JBL DMS-1 Monitor

[Mriley]

Hi,
I am a newbie with some questions about a pair of JBL DMS-1 Studio monitors. They are still new in the box, although I don't know how old they are. I have gathered that people think they have a good sound. However would they serve well as a pair of regular home stereo speakers, and would an old Kenwood Receiver with 120 watts per channel rms drive them okay? Finally, what are they worth, approximately?

Thanks.

[Robh3606]

Do you have the crossover?? They are a biamp only system and you need an electronic crossover to run them.

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/specs/pro-speakers/1995-dms1.htm

Rob:)

[martin_wu99]

Very few persons here talked about it,but it seems to be very good speakers,woofer like ARRAY 4800 series,compression drivers like K2 S9500.
I think Kenwood is hard to driver them well.
of course, they are excellent HIFI speakers and can be used in home entainment

[Valentin]

Hi,
I am a newbie with some questions about a pair of JBL DMS-1 Studio monitors. They are still new in the box, although I don't know how old they are. I have gathered that people think they have a good sound. However would they serve well as a pair of regular home stereo speakers, and would an old Kenwood Receiver with 120 watts per channel rms drive them okay? Finally, what are they worth, approximately?

Thanks.

very very good speakers when propoerly set
it is not a plug and play sistem it need an active xo and biamplification plus more power

i would not recomend for your old kenwood reciever you need dedicated amps


it is avery nice find and worth several grand but not a big market for them (opinion)

[Mriley]

So what I'm hearing is that they require a smart person with some real equipment. Meanwhile, I think I'm in over my head.
Thanks all,

Matt

[Lee in Montreal]

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jblpro.com%2Fpub%2Fobsolete%2 Fdms-1.pdf&ei=IEpTUZTQJc_e4APonYDIAQ&usg=AFQjCNEA1TXdTVGs9VxKeZfzTNDfcbZ7ng&bvm=bv.44342787,d.dmg

[speakerdave]

The woofers are not like the ones in the array series (1400pro). The S4800 uses the 1200fe.

They are the 1401nd or the 1400nd as in the s/m9500. They are quite desirable for monitor-quality home speakers, perhaps JBL's best woofer until the AL1500 series. They should be used in pairs. It is possible, though not easy, to build a speaker system around them using information in old forum threads. Depending on the price the speakers you found would be worth acquiring for the parts.

[moparfan]

How would something like that go for?

[speakerdave]

How would something like that go for?

Hard for me to say at this point. When I was buying mine several years ago I paid about $450 each.

[Mr. Widget]

So what I'm hearing is that they require a smart person with some real equipment. Meanwhile, I think I'm in over my head.
Thanks all,

MattYou are one smart dude!

Few people realize that in advance of blowing a ton of time and money... even then they usually come to the wrong conclusion!:banghead:

In a perfect world you'd find someone here that might be interested in trading a pair of nice house broken speakers for that pair. Good luck!



Widget

[JeffW]

They sure have a nice driver complement, are you sure there's not a box around there someplace with the controller? :D

[speakerdave]

They sure have a nice driver complement, are you sure there's not a box around there someplace with the controller? :D

The original analog box is quite rare, but the system can be run with the JBL DSC 280, not impossible to find, and I believe that is rebadged from another manufacturer, and the equivalent is also out there.

The tuning specification for eq and crossover can be found at JBL Pro.

[Mr. Widget]

They sure have a nice driver complement, are you sure there's not a box around there someplace with the controller? :DAs I recall you had trouble getting satisfactory results with some pretty good consumer gear...;) A system like this where the assumed owner is a seasoned professional really isn't for everyone.



Widget

[martin_wu99]

The woofers are not like the ones in the array series (1400pro). The S4800 uses the 1200fe.

They are the 1401nd or the 1400nd as in the s/m9500. They are quite desirable for monitor-quality home speakers, perhaps JBL's best woofer until the AL1500 series. They should be used in pairs. It is possible, though not easy, to build a speaker system around them using information in old forum threads. Depending on the price the speakers you found would be worth acquiring for the parts.
Oh,i mean professional array 4892\4894 series:D

[JeffW]

As I recall you had trouble getting satisfactory results with some pretty good consumer gear...;) A system like this where the assumed owner is a seasoned professional really isn't for everyone.



