Paragon year 2007

[matsj]

Since paragon is one of jbl´s most handsome but not the best sounding speakers evermade, is there a way to make a clone with better sound ?

mats

[Hofmannhp]

Since paragon is one of jbl´s most handsome but not the best sounding speakers evermade, is there a way to make a clone with better sound ?

mats

Hi mats,

here you can get a new one:

http://www.lowther.de/lowther/lautsprecher/paragon.asp

HP

[Hoerninger]

Some time ago I made some analysis about the Paragon. (I have no experience neither with the original nor with any rebuild.)

Bass:
The original seems to have no compression chamber for the bass. When reducing the area 3:1 (throat area ca. 300 cm2), the program Hornresponse by David McBean shows a flatter frequency response, only a slight peak at ca. 150 Hz.
A simulation without compression chamber (both horns in front of a wall):
http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=131319&postcount=27
It is worth to think over the bass horn shape to increase its upper frequency limit.

Mids:
The original horn is too small. When building a mid range horn with an unchanged length but with a 25 cm x 40 cm mouth the lower frequency limits relating the two curvatures are 290 Hz and 377 Hz (elliptical in two directions). The limit relating to the mouth area (assuming a classical round horn) is 343 Hz.
This horn fits better with a 500 Hz limit.

Highs:
It is a good advice to take one horn for mids and highs. Then the sound reflector gives a sharp localisation in sound stage (which is small ;) ) and the whole room is filled with sound. I have tried it with Paragon XXL in a big audience and at home with a sound reflector using two full range boxes. (At home the reflector was in front of the long side of the room, ca. 8 m / 27 feet.)
___________
Peter