Are their any legit sonic reasons why 70s JBLs and paragons gone through the roof?

[JeffW]

so everyone is buying paragons primarily for its furniture value and not for sound?

Furniture that makes sound.

Think about it. There are better sounding speakers (at least more accurate, I have never heard a Paragon) that cost less than a Paragon. By many accounts, it is not the best sounding speaker in the $30K range. If sound reproduction was the only criteria, why would somebody buy a Paragon if not for the aesthetic appeal?

Cars are out, let's try guns.

http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/ad...volver-ah3993/

There's an old revolver, it was carried by the Northwest Mounted Police - The Mounties! It's listed at $4500. OK, so it's obviously a much superior firearm to this $1299 pistol

http://www.gandermountain.com/modper...ndgun&i=967758

It's less than 1/3rd the cost, must be inferior, right? Why would anybody buy the inferior SOTA $1299 pistol when the vastly superior $4500 antique revolver exists?

Do you really think anybody shelling out $4500 for that old revolver is buying it because it is a superior firearm the a Sig Sauer P226 Legion? No, they are buying it because it is a rare and iconic trinket that also shoots.



At any rate, I'm done trying to reason with you. Trying to explain the value of art to someone who doesn't appreciate art is an exercise in futility.

[rdgrimes]

so everyone is buying paragons primarily for its furniture value and not for sound?

That's an over-simplification. Its a collectors item, and bit of audio history that represented the pinnacle of "high-end" home audio in its day. Its a lot of things besides a piece of furniture.

[Doctor_Electron]

Why is a (crappy) self portrait of guy with one ear worth more than a private jet?

I just don't understand.

Hmmm Always with the ear, eh? ( from a funny gogurt TV commercial a few years ago )

But seriously folks, I think that quite a few dudes ( and some gals ) really dug and appreciated the very cool esthetically and very hot sonically, big and awesome JBLs when they were young, but could not at the time afford to own them. Now with successful careers and discretional financial assets, they can afford to own and enjoy music with their dream systems, JBLs included.

Add to this the (to my taste) unpleasant and continuing trend of thowaway East Asian dreck that has come to proliferate in the audio marketplace and overall consumer culture. Chalk up another good reason to spend the money on the high quality, superbly engineered, American made classic JBLs.

Same goes for audio electronics, although 60's and early-mid 70's Japanese gear could be at least as good as their made in USA cousins.

In any case it's obvious the prices will only be going up, up, up.

Regarding Kendrick, why isn't someone in the USA or Canada doing similar business? We damn sure know there's a market for that stuff here. Are their loudspeakers like the 4343 (sigh) considered Bona Fide? Do they work under a licensing agreement? Those big blue-faces are definitely the s***.

Well, there's my rant on the subject... I think I would feel better about it all with four or five of those
4343's (sigh) in my living room.

Regards, D_E

Beyond this I have no idea of such motivation other than serious fiscal based investment and possibly basic snobbery.

[JeffW]

Hmmm Always with the ear, eh?

If I hadn't mentioned the ear, would you have known who I was referring to?

[Joseph Smith Jr]

Did you not get any digestible responses?
Curious what you're looking for...

Yeah

[Doctor_Electron]

If I hadn't mentioned the ear, would you have known who I was referring to?

Of course not. But it was a good mention. Have you seen that commercial? It was a crackup. Might be on youtube.

Yes, it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2TzUt0zwao

Regards, D_E

[Joseph Smith Jr]

Regarding Kendrick, why isn't someone in the USA or Canada doing similar business? We damn sure know there's a market for that stuff here. Are their loudspeakers like the 4343 (sigh) considered Bona Fide? Do they work under a licensing agreement? Those big blue-faces are definitely the s***.