Widget

Wasn't me :dont-know: The only problem I've had with consumer gear was buying one of the most loathed brands out there, but never any problems with implementation.

[hjames]

Wasn't me :dont-know: The only problem I've had with consumer gear was buying one of the most loathed brands out there, but never any problems with implementation.

You bought BOSE??

[Mr. Widget]

Wasn't me :dont-know: The only problem I've had with consumer gear was buying one of the most loathed brands out there, but never any problems with implementation.My mistake... I thought you bought some gear that you weren't able to get to perform satisfactorily... I guess even buying seriously bad gear can offer satisfaction.

In any case, we are off topic.

Can't anyone help out the original poster with some great sounding ready to go speakers in exchange for these excellent but extremely specialized speakers?


Widget

[grumpy]

If it weren't for the distance...

Not clear to me if these were actually purchased, and if so, what they came with crossover-wise.

[hjames]

Okay - back on Topic about your DMS-1 speakers ...

We could talk about these. I am somewhat local to you in the DC area, I have some spare amps and such -
even the crossover I used when I biamped the JBL monitors I used to own.

I will be kind of tied up through the Easter weekend with out of town guests and the Easter service
sunday at church - but I gather you aren't in a huge rush ...?

Spec sheets are here - http://www.jblpro.com/pub/obsolete/dms-1.pdf

30 Hz -20kHz
Specs recommend 200w/ch amps ...




Hi,
I am a newbie with some questions about a pair of JBL DMS-1 Studio monitors. They are still new in the box, although I don't know how old they are. I have gathered that people think they have a good sound. However would they serve well as a pair of regular home stereo speakers, and would an old Kenwood Receiver with 120 watts per channel rms drive them okay? Finally, what are they worth, approximately?

Thanks.

[JeffW]

There are loads of the crossovers there, too:

http://rasmuscatalog.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rasmus1544/13733

http://rasmuscatalog.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rasmus1544/13322
Speakers:

They have "4496" as the model #, but they also show some of the "4496s" out of the box.

http://rasmuscatalog.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rasmus1544/17479

http://rasmuscatalog.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rasmus1544/17732

http://rasmuscatalog.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rasmus1544/17733

The busted DMS-1s will probably go cheap, the 2450SL drivers alone will bring a few hundred bucks a piece on eBay

[4313B]

the 2450SL drivers alone will bring a few hundred bucks a piece on eBayHow sad. If I remember correctly, those are like $1,500 compression drivers.

[JeffW]

How sad. If I remember correctly, those are like $1,500 compression drivers.


Well, they're used. If they were NIB they might get closer to $1500. I paid just shy of $500 ea for used 2450SL drivers, used pulls. Looked like new.

But hey, there was a whole batch of NIB 2451s that sold recently for $275/ea.

[herve M]

Jbl 4496 ?????????:confused: Never heard. Différence with dms1 ??

[JeffW]

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?616-Anyone-heard-a-DMS-1&p=278906&viewfull=1#post278906


BTW he beat me to the DMS-1 ( they were listed with the in-house number: 4496? ) by a mere hour. Back then you had to *call* on the phone to get these items and the list ( from the rep only ) was changing weekly....but MAN those prices.

[4313B]

Well, they're used. If they were NIB they might get closer to $1500. I paid just shy of $500 ea for used 2450SL drivers, used pulls. Looked like new.

But hey, there was a whole batch of NIB 2451s that sold recently for $275/ea.Yeah, I guess I understand. It isn't like they are 375's with wax seals intact that lived their whole lives in some living room.

