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New JBL 4349 Speakers

Dj7675

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I had the 4429 hooked up to a Mcintosh MA9000 - way to bright. I later got a mc462 - and used a schiit freya + and it was better. Unfortunately Ive never heard a Mcintosh pair well with the JBL speakers. Maybe one of their tube amps would? I've also noticed all Mcintosh to be light in the bass regardless of what speaker you use. I will tell you for female voices the 4349 sound great, and there is a more punchier bass. I (me personally) still would not pair with a Mac though. I think that combo would be waaaaay to bright.
Interesting... I have had 2 McIntosh amps that I have used with JBL 250ti’s. Both sounded fantastic. I find many of these comments about amps/speakers sounding different. I would not expect this to be the case with modern, well made electronics. Has anyone claiming these kinds of things, taken any in room measurements showing such a thing actually exists? It would seem it would be a fairly simple task to measure in REW using a moving microphone method with the changed electronics and same speakers. Without any objective data, it seems like chasing your tail In perpetual state of change.
 

richard12511

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Interesting... I have had 2 McIntosh amps that I have used with JBL 250ti’s. Both sounded fantastic. I find many of these comments about amps/speakers sounding different. I would not expect this to be the case with modern, well made electronics. Has anyone claiming these kinds of things, taken any in room measurements showing such a thing actually exists? It would seem it would be a fairly simple task to measure in REW using a moving microphone method with the changed electronics and same speakers. Without any objective data, it seems like chasing your tail In perpetual state of change.

I would think that most people who believe these electronics sound different are also likely to believe that those differences can't be measured. Unless a well made amplifier is broken in some way, I wouldn't expect there to be large differences in the frequency response, and I would bet that any differences that do show up are more likely caused by different mic movement patterns.
 

BeppeP

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After reading this post around Xmas, I purchased again a pair of 4429 but this time imported from Japan, call me crazy :D I am running them with T+A integrated 300w and they sound very coherent and more balanced, however I will change again for Mcintosh as drivers rock more and seems they get more current.
 

watchnerd

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After reading this post around Xmas, I purchased again a pair of 4429 but this time imported from Japan, call me crazy :D I am running them with T+A integrated 300w and they sound very coherent and more balanced, however I will change again for Mcintosh as drivers rock more and seems they get more current.

Purchased again?

Meaning, you've owned them before?
 

BeppeP

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Well, I keep the 4429 as I have already Harbeth, next will be tower speaker one. One consideration, JBL that I bought come from Jap and not European stock and internal cables are changed in Jap and some adjustment,I can tell you that sound different compared to the European stock one I had much better and less harsh.
 

Valentin R

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Well, I keep the 4429 as I have already Harbeth, next will be tower speaker one. One consideration, JBL that I bought come from Jap and not European stock and internal cables are changed in Jap and some adjustment,I can tell you that sound different compared to the European stock one I had much better and less harsh.

Are you saying JBL did two different products
One for Europe and one for Japan

Or did you buy a modified (3 party) version
 

DK11706

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The JBL 4429 was a Japan version only at first, the spec are slightly different compared to the later Euro version. They extend down to 38hz -6db, euro version is 40hz -6db. The euro version also have a different tune on the horns with more roll-off to tame some of the sibilance that many Asian people prefer.

Spec for the JP Version
https://www.harman-ownersclub.jp/shared/prod_manual/4429.pdf

Spec for Euro:
https://www.jblsynthesis.com/products/loudspeakers/type/bookshelf-loudspeakers/4429.html
 

Zvu

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The JBL 4429 was a Japan version only at first, the spec are slightly different compared to the later Euro version. They extend down to 38hz -6db, euro version is 40hz -6db. The euro version also have a different tune on the horns with more roll-off to tame some of the sibilance that many Asian people prefer...

Оlive and Toole came to the conclusion that gender, race and ethnicity have nothing to do with how we hear and what we prefer. What does influence alot are the differences in listening areas (Europe usually brick walls, Japan smaller condos, Scandinavia wooden walls etc.).
 

Valentin R

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Same components same box
Should have a different xo
But their is only one part number for it
 

Zvu

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My guess, if it's not a spec sheet typo, is slightly different reflex tuning.
 

okok

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Well, I keep the 4429 as I have already Harbeth, next will be tower speaker one. One consideration, JBL that I bought come from Jap and not European stock and internal cables are changed in Jap and some adjustment,I can tell you that sound different compared to the European stock one I had much better and less harsh.

jap is a word for you can google it
jp or either japan
 

changer

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Hello Amir, did something legal happen? Does ASR even need a warrent canary? This would not help in this case but maybe for the future. Let us know if you chose to let this speakers go untested.
 

Morla

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I would definitely like to hear/read about @amirm opinion/test of this JBL box. No matter what others say about him being connected to harman. Or even that he might run an AV business.. just to claim he would color things to his own benefit. That's just throwing mud in the wrong direction.. hmm sorry for that little rant. I like those blue faced JBL boxes.. and I am looking for an upgrade of my Klipsch Forté 3.
 

Jukebox

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Hello Amir, did something legal happen? Does ASR even need a warrent canary? This would not help in this case but maybe for the future. Let us know if you chose to let this speakers go untested.
Being such an important speakers maybe Amir waited to properly review this on his new YouTube channel also.
 

changer

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Being such an important speakers maybe Amir waited to properly review this on his new YouTube channel also.
I do not know if it is an important speaker, how do you come to think so? I would like to know if this is still a legit topology and how it performs at the upper limits of it's possibility. Especially the woofer driving most the mids while also providing bass. The measurements from the Klippel will shed some light on this. I was really thinking that maybe there was something happening which prevents the test, because it has been some time since amir purchased his set of speakers. But you are right, he may have other practical reasons.
 

H-713

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They've got some stiff competition at their price point though... Quested VH3208s are about the same price for a pair, and they have a dedicated midrange. Of course, they're designed from the ground-up as studio monitors... and that means that they don't hide bad recordings the way some speakers do.

I have yet to see a 12" woofer that can really handle midrange well, so I'm immediately skeptical of the JBL, but that's just me.
 
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