4311 Based Home Theater Help Needed

[RABinMS]

I'd like to set up a 5.1 home theater arrangement and am absolutely dead set on using my 4311s as the main L/R. Space doesn't permit another 4311 as a center and I would hope to have much smaller (6"x8" ballpark), stand mounted speakers for the rears. Can anyone make any suggestions on center, rears and sub that would pair well with the 4311s?

Thanks in advance for any advice, but please keep in mind that I would rather not do the 5.1 than to not use the 4311s. While I'm sure that suggestions excluding them would be made with the best of intentions, that part is non-negotiable.

[Wagner]

I'd like to set up a 5.1 home theater arrangement and am absolutely dead set on using my 4311s as the main L/R. Space doesn't permit another 4311 as a center and I would hope to have much smaller (6"x8" ballpark), stand mounted speakers for the rears. Can anyone make any suggestions on center, rears and sub that would pair well with the 4311s?

Thanks in advance for any advice, but please keep in mind that I would rather not do the 5.1 than to not use the 4311s. While I'm sure that suggestions excluding them would be made with the best of intentions, that part is non-negotiable.

Room size?
Amplifier?
Do you have any other speakers, now, from which to choose?
Have to be vintage?
How much are you willing to spend?

Then maybe someone could make a meaningful suggestion.

OR, just go to the library (here) and pick the size/sensitivity appropriate baby brother models to the 4311 from the catalog(s) and get busy on epay and "craigslist"

Good luck with your project

[macaroonie]

L15 / 4401 while not as tiny as you would like is about as small as you can get while keeping some of that era's JBL flavour

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/detai...images/444708/

[RABinMS]

Room size? 15' X 16'

Amplifier? Carver M400. Rears will have to be wireless and have picked up a JBL WEM-1 for that. Thinking (maybe mistakenly) of a powered sub and will have to work out amp for center

Do you have any other speakers, now, from which to choose? No

Have to be vintage? Not necessarily, although I think I'm liking the suggestion of the 4401s that macaroonie made. Had completely forgotten about L15s and the 4401s would cosmetically (and presumably sonically, based on vintage) complement the 4311s. A sub is likely to be out of sight (or certainly less visible) anyway and wouldn't find same vintage in that. Center could be newer vintage as long as it would fit and voicing would be similar enough to the 4311s so as not to be a distraction.

How much are you willing to spend? Don't have a firm number in mind, but am not looking to go all out either. Probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $150-$350 each piece (pair of rears, center, sub)

Thanks again to macaroonie for what seems like an excellent suggestion of 4401s. Looking forward to any other additions to the discussion.

[Wagner]

Room size? 15' X 16'

Amplifier? Carver M400. Rears will have to be wireless and have picked up a JBL WEM-1 for that. Thinking (maybe mistakenly) of a powered sub and will have to work out amp for center

Do you have any other speakers, now, from which to choose? No

Have to be vintage? Not necessarily, although I think I'm liking the suggestion of the 4401s that macaroonie made. Had completely forgotten about L15s and the 4401s would cosmetically (and presumably sonically, based on vintage) complement the 4311s. A sub is likely to be out of sight (or certainly less visible) anyway and wouldn't find same vintage in that. Center could be newer vintage as long as it would fit and voicing would be similar enough to the 4311s so as not to be a distraction.

How much are you willing to spend? Don't have a firm number in mind, but am not looking to go all out either. Probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $150-$350 each piece (pair of rears, center, sub)

Thanks again to macaroonie for what seems like an excellent suggestion of 4401s. Looking forward to any other additions to the discussion.

In my experience, if dialog clarity is what you're after, the L20T is a good candidate as well. A bit newer in the lineage but almost the same size box and sensitivity. Easy to find too and (still) cheap although that's changing. The 4406 is the "pro" equivalent with what some think is a better network.
Either or, a DAMN fine little speaker and capable of very good bass response and no foam surrounds to deal with. I have bought several nice pairs over the years and never paid more than $100. Like I said, that's changing, but you can still find a nice pair for $75-$125 depending on where you live. The only negative is that often that experimental "spaghetti" wood veneer has chipped, big time. But that can be a mixed Blessing as it lets you know you probably don't want that pair as they were treated like shit in all likelihood. Boiled linseed oil covers up a lot more than scratches!

