How did you find out about JBL Pro Series?

[jbl]

Hi all:
Perhaps you could share your thoughts on why you chose JBL, both professional as well as consumer version over other brands of speakers/drivers.

JBL:)

[boputnam]

For me - and this is a gift to thoots for Christmas - it was hearing the L:D:D compared to them Advents of the day. That was it. Got me a waterbed, and never looked back.

Then, I met a friend with a pair of 4345's, and now, I spend less much less time on the waterbed... :rotfl:

[Robh3606]

Hey Bo

Yeah me too on the Advents. Liked the L100's much better. Got a computer found E-Bay and the Tent Sale. All those speakers I could never afford, some for peanuts if you were lucky. Also JBL stands behind what they sell. Find an OEM recone kit for Advent, Infinity or just about anyone else competing with the L100's at the time. Find drivers with equivalent build quality. Not too much competition.

Rob :)

[Ian Mackenzie]

For me it was listening to a pair of JBL 4340's demolish the Tannoy Arden about 26 years at a local dealership.

Shortly after I obtained the 4343 brochure and it was love at first sight.

There was no domestic version so the choice was easy but not cheap nor easy when I decided to build a pair.

The slot 2405 alone cost $650 a pair in 1981


Ian

[lpd]

Well, I discovered pro JBL monitors just last year when I stumbled upon a pair of 4333AWX's at a thrift. Brought them home, cleaned, refurbished and rockin' ever since. Lord help me if I hear a pair of 4343's. :)

[Tom Loizeaux]

In my early twentys I went to a friends loft party. He was playing good music through his pair of full size Altec A7s. I found myself sitting directly in front of one of them the rest of the evening, swamped by loud, clean, rich music that I had never experienced before. From then on it was Voice of the Theatre! Years latter I bought a Fender Showman that had a JBL D140F in it. I couldn't believe how great my electric bass sounded through it. Over the years I've heard many JBL 4311 control monitors and always thought they sounded superior to what I was hearing at home...or anybody elses' home for that matter. Then recently I stumbled onto a pair of 4320s that need restoration. Respecting JBL's quality, I undertook that task and fell in love with vintage JBL studio monitors. After restoring several more of these studio monitors, I decided I really needed to hear a pair of 4343s. They were tall, puting the HF up where it needs to be and the 10" mid bass drivers seem to be the answer to the subtle shortcomings of the 3-way studio monitors.
Now I'm stuck to my bi-amped 4343s - and can't imagine needing anything more.

Tom

[subwoof]

OK...

First year of college and it's 25 cent pitcher night at the local pub....right above my head was a pair of L100's that a rich buddy in the EE dept got for xmas. powered by a DC300A and it sounded so sweet

Ah the good old days, 18 to drink and the roadblocks were in E.germany....now it's the other way around.

Spent the last 25 years building massive JBL systems for clubs and SR installs but I *still* remember listening to dark side of the moon....:)

Today it's the 4343's in the living room until the new ones are done.

Full stereo 4 way all-electronic crossover with (8) urei 6505 modules ( with feedback comp wiring ) running a 2245H, 2021H, 2450SL/2332 and 2405H. All in handcrafted 1.5" SOLID white ash cabinets ( you know - the stuff baseball bats are made of ) patterned after the L250TI

And it HAS S.A.F approval.

sub :cheers:

[Don C]

Long before I could actually afford good stereo equipment I used to get Warehouse Sound catalogs in the mail. I'd like to find some of those today. Anyway, they sold JBLs, and they wrote great descriptions of the sound. Later when I joined the service, I was stationed on a submarine and there was a set of L-40s bolted to the ceiling of the chow hall. We had fun with those, good sound in there. Later on I bought a set of L-40s for myself. I still have fond memories of them. Now I have had lots of different brands, JBL is still my favorite.

[boputnam]

Originally posted by Don C
...I used to get Warehouse Sound catalogs in the mail. I'd like to find some of those today. I think I've got one or two. Lemme take a look...

[John Nebel]

In 1962, Pingry School in Hillside NJ bought an Ampex 351 and Neuman tube/condenser microphones. I was the recording nerd there.

The equipment was delivered in person by a rep from a New York pro-audio store, perhaps it was Gotham Audio. The rep was Fred Lissa and pretty well informed. I asked him which loudspeakers were the best and he said JBL C50s, but you wouldn't want them at home because they were too accurate and would be tiring for living room listening.

