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Thread: New Italian speaker company

  1. #1
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    New Italian speaker company

    I happen to be in the market for some new speakers for my cabinets, and I decided to use some RCF 18,s in some of my folded horns, and I came across another Italian manufacturer that everyone seems to like nowadays too! I am very happy with the sound of the RCF 18,s in the cabinets I put them into. Nice, clean, good definition, and solid thump, without excessive boom.

    Anyway, theres this company called Eighteensound, and they have a 15in driver for basshorn use! 103db1w@1m sensitivity with a frequency graph that looks to be about right. So Im gonna get two and try em out!

    But what really caught my attention was the amount of different 8,s, 10,s, 12s, 15,s and 18,s both ferrite and neodymium magnets, for just about any application, that they offer! All the Italian pro speaker manufacturers seem to have many types of drivers, like our American companies used to. B&C, RCF, and Eighteensound have nice product lines, and seem to be of high quality manufacture. I did say Im happy with my new RCF 18,s and they are well made.

    Another thing to point out is that the prices are also somewhat reasonable, its not cheap, but not overpriced either.

    Check em out on their website www.eighteensound.com and just browse!
    Last edited by scott fitlin; 05-23-2004 at 11:40 AM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Guido's Avatar
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    One crazy guy I know have ten (10!) duoble scoops!
    He changed all 2225 and 2226 that where inside them to 18sound speakers and said they are much better and have 3 to 5 db more output.
    I was lucky and bought all the 2225 to recone them to 2235.

    18 sound is definately comparable to JBL but we should not discuss this on a JBL Forum

  3. #3
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    Off topic

    This is why I put it in the OFF TOPIC section. Its a speaker company, and Im finding much favor with their line of products, and I want to talk about it!

    Im not saying you should change from prized JBL,s you find favor with, rather I am just showing manufacturers who have good sounding products, for a very wide range of applications, at reasonable prices.

    If JBL made more stuff today as they did years ago, I wouldnt be talking about these other companies!

    The basshorn driver, the 15MB700 I mentioned happens to be what Im auditioning to replace my Altec 421,s! The frequency response, sensitivity, T-S parameters, and power handling look to be very good. The determining factor will be in the actual listening of course!

    Anyhow, I feel it is ok to talk about things other than JBL, its why we have an Off Topic section!

    Last edited by scott fitlin; 05-23-2004 at 11:33 AM.

  4. #4
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    15MB700

    This basshorn woofer sounds good, nice transient response, clean smooth rise into the mids, punchy, efficient, and good power handling!

    The Eighteensound product is well made, well engineered speakers. I looked at one model of their 18,s when I was picking up the first two 15,s and I was impressed at the build quality.

    Supposedly they have a very good engineering staff, formerly from RCF, and the drivers are priced nicely.

  5. #5
    jbl
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    Question

    Originally posted by Guido
    One crazy guy I know have ten (10!) duoble scoops!
    He changed all 2225 and 2226 that where inside them to 18sound speakers and said they are much better and have 3 to 5 db more output.
    I was lucky and bought all the 2225 to recone them to 2235.

    18 sound is definately comparable to JBL but we should not discuss this on a JBL Forum
    Hi Guido
    I must disagree with you here. If more people like Scott would bring competitors products to our attention, maybe JBL would take note. The JBL 15" woofers - (I believe the 2025 & 2035) used 3" voice coils. I feel this was a direct result of Altec leaving the pro market. If you were to look at JBL ads, they compare their 15's with 4'' coils to their competitors 2.5" voice coils and used this as a selling point. There are electromechanical reasons for a larger voice coil with a large driver which JBL was and is still aware of.
    It would be a big mistake to limit this forum to the older JBL's and not keep up with what the competition here in the U.S. as well as over seas is doing. Altec did just that (among other bad business decisions) and look where it got them.

    Ron

  6. #6
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    Exactly

    Thats the point! See, here was my dilemma, I have Altec basshorns here in my system, and there really arent anymore established major manufacturers making dedicated basshorn drivers anymore! But I happen to like the sound that comes from these old fashioned cabinets with the right drivers. I happened to hear about this company from a friend of mine, who was telling me about their 18in woofers in folded horn use. They are a relatively new company with GOOD engineers, and when I went to their website to see what they have I was literally in shock. Heres a company offering drivers for any application you have, with good frequency response, good sound, and great power handling!

