JBL/UREI

[Ducatista47]

I have been messing around with two JBL/UREI amps for a couple of months, and I really like them. They seem very much more Hi-fi than sound reinforcement quality to me. I will take Subwoof's word for it that they are the most solidly built solid state amps ever, they sure look like it. I have a 6260 and a 6290. The 6260 is feeding the 2245H's in my 4345's right now and it is a marriage made in heaven. They have to be the most conservatively rated ss amps on the planet. Since bi-amping connects the low pass amp directly to the voice coil, none of the damping is wasted and it sounds like over a thousand factor to me. At least the "over 200" claimed.

A neat feature is the full complementary output (PNP/NPN). This skips the usual phase inverter stage, I think, making a straighter and cleaner signal path.

I was wondering what other members think about these units, and this line in general. I was also curious if they are plentiful or scarce.

Maybe this should be on the Related Gear thread, but they are JBL's!

Thanks, Clark

[Zilch]

6230 and 6260 are the lab standard here, running all day every day. I've never owned 6290, 'cause I don't need to mess with the fan. Any amp with two power switches is overkill by design for my needs. If I ever need that much power, I figure I can use a pair of bridged 60's.

They are plentiful on eBay, in the $100 to $150 range, typically, though they've been going for more of late. Curiously, the 30's often get bid up higher than the 60's. I like the versions with 4-in-line speaker binding posts better than the quad cluster, 'cause I'm switching leads often here. No biggie.

The most recent one I bought, I had to repair. Some incompetent tech without a 'scope failed to recognize there was a bunch of ripple on the +/- 15V supplies and stuck some capacitors in the standby/clipping circuit to make it work. $3.00 at Radio Shack for a couple of new filter caps, and Mr. Widget has it now for "Critical Listening."

I'm saying, not only do I like them as amps, they are also quite serviceable. Be aware that the XLR connections are reverse polarity from AES standard, while the TRS are not.

[It ain't that we don't deal with that all the time with JBL, tho.... ]

[Ducatista47]

Thank you , Zilch. I was pretty curious because they seem to be such desirable units, but I see little or no mention of them on the forums.

Considering the brand, I figured interest would be high given the quality, and the bulletproof construction and design. It is not like the subject of amps never comes up here. To me they sound as good as anything I have heard lately, but with a lot more headroom.

Of course, I pick amps by how they work. I am not interested in how cool they look or what collectors might think, just what I hear.

Clark in Peoria

[JBL Dog]

I have been messing around with two JBL/UREI amps for a couple of months, and I really like them. They seem very much more Hi-fi than sound reinforcement quality to me. I will take Subwoof's word for it that they are the most solidly built solid state amps ever, they sure look like it. I have a 6260 and a 6290. The 6260 is feeding the 2245H's in my 4345's right now and it is a marriage made in heaven. They have to be the most conservatively rated ss amps on the planet. Since bi-amping connects the low pass amp directly to the voice coil, none of the damping is wasted and it sounds like over a thousand factor to me. At least the "over 200" claimed.

A neat feature is the full complimentary output (PNP/NPN). This skips the usual phase inverter stage, I think, making a straighter and cleaner signal path.

I was wondering what other members think about these units, and this line in general. I was also curious if they are plentiful or scarce.

Maybe this should be on the Related Gear thread, but they are JBL's!

Thanks, Clark

Clark:

I have a couple of the 6290's I've used professionally. Outstanding quality but they weigh a ton. I took them out of service in favor of the 21 lbs. QSC PLX3402. As mentioned, the fan may be an issue for hi-fi apps.

The 6290 may be the best eBay value out there @ under $300.

[Ducatista47]

Clark:

I have a couple of the 6290's I've used professionally. Outstanding quality but they weigh a ton. I took them out of service in favor of the 21 lbs. QSC PLX3402. As mentioned, the fan may be an issue for hi-fi apps.

The 6290 may be the best eBay value out there @ under $300.

The fan is why I'm not using mine right now, but I am working on it. If I get my 5.1 all JBL system going I don't think the fan will be noticed there. And.. I have a cabinet that might work...

I hope this encourages some members who like SS to get in on this steal. I can not imagine what these would cost to build today. I honestly am not sure if any manufacture goes to the expense of full complementary output these days. Glad to know it is not just me. These JBL's sound great. And yes, at 63 pounds they are heavy.

Clark

[Mr. Widget]

Thank you , Zilch. I was pretty curious because they seem to be such desirable units, but I see little or no mention of them on the forums.

Are you kidding?


Widget

[Mr. Widget]

Sorry Zilch... couldn't help myself.... you know, you keep bugging me to give the darn thing a listen....

OK... I promise, I'll give your amp a serious listen in the next week or two... throw mud at me if I don't...
I'll certainly second the comment about these things being heavy... I believe Zilch's amp that I have downstairs is the mid-sized amp, the 6260... and for 100-150wpc amp it is a tank.


Widget

[Ducatista47]

My apologies, Mr. Widget, I must have, as usual, been looking for love in all the wrong places.

The 6260 is "only" 44.5 pounds. 150 watts rms/channel 8 ohms (typically for the brand, 300 watts into 4 ohms, all very conservatively rated). Combined with the 2245H in my big boxes, I find it a muscular yet refined instrument. Da woofer don't do notin' unless he tell it to... It is the dead opposite of my tube amps, sonically speaking.

If bass accuracy is your thing, just the ticket.

Thanks once again, Clark

[Mr. Widget]

I was just being a smart ass... if you do search for 6260 you will find countless posts... and they aren't all from Zilch. On a couple of them... I posted that I did use Zilch's loaner 6260 as a sub amp and thought it was quite competent... I wasn't blown away by it, but then I wasn't disappointed either... I am not sure any amp would blow me away as a sub amp... the 6260 definitely did run out of steam in that application... I normally use an amp with twice it's rating.


Widget

[Zilch]

I was just being a smart ass....

Looks like "Test Ride" was locked there.

Now, THAT's funny!!!!

[Ducatista47]

... the 6260 definitely did run out of steam in that application... I normally use an amp with twice it's rating.
Widget

Like the 6290

I know you listen way louder than I do.

My app is 30-290hz, in a 95 db/watt/meter box, music only, no Hollywood earthquakes.

Clark

[Mr. Widget]

I know you listen way louder than I do.

Maybe... typical average SPL is 85dB... peaks can be 10dB higher on occasion much higher. The "little" 6260 was certainly adequate 95% of the time... I just happen to like infinite headroom.


Widget

[Mr. Widget]

Like the 6290

Even though I may listen loudly at times... I still listen carefully and can't stand fans... yes, I can hear them.


Widget

[Ducatista47]

Me too. I'm going to mount my 6290 on the other side of the wall, I think. Here that would be the basement.

Clark

[subwoof]

Greetings from key west...

I am just finishing an install and will have 5 6290's waiting for me when I get back to NY. I am going to redesign the fan circuit with some low noise variable DC types and hope to make them super quiet.

I'll post the results in about 2 weeks and if it works well, will be selling all 5 of them to offset the gas money I spent to get here.



sub