What's Wrong With This Picture?

[toddalin]

This is a picture of a 2420 that arrived from Canada (in a real JBL box) yesterday. I purchased it off the bay because it was reported as having an original diaphram, it looked like an original diaphram in the picture, and the dc resistance was the same as the two 2420s I currently have. It does work fine and the dc resistance reads about 0.2 ohms higher than my other two, but I've seen more factory variation than 0.2 ohms in drivers.

So what's wrong with this picture?

[edgewound]

So what's wrong with this picture?

Aside from it being out of focus?

The foilcal is missing...duh.

The terminals are backwards...somebody must've "fixed" it

Is that a "red wax seals still in tact" auction?

One more thing....the size looks more like a 2410....naw....2410 has 2-screw back cap.

[toddalin]

No the seals are not intact (as I noted, pic looked like an original diaphram) and two screws are actually missing from the back.

Edge's has got part of it..., anyone else?

[subwoof]

the terminals are consumer

[toddalin]

the terminals are consumer

[edgewound]

Not necessarily.

http://www.lansingheritage.org/image...pro/page11.jpg

The page from this 1971 Pro catalog shows that the plastic cap terminals were used on early pro drivers too. The more familiar larger metal barrel with colored top terminals came later. Probably because the plastic caps would eventually come off with repeated R&R.

[toddalin]

Not necessarily.

http://www.lansingheritage.org/image...pro/page11.jpg

The page from this 1971 Pro catalog shows that the plastic cap terminals were used on early pro drivers too. The more familiar larger metal barrel with colored top terminals came later. Probably because the plastic caps would eventually come off with repeated R&R.

Wouldn't have that been a darker color?

Note the contrast between the magnet and tweeter flair. The magnet is obviously the grey.



Now look how much darker the 1971 version appears such that the magnet and flair appear about the same.

Maybe it's just lighting in the pictures.

[Beowulf57]

The major problem with the picture is that it violates the "rule of thirds" and thus the primary subject matter does not present itself to the viewer in an aesthetic manner.

[SMKSoundPro]

Question: Without opening the driver, how do you know it is a 2420 or 2421?

It could very well be a 2470! and be quite corroded internally!

Get those wax plugs out and open it up! You might find the answer to your query.

A "NOS" "wax plugs" model of anything makes no effect on how it sounds! This may have been some driver in a big rig that got driven off of the road and landed in the ocean and sold as a "pristine" wax plugged NOS pedigreed 2420. when actually internally it is a mess.

I have a few of these drivers that are exactly that, where the roadies fell asleep at the wheel of the truck in the middle of the night going from one venue to the next, and rolled the truck into the Cook Inlet/Gulf of Alaska. The rig was hauled out of the rolled rental truck at 4am and sold as parts to recover the losses. Internally, they are a mess. The show went on with wet/damp cones and all. (It was the other sound company in town, not ours.)

I always thought wax plugs were the way cool deal. Now, I know they are just a device to hamper the phillips screwdriver actions. Wax plugs be damned. Open them up!

scotty.

[toddalin]

The major problem with the picture is that it violates the "rule of thirds" and thus the primary subject matter does not present itself to the viewer in an aesthetic manner.

Well there is that too.

[toddalin]

Question: Without opening the driver, how do you know it is a 2420 or 2421?

It could very well be a 2470! and be quite corroded internally!

Get those wax plugs out and open it up! You might find the answer to your query.

A "NOS" "wax plugs" model of anything makes no effect on how it sounds! This may have been some driver in a big rig that got driven off of the road and landed in the ocean and sold as a "pristine" wax plugged NOS pedigreed 2420. when actually internally it is a mess.

I have a few of these drivers that are exactly that, where the roadies fell asleep at the wheel of the truck in the middle of the night going from one venue to the next, and rolled the truck into the Cook Inlet/Gulf of Alaska. The rig was hauled out of the rolled rental truck at 4am and sold as parts to recover the losses. Internally, they are a mess. The show went on with wet/damp cones and all. (It was the other sound company in town, not ours.)

I always thought wax plugs were the way cool deal. Now, I know they are just a device to hamper the phillips screwdriver actions. Wax plugs be damned. Open them up!

scotty.

As I noted, I saw a picture of it open showing the diaphram, there are no wax plugs, and two of the rear screws are in fact missing so it was not sold as with wax plugs.

I did pay $150 for it in that shape for the "original" diaphram that matched the dc resistance of my existing two units. I recognize I could have got one in better shape for less, but most people who show a picture of the dc resistance show a different value than my existing units.

BTW, the plugs on my LE175s are more of a plastic than a wax and will pop right out clean. They are stamped JBL.

[KromeDome]

The major problem with the picture is that it violates the "rule of thirds" and thus the primary subject matter does not present itself to the viewer in an aesthetic manner.

OK, now THAT was funny!!!

[edgewound]

I did pay $150 for it in that shape for the "original" diaphram that matched the dc resistance of my existing two units. I recognize I could have got one in better shape for less, but most people who show a picture of the dc resistance show a different value than my existing units.
.

Please don't tell me The Millionaire Next Door talked you into that purchase.

[toddalin]

Please don't tell me The Millionaire Next Door talked you into that purchase.

Obviously you missed the point:

"They invest their money for good returns, and will consider riskier investments if they're worth the reward."

I felt that what was reported as an original diaphram was worth the added risk and cost.

I guess you just don't get it either.

[edgewound]

Obviously you missed the point:

"They invest their money for good returns, and will consider riskier investments if they're worth the reward."

I felt that what was reported as an original diaphram was worth the added risk and cost.

I guess you just don't get it either.

C'mon Todd...I get "it". Just teasing a little.

Was your purchase a good one? Did you get what you were after? You said you could have gotten another one in better condition, but the fact usually is, that unless you know exactly from whom and what you are buying on eBay, one usually spends way more on JBL components that are represented as in spec and are not... especially compression drivers and mis-refoamed woofers with sagging spiders...than one would by buying a core and having it repaired with correct new parts whether you choose aluminum or titanium.

When rebuilt properly this stuff lasts for years...a nice value.

I recently had a customer that bought his L110's in the mid 1970's. I reconed them the first time for him in 1989. He came back to me 20 years later for the same repair. He never needed mids or tweeters repaired because he and his wife use them within their limits.

His acquisiton cost? About $600/pair. His total cost of ownership over the last 30 years? About $1200.00 . Todays cost to replace the same identical product made in the same identical factory? Probably $6000.00/pair

You want to talk long term value? That's a prime example. Buy well and maintain well. It's a good return on your enjoyment/investment.

Used pieces on eBay are a crap shoot unless the seller has a fine reputation as actually delivering the goods he advertises. There should never be a need to offer a refund if the person is honest in his representations...and knowledgeable.

Understand? I do. My eBay purchases have usually been for a deal that I can repair and either use or resell as properly rebuilt.