Because the lion's share of all the good stuff is over there now, not here
And the customers with the disposable income that want the old JBLs (and Macs and Fishers and Marantzs................)
As well as more people with the skill sets required that are willing to work on old loudspeakers versus doing something else

Joe

[Mr. Widget]

Because the lion's share of all the good stuff is over there now, not here
And the customers with the disposable income that want the old JBLs (and Macs and Fishers and Marantzs................)
As well as more people with the skill sets required that are willing to work on old loudspeakers versus doing something else

Joe

Sorta... there is simply far more demand over there. Take a look at the threads on this site about the HiFi stores over there. Does anyone in the US know of anything that can compete?

For the most part people are spending their disposable income over here on cars, boats, recreational vehicles of all manner and description. There is still some interest over here, but nothing like there was back in the "golden era".

As to the original poster's question:"Are their any legit sonic reasons why 70s JBLs and paragons gone through the roof?" The answer is simple. No.

The answer to why these vintage systems are going up in price is far more complex and have mostly been beaten into the ground on this thread and others.


Widget

[Joseph Smith Jr]

Sorta... there is simply far more demand over there. Take a look at the threads on this site about the HiFi stores over there. Does anyone in the US know of anything that can compete?

No kidding, that's why most of the good pieces have been bought up and shipped over there and businesses like KENRICK seem to be doing so well, demand
So it's not "sorta" it's exactly
Anyone here that has the interest and can afford KENRICK just pays the shipping and makes it a round trip

As to the original poster's question:"Are their any legit sonic reasons why 70s JBLs and paragons gone through the roof?" The answer is simple. No.

That's your opinion

Joe

[Mr. Widget]

The sorta comment was because I interpreted your cause and effect to be reversed by the way you worded your response. I guess it was my mistake.

As for my comment on the simple answer being no, it is an opinion... but one that can easily be substantiated by quantifiable objective fact.


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[Joseph Smith Jr]

As for my comment on the simple answer being no, it is an opinion... but one that can easily be substantiated by quantifiable objective fact.
Widget

I'd like to see how that is done, how what is more appealing to a given set of Human ears, and therefore more valuable financially speaking to the owner of those ears, can "easily be substantiated by quantifiable objective fact."

After you show me how that's done we can move on to cuts of beef or cigars and wine

Joe

[Mr. Widget]

I'd like to see how that is done, how what is more appealing to a given set of Human ears, and therefore more valuable financially speaking to the owner of those ears, can "easily be substantiated by quantifiable objective fact."

After you show me how that's done we can move on to cuts of beef or cigars and wine

Joe

The question was not are they worth it, worth more, or anything of the sort. The question was "any legit sonic reasons". I suppose we could argue on the meaning of legit, but then I think WE could argue on the meaning of "the".


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[Joseph Smith Jr]

The question was not are they worth it, worth more, or anything of the sort. The question was "any legit sonic reasons". I suppose we could argue on the meaning of legit, but then I think WE could argue on the meaning of "the".


Widget

I am NOT arguing with you, only pointing out that your response is not to the question the OP posed which is all over the map and in my opinion yet another example of troll bait

I also believe that there most certainly are "legit" sonic reasons that people pay what they pay for some of the classic models, never mind how they compare to contemporary designs in a lab

"Legit" does not mean that they have to meet or exceed the objective measurements of today's models, that's my point

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that is why I jumped on your definitive answer of "no"

Joe

Are their any legit sonic reasons why 70s JBLs and paragons gone through the roof?

Jbls may have surpassed tannoy prices..dont get the hype. Is it the big drivers or the sound. jbl does go big and heavy in their older stuff but just dont understand the insane prices these days. It better sound out of this planet for 10, 15 or 50grand . Bottom line for me. The pricetag paid better translate into incredible sound not just beefy build.

[Joseph Smith Jr]

The question was not are they worth it, worth more, or anything of the sort.

It most certainly was brought up and into the mix as more chum was thrown in the water with post #5
Implying rather directly that those willing to drop serious coin for L300s are somehow "insane"?

Joe

i understand the build is top notch but in the end isnt it all about sound that counts? How does one justify paying 10gs for L300s to fom rotting drivers? 2 years ago giving them away for 2gs or less..thats insane increase.

[Mr. Widget]

We are going to have to agree to disagree… I have nothing more to contribute.



Widget