Dear all,
I would like to share with you a great experience for an audio fan. After having spent many years with JBL 4425, 4430 and 4344, I had the opportunity to meet someone very special last year which made me change my mind on highend speakers.
He is a retired professional highend speakers manufacturer in Belgium. He was one of the most important JBL dealers in Europe in the 70's, created the brand Sandvoice many years ago.
His name is Willy Peters. He built an amazing system for a friend of mine in 2009. I was willing to upgrade my 4344 in that period (filters, internal foams,...); but after long reflexions and discussions on the subject, I made my choice: I decided to let Mr W.Peters make speakers for me. The mission was no that simple: replacing JBL 4344.
To make it shorter : here some technical data on the speakers
Name: Reference 43XL
Specifications
- Type : 4-way floorstanding bass-reflex loudspeaker (*)
(*) 5 drivers are used as each speaker includes two 18” boomers set in push-pull configuration
- Frequency response : 22Hz – 35kHz
- Sensitivity : 93 dB / 1 W. 1m
- Nominal impedance : 8 Ω
- Filtering frequencies :
- 18” boomer : 300 or 500 Hz at 6dB/oct. or 12dB/oct. with Phase adjustment: 0°/-
90°/+90°/+180°
- Medium: 300 Hz at 18dB/oct. with Phase adjustment: 0°/+180°
- Compression : 1 kHz at 18dB/oct. with Phase adjustment: 0°/+180°
- Tweeter: 7 kHz at 24dB/oct. with Phase adjustment: 0°/+180°
- Recommended amp power : min. 200W – 1000W (8 Ω)
- Size (Height x Width x Depth) : 1100 x 820 x 620 mm
- Weight : 230kg
Drivers list
- Tweeter FOSTEX T500A MKII
- Compression: JBL 2420 (new) associated with hand-made carbon fiber horn
- Mid Range: JBL 2123 (new)
- Boomer: PRECISION DEVICES PD186 modified (*)
(*) special treatment added on cone for better low frequency response
Built details
Hand made cabinets, built in Padouk (more than 120 wood pieces per speaker)
Special internal absorption materials used to ensure no vibration are transmitted through the cabinets structure
Highend filters using state-of-the-art components coming from the professional market (most components used by Mr Peters are not available for sale in the public market)
My purpose is to get Mr Peters 's work better known. He is really an amazing person, with an extraordinary experience and knowledge in highend audio.
His aim is to built speakers with no limit or constraint in term of time, components quality, commercial margin which is totally impossible in the highend commercial audio market.
Detailed information available on www.refaudio.be (in French sorry).
The best way to give you an idea of this work is give you some pictures. Do not hesitate if you have any questions.
Madien