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high123bid
11-22-2009, 12:30 PM
I own a set of 4435 drivers and crossovers minus the cabinets that I got from a guy who had them wall mounted for his home theater.

I am electronically enclined but not much of a speaker expert sadly. Therefore I have the following questions if one or more of the experts on this site would be kind enough to help me, please.

I have some wonderful L150A and also some B&W 800D but I would really like to get the JBLs going so here goes:

1. Does anyone know of any 4435 enclosures for sale? They can be really rough as I know a good cabinet maker who could veneer them.

If I cannot find the cabinets and have to have some made, I would have the following questions, please:

2. Does anyone here make 4435 cabinets? Perhaps a knock-down kit?
3. Could the 4435 cabinets be separated into two cabinets? I believe each cabinet really are two separately sealed sections.
5. Dimensions. Is it correct that the internal volume of each section is an even 5 cubic feet? And is that net of the volume that the bracing and horn support take up? Thank you to the folks who posted drawings of the original cabinets but I am not sure about the bracing and horn mounts from those.
6. If I do two cabinets for each speaker, would you do the bass woofers at the bottom or one on either side of the horn?
7. Lastly, getting ambitious for an amateur, is there a way to increase the cabinet volume and port tuning to get the 3 dB cutoff down to an even 20hz? I have ample space for the units so a few more cubic feet would not be a big deal. I do not want a muddy bass though.

Thanks so much. Regards, Bo

speakerdave
11-22-2009, 12:49 PM
I own a set of 4435 drivers and crossovers minus the cabinets that I got from a guy who had them wall mounted for his home theater.

I am electronically enclined but not much of a speaker expert sadly. Therefore I have the following questions if one or more of the experts on this site would be kind enough to help me, please.

I have some wonderful L150A and also some B&W 800D but I would really like to get the JBLs going so here goes:

1. Does anyone know of any 4435 enclosures for sale? They can be really rough as I know a good cabinet maker who could veneer them.

If I cannot find the cabinets and have to have some made, I would have the following questions, please:

2. Does anyone here make 4435 cabinets? Perhaps a knock-down kit?
3. Could the 4435 cabinets be separated into two cabinets? I believe each cabinet really are two separately sealed sections.
5. Dimensions. Is it correct that the internal volume of each section is an even 5 cubic feet? And is that net of the volume that the bracing and horn support take up? Thank you to the folks who posted drawings of the original cabinets but I am not sure about the bracing and horn mounts from those.
6. If I do two cabinets for each speaker, would you do the bass woofers at the bottom or one on either side of the horn?
7. Lastly, getting ambitious for an amateur, is there a way to increase the cabinet volume and port tuning to get the 3 dB cutoff down to an even 20hz? I have ample space for the units so a few more cubic feet would not be a big deal. I do not want a muddy bass though.

Thanks so much. Regards, Bo

I can't answer many of these questions, but you might find answers yourself by doing some searches here and reading.

I do not think 20 Hz is realistic with those woofers (2234). Simply enlarging the cabinet would lower the bass somewhat but would also alter the frequency balance that is designed into the speaker. Realistically, for 20 Hz you will need a subwoofer, and if you do that you might consider using just one of the 2234's and making a couple of small changes in the crossover (detailed in these forums) to answer the resulting change in impedance. In that scenario you would build a 4430 cabinet (detailed in these forums) and a second pair for the subwoofers. One of our members has at least one sub1500 for sale (ebay auction recently closed without success). Maybe you could deal with him for that. When you could get another add a second. It must be said that using the 4435 for music you do not need 20 Hz or a subwoofer, but for action movies and pipe organs you will have occasional use for both.

Mr. Widget
11-22-2009, 01:11 PM
If you don't have vast experience in designing speakers, the likelihood of your bettering the stock 4435 with stock 4435 components is next to nil. The 4435 is a big dynamic loudspeaker that is more refined than many older vintage systems, but it is nothing like the 800D in accuracy and imaging capability. The 800D is a very refined loudspeaker that would be hard for any horn loudspeaker to compete with... I have heard a double blind comparison between the 800D and the JBL Array 1400... this JBL did very well. I thought it bested the 800D in some areas but not all. I don't know what your goals are, but I'd consider this much newer JBL design.

Other than that comment, I'll second Dave's sub suggestion if deep bass is desired. I realize people expect subterranean bass from 10 cu ft boxes, but vintage systems were designed before we could really record content below about 30Hz. Vintage 15" woofers simply don't have the Xmax to produce deep bass at realistic levels. That is not to say that playing most music they come up short, but if you do play music or a film soundtrack with ultra low bass, they just aren't capable.


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high123bid
11-27-2009, 01:00 PM
So, Stay with original cabinet designs.

Is the interior volume 5 cubic feet exactly per side? I am unsure if that is net of the internal bracing or not, please?

Thanks, Bo

Earl K
11-27-2009, 01:11 PM
2. Does anyone here make 4435 cabinets? Perhaps a knock-down kit?

- LHF member saeman (http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/member.php?u=1656) makes some superb 434x reproductions .
- Shoot him a pm for a quote on getting a pair of 4435 cabinets made .

<> cheers