Help me decide?

[Steve K]

I have got to make a painful decision in the not too distant future. Contrary to my wishes, I have no choice but to part with one of the two large JBL systems I currently own: a 250Ti and a 4344MkII. At the moment, I'm leaning towards keeping the 250Ti, for mainly two reasons: 1) The overall sound balance is better on the 250Ti for playing a variety of music genres, including occasional classical pieces, and 2) it will be difficult to find another pair of 250Ti's in the future here in Japan, especially a pair in almost mint condition as mine. I also own a pair of 4313B, which will complement the 250Ti when I feel like listening to a JBL monitor sound. The 4344MkII is a crisp sounding system that suits my preferred type of listening material, jazz, very well, and is very direct and has a tighter bass(it's a studio monitor, after all), but I sometimes feel it to be too analytical, if you know what I mean.

I would be inclined to know what other members here think. Any and all comments are appreciated.

Steve K

[Michael Smith]

Hey Steve
that's easy DONOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT do it!
they are both rare birds, there has to be a way for some one to baby sit the monitors I would gladly oblige but the geography isn't perfect is it?
"Some of the best deals I ever did, I never did"my father used to say that.
Regards
Michael

[Steve K]

Thank you, Michael.
I know! However, keeping both is not an option.:(
I'm down-sizing my abode, and it costs a bit to move so I need to convert some of my audio equipments into cash :p . I plan to put these, including one of the subject pairs, up on the local web auction 48 hours from now, which will be late Sunday night here.

Another factor is that the expected sale price for the 4344MkII would be much higher than for the 250Ti. The 250Ti was never that popular among Japanese JBL fans, who think that its sound is much too calm for a JBL, although I'm sure that over 90% of them have never actually heard one in person.

Whichever way it goes, I know I'll miss either pair.:biting:

[Mr. Widget]

I'd keep the 250Tis myself... but I know I'd find myself in the shop down the road building another pair of horn speakers... it's a viscous cycle. :D


Widget

[Michael Smith]

Don't you hate common sense Steve, any way I'm with Mr Widget on this one keep the 250tis.
Then run to the bank weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Have a good weekend
Regards
Michael

[Titanium Dome]

For me it would be an easy choice: 250ti stays. As Widget indicates, one can always build another horn system down the road, even a 4344MkII clone with available parts. It's a tough call to try to build some 250Ti cabs, though, and to construct the networks. Keep the 250Tis.

[Shane Shuster]

Whichever way it goes, I know I'll miss either pair.:biting:

If I felt that way I would sell all three, move into my new place and buy a new pair based on the room. If you are unhappy loosing a pair why not be a little more unhappy and lose all three but with a possibility of a better sounding future.*

*I have no ideal what the market is like in Japan.

[Steve K]

I decided to keep the 250Ti pair, mainly because I'm satisfied with its sound qualities, but also for its scarcity here in Japan. As member Shane implies, there still is the question of whether the 250Ti will be a good match for the room where it'll be placed next, but at this time I am still looking. The 250Ti loves space, and probably would sound boomy in a smaller room, and if that may be the case then I might do what Shane suggests. In any case, ever since becoming a member of this great forum, I've had so many opportunities to listen to different JBL systems, both older and new, which helped me a lot in forming a clearer preference in the kind of sound characteristics, as well as the system (amp, cd-player, etc) that I like, and so, what will be left would be whats most satisfying to my ears today.

So, I put out on the auction block, a pair of 4344MkII, a pair of L100 Century, a Bryston 3B-SST amp, and a Musical Fidelity X Can headphone amp. The results will be out next Sunday. If anyone's curious as to what the market for these items are in Japan, let me know and I'll post a link to my auction listings.

Thank you all for your feedback, and wish me luck.:)

[Shane Shuster]

The 250Ti loves space, and probably would sound boomy in a smaller room, and if that may be the case then I might do what Shane suggests.


I have a very small room. The biggest problem I have found is not with boomy bass, but the lack of distance masking the phase problems. 3 and 4-ways sometimes sound "chopped up" because you have to sit too close for them to blend together. The boomy bass is at least somewhat fixable.

Steve, is Hi-Fi Do close on prices? I assume they are a little on the high side. I like to look at their archives for speakers that are rare in the USA. Some of the items go for a lot more than I would have imagined.

