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JBL 4349 Review (Studio Monitor Speaker)

changer

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What does constant directivity mean to you? To me it means the directivity index sees no change through the frequency range. This speaker sees a narrowing as frequency increases, like most speakers do.
There was a similar discusion recently at another place https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/375458-constant-directivity-home-post6749276.html and in this context constant directivity is synonymous with uniform directivity, not as in public adress systems an actual constant directivity throughout the speaker's bandwidth. Therefore, you will also find that Don Keele spoke about a constant-energy response monitor, the goal beeing no directivity errors. https://www.pearl-hifi.com/06_Lit_A...her_Publications/Improvements_Monitor_LSs.pdf
 

Chromatischism

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But a speaker that has no directivity "errors" (defined in the CEA2034 format as sudden changes in the directivity index trend) yet still narrows as frequency increases has variable directivity, not constant – just using the literal definition of the words.

This is an example of a constant directivity speaker for much of the tweeter region. Notice how the DI does not change from 3000-10000 Hz:

index.php


Another, coincidentally also a JBL:

CEA2034 -- JBL M2 (Crown iTech 5000 Amp; M2 Base Configuration).png


Definitions:

From Princeton:

Abstract

"It is often desired that a transducer have a polar radiation pattern that is invariant with frequency, but there is currently no way of quantifying the extent to which a transducer possesses this quality (often called “constant directivity” or “controlled directivity”)."

Introduction

"Many applications in audio benefit from transducers (or transducer arrays) whose directional characteristics do not vary with frequency. For example, in live sound reinforcement, it is often desirable for each loudspeaker to cover a certain region of the audience. Consequently, the loudspeaker’s coverage angle should be constant over its usable frequency range so that no part of the audience lacks any part of the frequency spectrum."

Conclusions

"Motivated by the lack of a precise, standardized definition of constant directivity, and of metrics that quantify the extent to which a transducer exhibits constant directivity, we derived a set of five metrics, each of which satisfy one or more of three criteria for constant directivity specified in Section 2. These criteria were also used to define the term “constant directivity” as either a characteristic of a transducer whose polar radiation patterns are invariant across a specified range of frequencies, or, more leniently, as a transducer whose directivity factor (index) is invariant with frequency."

For consistency, it is much the same in electromagnetics – from Wikipedia:

"In electromagnetics, directivity is a parameter of an antenna or optical system which measures the degree to which the radiation emitted is concentrated in a single direction. It measures the power density the antenna radiates in the direction of its strongest emission, versus the power density radiated by an ideal isotropic radiator (which emits uniformly in all directions) radiating the same total power."
 
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Valentin R

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Yeah, it still has some beaming, but a ~5dB increase would for sure make it sound much more neutral. Oddly, the manual says the horn center should be ear level.

If Amir really wants to sell these, maybe he should remeasure them :p
Well the design axis is at the bottom of the horn
Not at the center of it
That’s 5 inches of distance ( it does make a difference)
 
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C. Cook

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And now the JBL 4349s are retailing for $8250/pr., an increase of $750US! What's going on with the supply chain to justify such a steep immediate price hike? Is Harman driving this or is it the retailers?
 

C. Cook

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Harman is increasing prices. There have been at least two price hikes across full line of products.
Wow, any idea why? Are there specific components driving this? I'm in construction and we've seen a very steep lead time increase in raw materials like steel and lumber as well as components like HV XFRMRs due to a lot of pent up demand down in Texas where we had a big freeze in 2021. But what could be responsible for Harman's products going up in price and more than once?

I do tend to follow their products just as an aside, and they've actually lowered prices dramatically on lines like the JBL Studio 5XX which actually have pretty high quality drivers and crossovers.

Will say that they're pushing their luck with the Synthesis line at this point, as if their retail wasn't already a little unrealistic. I know for example that you sold a pair of these 4349s for about $3000 less than retail basically new, and I only paid about $5K for mine in the same condition.
 

Frank Dernie

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Wow, any idea why? Are there specific components driving this? I'm in construction and we've seen a very steep lead time increase in raw materials like steel and lumber as well as components like HV XFRMRs due to a lot of pent up demand down in Texas where we had a big freeze in 2021. But what could be responsible for Harman's products going up in price and more than once?

I do tend to follow their products just as an aside, and they've actually lowered prices dramatically on lines like the JBL Studio 5XX which actually have pretty high quality drivers and crossovers.

