Is High End Audio Gear Worth the Money?

[andromedaaudio]

did not know of SET amps was totally unfamiliar with the terminology.

Some people just have a good natural instinct at what things to avoid in life

 

[Hornsolutions Swen]

I have heard a very good 4 way JBL dual FLH in f Germany, based on 4550, and Leif uses JBL woofers under his TAD.

JBL drivers are usually the lowest priced of the 3 (Altec mid and TAD highest, if you get JBL 375 with beryllium it gets same price as some Altecs). JBL tweeters are very popular.

Yet, outside Leif who used a 300b 7 watt on his 2220a Alnico woofers, never saw anyone use those low watts. I never heard the 9500.

The 375 is the pro version of the 2440. It had a titanium diaphragm, not beryllium. Beryllium diaphragms can be purchased from Radian, but that would actually make the 375 worse, not better, because the beryllium membrane is not optimized for 500Hz. The K2 and K3 have significant increases. In that case, it's better to go with the aluminum diaphragm from JBL if the titanium one is no longer available. However, the 375 is a very good driver. Extremely underestimated

 

[Atmasphere]

the beryllium membrane is not optimized for 500Hz.

The trick is to use a more flexible surround, like Kapton.

 

[bonzo75]

The 375 is the pro version of the 2440. It had a titanium diaphragm, not beryllium. Beryllium diaphragms can be purchased from Radian, but that would actually make the 375 worse, not better, because the beryllium membrane is not optimized for 500Hz. The K2 and K3 have significant increases. In that case, it's better to go with the aluminum diaphragm from JBL if the titanium one is no longer available. However, the 375 is a very good driver. Extremely underestimated

Yes am aware and the 2440 (pro) comes at a much lower price than the 375 (consumer) And people do add the Be from Truextent, as do they do for Radian Titanium drivers. I would recheck your titanium/alum things

 

[Hornsolutions Swen]

The trick is to use a more flexible surround, like Kapton.

Yes, of course, you can modify the "suspension" and use softer materials, but that creates other problems again. The JBL developers weren't amateurs, after all.

 

[Atmasphere]

Yes, of course, you can modify the "suspension" and use softer materials, but that creates other problems again. The JBL developers weren't amateurs, after all.

I'd be curious what those problems are. Do you think they will ever introduce a field coil version?

 

[Hornsolutions Swen]

Yes am aware and the 2440 comes at a much lower price than the 375. And people do add the Be from Truextent, as do they do for Radian Titanium drivers.

Attached a professional modified 375. PWT measurement.

 

[thedudeabides]

I am still struggling to understand what PeterA's "insight" actually is... I thought you could shed some light.


I was not referring to you!

My bad. Thank you for clarifying. A "senior" moment. Best.

 

[Hornsolutions Swen]

I'd be curious what those problems are. Do you think they will ever introduce a field coil version?

If the rebuild is done perfectly, and that's definitely no easy task, then it's possible. But as I said, for that, you need to center it to within a tenth of a millimeter, the newly installed material must be precisely matched to the weight of the diaphragm in many tests, and the adhesive bonding must be absolutely perfect. If all that is correct, it will work. However, the frequency response of the 375 will still change. It will be usable at slightly lower frequencies, but it won't perform as well at the top end. I don't see the point in doing that.

 

[Hornsolutions Swen]

I'd be curious what those problems are. Do you think they will ever introduce a field coil version?

No, and last but not least, I don't like field coil drivers.

 

[bonzo75]

No, and last but not least, I don't like field coil drivers.

Yes people think that because WE was great, just by adding a field coil to a driver they will generate the same magic

 

[bonzo75]

Attached a professional modified 375. PWT measurement.

I am not disputing measurements. People add Be to the 375 (and to Radian), and sell it at a premium

 

[Lagonda]

I am not disputing measurements. People add Be to the 375 (and to Radian), and sell it at a premium

Ked have you heard any of the Hornsolution speakers ? I have always like the way their designs look.

 

[Robh3606]

The 375 is the pro version of the 2440. It had a titanium diaphragm, not beryllium. Beryllium diaphragms can be purchased from Radian, but that would actually make the 375 worse, not better, because the beryllium membrane is not optimized for 500Hz. The K2 and K3 have significant increases. In that case, it's better to go with the aluminum diaphragm from JBL if the titanium one is no longer available. However, the 375 is a very good driver. Extremely underestimated

Hold on let's set the record straight here the 375 in the consumer version, the Pro is the 2440. The 375/'2440 was never available stock with Titanium. They both used Aluminum with a half roll suspension. Many were "updated" with Ti diaphragms in the field when they became available.

Rob

https://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/specs/pro-comp/2440.htm

 

[Atmasphere]

If the rebuild is done perfectly, and that's definitely no easy task, then it's possible. But as I said, for that, you need to center it to within a tenth of a millimeter, the newly installed material must be precisely matched to the weight of the diaphragm in many tests, and the adhesive bonding must be absolutely perfect. If all that is correct, it will work. However, the frequency response of the 375 will still change. It will be usable at slightly lower frequencies, but it won't perform as well at the top end. I don't see the point in doing that.

This apparently has been done in a 500Hz horn application with bandwidth past 15KHz. But I'm not talking about the 375. I know the drivers of my horns are JBL but I don't know which model.

No, and last but not least, I don't like field coil drivers.

The advantage of a field coil is the magnetic field does not sag when current is applied to the voice coil, if the power supply is properly regulated.

 

[bonzo75]

Ked have you heard any of the Hornsolution speakers ? I have always like the way their designs look.

Yes I have I would like to hear one with passive crossover. I also posted videos from a related system

 

[Robh3606]

The trick is to use a more flexible surround, like Kapton.

Hello

Yes but you give up the high frequency tailoring from the secondary resonance in the surrounds. So they tend to be more rolled off in the last octave or so with Kapton. Jerry Moro did this with the 2431/35 435Al/Be 3 inch drivers depending on the smaller diaphragms to be pistonic up to 15K or so for the Be.

Rob

 

[Hornsolutions Swen]

Yes people think that because WE was great, just by adding a field coil to a driver they will generate the same magic

Right!
Completely overrated technology. When it comes to the drive unit, it's all about the motor's magnetic field strength. If a field coil (FC) sounds better than a classic magnet, it's not due to the drive technology itself, but rather the rest of the construction, the materials used, and the perfect combination of all components.

 

[jbrrp1]

Well, this thread is clearly long past its freshness date, having been converted into the "JBL diaphragms: are they worth the money?" thread of late...

 

[Lagonda]

Yes I have I would like to hear one with passive crossover. I also posted videos from a related system

Do you have a link ? I could not get you older Zero Distortion links to work the other day.