there are stores where you can listen to them before buying, and on the other hand, I don't have the time to deal with it extensively, so I relied on what I read in other reviews and on the general opinion I have of JBL as a company that offers decent sound quality in relation to the price of its products.
In the photos I am attaching from their packaging, you will also see the exact dimensions of the speakers.
As for the sound, especially the common question about the bass they offer. First of all, we must clarify that these are 4-inch (10 cm) speakers. This means that anyone expecting impressive bass is mistaken because no matter how well-designed and studied the speakers are (and they truly are), the size simply does not suffice for such kind of bass.
Considering their size, the bass is indeed sufficient and, above all, clear. I would say it is beyond what is expected and clearly superior to that of the factory speakers. The same applies to the overall sound quality; it is day and night compared to the speakers they replaced.
As for the other frequencies, they are typically JBL, meaning very good mid-range in relation to their size and price, and good highs, although not comparable to the mid-range. Ultimately, I would say that the result is balanced and of higher quality than what I expected from speakers priced at 65 euros and with a 4-inch diameter.
Therefore, I consider it an excellent purchase and highly recommend them.
For those who want to replace the front speakers of a BMW 3 Series now.
Here, I was a bit lucky because the factory speakers have a depth of 40 mm and these specific ones have 46 mm. Therefore, you should take into consideration that the speakers fit in the doors of the E90 series, but not in the doors of the E91, E92, and E93, at least from what I read later in a relevant discussion and comments from a BMW technician, who mentioned that in the E90, the available depth reaches 55 mm, but in the newer models, it is smaller than the 46 mm required by the JBL speakers.
Another point that requires attention is the arrangement of the screws that secure them. The JBL speakers have the classic holes in the frame for 4 screws arranged in a square pattern. However, the E90 (and I think the later models as well) has slots for 3 screws arranged in a triangular pattern, resulting in very few and expensive plug-and-play speakers that someone might consider if they are fed up with the unacceptable factory ones and want to replace them.
After I bought them, the first attempt at installation was in a slightly fancy studio-type store, where the young owner-craftsman, dressed in Timberland sweater, pants, shoes (I admit it's the first time I see a full Timberland craftsman), after looking at me with a slightly disdainful look, told me "Sir, what did you buy, don't you know that BMWs only take special speakers, you should return them" and then started showing me the special speakers starting from 350 euros, after clarifying that he wouldn't bother looking for adapters because they would increase the depth and wouldn't fit anyway (here he is probably right).
Because I have reached an age where I can't deal with nouveau riche and wannabes, I left and went to a well-known store (exhibition)-workshop at the end of Liosion Avenue, near Agii Anargiri.
There, of course, the staff had no problem installing the speakers for me, and even without an adapter. The trick is simple, one screw is screwed into the available socket and from diagonally across, a plate with holes is placed (above the speaker frame) that is screwed into the other two holes. This plate both tightens the speaker frame into the socket and "locks" the frame so as not to allow any rotation. So the speakers were installed securely and I estimate that I saved around 300 euros in my pocket that the wannabe wanted, who of course lost the installation fee.
So, those of you who want these JBL speakers for E90, know that they fit. For later series, if what I read is indeed accurate, you will need something with a smaller depth, but still know that the problem with the three screw socket can be easily solved.