Just tell a teenager something is too accurate and is tiring to adult ears!

John Nebel

[Roddyama]

I was in an audio store back in 70’s that happened to sell the JBL home components. They also had a “Disco” (It was that horrid time in music history) system that they rented in the store at the time. The system was similar to the 4350 system, but with the HL89 horn and serpentine lens with dual 075’s per side. It was quad-amped powered by a full rack of Crown amplifiers.

From then to this day, I was hooked on horns. Although I must say that I have moved to some TAD equipment. Sorry guys.:slink:

:xmas:

[thoots]

Did someone mention Warehouse Sound Company? :smthsail:

http://home.comcast.net/~thoots4/1_30.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~thoots4/1_31.jpg

thoots

[thoots]

WSC, L100 version....

http://home.comcast.net/~thoots4/1_26.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~thoots4/1_27.jpg

thoots

[thoots]

OK, WSC for you monitor guys:

http://home.comcast.net/~thoots4/1_66.jpg

thoots

[JBLHorizon]

Overseas, Germany(1977-1979), US Army.
I had the opportunity to listen to a lot of speakers of the day(that I could actually afford)and the speakers that I liked the best were the JBLs and in particular the L166/Horizon model. It was my favorite speaker then and it still is today!!!:cool:

[4345]

Uncle Sam's disco on Long Island. It was around 1981 and I had to sneak in. Not old enough. Heard JBL 2395's and couldn't believe the sound. Took me a while to figure out what those odd looking speakers were. Eventually got a pair and used them in college above home built bass cabinets.

[JBL Dog]

My first exposure to JBL pro was at Antech Labs in Webster Groves, MO (St. Louis) in the summer of 1979. I was in the process of putting together a Mobile DJ system and was in the market for an amp and mixer. The salesman set me up with a NIKKO amp and a Meteor mixer. As he was totaling up the bill, he asked me what I was using for speakers. I told him I built a set of "kit" speakers that consisted of four 10's, four 5" mids and two piezio tweeters. He rolled his eyes and said "when you blow those up, I'll set you up with some JBL's."

I ended getting my first JBL's (DIY 2205, 2420, 2397, 2405) in 1981 and have never looked back. Used just about all of the pro-line stuff over the years. Currently using 4343's and 4430's in the "dog-house". For the mobile stuff.... SR series 4704, 4718, 4722, 4725, 4732, and 4738's. I also have a pair of EON 1500's and a pair of Cabaret 4602 stage monitors.

This message comes from JBL Dog :band:

[Maron Horonzakz]

JBLDOG ....,What ever happened to ANTECH LABS? THe last time I stoped in the ST Louis area they were gone.

[JBL Dog]

Maron:

They're still around, but they've gotten out the retail business. It is my understanding they're still doing service and professional installs.

When I first got into the business, they were the only game in town for DJ equipment, etc. But, with all the Guitar Centers, etc. and the internet, they could no longer compete on the retail end.

The guy that does all my recones bought the majority of their JBL parts and recone kits several years back. He still has some hard-to-find stuff.

Lloyd Faulkner
Spectrum Sound
[email protected]

Worth a try if you need a rare part. Lotsa Altec stuff, too.

This message comes from JBL Dog :band:

[Don C]

The Warehouse Sound stuff is great! Post more if you can.

[JBLnsince1959]

Well, for me it started in 1959 when my mother moved back in with my dad. In 1956 and 57 he built a pair of C35's. I still remember the day we moved back in. There they were, the BIGGEST, badass speakers I or anyone else had seen, and each with it's own amp. When he turned the system on I though the whole block could here it. WOW

Then in the 70's it was my turn, so I quess it's a family sickness.

By the way, still have those old C35's

Still JBL'n after all these years

[boputnam]

Originally posted by JBLnsince1959
By the way, still have those old C35's Hey, 1959...
Welcome! :wave:

The only price of entry we've stumbled across is posting pics of your rig. Could ya, pretty please? :yes:

[JBLnsince1959]

Sure, but I'll have to get a friends digitial camera first as I don't have one. Give me a few days

[boputnam]

Excellent! You can re-ignite this Thread when you do. It'll stale over the wait, but will be waiting...

