Was JBL Paragon 44000 and Hartsfield made for Status or sound? Which 1 sounded best?

[oldspeakers]

just wondering if the 35,000 dollar price tag for these used items are worth that kind of money. The paragon was much more difficult to build than a hartsfield and it costed alot more even used the same drivers yet it goes for more money. Wondering why?

[Maron Horonzakz]

I have several Paragons,,, And had a Hartsfield.. All use the same drivers ,,,,, None sound that exceptional,,,ONLY THE MID DIVER REFLECTs OFF THE CURVED PANEL of the PARAGON

[Horn Fanatic]

just wondering if the 35,000 dollar price tag for these used items are worth that kind of money. The paragon was much more difficult to build than a hartsfield and it costed alot more even used the same drivers yet it goes for more money. Wondering why?

$35,000? There have been a couple of clowns on Ebay who have listed their Paragons for between $60,000 and $75,000. Obviously, they are on drugs. Their auctions are always, "buy it now". Click buy it now, and see your money disappear. I think only a sucker would pay $35K for a Paragon. On a good day before 9/11, a Paragon may have gone for $20,000, and the Hartsfields back then were commanding around $15,000. All I can suggest, is that one should be very weary of someone who posts auctions for either of those two systems without providing detailed photographs of the internals and components. There are folks out there who Hi-jack other peoples auction photos.

IMHO, I don't believe JBL produced the Paragon and Hartsfield for "status" reasons. The Hartsfield was marketed to thwart Paul Klipsch's strangle hold on the corner horn market. As for the Paragon, it was the brainchild of Richard Ranger, who's first thought was to implement his idea for use in theaters, not the consumer HiFi market. This revelation about the Paragon was told to me by Hal Cox back in 2000. There is a photograph of an industrial version of the Paragon floating around on the internet. If it weren't for Arnold Wolfe and his gift for industrial design, the Paragon probably wouldn't have seen the light of day.

At any rate, I have heard both the Paragon and Hartsfield. The Paragon no doubt is eye candy, but the later models with the LE 15 sound atrocious. If I had my choice I would much rather listen to the Hartsfield with the necessary bullet tweeter.

[Wagner]

Please Do Not Feed The Trolls

[Wagner]

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ele/5033678311.html

Vintage JBL Hartsfield Speaker and Western Electric 143 Tube Amplifier(albany / el cerrito)

http://images.craigslist.org/01212_9StBDwiOoSj_600x450.jpg



http://images.craigslist.org/01212_9StBDwiOoSj_50x50c.jpg (http://images.craigslist.org/01212_9StBDwiOoSj_600x450.jpg)http://images.craigslist.org/00505_ecQsv9fNEas_50x50c.jpg (http://images.craigslist.org/00505_ecQsv9fNEas_600x450.jpg)




Vintage JBL Hartsfield speaker. $5500
Western Electric 143 mono tube amplifier. $3500
I will not be able to reply via email, so please call for details. Local pickup, cash only please.
show contact info (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/fb/sfo/ele/5033678311)

do NOT contact me with unsolicited services or offers

[Horn Fanatic]

Please Do Not Feed The Trolls

Meaning what?

[Wagner]

Meaning what?
Meaning look at sign up date, post count and both of those questions as represented by that post count of "2"................at the LANSING HERITAGE FORUM?

Smart enough to come here, smart enough to sign up but missed this?
http://www.lansingheritage.org/

And who refers to Paragons with every mention as "JBL Paragon 44000" at THIS site? Like there are other Paragons with which this one might be confused?

That was my meaning and the basis for my remark; doesn't pass the "ring true" test, even for an "ESL" type; "feels" more like someone working on being spoon fed (yet again) ePay ad copy than anything else to me

Call me cynical

[Wagner]

For what it's worth, a friend of mine bought his "JBL Paragon 44000" for the sum of $13,000 cash at an estate sale back in August, 2011 and sold it roughly a year later to a Korean buyer for $28,000 (the Korean also handled the shipping)...........AND it had the wrong networks in it, as well as a few minor hardware issues

Nice overall but far from a pristine example

[oldspeakers]

thanks for your warm welcome Wagner next time you join a site and im a senior member i will show you same courtesy. Shame on you

[Horn Fanatic]

thanks for your warm welcome Wagner next time you join a site and im a senior member i will show you same courtesy. Shame on you

I agree. What I read of his reply reminded me of Romy the Cat, and we all know how lovable that character can be.

[Maron Horonzakz]

HEY,,!!! ROMEY IS MY FRIEND,,,!!!!! And he thinks the Paragon is a piece of crap.

[Horn Fanatic]

HEY,,!!! ROMEY IS MY FRIEND,,,!!!!! And he thinks the Paragon is a piece of crap.

Romey the Cat is a self absorbed pompous ass who thinks is opinions actually hold value. A more nasty individual couldn't be found on any audio blog.

[Mr. Widget]

just wondering if the 35,000 dollar price tag for these used items are worth that kind of money. The paragon was much more difficult to build than a hartsfield and it costed alot more even used the same drivers yet it goes for more money. Wondering why?At the time each of these speakers was introduced, they were state of the art in terms of audio performance. The state of the art has advanced significantly since then and I would suggest that the value of the speakers is almost entirely due to the interest of collectors. If I had the room and the spare cash I would love a pair of Hartsfields and a Paragon as I love their industrial design, but I wouldn't be using them often for their original intended purpose.

I am sure that there are numbers of people out there who would take exception to my statement above and consider the speakers fine sounding today... I would submit that those listeners who have experienced these fine vintage speakers as well as contemporary examples of state of the art speakers and prefer the vintage models are in the minority.


Widget

[Maron Horonzakz]

IT would be interesting to trade out modern drivers in the Hartsfield and Paragons,,

[Wagner]

Romey the Cat is a self absorbed pompous ass who thinks is opinions actually hold value. A more nasty individual couldn't be found on any audio blog.

Yeah, a lot of folks don't like those cats!

That's one smart "pompous ass"...............CAT, but I think it MAY be "Roman" you have the problems with?

Misplaced anger? Can't be "racism", reverse "speciesism"?

Regardless, the CAT'S name is "Romy"; never met the cat myself (but I've heard a lot about him)!

"Romy the Cat" doin' his thang:
http://www.goodsoundclub.com/Site_images/Koshka1.jpg

[Maron Horonzakz]

That puss is now dead...

[Wagner]

That puss is now dead...
Did not know that.............
:(

[Maron Horonzakz]

ROMANOVE BESNOW got married now has a baby boy,,, Bought a grand piano for his wife..

[Wagner]

ROMANOVE BESNOW got married now has a baby boy,,, Bought a grand piano for his wife..

That's nice; what maker, you know?

[Mr. Widget]

What the hell does any of this have to do with vintage loudspeakers?


Widget

[Maron Horonzakz]

ROMY,,is a vintage music lover,,His collection is astounding,,, He makes his own tube amps,, Made his own horns,,loves fast cars, LIKE ME, IS A HANDSOME MAN.