PDA

View Full Version : 240Ti complete re-do?



Maxwelhse
03-15-2010, 05:43 PM
First off, awesome site! I've been a fan of the classic (well, at the time they were "new") JBL speakers since I was very young, as I grew up in a house with L300s. So, when I got a bit older the bug bit me too (hence my problem).

I scored a set of 240Ti empty cabinets, with cross overs and fairly nice grills, for cheap last night. Are these worth messing with? I've read all I can find and everyone goes on about how nice they sound (and even moreso about the 250Ti). However, the cabs are in "ok" shape. I'm assuming I'll have between $1000-$1200 in this pair to make them right again by the time I buy all used drivers (unless new are available still?) and have them reconed. I have about $1100 in the 100s (over time, of course) and about $700 in my 80s and both pairs are in very very good condition, the 100s are sequential serial numbers to boot.

So, in short, are my assumptions about cost accurate? Is it really worth it to invest in these speakers that will never look "perfect" without a ton of additional money and work? The only place where I'm disappointed in my 100s is in the low end, where the 240s are said to perform very well. Would my money be better spent on a couple of subwoofer cabinets? A local guy has a set of MP418S that look very nice for $800 obo that I can plug in and play right now.

Also, my primary use of my setup is for home theater. My plan was to ditch my S-Center, move the 80s to center (suspended over TV) and put the 100s out back.

Any thoughts you guys can offer would be a great help! Thanks!

BMWCCA
03-15-2010, 06:01 PM
I'm assuming I'll have between $1000-$1200 in this pair to make them right again by the time I buy all used drivers (unless new are available still?) and have them reconed. I have about $1100 in the 100s (over time, of course) and about $700 in my 80s and both pairs are in very very good condition, the 100s are sequential serial numbers to boot.

So, in short, are my assumptions about cost accurate? Is it really worth it to invest in these speakers that will never look "perfect" without a ton of additional money and work?

Welcome, and thanks for sharing your history and enthusiasm. You'll find a good home here.

My opinion? Wasting your money...but then it is your money! ;)

I'm not sure you can even acquire 240Ti drivers at your figure, and I'm pretty sure you shouldn't. For that much money you should be able to find at least L250s or even 250Ti's. And certainly a complete pair of 240Ti's should be able to be had for much less than you're talking about spending to populate your cabinets. The facts support that this stuff is worth much more parted-out than sold as complete systems. Like old cars; it's sad but true.

I can't answer your HT questions because I'm a two-channel guy, though I do have a couple of pairs of L80Ts that I hardly ever play because between L7s, L5s, L96s, 4412As, and L112s they just don't make it to the top of the play list that often anymore. I considered 240Ti's for myself once but was discouraged by the less-than-enthusiastic support for that system on this site. I didn't want to be underwhelmed after spending that much money, so I spent more...

Maxwelhse
03-15-2010, 06:36 PM
You just echoed what's been going through my head all day. Though the 240s might be cool when done, I could probably do a lot of other things with the money, and $1000-$1200 is probably a basement number for the parts I need.

I realize I overspent on the 100s and 80s, but that's how this entire mess gets started. I paid a fair price for the 100s initially, then the 12s required reconing some years later. Same story on the 80s, but the "matched set" was too good to refuse. For your info, the 80s are no where near the 100s, which was also quite a disappointment for me. Which is why I thought I would ask some other people that know before I shell out a bunch more money. Thanks!

BMWCCA
03-15-2010, 07:07 PM
For your info, the 80s are no where near the 100s, which was also quite a disappointment for me. Which is why I thought I would ask some other people that know before I shell out a bunch more money. Thanks!There are some cheap (nearly free) mods recommended for the L80t that might help. I extended the port tube 1.5-inches and packed another layer of insulation into the top of the cabinet as per instructions from Gordon W., a member here and elsewhere.

I also acquired a pair of L80T3 crossovers off Ebay for $13 I'm itching to try. The L100Ts should offer a great sound. I'd like to hear them compared to the 240Ti just for the heck of it.

Maxwelhse
03-16-2010, 04:46 AM
There are some cheap (nearly free) mods recommended for the L80t that might help. I extended the port tube 1.5-inches and packed another layer of insulation into the top of the cabinet as per instructions from Gordon W., a member here and elsewhere.

I also acquired a pair of L80T3 crossovers off Ebay for $13 I'm itching to try. The L100Ts should offer a great sound. I'd like to hear them compared to the 240Ti just for the heck of it.

Hummm... I may try that some day. I wouldn't mind hearing the T3s sometime either, although the "hot" sound of my Ts doesn't bother me. In fact, I tend to like things on the bright side.

I am very happy with my L100T's. They are not my Dad's L300s, but I wasn't embarrassed to A/B with them in the same room (and they were $3000 less money). That's why I was so shocked/disappointed the first time I A/B'd the 80s. For HT, they do a great job as rears with the 100s up front.

Maxwelhse
07-18-2010, 12:27 PM
Ok, so I couldn't resist... I pieced one together today with some Ebay parts and A/B'd them and a L100T.

The power handling of the 240TI seems WAY higher than that of the L100T, not that it means everything, but you can drive them a lot louder without distortion. Either speaker will play plenty louder than I care to listen for very long.

In terms of overall sound, the 240TI definitely plays a good bit lower with more of an impact (which is totally expected from the larger woofer). If anyone is familiar with Bass Mechanik Quadmaximus, the frequency response track is night and day. The 240TI blows the L100T out of the water (not that a bass CD is the end all be all of enjoying a speaker). The response seems every bit as quick as the smaller driver in the L100T.