[locanti]

When I was young,we listen to a GRUNDIG stereo radio combo at home.Then ,my uncle,an architect who live next door, bought a real HIFI set with JBL APOLLO enclosures.I was amazed about the sound.He was listening JAZZ band either the Beatles,Rolling Stones,Who and others on that hifi set.I stay a lot of time in his home,playing with my cousin and listening all that music.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :D

[pangea]

In the early seventies, being a young lad, I had just bought me my first real Stereo equipment and I was immensely proud of it, until a friend of mine asked me what I had bought.

When I told him I had bought me a DUX (Philips) with octagon shaped loudspeakers and all of a sudden my friend seemed to become seriously ill, when I told him this and his eyes were rolling heavily for quite a while. After what seemed an eternity he managed to compose him self and then he invited me to his house and promised me my life would change forever.

Some weeks later I was passing through in his neighborhood and decided to make a quick stop at his house.

But when he opened the door and saw me, he said that only a few days earlier, he had sold his amps, so at first he was about to call it off, but then he suddenly changed his mind and told me to come in, he had an idea.
He went to the kitchen and picked up a transistor radio from the kitchen window, I think it was an old AGA or Sony and then he connected the radio to one of his JBL 4530's. I don't remember what bass driver he had but on top there was a 075.

I'm not kidding, my jaws dropped to the floor when he turned on the radio with not more power than maybe 1/2 watt or something like that and at first I couldn't even believe it was the radio that drove the speaker. It had to be a scam of some sort. Slowly however It got to me and from that day I haven't looked at any other women, sorry... loudspeakers! :D :D :D

BR
Roland

[johnhb]

I remember that page in Warehouse Sound like it was yesterday. What fun to see it again. Thanks! I still have the L-65s, 2325 and Dual. Befere seeing that I saw a Paragon at Boulton sound in New York City. They installed whole house systems starting at 75K in early 70s! The salesman said they used nothing but JBL drivers because they were the best.

[JBLnsince1959]

OK Bo

here it is ( finally). When my father passed away ( 1994) I got the C35's. Since everything was origianl from 1955, 56, 57 I took the speakers and crossover's out to protect them and now just use the cabinets. Some times on the date of my dad's passing I put it all together and pull out his old MAC stuff and pour two Jack's on the rocks( one for me and one for him) and play his music all night just for him ( I think they hear this in the afterlife).

The cabinets now have E130's, 2425's and 2402's plus some homegrown X-O's and sever as the Center speakers for my HT ( I split the signal and use both) .

Under the C35's are 2235's

the rest of the mess are 4430's and and 2404's. the 4430's( I use the external X-O option), 2235's and 2404's are put together by an ashley 4 way active X-O ( 100,1000,9000 to 10000)

so that's it.

rick

[JBLnsince1959]

Bo

forgot to mention that the C35's are upside down so the horns are"in yer face"


rick

[boputnam]

Originally posted by JBLnsince1959
Some times on the date of my dad's passing I put it all together and pull out his old MAC stuff and pour two Jack's on the rocks (one for me and one for him)... Nice...

Beauty rig, Rick, beauty. I'd have one heck of a time choosing which part of it all to lean on... ;)

[boputnam]

Originally posted by JBLnsince1959
forgot to mention that the C35's are upside down so the horns are"in yer face" I love the look of those E130's peekin' though the grill cloth - I'll bet they really howl...

[JBLnsince1959]

Bo

thanks for the kind words...

So, you noticed the E130, look at little below ( they're upside down ya know) and you can see the 2425 also ( left hand side)


I've been wanting to build new center speakers ( two of course). Heck what am saying, I'm always wanting to put MORE together.

been thinking about using ( for center speakers)
2226
2227 ( does anyone know if any of these are around - would be a great replacement for the E130's)
2020
2445
2404

rick

[JBLnsince1959]

Bo

yes, they howl... I spend a lot of time at the "high-end" speaker businesses here in KC and they all know me by name. Anyway, sometimes I'll meet someone there and they'll brag about their $40,000 Ht they just bought and then I'll say..well all I have are some left-over JBL parts, wanta hear? Of course you know what's in their minds.

