Greg Timbers & DIY

[4313B]

During the long redeye flight home I thought of where to put this post. I think I know where the final version will go but that could take months; What to do until then?

...In retrospect I probably should have brought the Canon SLR and a tripod instead of the unfamiliar HP R707 and my two hands. Oh well, the purpose was to talk with Greg and to listen to his DIY loudspeakers, in that order of personal importance to me. The photo really was ad hoc...

...What to do when a picture might not appear to be worth a thousand words? When a picture fails to convey the story of the subject?...

[johnaec]

Very Cool! Can you clue us in on any of the details?

Will you be able to fill us in the rest of your trip sometime? (Breathlessly waiting to hear what's news!) 'Looks like a really great time!

John

[4313B]

Very Cool! Can you clue us in on any of the details?

Hi John,

Each of the four stacks consists of the 1500AL, the 1200FE, and prototype Array horns with 435Be and 045Be compression drivers bolted onto them (two stacks as shown in the picture and two behind me in the back corners of the living room). The center channel is the 880 Array prototype.

I believe the intent was to prove that compression drivers were viable for use in high performance loudspeaker systems designed for home high-fidelity applications. That intent has been realized in an undeniably splendid fashion.

The sonic signature of this system, with or without subs, in two channel and in surround is nothing short of stunningly spectacular. I kid you not. I'm not one for being gun shy. If the system had problems I'd say so. When I sit here now looking at the picture in the first post and try to correlate it with what I heard I'm frustrated with the picture's inadequacy.

What do you see when you look at this picture?

A nice stereo system.

Does it tell you anything?

It tells me someone has a really nice stereo system.

The sound is effortless - powerful, dynamic, smooth, detailed. No resonances. No smearing. No distortion. No pain. You see horns and know there are compression drivers bolted to them. You don't hear horns with compression drivers bolted to them. Not in any traditional sense. It's a paradox.

[4313B]

Will you be able to fill us in the rest of your trip sometime? (Breathlessly waiting to hear what's news!) 'Looks like a really great time!

Don and Steve have some very cool things to share over the coming months. I believe this is going to be a very fun year for the site.

JBL was extremely gracious with respect to this site during the past week and that fact is sincerely appreciated. Don and Steve can elaborate. I'm extremely pleased at how everything worked out over the past week.

[Mr. Widget]

Thanks for sharing! That is a very interesting and cool looking setup. I can hear it in my mind... but I'm sure we'll all be a bit envious that we couldn't actually share in the experience.

Next time you talk to GT, please thank him for allowing us a peek into his living room.


Widget

[Steve Gonzales]

Thanks for the teaser Giskard. That picture makes my heart race!!

[edgewound]

Giskard,
Thanks for the photo, and thanks to Mr.Timbers for allowing it.

My curiosity is piqued as to the upcoming activity on the forum. Can't wait for Don and Steve's elaborations.

The Array really looks like a must listen.

Maybe a Renaissance is happening within JBL?

[JuniorJBL]

Yes Thank you very much Giskard and G.T. for sharing this awsome systme with us

[skeptical1]

Thank You for sharing the pictures with the forum.

The speakers certainly look more than just a part of a nice stereo system. They look stunning, particularly when one knows the quality of the drivers involved.

The guy reflected in the tv looks a little weird though......

[Ken Pachkowsky]

Thanks for the look see. I would love to hear them.

Ken

[Donald]

The best thing JBL could do for me this year is sell a reasonably priced LE14A recone kit.

[4313B]

thanks to Mr.Timbers for allowing it.

Definitely! It was a sincerely appreciated gesture.

The Array really looks like a must listen.

I think every member of the Array Series is worth a listen.

Maybe a Renaissance is happening within JBL?

From past posts I think I've tried to convey that it's always been there. Sure, I've also posted of frustrations as well.
I think it's more the fact that it's had to fight like hell to see the light of day. More so in this day and age than in the past.

The speakers certainly look more than just a part of a nice stereo system.

Well try viewing it from the perspective of someone fairly disengaged from the genre.
For instance, a few friends of mine come to mind... they simply don't "get it".

They look stunning, particularly when one knows the quality of the drivers involved.

Agreed! They really do look very nice. They sound unbelievable.

The guy reflected in the tv looks a little weird though......

Looks? Sometimes the book is exactly as depicted by the cover.

[Titanium Dome]

Thanks Giskard and Greg Timbers for the look inside. The speakers look great; wish I could hear them. I'll have to settle for written accounts. *sigh*

I was pleased to see what looks like a LaserDisc player prominently displayed, as well as other gear that I see in my own and other LHS members' racks. Also very happy to see a projection screen, but the reflection in the TV screen doesn''t get to the ceiling so I don't know if we're talking LCD, LCOS, DLP or the blessed three-eyed king CRT projector.

In any case, it's nice to see both sight and sound with such a strong presence. Ah, those speakers, though, they're hypnotizing me.

Maybe it's time to sell the Performance Series, but, oh my, those Ti inverted domes!

[johnaec]

Giskard, if you don't mind, could you let us know what G.T.'s preference in electronic components is? Harman and/or Crown stuff? If this seems out of place or interpreted as an endorsement, don't worry about it. But I really am curious about what someone with his caliber of speaker appreciation might be using, and I couldn't recognize anything in the pic. And is he using active or passive crossovers?

John

[jbl4ever]

Looks like a ML3 under the center channel and some tube amps too. Also some lexicon