JBL Array 1400 vs Cinema speakers (3731)

[Jonas_h]

I am researching a little about what equipment to get for my future home cinema, and the best I have ever heard are the JBL Array 1400's. They were accurate, dynamic and smooth sounding at the same time.

But I can see in various posts here and on other forums, that many people are beginning to use pro cinema speakers in the home.

This speaker for example: http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/general/Product.aspx?PId=201&MId=1
It is designed for studio-playback and by looking at specs, they should be capable of insane dynamics and accuracy. I am of course not going to use just a receiver to amplify them, but will use pro amps.

Do any of you have experience with both the consumer Array 1400 speakers and the pro cinema line speakers?

Even though you don't have experience, it could be interesting to hear some thought about using these pro cinema speakers in the home.

[mikebake]

The large cinema speakers are not made for smaller listening spaces, and the Array's will be a better balanced, more accurate speaker.

[Jonas_h]

I just read the JBL Spec sheet for the speaker I linked to, and it says:

Application:
For critical sound reproduction in
small to medium cinemas and studio
production and post production
applications.

It is not unlikely that a home theater has the size of a studio. :) But they are half the price as the Array's where I live, so if they performed equally, it would be a bang for the buck!

[Robh3606]

It's literally Apples and Oranges. They simply will not be able to compete with the Arrays.

Rob:)

[Mctwins]

It's literally Apples and Oranges. They simply will not be able to compete with the Arrays.

Rob:)

Why not if I may ask.:confused: What is the difference? Could you elaborate a little further.

Have you heard and compared between the Cinema Screen Array 3731 and Array 1400 by yourself.

Thanks

[Robh3606]

Why not if I may ask.:confused: What is the difference? Could you elaborate a little further.

The difference?? Isn't it obvious?? Mike pointed it out in his post. I have 2 set-ups. An HT using pro components and a 2 channel set-up with Array Clones. Only difference is I have beryllium drivers in my clones and my networks are charge coupled. As good as the Pro Driver HT is, it takes a back seat to the Arrays.


Rob:)

[4313B]

I think you need to find a Cinema Screen Array 3731 setup to listen to before making any purchases.

[JBL 4645]

You have to look at what you can get away with for the size of room!

Cinema surrounds would be piss easy to install in most large rooms and yes half the cost of home cinema con! Most manufactures make out it’s a luxury with overpriced speakers for pair of silly dipolar/bipolar. Open your eyes and look around.

The arrays fronts would be well suited for rooms that require bookshelf type design loudspeakers.

Dipolar/bipolar I wouldn’t even consider it for burning them! Just waste of matches!

Monopoles placed around the room looks wicked after-all home cinema is about re-creating the cinema look or feel on budget.

Money can be extremely tight for most of us, saving up for that JBL may take a while.

As to large cinema PA speakers you don’t need to play them at the same levels in the home but you’d have more control with them, over smaller loudspeakers.

Real large ones in small living room would look ridiculous because (you can not run a video projector 24/7 without replacing the lamp every few months at near cost of £$500)!

So you have the means of running a CRT or flat screen for regular viewing and use the video projector when friends are around otherwise its just waste of lamp cost ££$$!

The fronts LCR have to be placed (have to be placed at the same height level) otherwise the sound is all cockeyed! So large cinema PA you can't cut any corners with them. Its one one I don't like to say "impossible" The surrounds you can easily get away with.

Its the fronts so bookshelf 6 1/2 or 8" 12" say a JBL control 10 or 12SR if you can find three or four them in good nick would make a good home cinema set-up.

I assume your living room is no bigger than 20 feet by 20 feet by 8 to 9 feet?

I’ve been in small cinema shoeboxes where JBL cinema PA is used. The enclosures are but tight with the wall and the distance between speaker and screen is no more than, 3 to 4 inches.

So you’d have to keep the speakers right up against the wall, otherwise you wouldn’t have enough room to “swing a cat around” no offence Sooty.

Surrounds are fitted to the sidewalls and rear wall not hanging around on speaker stands next to the seating LOL. On the walls!

I think JBL cinema PA makes a slim line 3000 series that is designed for tight space in cinemas. I think the Lighthouse cinema at Poole uses the JBL 3635 sub as I had peek behind the screen a few years ago. I think the stage speakers was same series, the subs positive.

http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/general/ProductFamily.aspx?FId=31&MID=1

There is no way I could get away with cinema PA stage speakers in my living the width at the front is far too narrow for decent stereo spread. Also the magnetic will play havoc with the CRT widescreen with discolouring!

An 18” sub fits in no problem and room for a second 18” if I had a second 18” JBL sub.


If I placed the arrays in my room at the front the horns are going to be far to high up close to the ceiling and therefore the sound won’t match the CRT/flat screen what ever, I’d be looking upwards, it won’t even match the video projection.

The speakers have to be around mid height of the screen, in the room. The home has narrow height ceilings compared to cinemas that are around 10 to 12 feet for shoeboxes cinemas mid size around 15 to 20 feet.

Large 20 to 40 feet IMAX forget about it, chances are your home is not 80 feet high! :D

Look at my signature the JBL stage channels are at least 15 to 17 feet up above the floor, around mid height of the screen.