If you could only see the look on their faces when I play the first part of the matrix ( upto when the truck hits the phone booth)):jawdrop:

Somehow their BS $40,000 HT doesn't sound so good ( I hate myseld when I do that):rotfl:

well got to go

rick

[LotsOJBL]

I got to pro through the home route. I started w/ KLH speakers (KLH 6), Dynaco kit SCA 35, Garrard Lab 80, etc. Worked my way up to a real HiFi store instead of Allied mail order, and saw some heavy iron - Marantz 9s driving KLH 9, JBL Paragon, etc. Wow.

I got a pair JBL Lancer 101, some of my favorites of all time (love the marble top!) with McInstosh, I just was loyal to Mac. Eventually, ordered a pair of S8Rs in Olympus driven by a Crown DC-300. The speakers were great, but I was bowled over by the Owners Manual for the Crown. I began to look into pro stuff. One day, Cat Stevens was to play at my university, and the sound guy didn't show. Some buddies came up to try to borrow my Olympus, I agreed. Along with a pair of A-7s from a fraternity, we lit up the indoor concert for 2500 people. I was thrilled.

Along the way, I found out a Marantz 8B sounds better than a Mac 240 (I had both), Crown was better than Phase Linear (I melted a 700 driving a pair of Maggies, and JBL pro was the genuine article. I now use a tube pre-amp (CJ PV12) and Mac 2500 driving my Cabaret 4699Bs, the 18 inch woofer, great midrange and classic top end horn making the classic JBL big sound. (My indoor everyday speakers are Wilsons, they too are the genuine article.)

BTW, my favorite high-end system from the old days belonged to an engineer who retired to Winter Park, FL, my home town. He had Marantz tube electronics (7C, 9s, 10B) Thorens TTs (a 124 and a 224, the changer), Crown and Magnecord tapes, a pair of Klipsch corner horns and TWO pair of Bose 2201 configured as 1/4 spheres, located 1/3 and 2/3 between the corner horns. Too cool.

[soundhd]

I first became aware of JBL Pro back in the early 70's when I started to get seroius about "live" sound and studio monitoring.
Being a musician I became exposed to JBL's pro audio products in the studio and on the the stage. They had always been the best, not the cheapest but the best sounding in the 70, 80's and most of the early 90's till some of the other companies like Meyer, EAW, ShowCo, ect.....started to design and come out with their own designs of live or concert sound speaker systems.......JBL is still in there and holding thier own in a very tough product field but I think not best of them all, but now up there with the best top 10.
I still firmly believe that their studio monitor lines from the 70's through the late 90's are still unsurpassed. With the right souce equipment nothing sounds better.
My goal to listening to music is to try and re-create what the Engineer/ Producer/Artist hear in the studio at final mixdown.
Thus the use of the "studio Monitor" is so very important, at least to me anyway. Alot of time, effort, creativity, talent, know-how,
and of course money goes into the making of and album/CD to get it just "right", so I believe that you should at least be able to hear it that way and if you so desire I guess changing the way it sounds by adding more of whatever you think it should have is OK as long as you can bring it back to its original "sound".
I know alot of folks out their will disagree with my views and will say that the new hi-fi speaker designs that have and are still coming out are better but I guess my answer to that is to ask.....
why don't you see those products on the studios? But this is an argument that can and probably will go on for decades.....
But this is just my history and reasons for using JBL Pro.....

[speakerdave]

I heard some custom JBL speakers in the late 60's. I had never heard anything like it. I didn't think it was particularly accurate, but I liked the big dynamic sound and was always interested in larger speakers afterward. Several years later I was building some three-way speakers. I had some 15" Cerwin-Vega woofers and a pair of EV T350 tweeters (sorry I ever sold 'em) and needed a midrange. I went into Eber Electronics in San Francisco to ask them about it and was given a JBL Loudspeaker Components catalogue. (Robert G. used the cover graphic as an avatar.) The salesman put a big check mark by the LE5-2 midrange and wrote in some prices on a few other things. I never bought it because I wanted a lower crossover point and settled on a Stephens 6" full range, which was quite good.

I heard the L100's in a lot of places in those years and never liked them. The coloration was so obvious. I favored what was called the New England sound in those days. I think I let my experience with the L100 cause me to prejudge the rest of JBL and I never seriously considered getting into it, although I kept the catalogue and still have it.