Will say that they're pushing their luck with the Synthesis line at this point, as if their retail wasn't already a little unrealistic. I know for example that you sold a pair of these 4349s for about $3000 less than retail basically new, and I only paid about $5K for mine in the same condition.
I don't know about the USA but energy prices here in the UK are near double what they were a few months ago. That makes everything more expensive, from components to manufacture to shipping.
 

sarumbear

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And now the JBL 4349s are retailing for $8250/pr., an increase of $750US! What's going on with the supply chain to justify such a steep immediate price hike? Is Harman driving this or is it the retailers?
Inflation is over 5% all over the globe, petrol prices doubled shipping costs. Why are you surprised that a large speaker's price increased 10%? Since the speaker's introduction in 2020 price of everything has increased more than 10%.
 

anmpr1

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I don't know about the USA but energy prices here in the UK are near double what they were a few months ago. That makes everything more expensive, from components to manufacture to shipping.
FWIW, three years ago I bought a DAC3-HGC and AHB2. Benchmark has not raised their prices on either of those. I don't understand it, given the general inflation. In an interview at the Absolute Sound Web presence John Siau mentioned that they had anticipated supply chain disruptions and made some adjustments.

Electric guitars prices from China and Indonesia have risen over the past 12 months. Ex: an Epiphone SG Standard was $450.00 last year; now $500.00. How much of that is cost of production, and how much shipping, I don't know.

Three years ago my trash pickup bill was $55.00 for three months. Now it's $80.00.
 

C. Cook

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Inflation is over 5% all over the globe, petrol prices doubled shipping costs. Why are you surprised that a large speaker's price increased 10%? Since the speaker's introduction in 2020 price of everything has increased more than 10%.
Because other spkr mfg's haven't been increasing their prices according to all the catalogs I get in the mail. And Amir said this is the *second* round of increases by JBL (and I guess Harman, meaning Revel).
 

C. Cook

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FWIW, three years ago I bought a DAC3-HGC and AHB2. Benchmark has not raised their prices on either of those. I don't understand it, given the general inflation. In an interview at the Absolute Sound Web presence John Siau mentioned that they had anticipated supply chain disruptions and made some adjustments.

Electric guitars prices from China and Indonesia have risen over the past 12 months. Ex: an Epiphone SG Standard was $450.00 last year; now $500.00. How much of that is cost of production, and how much shipping, I don't know.

Three years ago my trash pickup bill was $55.00 for three months. Now it's $80.00.
I think you're probably onto the answer there. Since Harman mfg's the JBLs in China now, it's probably got to do with shipping/energy prices. I was just curious if Amir knew the exact answer; seems like something a distributor or installer would have asked the exact reason so that they could explain to customers. I do know that RME has raised the price slightly on the ADI-2, but that was before this crazy inflation and it might not even be RME doing it but their American resellers.
 

C. Cook

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First world problems.

Put into perspective, it's not even worth forum time when we have the world in the current mess it is in.
That pretty much applies to anything at all related to the audio equipment and 3rd party testing hobby with mega inflation and a looming WWIII. To wit, whether a DAC's SINAD is 3dB better than another shouldn't even be discussed in these times, amirite? Life must stop! Put all new reviews and tests on indefinite hold. /sarc

In fact that's verging a little too far into politics/geopolitics for a forum like this, isn't it? It's perfectly valid to comment on rising prices on electronics. Especially ones that have actually been tested and sold right here.
 

Pio

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I think you're probably onto the answer there. Since Harman mfg's the JBLs in China now, it's probably got to do with shipping/energy prices. I was just curious if Amir knew the exact answer; seems like something a distributor or installer would have asked the exact reason so that they could explain to customers. I do know that RME has raised the price slightly on the ADI-2, but that was before this crazy inflation and it might not even be RME doing it but their American resellers.
The 4367 and the JBL Pro 7 Series are made in Mexico. FWIW, I tried to order a couple more 705P's and they're backordered UFN and my dealer warned of a price increase.
 

C. Cook

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The 4367 and the JBL Pro 7 Series are made in Mexico. FWIW, I tried to order a couple more 705P's and they're backordered UFN and my dealer warned of a price increase.
Ah, I didn't know that they still made the uber-high-end speakers down in MX. I had a pair from a few years ago that were. And since you mentioned it, I looked up the price for the 4367s at Music Direct and they too have increased (in that case by $1500/pair). So I guess it's not *just* the cost of producing and shipping from China. Which leaves me still curious as to what Harman's exact strategy is here...
 
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anmpr1

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Ah, I didn't know that they still made the uber-high-end speakers down in MX. So I guess it's not *just* the cost of producing and shipping from China. Which leaves me still curious as to what Harman's exact strategy is here...

Although a product is 'made' in Mexico (or anywhere else, for that matter), that doesn't necessarily mean it is 'made' there. Possibly only assembled at the location. Component parts could well be produced in Asia (most likely are) and then shipped to the point of assembly.
 

Pio

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Although a product is 'made' in Mexico (or anywhere else, for that matter), that doesn't necessarily mean it is 'made' there. Possibly only assembled at the location. Component parts could well be produced in Asia (most likely are) and then shipped to the point of assembly.
Also, a lot of companies specify - like "assembled in US from globally sourced parts" . I am sure the parts inside the 7 series (and others) come from all over the world..
 
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