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Thread: JBL Performance Series

  1. #1066
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Break-In

    So how much time do you guys consider necessary for full break-in? I've been looping CDs for most of 2 days, maybe 24 hrs total time. I can hear quite a bit of difference, mainly clarity. But the 1400s also seem to be putting out a bit more bottom end, I feel like I'm close to backing down the LF level a tad now.

    Needless to say, I'm loving these things more each hour.

  2. #1067
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    Quote Originally Posted by Titanium Dome View Post


    Here's a little perspective on my personal history with speaker break in and with the Performance Series in particular.

    When I got my first "real" speakers in 1970, they were L100s. Before that I'd purchased some discount stuff like Electrophonic and Audiovox, but the JBLs were worlds apart from them.

    Even though I had aspirations of being a knowledgeable audio enthusiast, I had the sophistication of a hard rockin' college musician. So if there were such a thing as break in with new speakers, it was unknown to me and I played them loud and hard from day one. I did not anticipate or listen for any change.

    In subsequent years, I've had a lot more speakers, but given the realities of life, most of them were used, remanufactured, or floor demos, so if break in were a reality, it had already been done for better or for worse by others before I got them.

    With the SVA 1800s and the L7s, I didn't do anythying special other than be a little more respectful during the first day or two of operation. And I listened more carefully to them. Honestly, it's impossible to say if the sound improved a tad after a few days or, more likely, that my ears adjusted to the new sound. However, any improvement after a so-called break in period was slight and just as likely caused by my subjective response as by any technical cause.

    Now we come to the Performance Series. The two sets I heard before purchase were not new. They had been played a lot, and loudly as well. At the Chicago trade show, the environment was challenging. At the JBL showroom in Northridge, the environment was quite good.

    My home environment is somehwere between the two; hopefully, closer to the JBL listening room than to the trade hall. However, its one advantage is that I'm intimately familiar with it. When the Performance Series came, I kept the L7/L5 set up in the room for a week to see what subjective comparisons I could make.

    Before listening to the Performance Series for the first time, I gave myself a good 15 minutes of L Series listening to be sure I had a fix on the sound. Then in a few minutes I switched the connections, fired up the Performances, and...



    Tight, nondynamic, strained--what have I done? Did I just waste thousands of dollars?

    Well, thank heaven for J. Gordon Holt, whose review I found online as I searched for an explanation. To quote: "The Performance system sounded unpromising when I fired it up—pinched, tizzy, almost shrill—but these shortcomings rapidly diminished with use."

    So over the next week I alternated between the Performance Series and the L Series in a number of listening sessions, and darned if the Performances didn't sound much, much better by day two and outstanding (as I remembered them) by day three, until it just wasn't fair to the L Series to keep asking them to compete.

    So this post serves as a suggestion/warning to anyone who buys the Performance Series or any of its Ti drivers to give them a little time before judging them. Either the drivers, or your ears, or both might require a little time to adjust.

    FWIW.

    This is from post #40 of this very thread, and I think gives you one perspective on your inquiry. That was only 1026 posts ago.
    Out.

  3. #1068
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    How are you guys running the PS1400 LF settings? Manual says to set LFE at full on, and LF at "0". I have pretty good bass management in my Yamaha 661, so I also have those level settings available. Right now I have the 1400 LFE at one notch under full-on, and the LF at "0". After running auto-setup I re-set the LF at +1 and leave the LFE where it is. I generally listen at moderate volume levels, and a little extra push on the LF sounds best. The Yamaha sends all LF from the "small" speakers via sub, (is set to deliver all LF/LFE to sub only).

    Is there any advantage to setting the AVR to deliver LF/LFE to both sub and mains? Conversely, any advantage to setting the mains to "small" and letting the AVR send it all through "sub"? As far as I can see, that would allow me to set the <80Hz level in the AVR as opposed to in the 1400. The LF gain on the 1400 would then only effect the 80-130Hx range, right?

    New 200Wx5 amp goes in today, which should have enough poop to handle whatever I send it. But it seems to me there's some logic to not forcing the amp to deal with <80Hz sounds on the mains. That's what the 400W amps in the 1400 are for.

  4. #1069
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    My Performance Series set ups:

    5.1 music: fronts (two PT800+two PS1400), large; center and surrounds (three PT800), small; LFE xover to sub @60 Hz (one HTPS400).

    7.1 HT: fronts, center, sides, surrounds (one PC660 and six PT800), small; LFE to subs as THX standard 80 Hz (two PS1400 and two HTPS400).
    Out.

