We are actually involved in a similar project currently, the project is located in Tokyo and theres several folks involved in the project.
The 4350 will easily fill even a large domestic room/bar with sound.
Since the original drivers are all available on various internet auction sites etc, we should easily be able to make you a replica here, you can contact me via my website for more info.
Good Listening
Peter |
Thanks Peter!
This is now it looks with those monitors in new Jazz Cafe in Japan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b2XYZ-YQEM |
Very cool looking place! Can easily make you something similar, even design the whole system if interested.
Good Listening
Peter |
I know these speakers and most 43xx very well, by PA system do you mean a music system or an actual PA to make announcements?
david |
Dave i mean main speakers to play music (vintage vinyl) in the bar everyday and on special occasion to party LOUD on weekends, also to be able to use the speakers for small live acts (jazz trio ets). Kendrick Sound told me the room must be from 20 square meters and 60-70 square meters must be fine. We're looking for big classic hi-end speakers, not just a modern pro PA which can be purchased much cheaper. |
Chakster, given quality sources the 4350 is capable of exceptional playback quality at both high and low levels 2nd to none but it's not suited for sound reinforcement purposes. You need a different system for your live venues.
david |
David, if we could play our vinyl at exceptional quality maybe we don't need any live performances :)
We could just play our favorite jazz & soul records instead like we used to do at home, but on higher level and with more friends involved.
Which amp can drive them good ?
In Japan they use Mark Levinson stuff... |
Chakster, exceptional quality reproduction requires exceptional electronics and front end. You have to get the entire chain right and not just the amps. We had Levinson, AR, CJ and many other brands but for the past 17 years we've sold only Lamm electronics. I believe that they still make the best and most musical equipment today, bar none. I'm not trying to sell you anything here, they have their own representation in Russia, it's what I believe and know from direct experience. JBL 4350s are incredible speakers and in combination with Lamm electronics will give you a phenomenal sound.
david |
Thanks David, i will check that Lamm option.
As i can see it's hybrid vacuum tube/sold-state design.
But what about classic tube amps for 4350 ? I use low powered tube stuff myself for very high efficiency full range driver speakers but it's another story. Shouldn't be a problem with source, David (phono preamps, cables and everything for 4350). I'm more concern about the right amp and room size. |
Chakster, I use low power Lamm SETs for my personal use too but they're not suited to the 4350, nor would you want them in a commercial setting. 4350 likes some current to come to life. Lamm M1.2 is a natural match for this speaker.
We've done several installations for so called music bars in the past and I've been to a few in Japan where they originated from. In these settings where music is front and center of the ambience the choice of music and electronics will affect the kind of clientele you'll end up with. You can use a vintage Mac with the JBLs but you'll end up with a darker sound suited to certain types of Jazz and mellower atmosphere appealing mostly to a more mature patron. The Lamms will really make these speakers sing with every type of music and depending on your volume setting and choice of music you can control the ambience in you bar. I highly recommend a Lamm preamp if you decide on the Lamm amp.
I saw that you were asking about cartridges in another thread, my recommendation is to stay under $1000, Ortofon, Denon and AT all make fantastic cartridges in that price range.
david |
David if you auditioned them in Japan what you can sat about Kedrick Sound JBL 4350 vs vintage Original JBL 4550 ?
The bar is not the right place for $5000 cartridge indeed (to bend it when you got too much wine), it's not even the right place for MC cartridges. I have tried many from $100 mm to $5000 mc. So you're right when you talking about under $1000 decent models (including some used ones). |
JBL is boring consider Western Electric, RCA ,Klangfilm, Altec, Vitavox etc. Why buy into a over priced JBL replica
. |
John, the answer is: condition of each components, secure shipping and warranty... just a few reasond to deal with well know sellers of kendrick sound to overseas buyers. |
I would also be very interested in opinions of the JBL 4550 as I have a pair of JBL 4676-A (4550 two way system) in storage. |
Consider Line Magnetic they make fine WE replicas |
I really like this comment about Line Magnetic Speakers:
"I must say that Line Magnetic must have a time machine. Looks like a Western Electric parts list from 1939. Frankenstein's lab has nothing on these guys."
LOL
original thread:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1345392221 |
Chakster, I never dealt with Kendrick Sound nor do I know what they change/modify as part of their refurbishing process, I only buy and sell speakers in original condition. I'm not sure if any of the setups I heard in Japan were original or from Kendrick Sound. In general I avoid buying anything moded, specially if its the wires or some of the crap sounding audiophile branded caps are involved. You should ask Kendrick what has been done to the speaker before purchasing.
The 4550 is only a bass cabinet for sound reinforcement or theater applications, not a speaker. You have to find out the condition and the horn/driver compliment before knowing what it is. In any case you should know that it only goes down to around 50hz, great if its enough for you otherwise you're going to need a subwoofer for it.
david
david |
Here is the 4550 bass cabinet:
http://audio-heritage.jp/JBL/unit/4550.html
Well, any Kendrick Sound users here ? |
Great article about sound systems at Jazz Cafe in Japan with pictures HERE: http://www.sakurasystems.com/jazzcafe.html
"There weren't any real live houses in Japan until the '80s. What we had instead were Jazz Kissa (Jazz Cafe), probably 30~40 of them in Tokyo only, each with a 3000~4000 collection of jazz LPs and an incredible audio system for that time. Most of them had JBLs (Olympus, Paragon, etc.), or Altec A-7, A-5. Smaller ones had JBL Lancer 101, JBL Nova, etc. "
"Those vintage JBLs, Altecs and Tannoys are rather narrow range (probably 50Hz~15kHz or so) and not as clean sounding as most of modern speakers, but they are very efficient and fast. For me, this "ease" of presentation is very important to get connected to the music, to feel the breath of the music." |
This is the part I like in that article and feel the same when it comes to high end,
"People talk about "musical system" these days. Well, for me, there are two kinds of "musical system". One that connects you to the music so strongly that you forget about the gear and bath in the glory of music. The other that's totally boring as an audio system, so you just try to concentrate on whatever the music it's playing. Despite their shortcomings by today's standard, those systems at Jazz/Classical Cafe definitely belonged to the former. They weren't an all-around performer, like many of today's mainstream systems try to be. Mainstreamers are like an all "A" student for me. They do academic things well, but whether you want to become friends with them is a different story. Your best friend may not do so well at school and you may have to help him with homework sometimes, but he can be fun, joyous and thrilling to be with.
The sound of Jazz Cafe lives in my memory and it must be very much beautified by time. If I could visit one of them today, the impression might be a bit different. But it gives me a slightly different perspective when I listen to a system and when I think about audio. Audio is so closely tied to music, and music to life. I don't want it to be micro-managed just in the context of the current highend. Audio can be wider, deeper, richer, and more imaginative, than that."
david |
Kendrick Sound also sell RAY AUDIO monitors. Those are much higher priced even in small cabinets such as Rey Audio RM-11BC Special (spects: 32~20k, 500W, 124dB SPL). http://jbl43.com/?pid=73235035
How's JBL 4350 versus Ray Audio RM-11BC or Rey Audio RM-4B or Tannoy Buckingham in 60 square meters room ? |
