Keep my L300's or sell them and get a pair of 1400 Arrays?

[audiomagnate]

You could go the nelson pass route on the l300's......

I did that with my last pair and even tried out full electronic crossovers and three amps. I love the way my lightly modded L300s sound, I've just got a case of upgradeitis.

[kris90]

I feel you man!!!!

[hsosdrum]

Thanks for your thoughtful response. Could you elaborate on what "clicky" bass is? RE: needing a sub, I've got that covered. I have a 2245 infinite baffle and a couple of 7 cu ft node smoothing "helpers."

As I've written elsewhere here, in the late 70s I was a salesperson at a large audio dealer in So. Cal. (Federated Group) that carried just about every brand available at the time. I worked at that store for 4 years, and spent hours and hours auditioning every speaker (and piece of electronics) in the place with all different kinds of music. At that time my impression of the L300's bass was that on contemporary (for the time) rock and especially jazz/fusion recordings I thought that it over-emphasized the attack of bass drums and bass guitars at the expense of weight and impact. To my ear it made them all tend to sound "clicky" instead of full. I think the speaker's tonal anomalies throughout the midrange probably exacerbated this, but regardless, I simply never found the L300s a very satisfying listening experience.

To be fair, I have not heard a pair of L300s since around 1982, but the listening impressions I relate above are vividly burned into my audio memory, because I was in the process of selecting speakers of my own, and rejected the JBLs in favor of another brand. On the other hand, if Array 1400s had been available then I very well may have bought them instead.

[audiomagnate]

As I've written elsewhere here, in the late 70s I was a salesperson at a large audio dealer in So. Cal. (Federated Group) that carried just about every brand available at the time. I worked at that store for 4 years, and spent hours and hours auditioning every speaker (and piece of electronics) in the place with all different kinds of music. At that time my impression of the L300's bass was that on contemporary (for the time) rock and especially jazz/fusion recordings I thought that it over-emphasized the attack of bass drums and bass guitars at the expense of weight and impact. To my ear it made them all tend to sound "clicky" instead of full. I think the speaker's tonal anomalies throughout the midrange probably exacerbated this, but regardless, I simply never found the L300s a very satisfying listening experience.

To be fair, I have not heard a pair of L300s since around 1982, but the listening impressions I relate above are vividly burned into my audio memory, because I was in the process of selecting speakers of my own, and rejected the JBLs in favor of another brand. On the other hand, if Array 1400s had been available then I very well may have bought them instead.

I don't consider L300's a full range speaker. I've added internal damping, stuffed the ports and roll them off at 50 Hz into an infinite baffle sub. The difference between my setup and a stock pair without a sub is...what else?

Night and day!

[hsosdrum]

I don't consider L300's a full range speaker. I've added internal damping, stuffed the ports and roll them off at 50 Hz into an infinite baffle sub. The difference between my setup and a stock pair without a sub is...what else?

Night and day!

The "clicky" sonic characterization that you asked me to explain of course applies to my impressions of a stock pair of L300s (to be precise, a pair manufactured around 1976- early 1977, which probably had drivers with Alnico magnets) that I extensively auditioned from late 1977 through early 1978.

[rdgrimes]

The only ones I've seen in the flesh have been the wood grain, but the pair I'm considering are black gloss. I'd love to see good pic of what the black gloss version looks like but can't find one.

This eBay listing has a couple photos:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JBL-Synthesi...gAAOSwYIxX51ap

[gcarlberg]

I did that with my last pair and even tried out full electronic crossovers and three amps. I love the way my lightly modded L300s sound, I've just got a case of upgradeitis.

Since you like the look and fit of the L300's, why not take out the drivers and replace them with newer drivers.

Store the drivers for a potential resale at a later date.

Replace the 2420 with a 4" neo driver on a 2311 horn. The horn will fit the same opening and bolt patter. The increase in "articulation" with larger format drivers I find to be well worth the effort.

With 2216's available for about $500 dollars, I wouldn't look at anything else.

You'd need to do some measuring and crossover work or go DSP, but you'd keep your cool cabinets and have substantially upgraded output with the option to go back to the original if the need or desire arose.

george

[1audiohack]

That is a capital idea.

The small format compression drivers never did it for me. The 2311 isn't magic but a better combination in my book.

Barry

[Mr. Widget]

That is a capital idea.

The small format compression drivers never did it for me. The 2311 isn't magic but a better combination in my book.

While I agree with the praise of 4" drivers, however while making these upgrades will improve some aspects of the L300, the system will most likely still not be as neutral as the 1400 Array and certainly not image as well.


Widget

[audiomagnate]

While I agree with the praise of 4" drivers, however while making these upgrades will improve some aspects of the L300, the system will most likely still not be as neutral as the 1400 Array and certainly not image as well.


Widget

I agree, plus I don't want to mess with these 300's. They're one owner and it looks like they've never been touched. I have a pair of L200's for experimenting with drivers and crossover mods.

[srm51555]

I have a pair of L200's for experimenting with drivers and crossover mods.

For me this makes the decision to sell a lot easier.

I'd pick the rosewood if still available.

[audiomagnate]

For me this makes the decision to sell a lot easier.

I'd pick the rosewood if still available.

So would I, but I'm not buying them new so I may have to settle for black. Speaking of rosewood, or "high gloss black wood grain" for that matter, what is that finish anyway? Glorified Formica or is there some real wood veneer under all that shine?

[jpw]

I offer an alternative view. First of all I agree with all of the plus and minuses you laid out and the compromises they involve. I think you should consider a different JBL model that might offer all of the pluses going forward with the only minus being some extra money now. Consider the 4367. It easily sounds and measures better than the 1400 Array, is a low boy with a vintage look like the L-300 and is likely to hold it's resale value down the road given that not many have been made or sold and it's the last Greg Timbers design. You also get a warranty.

[porschecab]

The eBay link a few posts above refers to my auction of the JBL 1400's. They are referred to as Woodgrain Gloss Black. Though the photo is sideways, I will pull them away from the Dunlavy SCV's next week and snap some better shots showing off the actual finish.

Dan

[audiomagnate]

The eBay link a few posts above refers to my auction of the JBL 1400's. They are referred to as Woodgrain Gloss Black. Though the photo is sideways, I will pull them away from the Dunlavy SCV's next week and snap some better shots showing off the actual finish.

Dan

Thanks! That actually looks pretty nice. Adding better pics to your auction couldn't hurt.