I got into some Altecs and accepted the coloration because I thought it was the necessary price of efficiency. I had a single Jensen G610 which I played around with for while. I thought the coloration of that was actually offensive, but the coaxial design and the bounce of that big efficient sound I really liked.

I set this hobby aside for many years and did other things. Only recently has it occured to me that I could semanticize this world of JBL speakers into experience, and so that 's what I'm doing.

[Alex Lancaster]

Almost 30 years ago, I was 20 and already a poor Hi Fi nut, I bought a pair of L19´s, forget what Pioneer receiver and TT, added an Akai 760 cassete deck and I was in Heaven!; about a year later, I sold the L19´s to some friends that had a small electronic mfg. business, life being quirky, I bought into the business, and later on contacted JBL and was 1 of the 2 pro dealers/importers in Mexico, later the only one; right on the middle of the Disco craze, which fizzled out after some great Years, never liked Disco, but just loved the gear, the addiction is still going, I have gone thru a lot of JBL´s, mostly custom cabinets.

Anyway, I still have a working set of cabinets with 4301/L19 components, and last night just for the heck of it, bought L19´s for $31 off eBay that deffinetely need surrounds and?

Alex.

[hosee]

I became aware of the "JBL" sound through friend who owned a pair of Sovereign S8Rs. He bought a pair of gray cabinet 4350s to add to his system and the sound was VERY impressive. We went to a home & Gardens show where some audio dealers were profiling the 4350 and it was a very popular demonstration in that large building. I went to Broadway music and they had a pair of woodgrain 4350s which I purchased for $2400 for the pair. I still own them and have added a couple of 4312s bought in early 80s, 3 pair of L166s and built two speakers using a 2202, 2405 and 375, a pair of L300s bought in 1982, and a pair of Sovereign S7Rs to which I added a 2404 and N700. I have always liked the Pro JBLs and high end home models for their life like sound reproduction. JBL is great for support as well. Some of my 15" speakers had the old yellowish surround which hardened and started to crack. JBL refoamed 8 15" speakers at no charge to me and sent me a leather "JBL" belt buckle. If there was anything that I liked better, I would get it but have not found anything sounding better to me for the last 40 or so years.

[dgorshe]

Lets see what turned me on to JBL's? My dad had 4 L-100's in the living room when i was growing up, and i had 2 in my room and my dad had L-166's in his room, so basically i have never liked any other sound cause it just wasnt the JBL sound I love it

[Donald]

Late 60's I went to some kind of Dick Clark rock and roll show at the stockyards in Chicago. The PA system was JBL. Wrote a letter to JBL asking what the system was. They actually answered me. I was sold. Bought my still functional Dorian S12 pair shortly after. Bought my L222 Disco pair around 1982. Had to borrow my friends Blazer to get them home.

I still get goosebumps thinking about the Paragon. Wish I had actually heard one.

[JonathanKeehn]

In 1968 while in college I purchased a pair of C60 Soveriegn I S8R's with JBL Energizer and Graphic Controller Preamp. After over 35 years 99% of the rest of the audio world has still failed to catch up to JBL quality, sevice and performance. I sold the system in 1973 and have regretted it ever-since. I am thinking of building a pair of monitors using 2235, 2441,2380, and 2405 components with electronic crossovers and bi-amping sometime later this year. I am a member of the Chicago Audio Society and have had the opportunity to audition several ultra high end systems recently, including Martin Logan Statements, SounLab U-1, Wilson Grand Slamms. These are six-figure systems. I have yet to hear or find anything that competes with JBL Pro Monitors except Dr. Bruce Edgar's Titan system, which often uses some JBL components in its configurations and the TAD 2401 studio monitor. I have been contacting JBL sales reps in northern Illinois to see when the K2 S9800's will be on display but it seems that may be a year or more in the future and as a home theater system. Vintage JBL Pro Monitors are still way ahead of what most so-called high-end audio stores have on display and it is great to have this forum to learn more about building and enjoying them.

