Originally Posted by
sguttag
So what is the desire to move away from the 2242 to the 2269? The 2242 in the 4645C cabinet is pretty awesome, in its own right. It is true that both drivers CAN use the same enclosure (JBL has sure done it on production units like the 4642A versus the 5628). It doesn't mean that it is optimized for the 2269. A better box for the 2269 is the one they used on the SUB18. The T-S parameters are not identical at all. In fact, the 2269 can function in a sealed box whereas the 2242 is really just a vented box driver.
But, in your application, home-cinema subwoofer, there is nothing wrong with the 2242/4645C system. Note, the 2269 is notably less efficient so you'll need more power for it.
Now for the hypocrite part...for my home theatre, we cloned the SUB18 specifically to use the 2269. I did it because of my fascination with the 2269 and the desire to see what it could do. I've used the 2242 commercially, in cinemas for decades (starting with the 4645B) and it has remained one of my most favorite drivers. The only thing that kills it are objects through the cone and Ashely FET amplifiers when they go DC.
That said, I'm fully aware that I'll never fully realize the bottom end of the 2269 in my basement (Home Theatre) due to size of the wavelength down at 18Hz. I only have about 16-feet (4.9m) to my home theatre, not 62.8 (19.1m). So there is that. How big is your room to justify the change? While testing mine, I did go outside to get the full effect. I also wanted to see how well my walls/sound isolation worked at knocking down the audio escaping the theatre space.
I also like the 2226 a lot. It has been a very reliable and good performer for me. I've never once wanted to replace it with something else. Then again, it has normally been in the 4508 or 4507 cabinets (4648, 4647 systems).
If you are just looking to switch things up...come and join the M2 club. It is my most favorite speaker, at the moment. I wouldn't have even really known about it if it weren't for a friend insisting I give it a shot. We built a prototype M2 to to listen to it. Note, you need the DSP to make it perform. If you want to try something radically different, there is also the Altec side...listen to some 604s. Great Plains Audio makes it and now on the version 3. I almost used them before hearing the M2.