can a new speaker come close to JBL's 4429 for 5 grand?

Try to audition ATC SCM40 - just as revealing and accurate but with a larger sweetspot, better imaging and without the strident upper mid that you tend to get from a JBL pro horn.

Yes ATC makes incredibly accurate speakers, but they are hardly efficient.

Yup. ATC won’t work at 1 watt. Min 100 Watts required.

@dancekel, I thought the same thing about the JBL 4319 and am awaiting delivery since it takes 2-3 weeks for delivery from Music Direct.

I have a funny feeling that when I hear them, I’ll be transported back to the time of my youth, coming full circle in this audio game, only to realize that the start of this all was the finish. So many pretenders out there going for looks over performance, form over function, and all that furniture grade looks to make up for the shortcomings that come with that mindset.

Music Direct has a 60 day trial period that I’m going to take advantage of since I can’t audition the 4319s. It’s funny that I live 14 miles from JBL and when I called them, they had no idea that they were for sale anywhere stateside.

There’s a wonderful review of the 4319s at HiFedility and they mention that all the models up from them are of the same quality, only larger in scale. His reference speakers are Harbeth 40.1. If I were you, I’d take delivery of the 4429s and give them a serious listen if you’re getting them from Music Direct.

All the best,
Nonoise