[Steve Gonzales]

A family friend was the sole JBL PRO dealer in the early70's to early80's and he had four 4311's, a Phase Linear amp and preamp and a Thorens TT.(When I was about 13, I'm 42 now) He invited me to hear his rig one evening. He played Fresh Air's "Fresh Air" album and from the very first note I WAS HOOKED!!!.He also invited my family to spend weekends at his mountain cabin where he had some huge Altec VOTT's with 511's modified to accept 2440's powered by an JBL Icecube amplifier and another Thorens TT and also a Nakamichi 550?. As long as I live I will always remember hearing Steely Dan's music from ACROSS the meadow over my Honda Trail 90! I just sold my first pair of JBL's:( -L166's after much contemplation, I loved them. I used to play hooky and visit Bakersfield Audio and DROOL over all the 70's vintage L series, especially the L300's-AWESOME!!!!. The salesman must have thought I was a nut (proud of it!). I also used to go to Casa Moore Stereo and listen to the big Altec's too. I'll never forget hearing Patti Smith's version of "Because the Night" Played thru a Technics RS1500US, Onkyo Grand Integra 300wpc and the Mighty Altec Model 19's. Thank you JBL and Altec LANSING for all the great times and Memories!!

B.T.W ;




I just read every response to this simple thread and think that it is so COOL that so many different people from so many walks of life can share the JOY of JBL! In a world filled with so much hate and trouble it is comforting to have a WARM place to come to and leave all the crap behind for a little while and just enjoy all things JBL. Happy Holidays my Friends!- Steve G





JBL + FRIENDS=:D :D :D!

[johnaec]

About 1969 or 1970 I went to an Iron Butterfly/Steve Miller concert. They were playing on this big rotating stage, and Steve Miller's bass player was playing through a Sun system, with four double 15 bottoms, which I later learned had D140's in them. I'd never heard a true, clean 40hz before that, and JBL was the only thing for me after that. Maybe that's also why I ended up playing bass, (I used to play lead guitar, but never heard a bass player with the sound I liked, so I switched...lead players were a dime a dozen...)

John :rockon1:

[paragon]

Heared a pair of 4530 in a Rockdisco in the late 70`s.
Never heared such good sound, deep bass, clear non distored mid and highs.
Drivers were 2205A, 375 with HL89(black horn with white lens), 075 and 077 with JBL passive networks. All driven by an RSD 800B power amp.
One year later they changed into the 4520 with EV 15B Drivers (mid and high they used the old JBL drivers). More deep bass !!
Bought a 4530 (copy) with the same JBL drivers in the early 80`s and used them for many years in the living room.
Later i build a pair of 4508 reflex enclosures for two 2205 drivers and used them also many years with the same mid-high combo. The old 4530 stored in the cellar for many years.
All this was driven 3 way active.
Reactive the 4530 two years ago and hear them in my small (3x3m) "HiFi room". Use a pair of L90 with a big bandpass sub (two 2205A) in the living room.

Eckhard :D

[Earl K]

Very Handsome 4530s' you've got there, Eckhard !

Yep, Handsome Indeed !

<. Earl K :D

[paragon]

Have to restore them the next time, Earl.
Put all the old paint off, hard work i think.
Or build a new pair 4520 !! :D

Eckhard

[Steve Gonzales]

Mr Paragon, those are some sweet speakers!. Is that a 2440 hooked to the 2397? What is/was the thinking behind having 2 pairs of UHF drivers and different to boot? I love the way they are open and also the way they look in the stack. The UHF drivers must have a staggered x-over point? There may not be as much JBL Stuff on your side of the pond but from what I've seen, It is generally of great condition and almost always highly desirable, KUDOs.

:smthsail:

[paragon]

Hi Steve,

The drivers behind the 2397 are 2441 i bought in 81. All stuff is bought in the late 70`s and early 80`s exept the UHF drivers and JBL passive networks.
First i had only the 2405H crossed over at 9000 Hz. Two years ago i bought the 2402H and crossed them at 6000 Hz.
Both drivers where driven in this combo a year ago with my own build network.
A few month ago i bought original JBL networks (3106, 3182).
Now only the 2405H is working. But !!, the sound of the 2402H is excellent !!
I love this driver. The sound of this driver is ("low Highs") absolutely top !!
Heared this combo in a Disco in the late 70`s (other thread).

Eckhard

[Steve Gonzales]

Thanks Eckhard, I have always wanted some 2397's and 2440/2441's! I just sold a pair of 2205's, I should have spent some more time with them:( . I would LOVE to build my own out of WALNUT. I wish there was someone that could supply blueprints! I have access to a fully equipped woodworking shop. One day I will do it. I also want to make my own 4 way with 136A's, 2121's,2441's/2397's and a 076.

