9) JBL L52 Classic ($1,000/pair)

The L52 is the newest and smallest model in JBL’s line of speakers that combines 1970s aesthetics—complete with molded foam grilles in black, blue, or orange—with thoroughly modern engineering. Thus, it has a sound that’s more natural and spacious than any speaker of the 1970s could probably have mustered. The compact passive speaker has only a 5 ¼-inch woofer, which might choke on Billy Cobham’s Spectrum but will handle acoustic jazz just fine. JT