which pre, poweramp to best match 4343? [Archive]

pyonc

03-14-2010, 04:42 PM

Hi, there,

I see lots of threads on pre, power amps in this forum.
What pre, power amps would you recommend for 4343?
I assume the popular match would be mcintosh c22-mc275, c34v-7270, etc, but I just keep wondering why there are not many who recommend jbl pre, power amps for jbl speakers, such as se400s, sa600, sg520, etc. to match with jbl speakers like 4343. Any idea on this? Thanks.

jbl_daddy

03-14-2010, 06:00 PM

Audiobeer

03-14-2010, 07:13 PM

Mcinto 33 or 34 with a 2255....ah that would sound great.

pyonc

03-15-2010, 04:27 AM

Mcinto 33 or 34 with a 2255....ah that would sound great.

Thanks for your comment.
How about a JBL match,
for example, SG520 with SE400S, SE460, or SA600?

pyonc

03-15-2010, 04:29 AM

Mr. Widget

03-15-2010, 11:34 AM

I see lots of threads on pre, power amps in this forum.
What pre, power amps would you recommend for 4343?.I guess, I'd suggest you use the amp and preamp that best suits your needs and pocketbook.

I would not use an older Mac tube amp because they tend to get very fat and loose sounding with big JBL woofers, but then some people like that sound. I would suggest a 100-300wpc solid state amp with the pre of your choice. If you want tube warmth and spaciousness, there are a few hybrid amps that use a tube driver with solid state output devices... these can sound very nice. Alternatively using a tube pre with a solid state amp is frequently a good choice.

Beyond that the recommendations made on other threads still apply. The 4343 is not a peculiar speaker with unique needs. Any excellent set of electronics will certainly make a difference over a receiver or modern digital dsp powered items.

Widget

ronaltronics

03-15-2010, 11:38 AM

I would definitely agree with Mr. Widget but I have had great success with Bryston.

Mr. Widget

03-15-2010, 12:16 PM

I would definitely agree with Mr. Widget but I have had great success with Bryston.I love Bryston. They build solid no BS electronics that sound good too... and with their no hassle 20 year warranty, it is a no brainer.

Of course there are other brands of electronics I really like too. I also love Pass Labs, and Audio Research along with several others.

Widget

JuniorJBL

03-15-2010, 12:26 PM

If you want tube warmth and spaciousness, there are a few hybrid amps that use a tube driver with solid state output devices... these can sound very nice.

I find my Musical Fidelity KW500 to fit this bill nicely.
As far as JBL electronics I would have to say the synthesis stuff sounds good but the older stuff is on par with other manufacturers of decent quality.
JMO

ronaltronics

03-15-2010, 01:51 PM

I agree Mr. Widget I like audio research also. Being a retailer and selling JBL products for over 30 years I feel very fortunate. But one amplifier I also try on the 1400 Arrays and the k2 products is the Krell evolution series.

What a dynamic combination. But Bryston is no slouch.:D

Loren42

03-15-2010, 02:02 PM

Quad 909

pyonc

03-15-2010, 03:40 PM

I guess, I'd suggest you use the amp and preamp that best suits your needs and pocketbook.

I would not use an older Mac tube amp because they tend to get very fat and loose sounding with big JBL woofers, but then some people like that sound. I would suggest a 100-300wpc solid state amp with the pre of your choice. If you want tube warmth and spaciousness, there are a few hybrid amps that use a tube driver with solid state output devices... these can sound very nice. Alternatively using a tube pre with a solid state amp is frequently a good choice.

Beyond that the recommendations made on other threads still apply. The 4343 is not a peculiar speaker with unique needs. Any excellent set of electronics will certainly make a difference over a receiver or modern digital dsp powered items.

Widget

Great! Thanks for your counsel as always.
By the way, have you tried a match of JBL preamp like SG520 and power amp like JBL SE400S?
I just wonder why no one here in this forum recommends a JBL match for the vintage JBL speakers like 4343.

hjames

03-15-2010, 06:27 PM

Great! Thanks for your counsel as always.
By the way, have you tried a match of JBL preamp like SG520 and power amp like JBL SE400S?
I just wonder why no one here in this forum recommends a JBL match for the vintage JBL speakers like 4343.

