Buy New Speakers or Other Upgrade?

Hey all- thanks in advance for any advice. I've been working on my stereo system the last couple years, researching and picking out most of my pieces of equipment with some level of deliberation (I believe my set-up should be up-to-date in my profile). The one exception were the speakers for for my stereo which was a "hey, do you want some free speakers" situation. Which was great! But I'm getting the itch to fiddle with my system a bit and the speakers, as the equipment I didn't research and pick out ahead of time, stick out as a place to do it.

Locally, someone is selling some JM Labs Electra 906s for $350 which seems like a pretty good deal for, from what I'm reading, is a fairly well-regarded speaker. I'm reasonably confident they'd be a big upgrade from my JBL Northbridge N26 IIs, but I guess before I pull the trigger I'm opening it up as to whether, based on my system as listed, I'm right to lean towards speakers to upgrade next or if anyone has other recommendations (whether it be a different component to pick-up/upgrade or another speaker recommendation). I'm trying to keep whatever I do under $500, so spending a couple grand on a new amp or 'table is probably not in the cards.

Again, thanks for any advice from the knowledgeable folks here!

 

Speakers! Cuz their cool
And the most important part of the system. IMHO

 

I'm not even a Focal fan but if i found a local pair of (good condition) Electra 906s for $350 I'd probably buy them. I'm confident they'll be a good upgrade over those JBLs.

 

Yes, I agree with @Helom, drink the Kool-Aid! Do it!
The N26s simply use less sophisticated drivers than the JM Labs (now going by Focal).

 

Big Klipsch floorstanders.

 

Yes!

 

I prefer “giant”

 

Thanks for the encouragement! I was able to audition the Electra 906s in my system this weekend and went ahead and made the purchase. Just an obvious upgrade over my existing speakers, so it made it a no brainer. My lady had OK'd the purchase, but seemed a bit more enthusiastic after I played her some Justin Timberlake out of the system and she heard how much more fun it was than with the old system.

 

That's great, you got a good upgrade in sound for not much dookie.

 

You had me until you mentioned Timberlake......

 

I've got Focal 726s in my main system and they are outstanding IMO. Glad you like your new set.

 

Some years ago, I upgraded from JBL S38 to Focal Cobalt 806S. That was quite an eye opener for me. The JBL speakers had a pleasant quality and punch about them, but the Focal speakers were so much more revealing.

 

Why do you so surely, please?
As for me I don’t.

I’d say a real upgrade would be a pair of big 3-way floor standers (having a sufficiently large woofer each or a pair of less large woofers each), and a good quality graphic equalizer to insert into your system, at least 10-band with its “lowest” slider at not higher than 31 Hz, +-12 dB, 0.00x% (0,00x% who likes it more) THD.

Taking care to not exceed reasonable boosts of the lowest and/or the highest frequencies at high listening levels!