[macaroonie]

L20T is not a bad shout , it seems like there are plenty around . One plus is that the bass driver in these has a Butyl surround , hence less likely to need a repair.
For your rears , if they need to be small , perhaps if you got a pair with trashed cabinets ( common ) you could take the driver load and shoehorn them into one of the small Dayton boxes from Parts Express. No real need for bass ports here just go sealed.. Should be an inexpensive solution.

Here's a E Bay search result for you , plenty of bass drivers etc with no boxes

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...+L20T&_sacat=0

And a pair of 4401 in Florida , a bit pricey maybe

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JBL-MODEL-...8AAOSw9mFWJUxK

[Wagner]

And a pair of 4401 in Florida , a bit pricey maybe

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JBL-MODEL-...8AAOSw9mFWJUxK

You think?
ONLY $500 dollars

What a bargain, what a bargain for me!

They've $20 dollars in that pair, if that, and they're ragged

[macaroonie]

Well , you can go find some for the OP at your kind of prices , I'm sure he will be hugely thankful.

I was only flagging up what appears to be available on e bay ( from this end ) and other than that left it open for him to make his own appraisal.
Clearly you know better and I look forward to your future posts highlighting bargains galore.

I'm out of this one .... M

[Wagner]

Well , you can go find some for the OP at your kind of prices , I'm sure he will be hugely thankful.

I was only flagging up what appears to be available on e bay ( from this end ) and other than that left it open for him to make his own appraisal.
Clearly you know better and I look forward to your future posts highlighting bargains galore.

I'm out of this one .... M

Why so sensitive Mary, I wasn't attacking you personally?
Was just an absurd price for a rather shitty pair of speakers is all.
That's all I was pointing out; everyone with anything "vintage" nowadays thinks they have solid gold.
Lighten up

As for fair pricing, here, in the United States of America? Yeah, I am sure I know much better than you, and quite easily as well, bargains having nothing to do with it. I had already mentioned that fact in the post above your L20T echo endorsement. If the OP wants my assistance I will be more than happy to oblige; the L20T is up for sale quite regularly here in the Bay Area, as well as the elder variants.

[Wagner]

I'm out of this one .... M

Don't let the door hit you in the ass.

Thomas

[BMWCCA]

Don't let the door hit you in the ass.

Thomas

Can't you be civil to anyone . . . ever?

[Doc Mark]

Hi, Wagner,

I'm with BMWCC on this one. We're a JBL "FAMILY", and Mac certainly deserves much better than you gave him!! I was really pretty shocked that you went down that road, Sir, when there was absolutely NO call for it. Manners, Sir, remember your manners!!

Doc

[Mr. Widget]

Come on guys let's keep the personalities out of it and stay on topic.

Thanks,

Widget

[Wagner]

Hi, Wagner,

I'm with BMWCC on this one. We're a JBL "FAMILY", and Mac certainly deserves much better than you gave him!! I was really pretty shocked that you went down that road, Sir, when there was absolutely NO call for it. Manners, Sir, remember your manners!!

Doc

Sorry you feel that way
You obviously do not know all of the facts of the matter or you just do not wish to acknowledge them

There are members here for whom I hold the highest regard and respect, for both their wit and their knowledge. More than a few have been responsible for getting me through projects when I was hopelessly stuck
There were members here who are now gone, passed away, who were among some of my most cherished of friends and mentors
There are other members here for whom I hold little or no respect for reasons, various and sundry, and have nothing in common with and owe nothing
But, there are NO living members here that are my "family" in spirit or in blood, at least not to my knowledge
Some potential friends maybe that I've yet to meet in person, but no "family"
That's a very powerful word where I come from
There are also TWO traits for which I hold little patience; arrogance and hypocrisy

That is a pretty good synopsis of my Life in general I would say (dealing with the folks in our lives day to day)
If you have a problem with your brother, speak directly to your brother
Sorry if my approach gives you a problem, but speaking clearly and honestly to one's brother is what God tells us to do
And I think that that is some good advice

[Mr. Widget]

I think I speak for most members when I say it doesn't matter who you like, hate, respect, or other. Please try to be polite or simply walk away from a topic.


Widget