4343 or 250ti?

[Guido]

Hello Forum Members. Now the WAF thingie hit me too

Due to space restrictions and WAF relatet stuff I'm forced to make a decision.

As you might know I currently own original 4343Bs, 4425 clones, 4313B clones plus soon a double 2203H based sub and all the Parts for 4435s.
The 4435 or 4343s where meant for the rather big (50sqm) living room of my new house. BUT NO WAY!!! Wifey says 4435 never, 4343 maybe

So I'm thinking of selling the 4343s. BUT.... If I really do this I need something to compensate as if not I would regret it the rest of my life.
So I'm thinkin of buying a nice black piano finished 250ti instead as there WAF factor is high . The Classic series or preferable the Jubilee as they already have the biased networks. This will save me from network building.

What do you guys think? Should I really do THAT ???

PS: Of course I would still build the 4435 for my personal JBL room.

[Don Mascali]

Many times it is easier to replace the wife than a nice pair of vintage JBLs.

[ngccglp]

I say bring your wife out for a nice romantic dinner and maybe a gift. And during dinner, casually slip in the "sentimental value of the 4343s".

Its not like you are buying them, you already owned the 4343s.

[Maron Horonzakz]

It,s going to cost him more than one dinner. He will pay & pay. It would be better to find or make a better speaker system more attractive to the surroundings. But keeping the speaker components he likes within.

[Earl K]

Hi Guido

- Sell the 4343(s) and get some 250 whatevers. Keep the peace so you can win the bigger battle .
- Personally, I think I'd prefer the 044ti tweeter variants / but that's likely just my over-exposed Forum "conditioning" speaking out.

- At worst this trade-off , is just another step along the JBL path of audio enlightenment, with this particular step having the wifes' sanction.

- No point articulating all the "best-of" situations. ( Too many ).

- While listening to your newly acquired 250(s) you can start designing a 4-way that embraces the design aesthetics that you'll be looking at on a day-to-day basis. This would be "design by stealth" ( if you want to take this next step & if you feel a need to ever listen to compresson drivers again ) .

[Steve Gonzales]

Both are great speakers, I would definately have to do an extensive listing to ANY replacement choice to hear if I could compromise due to WAF. I would say that it would be an easy choice, IF, you said you didn't already enjoy the sound of the 4343's. Either way, sounds like you'll wind-up with some sweet speakers

[porschedpm]

Before I bought my 4343's, I showed my wife pictures of both the 250Ti's and the 4343's. She said she preferred the 4343's because she could put more pictures and knick-knacks on top of them. Plus the "look" of the 250Ti's was a little to modern for her. So I went with 4343's and have been very pleased with them. Now I'm trying to figure out how I can sneak in a pair of 250Ti's for the family room without her noticing. I've thought about starting with 18Ti's and then gradually change them out for 120Ti's, then 240Ti's, then the 250Ti's.

[Guido]

I wouldn't look any further if I had a pair of those. The wife would be escorted out the door if she even suggested they wouldn't work out! I'm dead serious!
Audiobeer

This post from another thread brought me back on track!

I'll veener my 4343 in american Walnut, build grilles with the original cloth from Steve and thats it, PERIOD!
No Spaeker can be more beautiful than a 4343 with veener and original blue grills

[Guido]

Now I'm trying to figure out how I can sneak in a pair of 250Ti's for the family room without her noticing.

[jblnut]

I've thought about starting with 18Ti's and then gradually change them out for 120Ti's, then 240Ti's, then the 250Ti's.

Something tells me that first swap is going to be noticed, as will the last....




jblnut

[jblnut]

I'd sure appreciate it if those of you who have heard both the 250ti and the large studio 4-ways (like a 4343) could comment on the differences/similarities. The chances of me getting to hear one of the "big boys" like 4333, 4343 or 4435 are fairly remote.

I gotta start saving up for that music studio/practice room in the basement .


jblnut

[Guido]

I'm starting to think about 4343 AND 250 ti now

You guys drive me crazy. Maybe your just the wrong crowd to discuss SELLING JBL speakers.

[Mr. Widget]

Giskard, you know what?
I'm starting to think about 4343 AND 250 ti now

You guys drive me crazy. Maybe your just the wrong crowd to discuss SELLING JBL speakers.

Interesting that you should pick those two speakers... of the hundreds (many dozens at least) of JBL designs out there these two seem to be among the most popular to members of this Forum.

If I were going to go JBL direct radiator it would be the 250Ti with one of Giskard's whacky battery powered networks. If I were going with the 43XX series I would agree with Giskard about the 4345, but I'd up the ante and drop in a 2441. I realize it won't fit in a stock 4345, but since you probably will never find a factory pair building them custom should be easily done to accommodate the bigger driver. (Sorry Todd, distortion or no, they do sound better.)

If along those lines the WAF issue reigns supreme, I would build them as a 10" three-way and stick the 2245 in a wall or near by furniture.

Widget

[norealtalent]

Good choice Guido!
I was fortunate enough to have 250ti's as my first pair of JBL's, still have them due to WAF(that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!) Also been fortunate enough to have at least 1 pair of almost all the L series and all the 43's except the 4350. I've had 5 different pair of 4343's, even a pair in the original boxes with the grilles still wrappd in factory plastic, they're all gone bye bye. I learned of them after my 2nd pair of L300's. I LOVE the horn and slot of the L300 as well as the fat, stout, powerful stance. It reminds me of the Carrol Shelby 427 AC Cobra, a snake poised to strike. Well my first pair bit me, hard, but they just aren't the 4 way of the 250ti's. Then, the ti's don't have a horn, if you ain't got horns, fill in the blank. I began to think that a cross of the 2 would be the ultimate. That's how I discovered the 4343's. I got my first pair and loved them, at first. As time went on, I could not tone the horn down enough to really enjoy them. I tried all kinds of xover mods but that didn't do. I concluded the difference must be in the horn length it self and tried a pair of H92's just sitting on top of the cabs since they obviously wouldn't fit inside. That was a BIG help but not enough. I couldn't keep such a rarity that had to be modified to suit my needs so I sold them. I built my own 4 way using the longer horn and components based on the 4343/4350. I've done a lot of different mods and am still making changes, but now I've only got a little money into my main speakers and somebody else gets to enjoy the factory 43's. The ti's are wonderful. They look incredible and they make the wife happy. They don't sound too bad either but for me, no horns-no horns. If you want to reproduce a horn sound, isn't it logical that a horn does it best? Thanks for listening.

[jblnut]

If you want to reproduce a horn sound, isn't it logical that a horn does it best? Thanks for listening.

I've not heard some of the big studio models like the 4343 or 4430/4435. But so far the best reproduction of sax and trumpet I've yet experienced in a home stereo came from the XPL line. That titanium midrange is spectacular at reproducing brass instruments without the drawbacks of a horn. I'll admit my bias is towards direct radiating speakers so that probably plays a part in this.

Which reminds me that any discussion of the ultimate JBL 4-way is incomplete without mention of the XPL200. Wish there were more in circulation .

jblnut