[Don McRitchie]

Back to the original topic of this thread, I found out about JBL Pro through one of the members of this forum - Henry Kreindler. Henry ran an audio shop called Banquox Sound here in Winnipeg that sold to both the home and pro markets in the 70's and into the 90's. He built hundreds of PA and home systems using JBL pro components. I don't think I'm telling any secrets in relating that he sold Ken Pachkowsky the 4350's that got him started on the long path to his current Westlakes. I was first in his shop in 1975 when he gave me JBL's pro catalog (it was the only one he had left). That was the first time I found out about JBL monitors and I spent more hours than I care to admit lusting after the picture of the mighty 4350. I still have that catalog and scans from it were part of the first itteration of this site when we opened in May 2000.

[Zilch]

1965 - Memphis, Tennessee. Blew the woofer in our Ampeg B-18X playing at the Blind Lemon. The other band (Paul Revere?) had them candy-apple fleck roll-padded Kystom cabs with JBL's in them. That's what we wanted.

Local amp repair guy didn't have any 18's (JBL didn't make them?), so he put in a D140F, probably, instead. Sold it and the 1964 sunburst Strat in Berkeley in 1970 for $500. :banghead:

The VW bus had long since been reposessed....

[Charlie4350]

In the service in Hawaii, 78 or 79, in the PX audio room, Schofield Barracks. Gary Elias was the JBL Rep and told me about 4343's and I was hooked. Sold 2 pair of HPM 150's to purchase those just looking at the pamphlet and seeing the pro stuff in the clubs. Sold the 4343's soon as I found out I could get a set of 4350's. I think it was Jan or so of 1980. I've been lugging the things around ever since - if that says anything, and I'm still exploring their magic.

Chuck

[pangea]

In the service in Hawaii, 78 or 79, in the PX audio room, Schofield Barracks. Gary Elias was the JBL Rep and told me about 4343's and I was hooked. Sold 2 pair of HPM 150's to purchase those just looking at the pamphlet and seeing the pro stuff in the clubs. Sold the 4343's soon as I found out I could get a set of 4350's. I think it was Jan or so of 1980. I've been lugging the things around ever since - if that says anything, and I'm still exploring their magic.

Chuck
Hi!

I wonder, have you ever tried to go active with digital x-over, like for instace a pair of Behringer Ultradrive DCX2496, to see if that coud improve anything on those 4350's?

Roland

[Michael]

To the above post, if you are interested in active crossovers take a look at XTA's range.


Why am I here? I was introduced to JBL's through my father, we used to have a pair of 4350's which he sold (when I was still too young to appreciate them! :banghead: ). If he had have tried to sell them now he wouldn't have got very far....

Anyway we know have a pair of 4344's, 4312's and a 4311 centre channel, and we are both hooked. He was introduced to JBL pro monitors many years ago at various radio stations he worked at, and then channel 9 (one of the big tv stations here). 9 probably had the most influence on his choice, the pair of 4350's we owned had once lived in that station along with another matching pair, which many great artists recorded their albums on. And to think we snatched them up for an amount equating to about $1500 US at the time :(.

I'm sure there will be more to come, a close friend of ours got the other pair.. heheh.

Cheers, Mike

[jandregg]