[Steve K]

Here are three audio shops that also sell used items. The first is Hifido, which you obviously have seen already. The next one is of a large audio shop that has several stores specializing in used gear. The third is a specialty audio store from which I bought my 250Ti, and at a great price, too (significantly lower than what I might have had to pay in the US, but that's probably due to its lesser popularity here)! The latter two are only in Japanese, so you might have to guess your way around. And, to answer your question, prices here are at least 30% to 50% higher than what you'd get in the States. For example, the Bryston 3B-SST's suggested retail price is around $42000 new, which of course can be bought at a discount which is anywhere from 15% to 30% lower. I got mine for less than 50% its full price, because it was a special clearance and demo only deal.

http://www.hifido.co.jp/indexe.html
http://www.audiounion.jp/bin/products/used/A3/-/-/
http://www.stereo.co.jp/

[Shane Shuster]

Thanks for the links Steve. Those Accuphase prices are a steal compared to the US prices.

[Ian Mackenzie]

I decided to keep the 250Ti pair, mainly because I'm satisfied with its sound qualities, but also for its scarcity here in Japan. So, I put out on the auction block, a pair of 4344MkII, a pair of L100 Century, a Bryston 3B-SST amp, and a Musical Fidelity X Can headphone amp. The results will be out next Sunday. If anyone's curious as to what the market for these items are in Japan, let me know and I'll post a link to my auction listings.

Thank you all for your feedback, and wish me luck.:)

Steve, Good call,

See if you can find an X350 or a X150.5 for a reasonable price at some stage, they would be a worthy set-up from the Bryston.

Ian

[Steve K]

Well, the auction ended a few hours ago, and the 4344MkII was sold with a winning bid of about $4K. Less than what I paid for at a local audio store, but much more than what I'd get by selling to a business, so I'm happy. :)

Also, I came across a Pass X150 which was being offered at a very appealing clearance price which I just couldn't pass (excuse the pun) up. I decided to sell my present Mac MC300 amp, which has a 'sell' value that is much more than the price of this X150.

Ian, although it's not a X150.5, the newer model, the X150 sounds wonderful! The overall tranparency of the sound improved, as did the sound stage imagery. I also don't notice any reduction in power. Best of all, the bass is more tighter, less boomy, more controlled. I believe the Pass is a better match, for me, with the 250Tis. So, thanks for your recommendation.:applaud:

[Ian Mackenzie]

Well, the auction ended a few hours ago, and the 4344MkII was sold with a winning bid of about $4K. Less than what I paid for at a local audio store, but much more than what I'd get by selling to a business, so I'm happy. :)

Also, I came across a Pass X150 which was being offered at very appealing clearance price which I just couldn't pass (excuse the pun) up. I decided to sell my present Mac MC300 amp, which has a 'sell' value that is much more than the price of this X150.

Ian, although it's not a X150.5, the newer model, the X150 sounds wonderful! The overall tranparency of the sound improved, as did the sound stage imagery. I also don't notice any reduction in power. Best of all, the bass is more tighter, less boomy, more controlled. I believe the Pass is a better match, for me, with the 250Tis. So, thanks for your recommendation.:applaud:


So you've had two wins Steve.:applaud: . That's great news.

I think a holiday in Japan visiting HiFi shops might be on the agenda!:bouncy:

Please post picture of your new setup.

Ian

[Steve K]

I think a holiday in Japan visiting HiFi shops might be on the agenda!:bouncy:
Please post picture of your new setup.

Ian

Great! Be sure to PM me when you know for sure. I can give you some recommendations on where to go, eat, buy, etc... And of course, it'll be my pleasure if we could get together sometime during your stay.

I'll try to post a picture tonight when I get home.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Try and have 6 inches of air space around it for ventilation.

Ian

[Steve K]

Okay, here's how my main setup is as of today. I've got all the electronics stacked in a metal audio rack: (from top) Linn Ikemi, Denon DSD-SA1, McIntosh C46, and the latest addition, the Pass Labs X150. Like I said before, I can't believe the difference in the bass output with the X150 in lieu of the Mac MC300! I'm listening to Ernst Glerum's Omnibus One, a Dutch jazz trio CD, in which the pianist also plays the bass, along with the main bass player, resulting in pieces featuring double bass playing. If anyone's interested, check out www.favoriterecords.nl (http://www.favoriterecords.nl)

[Ian Mackenzie]

Very nice system.....:)

Ian