Mini JBLs

[glen]

These are only about 5 inches high!
The maker, myurata, has an english version of the website with plans available for download:
http://myurata.hp.infoseek.co.jp/en/gon/gon_01.html






He has a bulletin board about his mini speakers where he answers questions emailed from all over the world.

[glen]

From the maker of the Microgons comes...Teeny Tannoys!!
Not just one miniature copy of the famous Tannoy Autograph, a whole family of them, from the 1/3 scale Micrograph, to the 1/4 scale Nanograph to the 1/5 scale Picograph.

http://myurata.hp.infoseek.co.jp/en/grf/grf_01.html









Maybe these were the inspiration for Tannoy's introduction of their own miniature version of the autograph:

http://www.tannoy.com/AutographMini

[Anthony L100]

Hi Glen, have you ever heard any of these minis? I have a pair of the 4312Ms that a Japanese guy bought over as hand luggage!

[chad]

Love the cute little compact monitor with the "kick your ass" mug.

[4313B]

I am definitely inspired to build my own JBL mini. Perhaps even create a new mini that hasn't been done yet.

Well, at least now all of you have removed any doubt as to just how sick you really are.

They are pretty cool though...

[Anthony L100]

Well, at least now all of you have removed any doubt as to just how sick you really are.

They are pretty cool though...

[dancing-dave]

I am definitely inspired to build my own JBL mini. Perhaps even create a new mini that hasn't been done yet.

Well, at least now all of you have removed any doubt as to just how sick you really are.

They are pretty cool though...

This is where it's at; possibly even more than buying sometihing. There's a few visions in my head of little-big monitors like mini 4435; 4355; 4530; 4520s.

Check the photos on the "MEMBERROOM" and you will see some mini 4560's in the corners.

[glen]

Hi Glen, have you ever heard any of these minis? I have a pair of the 4312Ms that a Japanese guy bought over as hand luggage!

Hi Anthony,

I have never heard any of these, or even seen them in the flesh.

The visual aspect is so delightful it's completely distracted me from pondering what kind of sound these might produce.
I would expect the Harman Japan manufactured mini JBLs to sound pretty decent, but the home-made models look like a crap-shoot in terms of sound quality.

Now that you've introduced the question, we really have to know!
How do your 4312Ms sound?

[Anthony L100]

Well Glen, I bought these on a whim and if i'm honest I was slightly dissapointed with the sound, but I must qualify that statement. When you're used to listening to full size units, it's difficult to give an objective appraisal. With such small dimensions LF is very limited, but I was expecting nice mids and highs, but not so, (IMHO). Damn it!! I'm gonna have 'em apart to find out what's going on.

Half hour later... Well I guess that explains it. The bass unit looks good quality with cast frame and tinsel leads that look like they could do duty on a 2242, but the mid and tweeter look cheap. The tweet only weighs a few grams, the mid has no dog box, just that pressed steel cover. Have a look at the pics and decide. I think these are no more than a fashion item built off the back of the 4312s reputation. Sure weren't made in the USA. I'm sorry if this dissapoints you, it does me, as they look wonderful from the outside. Tony.

[glen]

... Well I guess that explains it. The bass unit looks good quality with cast frame and tinsel leads that look like they could do duty on a 2242, but the mid and tweeter look cheap. The tweet only weighs a few grams, the mid has no dog box, just that pressed steel cover. Tony.

Thanks for the pics Tony,

I'm not that disappointed by the appearance of the build quality itself.
Drivers this small wouldn't necessarrily need a dog box, or have to weigh more than a few ounces to be good. There are a lot of speakers made now that are the same size, and with similarly built drivers that sound very good. But the proof is in the pudding, and their sound was obviously a let-down for you.

I would tend to blame a lack of resources invested in fine tuning the driver and crossover design. Or possibly a lack of quality control in the manufacturing.

Maybe they just figured that the minis didn't have to sound any better since their primary appeal is the look?

[glen]

From a japanese yahoo auction:

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g42253191

[glen]

Found this as an old item on the japanese website:

http://www.hifido.co.jp/indexe.html

[glen]

these must have been mass produced, or been made from published plans since I came across a few of them