Of course, i used to use a pair of JBL/UREI power amps to run my biamped 4341s ...
6230 ran the high freq side (original passive feeding midbass, HF horn and UHF 2405)
6260 ran the 2235 woofers only.

I thought it sounded fine, that combo had been recommended to me by Tom Loizeaux a few years back -
but I recently upgraded to a pair of Adcom GFA555

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=43589&stc=1&d=1262775218

BMWCCA

03-15-2010, 06:33 PM

Yeah, I'm adding my normal one-track biased recommendation...again!

I'm currently running my 4345s bi-amped using an Ashly XR1001 crossover with a Crown DC300A-II on the bottom and a Crown D150A-II on the top. Sounds great to me. You could replicate this for about $500 pretty easily. I did it for much less. I hope to soon substitute my Crown PS-400 and PS-200 for the older Crowns to gain the turn-on delay feature of the later amps. My PS-200 is a Crown-certified pre-owned unit and the PS-400 came out of a recording studio in Maryland where I checked it out and picked it up myself after winning the auction on Ebay. The 400 cost me $100, the certified 200 was about $150, or less than the service bill of the original owner, which he included with the original packaging. The Ashly was about $100 used in great shape. Hi-Fi doesn't have to break the bank. If you buy vintage Crowns (the good ones) you can try them essentially for free and maybe even unload them at a profit if you don't really like them. :applaud:

Mr. Widget

03-15-2010, 07:37 PM

By the way, have you tried a match of JBL preamp like SG520 and power amp like JBL SE400S?
I just wonder why no one here in this forum recommends a JBL match for the vintage JBL speakers like 4343.I'd guess no one has mentioned them because these vintage pieces are quite rare and most of us have never heard them. The SA600 integrated amp is more common and more popular. To be honest, I didn't even know what these two pieces were until I did a quick search... I found a fairly clean pair on eBay, I guess this is why you asked. ;)

From a collector point of view, I think it would be neat to have these, but for audio performance, solid state circuit design advanced quite a bit right after these came out. I would look elsewhere.

I'm posting the pics from the eBay auctions though because they are pretty cool.

Widget

shaansloan

03-15-2010, 07:59 PM

I would not use an older Mac tube amp because they tend to get very fat and loose sounding with big JBL woofers, but then some people like that sound. I would suggest a 100-300wpc solid state amp with the pre of your choice. If you want tube warmth and spaciousness, there are a few hybrid amps that use a tube driver with solid state output devices... these can sound very nice. Alternatively using a tube pre with a solid state amp is frequently a good choice. .... The 4343 is not a peculiar speaker with unique needs. Any excellent set of electronics will certainly make a difference over a receiver or modern digital dsp powered items. Widget

Right on Mr Widget....! I have a set of 4343B and have run them with my Mac C22/MC240 and indeed "very fat and loose sounding" is a good way to describe it. They perform much better using my C22 for the pre and an NAD Power Envelope 2200 (100 wpc) that I have. Although I would like to upgrade this integrated amp, the sound is incredible with this setup. I prefer the Carver M series with the "t" mod, but no doubt the Krell, Bryston or Crown would be very nice. However I think the C22 "tube pre" gives it a very warm feel that I really prefer.

Also, the C22/MC240 sounds just dreamy through my Altec Carmels....:) especially when I play 50's or 60's jazz, or other vintage music...

Shaan

JuniorJBL

03-15-2010, 08:02 PM

Those are pretty cool lookin'

I like how it says "Transducer Terminals":applaud:

pyonc

03-15-2010, 08:49 PM

I'd guess no one has mentioned them because these vintage pieces are quite rare and most of us have never heard them. The SA600 integrated amp is more common and more popular. To be honest, I didn't even know what these two pieces were until I did a quick search... I found a fairly clean pair on eBay, I guess this is why you asked. ;)

From a collector point of view, I think it would be neat to have these, but for audio performance, solid state circuit design advanced quite a bit right after these came out. I would look elsewhere.

I'm posting the pics from the eBay auctions though because they are pretty cool.

