JBL Paragons


Hello... new user on Audiogon here.

My father passed away recently, and in his estate left JBL Paragon speakers which will have to be sold to cover funeral and other final expenses.  I'm looking for ideas/suggestions as to the best place to sell them, and pricing.  There's eBay of course, but their final value fees and paypal fees take a pretty big bite.  There are some currently listed on there at $30,000 and $27,000, and some apparently just sold for $29,800.

Now, the question you're all asking is-- how do they sound??  Do they live up to the hype, the legend and all that.  And the answer is... I don't know!  I've purposely avoided turning them on because they absolutely have to be sold and I don't want to risk getting attached.  I might listen in while a potential buyer auditions them, just so I can say I've had that experience.

Anyway, thanks for any help/suggestions.  I hope I'm not violating any posting rules-- I just registered and I didn't have time to browse through any other threads.  Is there a way to post pictures on these forums?

Many thanks,
Steve
snewman01
I heard them in their day.  IIRC, they weren't quite a match for the Hartsfield, but they were JBL's answer for stereo -- few customers had a pair of corners suitable for a pair of Hartsfields.  You might try US Audio Mart, where a pair of matched Hartfields is listed for $23K.  I suspect the buyer will be seeking it as more a collectible than as a speaker system.

db 
With all respect, how on earth can anyone advise you on how to sell speakers that you have never heard? I submit that your claim of "I don’t want to risk getting attached" as an excuse for not listening to them will be read by many as: "I tried to play them but they were fried." Further, your statement indicates that, if you so desired, you could pay for these speakers yourself and so fund your father's funeral expenses. 

If my speculation is wrong, please accept my apologies. Until then, listen to what they sound like and report back to the board. You may well have some diamonds in the rough. I doubt it though, as after sixty years or so even the best drivers will show some wear and tear and consequent degradation in sound from when they were new.

Still, your father’s corpse and the funeral home handling his burial cannot wait for ever. I wish you all the best in covering those expenses, however unlikely it may be that you will find such assistance on this forum.

In the future, when your next relative or acquaintance dies, I suggest being more upfront about what it is you are trying to sell and not trying to use tear jerking tactics to market whatever it is you have on hand.
Sorry about your loss. At the risk of stating the obvious, I suggest taking some good pictures of the speakers and post a for sale ad in Audiogon. It only cost $10 and it gets a wide exposure to folks looking for all sorts of audio gear. As a side note, if it were me, I'd leave out the circumstances causing the sale. All the best.
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