JBL DX-1 Active Crossover

[ramin_audio]

Hello,

Recently I have bought a pair of JBL XPL200 in a very clean condition. The sound is surprisingly good, clear as crystal and very balanced and quiet with a full, earth-shattering bass. Truly equivalent to a 30,000+$ worth of speakers todays market.

I have a good McIntosh system (C70 pre and MC462 amp). However I am planning to using the McIntosh combo for the coming DIY JBL 4344 speakers (not yet ready). I want to build a secondary system with these XPL200's. I have a couple of questions:

-- How is it to acquire get the active xo (DX1)? Can it be custom made or are there similar components out there to get?

-- What amp or amps (in case of bi-amping) do u recommend for these?

-- Are there still thing I do to further upgrade these speakers?


Thanks in advance.

[Ed Kreamer]

Greetings from Hood Canal Wa,

Regarding the XPL 200 I'd leave them alone. Do not change anything. They are Audio Classics.You might be interested in knowing that the Website Audiophile Nirvana considers the XPL200 perhaps the finest expression of a home speaker even today. So don't mess with them.

regarding the DX-1, good luck in finding one. I'm sure that they are out there but they are rare.


Ed

[ramin_audio]

Greetings from Hood Canal Wa,

Regarding the XPL 200 I'd leave them alone. Do not change anything. They are Audio Classics.You might be interested in knowing that the Website Audiophile Nirvana considers the XPL200 perhaps the finest expression of a home speaker even today. So don't mess with them.

regarding the DX-1, good luck in finding one. I'm sure that they are out there but they are rare.


Ed

The sound of my system is so incredibly good, I feel like I am listening to a million dollar sound system.

[Titanium Dome]

Hello,

Recently I have bought a pair of JBL XPL200 in a very clean condition. The sound is surprisingly good, clear as crystal and very balanced and quiet with a full, earth-shattering bass.


-- How is it to acquire get the active xo (DX1)? Can it be custom made or are there similar components out there to get?

-- What amp or amps (in case of bi-amping) do u recommend for these?

-- Are there still thing I do to further upgrade these speakers?

I was fortunate to acquire a pair of XPL200a speakers for very little money at a resale shop. Though stressed and neglected, their rehabilitation presented great sound and good looks. See here: http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...light=XPL+200a

Another piece of good fortune was when Greg Timbers pulled a DX-1 out of his closet, built XPL200a cards for it, and sold it to me for a very reasonable price. I'd mentioned to him that I thought the bass response was a little disappointing, and he said he could "fix it." Actively bi-amping the XPL200a pair with the DX-1 made an amazing improvement.

I ran them with Hafler pro trans*ana* amps, but moved on to a Hafler made Fosgate Audionics FAA1000.5 amp (also a Hafler) Trans*ana* MOSFET consumer amp to get rid of the pro amp fan noise.

[ramin_audio]

I was fortunate to acquire a pair of XPL200a speakers for very little money at a resale shop. Though stressed and neglected, their rehabilitation presented great sound and good looks. See here: http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...light=XPL+200a

Another piece of good fortune was when Greg Timbers pulled a DX-1 out of his closet, built XPL200a cards for it, and sold it to me for a very reasonable price. I'd mentioned to him that I thought the bass response was a little disappointing, and he said he could "fix it." Actively bi-amping the XPL200a pair with the DX-1 made an amazing improvement.

I ran them with Hafler pro trans*ana* amps, but moved on to a Hafler made Fosgate Audionics FAA1000.5 amp (also a Hafler) Trans*ana* MOSFET consumer amp to get rid of the pro amp fan noise.

I just went through your thread. Nice job on them.

Can't this DX-1 be built?

[Titanium Dome]

I don't have the technical expertise to answer that question directly, but I generally think that anything can be re-created with enough time and money. If I didn't already have the correct DX-1, I'd probably look for a used BSS Speaker Management unit and emulate the XPL-200A cards through software.

I think there are either pictures or diagrams (or both) of the cards on this site somewhere, and there are several people on this site who could use London Soundweb or Audio Architect to emulate them. However could do it and ​would do it are not the same thing, so you'd have to find the right person who was both able and willing.

During this pandemic, some folks might have the time and might need a little side cash...

[Odd]

It is possible to build DX-1

dx-1 schematic.pdf

I have not built this.

[grumpy]

Lots of TBDs in there...

... and I think Ian is working on producing something a bit more turnkey than a schematic, unless I have my wires crossed.

[Riley Casey]

Or buy a BSS FDS360 on Ebay and have your analog cake and eat it too.

It is possible to build DX-1

dx-1 schematic.pdf

I have not built this.

[HCSGuy]

I am not a DX-1 expert, but my memory from old posts is that there are two different types of cards, correct? The simple, symmetrical LF and HF cards for the XPL-200/200A, and the asymmetrical ones that were used for the K2-S5500, 9500 etc. GFerrell’s pics do not look like the cards for XPL-200s. If you are interested in sending me a blank one of each, I can pursue having them reproduced and can return them to you if you like.

Rob, are you trying to bypass the internal LF/MF crossover on your arrays, or is your plan an additional crossover cascaded onto them? I would be interested in how it turns out, as I am passively bi-amping mine know, so it’s an easy upgrade.

Unfortunately, this isn’t getting the OP any closer to a DX-1. Btw, I think the last one I saw sold for about $700, correct? I remember that guy in Hong Kong that paid $2k for one as well. Yikes!

[gferrell]

I would be happy to work with both of you. I need to correct something though. Somehow I posted the picture twice. I only have two of the cards on the right (one with resistors on it) and 3 of the cards on the left. I'm not after money, just glad to help.

[speakerdave]

I would be interested in having some correct blank cards-- like a few sets.

[Robh3606]

Rob, are you trying to bypass the internal LF/MF crossover on your arrays, or is your plan an additional crossover cascaded onto them? I would be interested in how it turns out, as I am passively bi-amping mine know, so it’s an easy upgrade.

That would be the plan to do an active bi-amp. Greg was kind enough to work it out so a schematic is available in the System Section in the Tech Library. There are 2 types or cards. I missed he said he used the XPL cards!

Rob

[Sam]

Those speakers are really nice! I would love to hear them and compare them to the performance series. Here I go back to ebay lol