250 TI or 4430 ??

[jblfreeek]

If you were to choose between a JBL 250 TI and 4430 which one would you pick? (and why?)

To be used with a 150W SS amp. (Possibly to 300W SS amp upgrade might happen soon)

Thank you!

[pelly3s]

I would personally go with the 4430's over the 250ti's. they are two totally different animals and I perfer the 2 way with a horn over anything else

one more thing the 4430s are more efficient just slightly but they will require a little less power. And I cant vouch for the 250's on how loud they get but you can push a 4430 into some serious volume levels

[Lancer]

If you were to choose between a JBL 250 TI and 4430 which one would you pick? (and why?)

It would be absurd not to own both.

The 250Ti has better bass, the 250Ti has better midrange, the 250Ti has a better top end so why the 4430? Because it's too freakin' cool for what it is. It's simply a very nice loudspeaker with decent dynamics. Look how long it took Earl Geddes to finally part his pair out that he bought from John Eargle. I parted my pair out shortly after but that's only because I'm finally over the need to have big boxes sitting around everywhere. I am working on a smaller 4430 type system right now. I'm also working on a different take on the 250Ti system as well.

[jblnut]

It all depends on your taste really. Do you want a very "polite" sounding speaker with response that is almost flat across the entire spectrum (250) ? Or do you want something a little livelier that more closely mimics a "live" sound (4430)? I went with the 250Ti and I have no regrets. It's easily the better looking of the two (maybe a factor depending on your house-mate) and it has no problems at all playing loud if that's your thing.
Truth be told I've yet to hear a 4425/4430/4435 but I've heard plenty of horn-loaded speakers and my taste runs more towards direct radiators.

jblnut

[Regis]

The 250Ti can be a polite speaker, depending on the material and it won't be as efficient as a horn system, but they can absolutely haul. You put a lot of power to the pair and you will not be disappointed. The sound output out of a pair 250Ti's is phenominal! While I've never heard the 4430's, I'm familiar with the L-300's and I can't say that I wouldn't be happy owning the 250Ti's. They are very accurate as well. Appearance wise, you can't go wrong either. In person, the tall trapezoids make a bold statement "I am a magnificent pair of JBL loudspeakers, fire me up and prepare to be amazed".

[Lancer]

I went with the 250Ti and I have no regrets.

Sick of your charge coupled networks yet?

[spkrman57]

I own neither of them, but will soon be borrowing a pair of 4430's to listen to and see what I think of them.

I know one thing, being a horn fanatic, I would be willing to go with a "less than perfect" horn system over a "almost perfect" direct radiator system just because of the warmth of horns when used with tubes.

I will have a reason to bring my MC-240 out of the closet when the 4430's arrive. If I found a way to biamp without using SS for the electronic crossover, I would use the MC-240 for the 2235 and my 45 SET amp for the HF section. I have a Rane crossover, but not keen with mixing SS with my tube systems.

I am not trying to sway anyone or set precedent here, I just know what I like and it is not always the better system if you want to look at it that way.

I will also try the system out with a SS only system and see what it sounds like also, but I am thinking the SS will take away some of the warmth and depth of soundstage that tubes and horns will give me.

I will have to live without my 2242 sub while running these also. I know many out there think the 2235 is comparable with the 2242 except for total output power, but I hear incredible things running 2242 even at LOW power levels, even under 10 watts going to the sub.

I also have to say that the 2242 in the 9 cubic ft cab loads quickly/effortlessly in my smallish room(sort of like in a car).

Just a few thoughts on the subject!

Ron

[Lancer]

I know many out there think the 2235 is comparable with the 2242 except for total output power.

There are!? Those poor bastards! :dont-know

[JuniorJBL]

4430's. But I have listened to them as a friend has them. I own 250's and I just love this speaker. I also have a friend that has 250's that we upgraded to Ti's and that was the biggest improvement I have ever heard from a single speaker.
IMO I think that the 250's are VERY comparable to alot of modern day speakers and will put to shame anything you can buy from CC or BB.
I am also a direct radiator fan.

[JuniorJBL]

There are!? Those poor bastards! :dont-know

Used as a passive radiator

[jblnut]

Sick of your charge coupled networks yet?

Nope - and probably never will be .

The guy who made them really knew what he was doing. Shame he's not around here any more....




jblnut

[Titanium Dome]

Nope - and probably never will be .

The guy who made them really knew what he was doing. Shame he's not around here any more....




jblnut

I'd like a set of those charge coupled networks for the L250s I'm reconditioning. Maybe the "netwerk konstruktor" is like a bad penny and will turn up again? (Don't take it personally, boys, a penny's a penny in my book.)

Seriously, even without the charge coupled networks and Ti tweeters, I'd still take the L250 over the 4430, and I have both. They are each fine speakers, but the L250 is timeless in many ways, while the 4430 seems stuck in time.

[jblfreeek]

Based on replies, I think I am more biased towards 250ti's. As a bonus, I think there is more chance finding a nice 250ti than 4430.

Thanks for replying all, it really helped!

[jblfreeek]

Seriously, even without the charge coupled networks and Ti tweeters, I'd still take the L250 over the 4430, and I have both. They are each fine speakers, but the L250 is timeless in many ways, while the 4430 seems stuck in time.

Thanks TD! The word timeless answers it.
Btw, which 250 do you recommend most?

P.S I can get my hands on a regular 250TI, not Jubilee or Limited or Classic.

[Titanium Dome]

4430's. But I have listened to them as a friend has them. I own 250's and I just love this speaker. I also have a friend that has 250's that we upgraded to Ti's and that was the biggest improvement I have ever heard from a single speaker.
IMO I think that the 250's are VERY comparable to alot of modern day speakers and will put to shame anything you can buy from CC or BB.
I am also a direct radiator fan.

I've thought about this, but virtually everything I've read here--and I've read a lot--from GisLanZilDget and others tends to say "Won't work" a la GT.

Was there a thread on this I missed, or perhaps a comment in a thead? What I really want is a description of your process. Thanks.