I have never seen or heard a JBL professional monitor. My interest in jbl goes back to the 60s. I built my first jbl speaker in 71. It was a le14 with a le20 on top. A friend and I had gone halfs on a table saw to build furniture and the first cabinet was in his living room (we kept the saw in his basement) while I was building the second cabinet. Someone saw it, heard it, and bought it before the second cabinet was done. I built and sold enough of those to buy the componets for my s7r and the cabinets for those where the last speaker cabs I have built. To have something to listen to while building I bought a used pair of L100s. I built my own crossover including winding the coils. The whole thing sounded pretty terrible and I wished I had kept the L100s. Met a man selling in one of the chain stores and found that he was both knowledgeable and owned a portable real time analyser. For a very reasonable price he scoped my system and advised me to chuck my crossovers and go bi-amped. He got to sell me a crossover and amp and I got much better sound. I was happy for many years until I took out the wall between the dining room and the living room and started playing the hi-fi louder. About the same time I really got into classical music, and the midrange started to bother me. Then came e-bay and I saw a picture of a 4344mkII. Relevation and desire was instant. I needed a ten inch jbl to handle the midrange on my speakers. Searches of the internet found this site, hi-efficienty forum, and pi speakers. All chuck full of info. Then jbl tent sale of 2123J (h were all gone) was found. It was too much. I asked questions on all three forums and was encouraged to go for it by several responders. I duped the tweeter filters from the 4343 schematic and got close on the midrange. Robert G. and a couple of books put me straight on that filter and it sounds good, but of course I am still messing with it. So I have a S7R with an 077 on top and a 2123 in the middle. It sounds real good. Some day I would like to hear a real JBL monitor, but living in Georgia now, I don't know if it will happen. My health isn't too good anymore. I still work, but on weekends sometimes all I do is rest, and listen to music. And it is enough. I'm happy and this site is part of that happines.

John

[Charlie4350]

Roland,
Never tried digital x-over. Using the 5235 with either the 250 Hz card or the 51340 (not sure about this one), I'd have to pull the cover, but it says 4343/4350. Ordered that card from JBL with my 5234 in 85 (it took me that long to afford one). I'm sure there is more to be had with a better crossover. Still have to try the bypass caps in the 3107 when I find the right person to do the work. Since 98 I've been chasing Levinson gear to realize more of the potential of these fine speakers - 25 years ya think I'd be done.

chuck

[aust-ted]

I got interested a few years ago when a pro audio friend convinced me to try some JBL components in my search for high efficiency speakers to match my tubed amps.

Taking a step back, I trialled a pair of modded Leak St50 tubed amps around 1990 and was immediately drawn back into using such archaic gear. Since I have moved to increasingly more efficient speakers which will work well with low powered tube amps. I have also recently adopted triamping and came to accept that large SS amps are hard to beat for bass power and control.

I purchased some 2450s/ 2380As, 2235s and 2404s on eBay over the last few years and have become a convert to the use of such gear for home use.

Ted

[4313B]

http://audioheritage.csdco.com/vbulletin/images/icons/icon7.gif How did you find out about JBL Pro Series?

Mid seventies, Gates Planetarium. I noticed four 077's and HL89's strategically placed about the base ring of the dome. I remember being disappointed that "someone" had painted the clear acrylic in the 077's black. :p

A few days later I found out they were actually 2405's and 2390's. :D

[dblaxter]

hi ,

my first was ,going to sam goody's with my mother and my best friend to pick up a pair of brand new L100 s in or on i should say feb ,02 1978 ,he was buying them ,which i purchased 6 months later ,i still have those same speakers ,when we were there , they had a demo pair of 4311b s if i am not mistaken ,unfortunitly they were lost to a lost girlfriend ,dumb and in love ,so from the age of 15 years old and on i have never owned any other brand of speakers ,16pairs and counting , L15,L19,L36,L56,L100,L110,L112,120TI,240TI,4612OK, 4310,4311, MORE THEN ONE PAIR OF SOME ,i dont feel i missed out buy not buying any other brands . still want to buy more ,have my eye on century golds ,K2 ,the perf. series and the TI10K , i dont want much , just more.
best to all, michael ,dblaxter

[boputnam]

Mid seventies, Gates Planetarium. I think I recall you telling me that's where you first heard the 4345, too.

Wasn't there something like four of them spaced-around and peering-over the lip of the dome? :applaud:

[4313B]

:yes:

I can't remember when the 4345's replaced the older JBL Pro components. I think it was mid 80's. And we thought the older JBL Pro components sounded fantastic. The 4345's were a definite upgrade! ;)

These days I think Gates is all Meyer stuff. :screwy:

The absolute worst JBL system I ever heard was the ring of 4311's or 4312's around the Planetarium at Griffith Park. OMG! :barf: :barf: :barf:
I think there were something like ten pairs. Utterly pathetic after hearing the JBL Pro components at Gates.

[Hofmannhp]

:yes:

.......The absolute worst JBL system I ever heard was the ring of 4311's or 4312's around the Planetarium at Griffith Park. .......

I never thought about the sound at Griffith Park......I thought there were cheap ceiling speakers.....I only was facinated by the view over the city after 9pm.

HP