New Toys

[topspeed]

JBL 1400 Arrays. Many thanks to everyone that chimed in on my previous thread and gave their valued input. I was leaning towards the Wilson's until I was persuaded by the respected opinions I can always depend on here at AR. The speaker's horn array and 14" woofer were the perfect solution to my large room situation.

Initial impressions are very positive. Female vocals are, for lack of a more descriptive phrase, simply beautiful. Blue Bayou (Linda Ronstadt, Simple Dreams) was the most intimate I've ever heard with Linda floating dead center, slightly above the speakers in full 3D. The churning, locomotive strumming on It's For You (Pat Matheny, As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls) was simply amazing. There's a lot going on with layers of guitars, keyboards, and drums, and the JBL's were able to clearly present each without a hint of strain or glare, regardless of how loud I went. These are not your father's horn speakers. BTW, if you don't have that Matheny LP, you should. It's definitely one of the better vinyl pressings you'll find.

Oh, and boy, are they dynamic!

The weight and slam are on a whole 'nother level from the B&W's. Supremely fast with little overhang, they love drums (which is good, because I'm a drummer) and rock has a you-are-there energy. Compared to Legacy Whispers, the Legacy's would need a very good sub (or two) to equal the JBL's, imo.

Overall, I'm very happy. Haven't had as much time with them as I'd like, but so far it's safe to say I'm off the upgrade train...well, at least for speakers.


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[frenchmon]

I've heard those....and very dynamic! Congrats!

[blackraven]

Congrats on the new speakers, Enjoy!

[JohnMichael]

I know how good my Studio 530's sound and those must be awesome. Congratulations on the new speakers. I am glad they sound as good as they look.

[Mr Peabody]

I'm glad you like them and they are working out so well for you.

[Feanor]

Looking great, Topspeed. Enjoy.

[harley .guy07]

I have always liked the way they look but have never heard them. I know I read in a post on another site that Nelson Pass bought a pair of them for one of his personal home systems so they must be doing something right if the god of amplifiers bought a pair. Glad you like them and when I get my career path settled I plan of building a pair of JBL based two way horns much like you and Peabody have but built myself. I figure I have the wood working and electronics skills so I might as well put them to work.

[topspeed]

I know how good my Studio 530's sound and those must be awesome. Congratulations on the new speakers. I am glad they sound as good as they look.
It's funny you said that, because one of my hang-ups was the appearance of the 1400's. After seeing Aerial 7T's, 802's, and others with furniture grade cabinetry, the aesthetics of the JBLs, particularly the vertical horn, was rather jarring. I likened it to what Daffy Duck looked like after Elmer would shoot his bill onto the back of his head. However, once I unpacked them, I found the bass cabinet to be beautifully grained and finished, the stain is just so dark that pictures rarely do them justice. I'm actually warming to their iconic look. It's kind of nice to have speakers that don't look like normal speakers. They certainly aren't beautiful in the traditional sense, but they are interesting.

[topspeed]

I have always liked the way they look but have never heard them. I know I read in a post on another site that Nelson Pass bought a pair of them for one of his personal home systems so they must be doing something right if the god of amplifiers bought a pair. Glad you like them and when I get my career path settled I plan of building a pair of JBL based two way horns much like you and Peabody have but built myself. I figure I have the wood working and electronics skills so I might as well put them to work.

Nothing is more rewarding that building something with your own two hands. Can't wait to see what you create.

[thekid]

Congrats on the new speakers!
They look very impressive!!

[topspeed]

Congrats on the new speakers!
They look very impressive!!Thanks, Kid. When did you get Vr2's? Great speakers, Albert's one of the genius designers in my opinion. In fact, I was about to buy a pair of VR7 HSE's before the JBL's popped up. I even talked to John at VSA to see if they would be suitable for my room size. They were really cool and honest about things, mentioning the VR35's were too small and telling me about possible upgrades to the 13 yr old VR7's I could explore (there weren't any, they looked at the ad and determined those were still state of the art drivers in that particular pair). If you like the VSA sound, wait until you hear some of the other models.

[thekid]

TS - I have had the VR's for about 4 years now. I have always liked them but since pairing them with my new NAD 3020 Hybrid amp they have reached a new level. It's not the most powerful amp I have paired with them but there is synergy there that works. I sit about 7 feet from them right in the middle of the sweet spot. The BBC Monitors are used for Acoustic and Jazz. The VR's are used for everything else. If you are ever in the Virginia Beach area you are welcome to stop by and give them a listen.