JBL Performance Series

[JBLnsince1959]

Well, very good work Dome. You know I've waited for this for over 4 or 5 months and the day I take a "break" from the forum ( altho, I was on in the morning) you decide to write about the wires ( what wires???? )

I really enjoyed your comments and hopefully tonight ( or when I get time) I'll get to list my own observations. My observations may be close but my personal choice of wires will differ and of course I will use diiferent subjective adjectives to describe what I hear and why I prefer what I do.

well, back to work for now

[JBLnsince1959]

Heres' my personal experience with cables ( I forgot what I wrote about 16 gauge and I can't find it) but the comparison to the 8TC and 12 gauge is still in my mind. ANDDDD, different people will prefer different wires. I think it has to do with what we are use to. I've used Kimber 4 TC or 8TC for over 16 years now so my ears are use to it.

The 12 gauge I was using was hi-purity monster. Yes, I too have the Home Depot green shit, but I didn't use it for this, in fact it was only used for subs and not for long ( anybody want some cheap green crappy 12 gauge? almost sounds like baby shit)

when I used the Monster 12 guage I was struck by how mellow, sweet and enjoyable it all sounded...the best word I can find is "Relaxed", Mid-bass ( the 800's don't do bass) was wonderfully smooth and very full. All in all it was soooo enjoyable. Then I hooked up the 8TC, the mid-bass was not as full and the mids and highs were "sharper". I then went back to the monster and listened carefully, the mids and highs, while smoother, fuller and somewhat more enjoyable, were not as articulate as the 8TC.

My experience with large wire has been that the sound becomes more bloated ( in size if you will). Individual notes will just become bigger in space and edges will become less articulate and this is apparent with the mid-bass, mids and highs. it is most noticable with the upper-mids to highs ( 1000 and up) as the notes are not as "sharp". Some have refered to this as a smearing of the music, maybe, I'm not sure. What I do know is that for me no matter how enjoyable the Monster 12 was I couldn't get pass what I would call sloppy mids and highs.

Dome has described this as "had some slight edge in overall high frequency performance IMO, but their somewhat retiring midrange performance. I mean the midrange was a bit more out front like I like it"

what he is describing as out front, I may be describing as bloated, I'm not sure.

what I do know is that I prefer the over all sound of the 8TC and Dome prefers the 12 guage. This might be just because we have listened to each for so long that it has become more "natural" to us.

I really do like the 12 guage's smoothness and relaxed manner, particuarly with the mid-bass. I'm going to try opening up the 800's and use the 12 gauge running from the crossover to the 8" and see how it sounds.

maybe something like combining 12 guage ( for fullness and smoothness) with some silver for the articulation.

we'll see...

Bottom-line is the standard connectors just SUCK BIG time ( are you hearing us JBL??) and if you buy these do your own test for wires. Most likely what you have been using from your amp to your speakers is what you will prefer. However, I'm sure that even lamp electical cord would be better.

Thanks again Dome.

[Titanium Dome]

what he is describing as out front, I may be describing as bloated, I'm not sure.

what I do know is that I prefer the over all sound of the 8TC and Dome prefers the 12 guage. This might be just because we have listened to each for so long that it has become more "natural" to us.

Maybe your ears are cleaner than mine.

I need a little more "oomph" to push through the wax and those long, old man ear hairs that sprouted in the past couple of years.

[Zilch]

PM me your shipping address, JBLn, and I'll send you ZMC's to try.

[Short ones.... ]

[Titanium Dome]

A report at AVS Forums states that Tweeter Stores now have JBL Performance Series speakers on display. Is this really true? Is anyone near a Tweeter Store to check this out?

[JBLnsince1959]

Maybe your ears are cleaner than mine.

I need a little more "oomph" to push through the wax and those long, old man ear hairs that sprouted in the past couple of years.

Not likely, we're both the same age and MY ears too have sprouted strange looking stuff. and seems to produce enough wax for candles . ( ahhhh... the joys of getting older)

Of course what's not mentioned is the source and amps we were using which could affect things also.

