Score! Obtaining the Unobtanium!
Today I scored what I think is a real 2420 diaphragm made of unobtanium!
The piece was removed from a working driver and placed in a 2421 box. The seller really has no idea what it is and had it listed as a "used 2412" transposing the box numbers.
My thought is that someone had a pair of Early LE85/2420s and blew out a diaphragm. When they couldn't get a replacement 2420, they replaced the pair with 2421s, and put the good one away in one of the 2421 boxes.
Who here would just change one of the pair of drivers to a different style without changing the other and not put the original away?
My L/R have the 2420s, but my center channel has a 2421. I've been looking for a 2420 since...
Cost was $65.55 + $12 S/H and I figured the chance of getting a holy grail at that price was worth the risk.
Note the raised pads and factory "shim notes" to get the alignment just so. I've seen that on only a few early 2421s. Now, no body even bothers with that.
https://ssli.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMF..._id=880000500F
Why the Preference for the Dated Technology? You Be the Judge.
Why the preference for the dated tangential technology?
I came across an interesting video that compares the JBL titanium/diamond diaphragm with quality aftermarket aluminum tangential and straight surrounds. TO ME even though my computer has a pair of Advent speakers of no where near the quality of these drivers, the attack and thinness of the titanium diaphragm sounds unnatural, cold, brittle, and sterile compared to the tangential and straight offerings. Granted the aluminum may roll off a bit sooner, but that's what the 2405/077 is for.
But you can judge for yourself.
https://youtu.be/WdNLDZQLga8