JBL Performance Series

[Earl K]

Hey, let's keep it up! Pretty soon maybe we'll catch the sub1500 and quick&dirty 4430 threads for posts!

Okay,

Ya know , I never did buy any of those sub1500(s) - my warehouse is full of 18s, 15s, 10s, / I just don't need any more of that sort of LF stuff ( okay VLF ).

,,, now OTOH,

- The shiny domes are quite small and elegant , almost like dangling Navajo belt jewelry in front of an SR guy ( JBL needs the "Turquoise Line" with some granite thrown in for effect ) . Plus those nice shiny domes don't eat up much space . They also go along with my newly found appreciation for the 14" woofer .

[mikebake]

Okay,

Ya know , I never did buy any of those sub1500(s) - my warehouse is full of 18s, 15s, 10s, / I just don't need any more of that sort of LF stuff ( okay VLF ).

,,, now OTOH,

- The shiny domes are quite small and elegant , almost like dangling Navajo jewelry to an SR guy ( JBL needs the "Turquoise Line" with some granite thrown in for effect ) . Plus those domes don't eat up much space . They also go along with my new found appreciation for the 14" woofer .

You should have gotten some sub1500's anyway, just because!
But yes, greyish paper cones are "beautious" in the eyes of many, but hey, we've seen it for years now!

I need to study the Performance drivers some more; I don't know much about them or their design parameters/philosophy yet. There is always kind of an engineering/design story behind the story, relating to performance goals and $, and I would like to know what that was/is with these drivers. Obviously the brains at JBL liked them....................

[mikebake]

They are so pretty that expectations are very high, IF you're an inverted dome metalhead like me. If you ever heard a Revel Ultima Salon then saw the PT800 with the 4" Titanium pistonic drive transducer, you'd have VERY high hopes. Then to have 6" and 8" Ti alloy drivers, too: irresistible! Otherwise, yes, I guess you "paper or plastic" guys need to look away.

I believe what Giskard meant was that they are really nice to look at, and their sound exceeds that!

[4313B]

"I don't know much about them or their design parameters"

Unfortunately the guy who designed the transducers didn't speak English real well and didn't fill out the usual documentation.

Maybe I'll fire up SoundEasy and run them through if you want. Can't do a whole lot about anechoic responses though.

I believe what Giskard meant was that they are really nice to look at, and their sound exceeds that!

They are very nice to look at. I don't think photos can do them justice. They look like they would sound real metallic (I think a rag review or two stated the same thing). They do not sound metallic, they sound quite nice. If they sounded like a bunch of metal flapping in the breeze I'd say so.

[mikebake]

"I don't know much about them or their design parameters"

Unfortunately the guy who designed the transducers didn't speak English real well and didn't fill out the usual documentation.

Maybe I'll fire up SoundEasy and run them through if you want. Can't do a whole lot about anechoic responses though.

Over/underhung? VC diameters? Beyond some of that kinda stuff, I don't really need to know. Listening to them will tell me most of what I need to know.......
I suppose there was a directive to fulfill, and I am curious how these drivers met it. Just curiousity. I like the design stories.
"The classic 15 inch coaxial Blarf was designed to beat the competing VEMega, as well as overcome the previous designs shortcomings. It accomplished this with its deep nuclear gap, 1/2 inch voice coil, and massive 86 lb. Panamanian mahogany motor structure. Power handling was increased to 4000 joules while distortion was reduced 2.8%. Unfortunately at this time, the world supply of the special rubber donut compound was entirely consumed by the 1962 opening of the Gumby factory, hence the few examples of this gem survive only in Disneys vaults, and a pristine pair is rumored to be the personal lavatory speakers in Tom Waits vacation bungalow"
That kind of thing. Helps drive up the ebay prices, too.

[Zilch]

Any speaker rendering Tom Waits listenable is a keeper.

[Titanium Dome]

I believe what Giskard meant was that they are really nice to look at, and their sound exceeds that!

Okay, perhaps I was too far out there. Sorry, Giskard, if it came across harsh, although I really liked writing the "paper or plastic" thing.

I guess I get so used to defending JBL's newer stuff and Ti in general in places other than LH that I brought the activism here where it's not needed.

mea culpa

[Titanium Dome]

That would be 115 dB maximum peak (not sustained). Probably figure 6 dB below that for continuous SPL. The L212 was 113 dB and I can tell you right off the bat the Performance Series has lower power compression.

When I get the chance, like when the GF is attending class at night, I like to put my main system in Stereo7 mode, so all six PT800s, three PS1400s, and the single PC600 are pumping. According to the ol' meter, each of the PT800s can hold low 100s (101-103 dB) consistently, and to me they don't sound like they're anyhwere near the edge. When they're all putting out full channel music--WOW!

I'm a BIG fan of dance tracks and groove/trance stuff, so these speakers are fantastic for picking up the nuances of the music, especially at the high end. Yes, I said nuances.

If you hear the dance tracks pumpin', don't come thumpin' at my door.




(JBL Dog, I'll let you in. Well heck, I'll let all of you in if you ever come by.)

[4313B]

Oh the "paper or plastic" thing definitely appealed to my sense of humor.

Anyway, your defense of them is understandable. They are quite defendable. I also understand your position of keeping them a package deal as they were designed. I don't necessarily subscribe to "leaving well enough alone", but I do understand the concept.

[Titanium Dome]

"I don't know much about them or their design parameters"

Maybe I'll fire up SoundEasy and run them through if you want. Can't do a whole lot about anechoic responses though.

Anything happening in this regard?

[Titanium Dome]

mikebake, Giskard

Any developments on your initiation to the PT800s? Have you had any thoughts on other uses for the drivers?

For example, Giskard, if I ever got some crapped out L250s for cheap , I'd toy around with placing some of these drivers in there just to see...I mean hear what could be done with a Ti complement, an LE14H-3, and some new crossovers.

Yes, I know this doesn't make a lot of sense, but what about any of these experiments really does? :dont-know

[4313B]

I'm busy with other things right now but hope to try the PT800's with a pair of 12" subs this weekend.

I would definitely think about biasing the filters.

"Have you had any thoughts on other uses for the drivers?"

Not at this point.

[analogman]

Comparing them to 1977 vintage L212/B212, that were $2k for 3 speakers, that is a good price. The $2k of '77 would be about $10k now, and for that $10k now you get 5 main speakers and 2 subs. And the towers can be had from the Harman online store for just $1050-that's almost a 1/3 off! I only managed to get 1/4 off the price of my original L212/B212.

But alas, I've just recenty completed a 7 channel L212/dual sub1500 system. Which will never be sold, just passed onto my son.
So I saved about $8k, though be it for a 27 year old design. But at a later
point in time....

It would take $6,313.53 in 2005 dollars to equal $2,000 1977 dollars.

Analogman

[Titanium Dome]

Here are a couple of auctions with BINs that are lower than the harmanaudio.com refurb prices.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...770099012&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...770098967&rd=1

[mikebake]

Buddy has PT800 fronts, can't afford them for rears, wants to know what "we" would recommend for a good rear to match................?