    When I stumbled onto the 15MB700 I thought to myself this looks to be about right, and the manufacturer does state its ideal for horn loading, so I called Canal Hi Fi here in NYC, and they have them in stock as well as other models. I went to look at them, decided they look nice, and the store even has a test setup to give you a rough guesstimate of what they sound like! So I bought two, and they cost $249 ea. Not bad at all!

    I installed them in two Altec 816 cabs and they work, very well. Transparency, punch, efficient, and clean sounding. No 800hz howl either! So it looks like I will be getting ten more of these!

    I wish JBL made drivers like the 2220, but updated, but they dont and they wont. I wish Altec were still in buisiness, but they arent. GPA,s stuff, which currently handles the Altec line sounds good, but the Eighteensound products can handle todays power and play very cleanly. Thats important to me.

    Eighteensound products are worthwhile to me so far, and I will go where I can get what I need and I like!

    Last edited by scott fitlin; 05-29-2004 at 09:11 AM.

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    Now that I have run these a whole weekend!!!!!!!!!

    Well, I have been running the pair of Eighteensound 15MB700,s in the Altec 816,s since last Wedensday, and you know what, they are good speakers! The transparency and punch they offer is very good, and the overall sound is very good. Each musical note is in its own individual space as its supposed to be. Very clear and present through the all important low mid/vocal range and they way they put percussions out into the room. And they are CLEAN sounding!

    Im loading my cabinets with them, and Id be willing to bet ALL this companies products are good.

    Im currently thinking about what to power them with! Anybody have any suggestions? I am heavily thinking about Crest Pro Series for these as I am nothing but happy with Crest Pro Series on my sub bass.






  8. #8
    Senior Member Guido's Avatar
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    Originally posted by jbl
    Hi Guido
    I must disagree with you here.......
    Ron
    Hi Ron!

    You are right. These things should be discussed.
    I'm dissapointed about the JBL strategy too. They do not give a ..... about the DIY market anymore. In Japan they start to serve the DIY market again. Maybe they will come back here too??
    Although I'm not interested in their new "state of the Art" speakers at all I could think of selling the "old" drivers in high numbers.
    In the meantime I try to find substitutes for JBL speakers every day. Look at my posts.

    JBL discontinued the 2344? OK, I measured the P-Audio PH316 and found out that it might be even better. It will take place in an direct A/B Test with my new DIY 4435 as soon as they finished.

    JBL discontinued the 2235? Fine, try the Beyma 15B100R

    18sound have no studio gear yet. But they will have and then I'll test it.
    Last edited by Guido; 05-31-2004 at 03:04 AM.

  9. #9
    Member locanti's Avatar
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    Hi all

    Guido:Sorry but the BEYMA 15B100R does not exist anymore.It was one of the best 2235H copy(I beleive the best with the AUDAX PR380M2 ) but is no longer in production.

    But Scott is right when he said that some new speakers can beat JBL drivers.

    3 years ago, I had to replace a paire of 2205a for my Bass custom made combo.I bought a pair of an Italian manufacturer CIARE PW384 not too expensive(more or less €200/piece),just because I did not had the time to recone and find too expensive to buy new JBL 15" drivers.These CIARE drivers just sound fine,very dynamic,effortless and less boomy than my olds 2205.As a bass player ,I found my sound punchy and stressless.

    I still keep my olds JBL drivers(Most of them Alnico )but I use them only for my stereo system.I listen old Rock&roll from the50', 60' and 70'.It 's more for collection and for the "old sound"than for their performances.

    Through the years ,I listen to better systems than mine,made with new technology and greater "know how".

    Did you listen to WILSON" WATT PUPPIES"or"GRAND SLAM", ONKYO "GS1" ,JM LAB "GRAND UTOPIA"or TANNOY "CHURCHILL" Even JBL made fine systems.Did you listen a pair of S3100 or "project K2"serie?Can you tell me this kind of system did not make music?

    It appears that we're all dissapointed about the JBL strategy,but if JBL managment does not want to work with the DIY market no more,what can we do?

    I had a pair of 4333A with JBL 136A drivers with 2235H recone kit(Can't find 2231A)I keep a pair of BEYMA 15B100R just for the day I will have to recone the 136A.

    But some times i replace them by the BEYMA drivers and ....Well....
    They just sound great in the 4333a enclosure,just as the 136A and maybe better.
    But this old stuff just smell as our old days,gone but not forgotten(Remember Marcel PROUST and his "madeleines").

