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JBL Paragon


finallygotmyheresies

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I was in Prescott today and stopped in to see it. It isn’t hooked up to anything so I couldn’t hear it but it was pretty cool to see one in person. I wasn’t as excited as the first time I saw a Klipschorn but I was still impressed. I would buy it as a long term investment if I had the money laying around. 

 

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/atd/d/jbl-d44000-paragon-speaker/6307547125.html

 

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1 hour ago, finallygotmyheresies said:

I was in Prescott today and stopped in to see it. It isn’t hooked up to anything so I couldn’t hear it but it was pretty cool to see one in person. I wasn’t as excited as the first time I saw a Klipschorn but I was still impressed. I would buy it as a long term investment if I had the money laying around. 

 

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/atd/d/jbl-d44000-paragon-speaker/6307547125.html

 

If I was there it would be loaded on a truck and on it's way to Cincinnati.  What a work of art. Simply beautiful. 

 

Mark

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I heard a Paragon and Metrogon about 25 years ago in Tulsa. One of our customers at a store I managed (car audio side of store) owned both.  He was old oil money and also sold his cell towers to US Cellular at the time for a stupid amount of money.  He ran them off of Mac tubes and solid state. They looked better than they sounded by far and he only owned them for their rarity. The JBL L250's and Project Everest DD55000's that he also had sounded night and day better. But the Paragon and Metrogon are beautiful for sure. And were crazy expensive when made. 

 

He also owned a 66 Shelby 427 AC Cobra and a 42' Fountain triple 502 boat...just for funzies. I drove 'em both....they were sweet. Especially the Cobra. :D

 

 

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There are several vids on Youtube with the Paragon in action.  Kendrick sound likes to update them.  Here is a decent vid to give a taste with a decent pair of headphones of course.

 

One more, as this one also sounds quite good. In a decent sized bedroom, tv on top, it would be stellar. 

 

 

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I heard the Paragon and a pair of Klipschorns in the same store once.  They both were very clear, and sounded somewhat similar.   The Khorns were a little warmer, with a little better/more bass.  Both looked great, Khorns disappearing into the corners, but still elegant, and the Paragon was a work of visual art, exhibiting "California sound,"  to go with California decor.

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On 10/20/2017 at 11:16 PM, DizRotus said:

I bet it sounds as good as it looks.

 

IMG_0264.JPG

I don't think so. Just the opposite. I think it looks better than it sounds. It's more fine furniture's Work of ART than fine sound, which was designed for the same rich guys that pay 5-7 figures for "high end" speakers today. The curved diffusion surface make it more mono than stereo. What meager Channel separation exists, you are stuck with since you can't move them apart, . Where are the tweeters? generation 2" throat drivers probably have 500-8,000 Hz. response only. I have not heard a Paragon, but if it's anything like the overpriced and overbuilt JBL Harsfield Corner horn, which sounds like crap, compared to a Khorn. Why do you all think all this overbuilt JBL stuff died in the marketplace while the Klipschorns have survived past 70 years? Now if you are rich, have a huge mansion, and want to have some really nice background music, then this is a worthwhile investment in beautiful decor, no question. But sound quality would NOT be your first criteria for this classic as compared to spending $20,000 on modern Klipsch Palladium products or even Heritage ones.Or Maybe you are an old Japanese Man who can't hear above 5 Khz. anyhow, so those are perfect for that application as shown in the video above. It's my understanding that some had super tweeters crossed at 7 Khz. but based on the 5 ft. horns, they still can't go much below 55 Hz. without corner reinforcment or subs.

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  • 1 month later...

The JBL Paragon and Klipsch Klipschorn seem to come from opposite ends of the spectrum. PWK used readily available and rather inexpensive drivers to engineer superb sound where James Lansing manufactured his own superb drivers and designed a mediocre cabinet around them. Although some of these same drivers can be found in very formidable JBL's from the past. 

Years ago when on the JBL Heritage forums I made mention that I sold a pair of custom made cabinets housing JBL Professional line drivers for my first pair of factory LaScala's. Members there asked if I was writing from a mental institution?! To say I was flamed is an understatement.

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