Are These Finds Good Deals?

[Verdinut]

I thought you had those!

You guys sent me spiraling down a JBL rabbit hole and I stumbled across this crazy sumbitch. The 1957 D44000 Paragon all in one stereo speaker.

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I read that collectors will pay in the neighborhood of $20k for one of those in good shape!

That was the most expensive JBL enclosure released in 1957 and produced until 1983.

That's a very bad design. Imagine that you have to sit on the floor with your feet touching the cabinet to be able to hear any stereo effect!

JBL Paragon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Jeff R.]

So I think I scored a denon x4500 for $600 on Craigslist. This seems like a solid deal. The owner claims he only used it a few time and then upgraded. I’m planning to pick it up next weekend.


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[Pogre]

So I think I scored a denon x4500 for $600 on Craigslist. This seems like a solid deal. The owner claims he only used it a few time and then upgraded. I’m planning to pick it up next weekend.


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Make sure you test it. Buying used speakers is one thing. Taken care of good speakers will last a very long time. Electronics can be a risk. If the seller won't let you test I'd pass.

 

[Pogre]

That was the most expensive JBL enclosure released in 1957 and produced until 1983.

That's a very bad design. Imagine that you have to sit on the floor with your feet touching the cabinet to be able to hear any stereo effect!

JBL Paragon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I agree! What's up with the orientation of those horns??

However, some fools out there will pay upwards of 5 figures for those things, and I doubt it's for the sound qualty, lol.

 

[zieglj01]

So I think I scored a denon x4500 for $600 on Craigslist. This seems like a solid deal. The owner claims he only used it a few time and then upgraded. I’m planning to pick it up next weekend.
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Good deal if it still works properly ... but how does an owner buy a receiver like this and only use it a few times?

 

[Jeff R.]

He claims he upgraded to a larger 11 channel receiver


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[zieglj01]

He claims he upgraded to a larger 11 channel receiver

You may have a real good deal there

 

[Pogre]

That's a very bad design. Imagine that you have to sit on the floor with your feet touching the cabinet to be able to hear any stereo effect!

JBL Paragon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

So with the horns firing right into the sides of the curved front of the cabinet would there be enough reflection/bounce for stereo separation or does it just look like an acoustic mess? Lol

*Edit: "Based on a 'diffusion' principle". That description doesn't sound like stereo separation was necessarily a goal...

 

[Pogre]

He claims he upgraded to a larger 11 channel receiver

You may have a real good deal there

I agree. Make sure to test it first tho!

 

[Eppie]

Site isn't secure, got this.
View attachment 52199

Chrome wants everything https://. The site does not use a secure certificate and is just http://. You can safely ignore the warning for that site or use a different browser.

 

[Replicant 7]

Chrome wants everything https://. The site does not use a secure certificate and is just http://. You can safely ignore the warning for that site or use a different browser.

Thanks

 

[Pogre]

Chrome wants everything https://. The site does not use a secure certificate and is just http://. You can safely ignore the warning for that site or use a different browser.

Huh. Okay.

I'm not positive but I thought that was an actual JBL Heritage site for all of their older speakers. Next page is the L100s!

L100/4310

 

[Eppie]

Huh. Okay.

I'm not positive but I thought that was an actual JBL Heritage site for all of their older speakers. Next page is the L100s!

L100/4310

Site is supported by JBL by I think it is volunteer run. I've searched it before for the L300 Summit.

Guess what I found recently. Original L300 brochure from the day I first heard them and started on my audio journey.

If you're wondering why the sensitivity is so low, it is measured at 30 feet. These do not require a lot of power.

 

[zieglj01]

So with the horns firing right into the sides of the curved front of the cabinet would there be enough reflection/bounce for stereo separation or does it just look like an acoustic mess? Lol

One real big piece of furniture or room decoration that at least makes some sound

 

[Verdinut]

So with the horns firing right into the sides of the curved front of the cabinet would there be enough reflection/bounce for stereo separation or does it just look like an acoustic mess? Lol

*Edit: "Based on a 'diffusion' principle". That description doesn't sound like stereo separation was necessarily a goal...

There would be obvious reflections but IMO the sound image would completely be reversed, the left channel sound would be heard from the right and so on, unless you sit very close as mentioned before.
Imagine that you prefer the overall experience sitting on the floor very close. In 1957, stereo electronics didn't have remote controls, so you had to get up to change the volume. Yeah, very convenient.
IMO, that product was good for installation in large living rooms with parties as the stereo effect didn't matter on such occasions. I wonder how many of those JBL sold over the 25-26 years.

 

[Pogre]

There would be obvious reflections but IMO the sound image would completely be reversed, the left channel sound would be heard from the right and so on, unless you sit very close as mentioned before.
Imagine that you prefer the overall experience sitting on the floor very close. In 1957, stereo electronics didn't have remote controls, so you had to get up to change the volume. Yeah, very convenient.
IMO, that product was good for installation in large living rooms with parties as the stereo effect didn't matter on such occasions. I wonder how many of those JBL sold over the 25-26 years.

I think I read in one of those articles that they only produced 1000 of them. It took 100-something man hours to build one. That's why collectors today are going go ga-ga over 'em.

 

[zieglj01]

I think I read in one of those articles that they only produced 1000 of them. It took 100-something man hours to build one. That's why collectors today are going go ga-ga over 'em.

And around 800 lbs ... big shipping expense if you find one

 

[afterlife2]

Saw these tonight. There was no price that I saw and I didn't inquire. The drivers and tweets look great. I'm sure they are good, but left. Any thoughts on these guys?

 

[zieglj01]

Saw these tonight. There was no price that I saw and I didn't inquire. The drivers and tweets look great. I'm sure they are good, but left. Any thoughts on these guys?

Will have a lot of bass, but the treble will not be as clean as some speakers, and will be lacking some in the treble ... will not have the highs that you like

 

[Verdinut]

And around 800 lbs ... big shipping expense if you find one

But if a collector finds one and he's willing to pay 18K $, shipping cost of 1K or even more shouldn't be a big concern.