Widget

Thanks for your kind comment, and the pics (I saw them on ebay, too).
Looks like forum members here prefer Mcintosh or other brands to JBl when it comes to pre or power amps...

pyonc

03-15-2010, 08:53 PM

Of course, i used to use a pair of JBL/UREI power amps to run my biamped 4341s ...
6230 ran the high freq side (original passive feeding midbass, HF horn and UHF 2405)
6260 ran the 2235 woofers only.

I thought it sounded fine, that combo had been recommended to me by Tom Loizeaux a few years back -
but I recently upgraded to a pair of Adcom GFA555

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=43589&stc=1&d=1262775218

Thanks for your kind comments.
By the way, it just comes to my mind when I look at the acoustic lens of your 4341 here in this pic. Does the crack on the acoustic lens affect the sound of your 4341, or 4343?

Progneta

03-16-2010, 07:51 PM

I will put in my two cents...

B&K 50 Serise 2 preamp
Crown VFX2 crossover
Two Crown K1's

Just my two cents...

Previous preamps over the years..

Sony TAE9000ESD
Sony TAE1000ESD
B&K 20 Serise 2
Crown IC150A

I have had the speakers for a long time....

:):):)

Not to side track here, but how do you like the Crown K1's... I was always flustered with the low level cutout. Then when the signal came back, kinda popped when it came back in. errr Other than that, super sweet amps.

jcrobso

03-18-2010, 01:24 PM

I'd guess no one has mentioned them because these vintage pieces are quite rare and most of us have never heard them. The SA600 integrated amp is more common and more popular. To be honest, I didn't even know what these two pieces were until I did a quick search... I found a fairly clean pair on eBay, I guess this is why you asked. ;)

From a collector point of view, I think it would be neat to have these, but for audio performance, solid state circuit design advanced quite a bit right after these came out. I would look elsewhere.

I'm posting the pics from the eBay auctions though because they are pretty cool.

Widget
It was the first pre-amp the did not have any rotary knobs! Has a special balance setting so you could balance the phono pre-amp and also the rest of the system. Has a ton of inputs and outputs. My wife was upset when I brought one home, how much and you still need an amplifier?

Mr. Widget

03-18-2010, 02:12 PM

It was the first pre-amp the did not have any rotary knobs! Has a special balance setting so you could balance the phono pre-amp and also the rest of the system. Has a ton of inputs and outputs. My wife was upset when I brought one home, how much and you still need an amplifier?Well, it looks like someone else agrees with you. :D

Myself, I'd buy a nice barely used ARC LS17 for that kind of money. ;)

Widget

jbl_daddy

03-18-2010, 06:31 PM

Not to side track here, but how do you like the Crown K1's... I was always flustered with the low level cutout. Then when the signal came back, kinda popped when it came back in. errr Other than that, super sweet amps.

Well, the really sound good on the 4340's, one day I hooked them up to my 250ti's and they sucked. They had a hallow tinny sound on the 250's but on the 4340's they are clean and natural. The extra power they have over the DC300's I have makes the large monitors come alive. I do not know why they sound so bad on the. 250's. Keep in mind bad is all in perspective, if you never placed them head to head with other amps you would think they sounded great.

JBL Dog

03-19-2010, 09:50 AM

pyonc

03-19-2010, 11:53 AM

I've used a C32 with an MC7270 with 4343's. My current set-up is bi-amping JBL 6230 and 6290 with the C32. I prefer the bi-amp set-up.

:D

Thanks for your kind comments. For a beginner in this audio field I could do biamping later...:)

SEAWOLF97

03-19-2010, 11:59 AM

here's a pretty good thread about preamps

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=17659

pyonc

03-27-2010, 05:42 PM

here's a pretty good thread about preamps
Thanks for this useful tip.:applaud:

macaroonie

03-27-2010, 08:37 PM

ML ........... pretty much no contest but you must let them do the thing for a few days before you get critical. I NEVER switch off my pre kit.
PS I wish I could afford ML although I sold plenty in my time, ML10a is peachy and can be had for sensible$$$ and similar to JBL Madrigal support vintage product. :)