  5. #1070
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Let me ask this a different way. In terms of the actual load on the amp, isn't the PS1400's 130Hz XO going to have the same effect as using a pre-amp XO of 130Hz?

  6. #1071
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    You guys using multiple subs, (3+) how are you distributing your LFE signals?

  7. #1072
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Everything you ever wanted to know about LEDs

    On my quest for the repair of my PS1400 LEDs, here's what I've learned.

    The LED assembly used in the PS1400 appears to have been special made for JBL. The good news is that it was also used in the S120PII sub. The LED itself is an easier thing to find. The part number for the individual LED is L-117EGW and is made by "Kingbright". I'm working on getting some, but it may be easier to buy 1000 than to buy one or 10.

    Of interest: You can get the same LED in different colors! Red/Green = L-117EGW, Red/Yellow = L-117EYW, Green/Yellow = L-117GYW. As far as I can tell, they glow one color with forward current and the other color with reverse current.

  8. #1073
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    Quote Originally Posted by rdgrimes View Post
    You guys using multiple subs, (3+) how are you distributing your LFE signals?
    The HTPS400 allows the signal to be daisy-chained, which makes it quite easy. The PS1400 requires me to split the signal via an RCA Y splitter cable.
    Out.

  9. #1074
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    I did find a used S120PII sub and was able to swap the LED board between it and the PS1400 with a little persuasion. So now I have 4 pretty snake eyes glowing at me.

    I also have a used S120PII with one eye looking for a good home. It's a pretty good sub. Basically, it's a ported version of the L8400P. Or, I'll just add it to the sub collection in the HT room.

  10. #1075
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    So now I'm swimming in LED's for the PS1400, so if anyone wants one or 2, speak up. Several back-ordered items suddenly turned up so I have a dozen spare individual LEDs and one spare board with the 2 LEDs.

  11. #1076
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    Hi everyone,
    I've been reading through this entire thread, it has taken a long time. I am in a situation where I can purchase PS speakers for my eventual HT setup. I am trying to decide the best route to go.
    the options that I am toying with:

    L&R front: PT800 & PS1400 stacks
    C: PC600
    L&R rears: PT800 & PS1400 stacks
    Sides: PT800 or P520WS

    I am concerned on the subwoofer performance, as I have not gained much confidence in reading the thread. Would 4 PS1400's do the trick?

    OR

    L&R front PT800 & PS1400stacks
    C: PC600
    L&R rears: PT800
    Sides: PT800 or P520WS
    Subs: 2 L8400P's

    I need to make a decision fairly soon, any help would be appreciated.

    Also, has anyone heard the Array 1400's? Would they be better than the PS series for the front L&R?

  12. #1077
    Senior Member Hoerninger's Avatar
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    Four subs seems to be a good idea, read here:
    http://www.harman.com/wp/pdf/multsubs.pdf

    I have heard the Array 1400, I was very pleased.
    ____________
    Peter

  13. #1078
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Go with PT800/PS1400 stacks in front, then just use PT800 alone for surrounds. Then add one or 2 additional subs of choice on the sides/rear of the room. The PS1400 has abundant power but does lack a little in the under-30Hz range. However, the PS stacks are more than adequate for music. The Array series is outstanding to be sure, but would not make the best match in a surround setup with the PS.

  14. #1079
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    If it were me, I'd go with the standard PS1400's, though it's hard for me to think two in front wouldn't be enough - how loud do you listen?? Also, I think people get carried away with "spec-itis", when the reality of 2 or 3 dB extra here or there probably bears little significance to what you're actually listening to. Like why would you need 130dB capability when you'll probably never push them past 110dB?

    The second reason for the PS1400's, (and not something like the array sub), is the fact they are designed to hook directly up with the PT800's. I've got PT800's here, but was never able to track down PS1400's at a price I could afford. So to at least have subs, I picked up a couple L8400P's direct from Harman. They're 12" with a 600 watt amp built in, but the crossovers are set up different than the way the Performance series wants to connect, (the 8400's don't have an "out" for the other speakers) and I've actually resorted to using an external active crossover to do it correctly.

    I just think keeping a system that was designed as a whole itself results in a better overall experience, especially when setting up and tuning, though 4 subs might be ovekill. But if you want to spend the extra time to add in non-standard components lke the Array subs, great results can be had, but be prepared to spend the time needed for tweaking...

    John ('would still like to get some PS1400's...)

  15. #1080
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnaec View Post
    I just think keeping a system that was designed as a whole itself results in a better overall experience, especially when setting up and tuning
    More than likely.

    The step up from the Performance Series would probably be the SAM1, SAM2, SAM3 along with the S2S subwoofers. They don't look nearly as nice as the Performance Series.

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