    So,What you think about that?

  10. #10
    Senior Member Guido's Avatar
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    Thanks for popping in Locanti

    1) I still sell new Beyma 15B100R for 229 Euro each! If you need some, let me know.

    2) I'll have 2 JBL 2231H with original! cone in ebay next week. If you are interested, let me know.

    3) I think that the "old" JBL sound is still better then most of the new crap that is sold in the hifi shops today. I own a pair of 4343B, a pair of 4425(DIY) and soon a pair of 4435 (DIY) and a pair of 4313B (DIY). I'm not much interested in new JBL stuff.
    Last edited by Guido; 05-31-2004 at 10:05 AM.

  11. #11
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    Vintage JBL vs JBL Today!

    I think vintage JBL did and still does sound terrific. Its todays line of JBL I am not in love with.

    I cant figure out JBL execs either, you talk to people over there, and they tell you they dont make that stuff anymore because no one wants it anymore! Yet, vintage JBL drivers of continue to sell on Ebay for very premium prices! New members are registering on our forum all the time, searching for items, and information, and to share their own tales of how good vintage JBL is! But what do we know? But no one wants this anymore!

    In the professional domain, I see EAW, Meyersound, and others, as well as JBL, where you once saw only JBL exclusively! But I talk to pros and some of them wish JBL made some of the OLDER pro stuff, too!

    Your right, JBL doesnt really cater to the DIY market either, and you know what else? They stopped making consumer hi fi speakers, and what they do make aint for me!

    I happened to stumble across Eighteensound, and if I didnt try the basshorn drivers they make I would always be wondering about them, but now that I have, they are good, and they can take power, too! 400 watts continuos pink noise, so I have the room to use healthy power, and never clip, and they sound good! JBL says no one wants bass horn drivers anymore, but I do! I can also tell you I see many vintage Altec 15in drivers sell on Ebay for good money too! As well as the nice buisiness Bill Hanushak has made in creating Great Plains Audio to service older Altec, as well as build new if you like! But, no one wants this anymore!

    If Eighteensound can build drivers that are Very High Efficiency, but can also work in todays real world applications, how come JBL cant or wont?

    The One thing JBL DID do was create a very lucrative market for used vintage JBL speakers, drivers, and parts! Savvy individuals have done quite nicely earning money this way, dont you think?

    Most importantly I have found something I thought was gone, unless you bought from the used market, that is made to work for todays applications.

    But no one wants this anymore!


  12. #12
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    And speaking of Beyma!

    I purchased my RCF 18,s from www.usspeaker.com, and I had a nice conversation with Al, and I asked him about the Beyma E-140 and E-120 copies they are advertising, and he told me, " yup, Beyma,s making that for us cause people want it " !
    Last edited by scott fitlin; 05-31-2004 at 01:17 PM.

  13. #13
    Member locanti's Avatar
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    Maybe the question is:Can JBL build and sell these kind of speakers(2235h,E-120,E-140 or else) for the price we bought copys sold by european(Italian or spanish) or asiatic companys?

    I mean,I can buy a pair of good copy of 2235h for half the price JBL sold the last one.Does the difference worth the money?
    Why should I bought an original one if it does not sound better or if it has nothing more?

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    I cant figure out JBL execs either, you talk to people over there, and they tell you they dont make that stuff anymore because no one wants it anymore!
    I think JBL is just trying to chase the money. Case in point - they know how much the younger generation is into car audio, so what did they do? Put a bunch of development into that instead. Take a look at their W10GTI, W12GTI, and W15GTI car subwoofers. These use virtually the same "differential drive" design they put into their most expensive Vertec series of pro-audio drivers, and at least on paper, blow the pro-audio subs we're used to out of the water, ('haven't seen any distortion specs, though...). And they list from $499 to $699 each. I don't yet know if their sonic quality warrants those prices, but it's obvious JBL believes there's more market there than with discriminating home/studio enthusiasts...

    BTW - I was able to pick up a W10GTI at a fire-sale price from a place that was closing. It IS impressive, but I haven't put it in a cabinet yet...

    John

  15. #15
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    Good question!

    Which came first, though, did the other companies start producing lower cost JBL copies and cut too far into JBL, or did JBL stop making something it seems many still want and leave an opening in the marketplace for another manufacturer to move into?

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