Can Anyone Stateside Do What Kenrick Does?

[cgregory4]

I've located a couple 4350s and 4355s with honest pedigrees over the past year or so.

They could be the basis of a good 'ground up' restoration. I wouldn't mind owning a DD65000 (Why is this model so scarce? -- Old JBL 'box' look with new driver technology.), but I also wouldn't mind investing in a 4350 restoration that might end up costing the same. Long story short: I might want both.

Can anyone stateside do the 43XX job? Without sending it to the land of the rising sun?

Greg

PS -- Related question would be how the 65000 would fare, compared to a 'first class refurbed' 4355. Why is there so little discussion comparing old vs new TOTL models? Or is there truly, "Nothing new under the sun?"

[Ducatista47]

Member saeman restores the cabinets (and builds complete 43xx speakers as well). Ask him if he works with drivers too. He is in Joliet, Illinois.

PS -- Related question would be how the 65000 would fare, compared to a 'first class refurbed' 4355. Why is there so little discussion comparing old vs new TOTL models? Or is there truly, "Nothing new under the sun?"

The 4350 and the 4355 to a possibly lesser extent are often considered to be better at loud than presenting refined hifi. I have heard the 4350 and 4355 and it may be that nothing else ever marketed does loud as well as they do. If I am ever invited to another home listening session of them I am bringing earplugs. The 4345 is a keeper.

I can only report what others have told me, but the current flagships seem to be in another class. Array, K2 and 66000 series are each a step up from the last and can't be touched by the old monitors. I can personally say (4345 owner) that if imaging is your thing, it is not mine, that the 43xx don't do it to any appreciable degree.

[Mr. Widget]

The 4350 and the 4355 to a possibly lesser extent are often considered to be better at loud than presenting refined hifi. I have heard the 4350 and 4355 and it may be that nothing else ever marketed does loud as well as they do.

I played my DD66000 stupid loud a few Saturday afternoons back and they will do what the 4355s will do and with just as much awesomeness... I think the comparison fails to occur because the vintage speakers are thousands of dollars and the new ones are tens of thousands of dollars.


Widget

[Ducatista47]

I played my DD66000 stupid loud a few Saturday afternoons back and they will do what the 4355s will do and with just as much awesomeness... I think the comparison fails to occur because the vintage speakers are thousands of dollars and the new ones are tens of thousands of dollars.


Widget

I stand corrected. I had not thought about the issue because I never considered it a virtue. I did appreciate the warnings on the product sheets that the monitors would damage your hearing before they would audibly distort.

Would I need earplugs at your place too?

[Mr. Widget]

Would I need earplugs at your place too?

Doubtful... the playback I mentioned was an almost singular event. For 10-15 minutes I hit the speakers with hundreds of watts and while stunning I nolonger have 18 year old ears and felt that was plenty.


Widget

[cgregory4]

I played my DD66000 stupid loud a few Saturday afternoons back and they will do what the 4355s will do and with just as much awesomeness... I think the comparison fails to occur because the vintage speakers are thousands of dollars and the new ones are tens of thousands of dollars.


Widget

I may be incorrect, but if you purchase the nicest pair of all-original, one-owner 4350s available, plus pay to refurbish them 'showroom fresh' you are looking at tens of thousands of dollars. The question of comparison is legit, but perhaps naive -- hence the 'stupid' question.

Greg

[tomt]

are often considered to be better at loud than presenting refined hifi.

a large speaker, most likely will need a large room.

for a 4350/5, larger than most houses have space ...


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the good news here is,

there is still room for 4 more -

[cgregory4]

a large speaker, most likely will need a large room.

for a 4350/5, larger than most houses have space ...


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the good news here is,

there is still room for 4 more -

Good morning, sir,

How many square feet (or acres ) in your room. What is the floor covering? Beautiful .... just hugely gorgeous!

Greg

PS -- I am curious about the placement/orientation of the 2405s .... and your rationale.

[tomt]

Good morning, sir,

How many square feet (or acres ) in your room. What is the floor covering? Beautiful .... just hugely gorgeous!

Greg

PS -- I am curious about the placement/orientation of the 2405s .... and your rationale.

those aren't mine.

https://www.google.com/search?tbs=sb...ih=641&dpr=0.9

[cgregory4]

those aren't mine.

That thread, sir, contains some serious 'eye candy'. Well worth the look! Thank you.

Greg

[4313B]

Why is there so little discussion comparing old vs new TOTL models?

What would be the point? Everyone knows that the designer of both systems has only gotten better at what he does over the last forty-some years...

I wonder if he ever had a pair of his 4355's in his living room... That could be a cool picture to see in a photo album. In any case, I highly doubt that a pair of his 4355's would ever replace his DD67000's.

Besides, it is probably considered good manners not to discuss just how much better his newer designs are, and so much better on so many levels. - "light years better"

BTW - I did know a guy who worked with Greg way back then who put a brand new pair of 4350's in his bedroom. There was room for a twin bed, two 4350's and a dresser. We thought it was beyond cool at the time, now it just seems funny. The album was Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedos. Release date: October 19, 1979 I will never forget how "Here Comes My Girl" sounded in that tiny room on those monsters.

[Mr. Widget]

I wonder if he ever had a pair of his 4355's in his living room... That could be a cool picture to see. In any case, I highly doubt that a pair of his 4355's would ever replace his DD67000's.

Ten years ago I had a pair of 4355 clones... they were easily replaced, my DD66000s are not.


Widget

[4313B]

Ten years ago I had a pair of 4355 clones... they were easily replaced, my DD66000s are not.

Indeed! They truly are keepers.

[300_Summit]

There is a guy in Peoria, IL (Don Baker) that has a shop (Electronics Diversified) that does excellent work. My father FINALLY gave me his L-300's, which had been sitting in the basement for the last 35 years collecting dust (and God knows what else). I took them to EDI back in Sept. and they are being refurbished as we speak, i.e., new 2235H cones, clean/refinish cabinets, new base, new grille fabric etc. Should have them in a couple weeks. He sent me a sneak peak pic about a month ago.

[cgregory4]

I intend no slight toward anyone involved in the pursuit of audio perfection. Please forgive me if it appears so. I suppose it was dangerous to 'think out loud' in my postscript.

My main question was the restoration of 'honest' high-end JBLs, and that was answered with one recommendation.

I have seen the utube installations of Kenrick installations in environments where the associated equipment revealed the purchasers could afford any speaker in the 100K atmosphere. But they were investing in restored vintage JBL -- and, it appears, for the sheer love of music. So, it was an honest, if naive, afterthought.

Greg