JBL 4430 For Home Use

[rkasch]

How well suited are these monitors for home 2 channel listening? Room is about 18x24 in size and I will be driving them with Mac gear, with the option to bi-amp if I want. I have several other sets of JBL and like the sound, but none with compression drivers. I have a chance at a fairly local set and wanted to know if I should go for it.

[johnaec]

I have 4430's, 4315A's, and XPL200A's in a slightly smaller room than yours and still find the 4430's are the ones I gravitate to most - you should be fine.

John

[grumpy]

You should probably listen to them first. I have a pair that I've lived with for quite awhile
and enjoy them. The best sound I've found so far with them has included a solid-state amp
from Proceed... this is even vs. bi-amping with 5235 (correct crossover cards) using a
nice tube amp for the top end. You're mileage may vary. They are entertaining.

It would be good to have history of repair, as properly reconing (2) 2235H's and
replacing blown compression driver (horn) diaphragms and L-pads can get expensive.
Would also be interesting to know if it was an early model with the aluminum diaphragm
(2421) vs the later and more common Titanium (2425 or 2426)... some folks have
indicated a preference for those (I haven't heard a comparison).

Happy hunting,

-grumpy

[JSF13]

The "zeroing in" of finding optimum speaker placement and setting of mid/hi L-pads can be quite time consuming but once you're there...:applaud:

My experience.

Joe

[narbe]

I have a pair of 4430 since 1989 with Mac Intosch amplifier and pre I love them. i hear them in biamplification in a room of 40 m square. till now a lot of year it's always the same plesure.

[Audiobeer]

Joe hit it on the nail. When dialed in they are unbelievable! I drove mine with a mcintosh 2255. I switched to a JBL amp (MPX 300?) Either way they sounded fantastic.



The "zeroing in" of finding optimum speaker placement and setting of mid/hi L-pads can be quite time consuming but once you're there...:applaud:

My experience.

Joe

[Krunchy]

I was fortunate enough, thanks in large part to Audiobeer selling me his pristine set (& Mr. Zilch for his advise) to obtain these speakers and vastly improve my listening enjoyment. I have mine set up in the kids playroom (22'x25') and I am very happy with them. The "zeroing in" factor as previously stated is very important and I still have different setups to try out (biamping and placement) but so far I think them quite amazing.
Let us know if you get them and what you think of them.