[Mctwins]

Hi
OK, maybe I wasen't clear enough. I am not gonna use the speakers for HT, only for listening to music(stereo). I am just interesting how the sound is between those two speakers 3731 and array 1400 or any other speakers for that matter.

I do belive that 3731 have better dynamics and higher SPL when properly setup in a acoustically treated room which I have.

I don't understand the difference, so it means that the sound of 3731 is not good or???

Thanks

[grumpy]

See post #7 or this thread will never end.

Whatever you buy, they will be -your- speakers. All that counts is that you enjoy them...
Unless the point is to impress others... Everyone has several aspects of speaker capabilities
that pokes their happy button... For some it's throbbing bass, other crystalline imaging, or
ultra-wide soundstage, or limitless highs, or "slam" ... whatever. Find your happy button.

Dynamics? OK.
Higher SPL? pointless, unless the lesser system has extreme distortion problems at
your "normal" listening levels.

[Mctwins]

Hi
Point taken.
I meant higher sensitivity and more efficiency instead of SPL.:)

We will see how it will turn out.
Thanks

[andywin]

If I placed the arrays in my room at the front the horns are going to be far to high up close to the ceiling and therefore the sound won’t match the CRT/flat screen what ever, I’d be looking upwards, it won’t even match the video projection.
.

The center of the horn on my Array 1400's is 95cm from the floor and 225cm from the ceiling. Either you live in a dolls house ore you are confusing the cinema Arrays with those that hang above the stage at rock concerts.

[pos]

I am just interesting how the sound is between those two speakers 3731 and array 1400 or any other speakers for that matter.

The 3731 will not go very low (the 2226H is not meant for VLF), and not very high either (the 2432H is a new compression driver, but if it is similar to a 2431 with a titanium diaphragme it will have difficulties above 10Hz). The vertical coverage is also a problem: the sources are so distant than the sound field will be bloated at short distances (and even quite far away in a normal room, because of the reflections on the ceiling and ground).

You will have much more dynamic and maxium SPL capabilities (except at VLF), but you will likely not see much difference compared to an array 1400 in normal hifi situations.

For HIFI or HT use at home I think the downsides far much exceed any advantage you could get from this extra SPL capability.
If price is the main argument and you insist on SPL, then maybe you should look for some SRX738.

[Titanium Dome]

Look, people can say whatever they want (and will) about the two items under discussion. As you know, opinions are like :moon: , everybody has one. In this case, Rob said it, "...apples and oranges." Then 4313B said it. "...Cinema Screen Array 3731 setup to listen to before making any purchases." Then grumpy said it, "Whatever you buy, they will be -your- speakers. All that counts is that you enjoy them."

So to sum up:
1. They are more different than alike.
2. You need to listen to them.
3. You should pick the one you like.

[Valentin]

there are horeses for courses

i owne a pair of array 1400 in a dedicated sound room and there is no cinema that beats them.

you dont use a rally car in a F1 coures

[JBL 4645]

The center of the horn on my Array 1400's is 95cm from the floor and 225cm from the ceiling. Either you live in a dolls house ore you are confusing the cinema Arrays with those that hang above the stage at rock concerts.

As matter of fact I do live in dolls-house :p that is called home.


The 3731 will not go very low (the 2226H is not meant for VLF), and not very high either (the 2432H is a new compression driver, but if it is similar to a 2431 with a titanium diaphragme it will have difficulties above 10Hz). The vertical coverage is also a problem: the sources are so distant than the sound field will be bloated at short distances (and even quite far away in a normal room, because of the reflections on the ceiling and ground).


Adding there might be a “null” where one or few frequencies will dip right down where one can’t hear it one side of the sofa where the other listen can and less in another part of the frequency.

Hey it’s not the end of the world…yet.

[andywin]

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/emttsd15/HiFi/IMG_0690.jpg

[cooky1257]

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/emttsd15/HiFi/IMG_0690.jpg

Andy, you are a good'un thanks.
Cooky

[Jonas_h]

The 3731 will not go very low (the 2226H is not meant for VLF), and not very high either (the 2432H is a new compression driver, but if it is similar to a 2431 with a titanium diaphragme it will have difficulties above 10Hz). The vertical coverage is also a problem: the sources are so distant than the sound field will be bloated at short distances (and even quite far away in a normal room, because of the reflections on the ceiling and ground).

You will have much more dynamic and maxium SPL capabilities (except at VLF), but you will likely not see much difference compared to an array 1400 in normal hifi situations.

For HIFI or HT use at home I think the downsides far much exceed any advantage you could get from this extra SPL capability.
If price is the main argument and you insist on SPL, then maybe you should look for some SRX738.

Funny you should mention the SRX738. I have already been reading a lot about them, and the midrange compression driver seems really interesting! The price is almost the same as the JBL 3731 though.

I believe I created a thread once asking if people had any experience with the SRX738 for HT/Hifi, but didn't get much response. Have you heard the speaker yourself? How would you say they would do better in a HT-setup compared to the JBL 3731?

[moparfan]

http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/general/Product.aspx?PId=363&MId=3