I was using a MAC system with a 402 amp. The 402 amp is a really sweet puppy of an amp and got some great reviews BUT, the mids and highs are..well..softer, more relaxed than other amps ( Better articualtion than the older MAC amps but still a MAC) and with the 12 guage it might have been too much of a good thing. The MAC 402 amp ( and other MAC amps - IMHO) seems to work best with horn loaded systems or electrostatic speakers( mellows them out a little)

I have switched to using my Marantz MA700 amps for the PS speakers and the sound is much "cleaner" with more space between the notes. It would be interesting to try the 12 guage with the MA700 and see what it sounds like, but that takes a lot of time and so it's on the back burner for now.

The only draw-back to the MA700 on other speakers was that the sound wasn't as "big" as a MAC ( few things are)and the bass and mid-bass was very tight or thin ( hard to explain). However, with the MA700's hooked up to the PS speakers the amp in the 1400 seems to make up for this and it really sounds great. Full, deep bass; full, rounded mid-bass and mids with great attacks and decay......and distinct, clear highs without being bright. All with clean separation and black between the notes; nice, very nice. I was so surprised by the MA700 connected to the PS speakers.

got to go to work...later...

[Titanium Dome]

Here's a January press release with a reference to the Performance Series near the bottom, before the "About Tweeter" section.

http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/tweeter/20960/

There's a picture in the middle on the right that shows the room with the JBLs. The salesman looks a little perplexed because he apparently put the guy in the chair asleep.

The PT800 and PC600 are wall mounted. It appears that the PS1400 in on the floor in the corner behind the sales guy. I guess nobody there read the Harman piece on multisubs.

The room is awfully bright (colors) and hard (surfaces) for a HT room, but it probably looks more elegant to the average customer than a darker, more dedicated space.

[JBLnsince1959]

PM me your shipping address, JBLn, and I'll send you ZMC's to try.

[Short ones.... ]

Sure, that would be great!!!!

[Lancer]

A report at AVS Forums states that Tweeter Stores now have JBL Performance Series speakers on display. Is this really true? Is anyone near a Tweeter Store to check this out?

I've posted several times that Tweeter Stores would be carrying the Performance Series.

The PT800 and PC600 are wall mounted. It appears that the PS1400 in on the floor in the corner behind the sales guy. I guess nobody there read the Harman piece on multisubs.

They don't care. They're just sales people.

[JBLnsince1959]

I've posted several times that Tweeter Stores would be carrying the Performance Series.
.

I was just getting ready to remind everyone....

They're just sales people.

[Titanium Dome]

I've posted several times that Tweeter Stores would be carrying the Performance Series.

You expect me to remember that? Who are you again? Where are my keys? Mommy? Mommy? I think I made a boo boo.

[JBLnsince1959]

You expect me to remember that?

It's always nice to be reminded. See Dome, dementia has it's good side

[Titanium Dome]

Okay, I looked high and low, with minimal success, to dig out some real info on the Ti tweeter used in the PT800 and PC600. Using the most powerful search engine in the world, if not the universe, the LH PHP Universal SuperDrive FibreChannel Fast-and-Wide Quad Core Relational Inquisitor (v.1.1a), this is as close as I could get to a revelation:

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...68&postcount=6

Can anyone answer Earl's 2.5 year old question? Given the sticker below, it's not really a JBL product, is it?. So, where's it from and what's its family like? Does anyone have technical details on it?

[edgewound]

Okay, I looked high and low, with minimal success, to dig out some real info on the Ti tweeter used in the PT800 and PC600. Using the most powerful search engine in the world, if not the universe, the LH PHP Universal SuperDrive FibreChannel Fast-and-Wide Quad Core Relational Inquisitor (v.1.1a), this is as close as I could get to a revelation:

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...68&postcount=6

Can anyone answer Earl's 2.5 year old question? Given the sticker below, it's not really a JBL product, is it?. So, where's it from and what's its family like? Does anyone have technical details on it?

Yeah....it's a lil ol Audax...member of the Harman Family.

[Mr. Widget]

Yeah....it's a lil ol Audax...member of the Harman Family.

Yep, a $5 tweeter with a $3 bezel....

They do sound good though.


Widget