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Thread: JBL Be Drivers compared to TAD

  1. #1
    Senior Member soundboy's Avatar
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    JBL Be Drivers compared to TAD

    Don't want a war between anyone, just thinking about another horn project at some point, and after looking at all of the many posts of the 435 and 2435 drivers, I am somewhat curious....and want some opinions....why is the response less than flat, and the extension seemingly quite less than the TAD drivers.....they both use berillium? Yes, I am aware of the cost of a 2001/2002 TAD, I used to own some years ago. But I also remember on my 2344 horns, they were 1/3 octave flat to 20K within almost 1 db!! Yeah, shoulda, coulda, wish I hadn't sold the stuff.....but looking at the response graphs, even though the JBL's are more than a bit less money, they also seem to have response peaks, etc....and not much more extension than an aluminum diaphram.....certainly not to 20K....so what's up? Do they sound THAT much better than an aluminum LE85/2420/2421, or 2431(?) aluminum, etc??? The TAD 2001's I had were night and day more transparent, over a 2420, or 2425 back in the day..micro detail and shimmer for days, if you will....and no super tweeter needed...is there a shortcut that JBL took, that TAD didn't? Thanks, Pete

  2. #2
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    Hello soundboy

    Any of the issues with the JBL drivers have been solved with the release of the Everest 2 and the 476Be driver. That said I have never owned the Tads so I can't say all that much about a comparison between the JBL's and Tads. I did just change out aguaplas coated 2425's on 2344's to 2435's on PTH1010 waveguides. The coated 2425's sounds real nice so they ended up in my 4344 clones. The 2435's have a clarity that is really something. There not perfect up top 10-20K but to me what you get down low more than makes up for any issues. You can always drop a tweeter up top and I think many may opt for that option. JMHO

    Rob

  3. #3
    TimG
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    jbl v tad

    I read that the 2430-35 series was designed for low frequency extension and the goal was not ultimate high-frequency extension. I thought this was strange when I read it because they don't seem to use it in any pro systems below about 1300Hz. The 2435 is usable up to somewhere between 13-15kHz. For some people this may be enough extension.

    JBL's new 476Be for $3500 is possibly the best permanent magnet, beryllium dome, large format compression driver you can buy. Reportedly it has extension to 40kHz. This is more expensive than all of the TAD drivers by quite a bit but I don't think JBL had planned on selling many outside of the Everest DD66000.

    One of the members here has been testing the 2452H-SL and it also appears to have excellent high frequency response, better than any previous JBL large format compression driver, and it uses a more standard aquaplas damped titanium dome. I don't know if JBL developed a new phase plug, or a new dome geometry to achieve extension to 20kHz, but they are obviously doing something new.

    I plan to make it to CES in January to hear the Everest. At that point I will be able to form my own opinion on the 476Be, but I'm expecting great things after hearing the K2 S9800SE in the Ayre room last year. It was my favorite system as the show.

    And Rob, stop telling people what a good deal those 2435s are or demand will increase and they will be priced out of reach like vintage 375s.

  4. #4
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    Hello Tim

    Done

    Rob

  5. #5
    Senior Member soundboy's Avatar
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    Thank you...

    I love the smoothness of my "direct radiator" systems....but getting fuzzy memories for a 2342 or 2344 and a good driver, in a 3 way configuration....was never too excited about the 2235 up to 1K thing, although it did sound better than you would think, and made things simpler. I still have a sine wave graph of my 2001TAD/2344JBL that I ran across from the early 80's...using the same top half of the jbl 4430 network boost circuit.....damn....even on sinewave, other than the horn reflections around 1 to 2K, the damn thing was +/-1.5 db to 20K where the mic rolled off....I guess that is why I was disappointed in the graphs I have seen of the 2435....but graphs aren't everything....I am sure it sounds wonderful....heck, I guess I am easily amused....my 4301's go to 15K and drop like a rock.....and they still don't get in the way of the music. 50 Hz to 12K is the critical part, anyway...unless, of course you have a 9db room mode at 40 Thanks for all of the great posts from all you great guys....it's still a great forum, even without the "G" man

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