Questions raised by Stereophile articles/responses Re: Klipsch & JBL

[garyrc]

O.K., in the current Stereophile a Klipsch representative in manufacturer's comments mentioned that PWK "identified" Transient Intermodulation Distortion. I thought the form of distrotrtion PWK was famous for examining and minimizing was Frequency Modulatuion distortion.

• Are FM and TIM distortion the same thing? Closely related? Correlated in loudspeakers?
• I remember PWK praising Otala (or Olata .. my long term memory is dyslexic) for identifying TIM in amplifiers, to the degree that he suggested that TIM distortion b named after Mr.O. I believe it cropped up in amplifiers as a result of too much negative feedback to kill less harmful harmonic distortion.
• PWk was certainly concerned with transient response and dynamics, big time.

In the same issue of Stereophile, a reviewer referrs to the "1971 Paragon" ... The first time I heard the JBL Paragon was when it stole the show at the 1959 Hi Fi Fair in San Francisco (along with the Klipschorn and the Patrician .. Paragon had the best rendition of cymbals, K-horn best overall balance, Patrician was good, but in a bad room at that Hotel). I believe they stopped using the 154C woofers and started with the LE 15, or something, a few years later ... maybe 1964? So What does he mean by the 1971 Paragon? Was there a driver change or something at that time?

[artto]

Gary, you are correct. PWK was a big adherent of Frequency Modulation Distortion (FM or FMD). It was Matti Otala who discovered Transient Intermodulation Distortion in amplifiers. FMD cannot occur in amplifiers. See Klipsch Dope From Hope "Distortion" Vol 7, No 3 March 1966

[artto]

In the same issue of Stereophile, a reviewer referrs to the "1971 Paragon" ... The first time I heard the JBL Paragon was when it stole the show at the 1959 Hi Fi Fair in San Francisco (along with the Klipschorn and the Patrician .. Paragon had the best rendition of cymbals, K-horn best overall balance, Patrician was good, but in a bad room at that Hotel). I believe they stopped using the 154C woofers and started with the LE 15, or something, a few years later ... maybe 1964? So What does he mean by the 1971 Paragon? Was there a driver change or something at that time?

JBL Paragon info. Page back and forth on the link ~ some interesting info. Doesn't the Hartsfield look a lot like the Jubilee?

[ZAKO]

The Paragon had a long manufacturing run.....The 150-4c did not sound as good as the LE15/2215 in that paragon bassbin.... The Hartsfield had a design change,,From the top loaded woofer design to what was called coffin back woofer design... the later being a better horn design.