[martin_wu99]

There are loads of the crossovers there, too:

http://rasmuscatalog.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rasmus1544/13733

http://rasmuscatalog.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rasmus1544/13322
Speakers:

They have "4496" as the model #, but they also show some of the "4496s" out of the box.

http://rasmuscatalog.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rasmus1544/17479

http://rasmuscatalog.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rasmus1544/17732

http://rasmuscatalog.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?rasmus1544/17733

The busted DMS-1s will probably go cheap, the 2450SL drivers alone will bring a few hundred bucks a piece on eBay
4496？DMS-1 is also called 4496?:confused:

[ivica]

Hi, I am a newbie with some questions about a pair of JBL DMS-1 Studio monitors. They are still new in the box, although I don't know how old they are. I have gathered that people think they have a good sound. However would they serve well as a pair of regular home stereo speakers, and would an old Kenwood Receiver with 120 watts per channel rms drive them okay? Finally, what are they worth, approximately? Thanks.

Hi Mriley, May be some of my experience can help, as 2332 horn with 2450SL is in DMS-1 box (as I have remembered), so the idea about passive network. http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?34179-2450SL-8-with-2332-Horn&p=345209&viewfull=1#post345209

Reagards Ivica

[subwoof]

I had all the parts to build a pair of these some time ago but was dissuaded by industry complaints about the real tricky positioning required to get that "sweet spot" in a studio environment let alone a non-symmetrical living room.

The 2332 horn just doesn't go low enough ( with pattern control ) to match well with the 14" cone size of the 1401Nd ( a selected version of the array highpack 1400Nd ). I think the original K2's used the same woofer but a 2" driver ( 476Nd ) and horn. Saw them being made at northridge during a tour just a few weeks before the earthquake..:)

The array series used an analog electronic crossover - ASC24 while the 4496/DMS-1 used the very slightly tweaked version, SMC-24. I remember the *first* JBL digital crossover (the 52000 or something ) had the presets but don't think the 280 or 260 had the 4496 variation. It's been awhile..:)

I had one of each and took pics of the small components that were hand-soldered around the HF filter opamp but have no clue where those are today, sorry. I still have one asc24 that I use with my array bozes. nice and quiet but the front panel level controls are junk..

Anyways the DMS-1's would be nice in the home environment but will need some real power amplification and crossovers to be done right. Big bucks alas..:)

sub

[Mriley]

Dear Lansing Forumites,

I came across the boxes marked JBL 4496 R on the Rasmus auction site when I was looking for some speakers for my mountain cabin and remembered lusting after some beautiful JBL speakers when I was a teenager in the 70’s.

However, beyond knowing not to buy Bose, my technical knowledge extends to connecting the + wire to the red and the – to the black (a crossover is a move made while dribbling a basketball).

I learned on your forum that 4496 was an in-house number for the DMS-1 and that a studio monitor is not simply a cool substitute for a loudspeaker (at least, not for an amateur). I also learned that people from across the country and around the world would love to snag a pair of new-in the-box DMS-1’s (if that’s what these are: all we’ve seen is cardboard), and several of you contacted me privately, looking for more info.

On the other hand, I do know a lot about vintage drums, and if I came across a 1926 Ludwig Black Beauty (rare and very valuable) listed as “old, metal drum: $10” and started asking “Hey, Half-the World, isn’t this a Black Beauty??!!” I would get some very less-than-polite suggestions to stuff a sock in it.

And that is why I have not responded to the private messages or the thread since. However, it looks like the cat is out of the bag, now. So, you all go for it. Like I said before, I know enough not to mess with stuff I don’t understand. I plan to go down to the viewing, out of curiosity, to see if they’ll open the boxes, but otherwise, I’m hoping to snag a cassette player.

Thanks again for all your suggestions, info, and interest.

Best,
Matt

[grumpy]

Well, thanks for asking the question. It brought up some interesting conversation.
Hoping you didn't get too many sock-stuffing suggestions.

[Mriley]

Actually, no. Everyone was friendly and gracious. I was concerned because, once again, among vintage drum enthusiasts, it's bad form to draw a lot of attention to what may be a good score, especially with all the E-Bay traders who care nothing for the actual drums.

Thanks again,

Matt

[Rapidan]

Well, I stayed in the auction as long as I could, but couldn't carry the weight on the DMS-1's. Obviously they were well spotted, though the price they sold for was more than fair. They needed work as you might imagine.

I did win 4 of the SMC-24 crossovers though....:banghead:

Just need to find something big that needs biamping and crossed at 1K!