The L100T sounds sort of "hollow" or "playing in a pipe" next to the 240TI. It's not a huge difference, but it is clearly noticeable. This is even with the 240TI sporting an identical 104H-2 mid range driver since 104H drivers seem to be unobtainable (at least in the few months that I've been shopping). I played a variety of difference tracks and found the same result on everything from classical piano to heavy metal. The 240TI is more "clear". I didn't notice that it was less "hot" or "bright" than the L100T, which I've heard is a common criticism of the T version, which I understand was corrected on the T3 version.

Trying to describe how a speaker sounds is pretty hard, but in raw precentages of what I like; my L80Ts are about 70% as good as the L100Ts, and the L100Ts are about 85% of the 240TIs. The 240TI is about %70 of my Dad's L300s.

tomee
07-28-2010, 08:21 AM
I have a few ideas here... :D

A) Get a pair of LE14H-1s - sounds like you only need one more. Take the mids and tweeters from a pair of your L80Ts and put them in the 240Ti cabs - they're not 240Ti but probably close.

B) Spend even more money (!) and build them up with LE14H-1s, 077/2405 tweeters, and LE85s/2421 or 2425s with the H91/L91 horn lens. For crossovers I think this is it:

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?166-4333-S300-L300-equivalent-bandbass-circuit&p=1042&viewfull=1#post1042

'mini' L300s!

Titanium Dome
07-28-2010, 08:58 AM
Ok, so I couldn't resist... I pieced one together today with some Ebay parts and A/B'd them and a L100T.

The power handling of the 240TI seems WAY higher than that of the L100T, not that it means everything, but you can drive them a lot louder without distortion. Either speaker will play plenty louder than I care to listen for very long.

In terms of overall sound, the 240TI definitely plays a good bit lower with more of an impact (which is totally expected from the larger woofer). If anyone is familiar with Bass Mechanik Quadmaximus, the frequency response track is night and day. The 240TI blows the L100T out of the water (not that a bass CD is the end all be all of enjoying a speaker). The response seems every bit as quick as the smaller driver in the L100T.

The L100T sounds sort of "hollow" or "playing in a pipe" next to the 240TI. It's not a huge difference, but it is clearly noticeable. This is even with the 240TI sporting an identical 104H-2 mid range driver since 104H drivers seem to be unobtainable (at least in the few months that I've been shopping). I played a variety of difference tracks and found the same result on everything from classical piano to heavy metal. The 240TI is more "clear". I didn't notice that it was less "hot" or "bright" than the L100T, which I've heard is a common criticism of the T version, which I understand was corrected on the T3 version.

Trying to describe how a speaker sounds is pretty hard, but in raw precentages of what I like; my L80Ts are about 70% as good as the L100Ts, and the L100Ts are about 85% of the 240TIs. The 240TI is about %70 of my Dad's L300s.

In a room that works better for the 240Ti than for the L300, the 240Ti might be 80-90% of the L300.

I can probably help you out with some 240Ti drivers, depending on what you still want/need, and you'll be happy with the prices. PM me for more info.

Maxwelhse
07-29-2010, 04:12 PM
In a room that works better for the 240Ti than for the L300, the 240Ti might be 80-90% of the L300.

I can probably help you out with some 240Ti drivers, depending on what you still want/need, and you'll be happy with the prices. PM me for more info.

I have a feeling my room is much better suited to the 240Ti than the L300. Dad's L300s are in a very large living room that is about 20' x 30' and the listener is generally 20' away from the pair. Clearly the L300s make quite a presence in a room that size, plus his Pioneer Elite SC-27 (probably low end equipment for this crowd, but I find it to be a nice piece for the deal we got on it) really makes them come to life... Lots and lots of power overhead.

My listening room is much more bowling alley-ish. About 12 feet wide and 40 feet long (finished basement) and I'm generally about 10' away from the front stage.

PM sent... I'm really excited to have the pair of 240TIs up front, L100Ts out back, and L80Ts on the center channel. I also have a pair of 2241s that I need to build cabs for.. Then we'll have a proper home theater. :D

Punch
07-30-2010, 09:09 AM
Now you need a sub ;)

Maxwelhse
07-30-2010, 06:25 PM
Now you need a sub ;)


I think the 2241s will handle it... :D

http://www.jblpro.com/pub/components/2241.pdf

Maxwelhse
08-13-2010, 08:42 PM
I have a few ideas here... :D

A) Get a pair of LE14H-1s - sounds like you only need one more. Take the mids and tweeters from a pair of your L80Ts and put them in the 240Ti cabs - they're not 240Ti but probably close.

B) Spend even more money (!) and build them up with LE14H-1s, 077/2405 tweeters, and LE85s/2421 or 2425s with the H91/L91 horn lens. For crossovers I think this is it:

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?166-4333-S300-L300-equivalent-bandbass-circuit&p=1042&viewfull=1#post1042

'mini' L300s!

In regard to A, that's pretty much what I did, except I have the 044Ti tweeters already.

I had the very same idea on B... aside from what I consider a blasphemous act to cross-breed the cabinets that way since they did survive living in a barn for ages. The more I thought about it, the less sense it made since we already have real L300s in the immediate family, in collector quality condition. Someday, as much I don't want it to happen, my parents are going to pass away. Even if I didn't enjoy the L300s (which is insanity) they are literally my Dad's most prized possessions and I would be hard pressed to ever get rid of them. He is the original owner and has the original sales receipt, carbon copy of the cashier's check he used to buy them, owners manual, sales brochure, AND BOXES (in the attic... for over 30 years...)

So, they're not going anywhere. I think it would be great if they were playing for my grand kids someday. Lansing Heritage indeed! :D