Does anybody have any experience with the JBL 1400


I have an opportunity to get a pair of these for a great price. I have listened to them a couple of times and liked them. I would be driving them with a Mcintosh 452 power amp. Any input would be appreciated
dethklok
@ Dave_72, Hi, Been meaning to ask, How long have you owned the S4700S ? ,Happy Listening.
I can safely say the same about my S4700s. And there's no horn colorations! JBL has done the Synthesis line the right way. It's definitely not some half-assed effort. The 1400 Arrays are a damn good deal as well.
@ Isochronism, Hi, LOl!, I agree, I do need to get my mind off The Krell 700cx stereo amp, BTW, Its A mono block design in one chasiss!cheers!
2chnlben, I strongly disagree, they are very natural speakers, which means they are just beautiful with Ella, pure piano solos, string quartets. I have many competing, highly reveiwed "high end" (meaning accepted and politically correct) which the 1400s outdo in terms of naturalness and subtlety.

These strengths are easily as noticeable as the dynamics. Pointing toward dynamics and loud playing ability as the main strengths sell the speakers short. Yes, they do this but they are also very pure, very low grain, and natural.

I have to wonder: did you have them in your room? I do, and they are by far my least expensive speaker, but they are a joy.

Your Krells will be better than than ever, given your saga's history with them.
May I suggest making birdhouses or pot holders, etc ... anything to get your mind off of them HA. I'd have to!! They will be home soon and it will be good!!
@ Isochronism, Thankyou, I will not forget about all the members here, I am hoping I will have alot to talk about!, I just bought a Taralabs cobalt power cord with the up-graded oyaide plugs and can not even use it!, Kinda lame!, the amp is costing us so much money that they are letting us do payments!, I will see the amp in mid october because of us making the payments, Krell will be done with the amp by next week!cheers!
Audiolabayrinth,
I am also a fan of BIG speakers, like you!
The JBLs are in storage right now, tho I did listen to them for a few months (way back when) with a B&O 5000 system of all things (!) I have been reading your posts regarding your Tara Labs preference. I actually have two of their One PCs.
I hope you don't forget about us when you finally get your Krells back. HA
Very, very, very good speakers for rock, electric blues and music with lots of dynamics. I didn't think they excelled as well presenting the nuances of female vocals, piano, acoustic guitar, cello, violin (individual instruments)... They are, however, extremely dynamic and can play large scale musical passages at live levels without flinching...
@ Isochronism, Hi, Thanyou, LOL!, You will need a large room for them speakers!, I once had a pair of Cerwin vega pro use speakers on a complete High-end system, The vegas were the v-15E speakers 3 - way!, 101 sensativity with a Krell FPB 200, and I had thousands of dollars of polycrystal resonance control!, till this day, that was the best sounding system I have ever owned!, I have way more money in my current system!, the v-15E speakers were made for live key boards!, alot of the mids came out of the 15" woofer!, Magical sound with kick, I had Taralabs cables on that system too, a full loom of the one cable system with all the out board grounding stations that Tara does not use on the one cable system now, and that old school cable system for the one is alot better than the current one system, I know, my spare cables is the new version of the one cable system, Its still good!, not like it use to be!, now a days, I have the very best Taralabs makes, all of it!,,, cheers!
Would like to try bi-amping with my 300Bs on bottom and my 45s on top.
Although they are long-throw. Should have a big long room. I'm presently in a small apartment.
They are stage speakers. Last made 1983. Two fifteens in bottom loaded horn. Search 4550 images. Also have high frequency horn.
@ Isochronism, Hi, I did not know you own JBL speakers!, Awsome!,Tell me of your 4676B with the 4550 bottom cabinets, I believe they are studio monitors???, Tell me all about them, what year, all of it!, Thankyou,, Happy Listening!
Welcome to JBL. I have a pair of 4676B, which use the 4550 bottom cabinets. These will go into use when I move from my tiny apartment.
Right now, I use a Bryston 4BSST amp, 300 Wpc into 8 Ohms. Not the best, but not the worst, imo.
I briefly heard the 67000s at CES. They sound great, and everyone in the room was quite taken by them. They are definitely a "super-speaker."
@ omsed, You got me to laugh here!, must be a ford falcon!, since you have these other top tier speakers, how do some of the JBL models stack up against what you got there?, Is the 67000 better than all that you own there?, mmm, curious you have me!, cheers!
Audiolabyrinth, the 67000 are improved bottom to top. Bass is much clearer, tighter, more resolved, mids are more resolved, smoother, focus is tighter, that's a very quick description.
I have several non-JBL speakers, all quite expensive speakers, each the top of those companies' ranges, so this is no JBL "fan boy" post.

I don't know your JBLs, so can't comment. WC65 Mustang's quote was humorous, but who is he to talk? Tell him is 65 Mustang is just a Ford Falcon with a different skin! LOL WC!
@ Omsed, I currently have the classic JBL L7s!, With the still points under them, and the Top of the line everything Taralabs cables, including the omega jumper cables!, you will not believe what these speakers sound like!, very impressive to say the least for what they are!, they are the very last none horn true high-end speakers JBL made!, 1992!, I will never sale these speakers, But I believe going to the old DD 66000 everest speakers with the same footers and cables that I own will desamate the L7s!, this will of course take some time!, considering even the used market value of such JBL speakers!, alot of fricken money!, so, what are the differences you hear between the 66000 and the 67000?, cheers!
Hi Audiolabrinth, yes, Everests and 1400 Array, amongst other more usual speakers. The 1400 are really good, the Everest 67000 are magical.
Hi Dave_72!, very well said Omsed!, BTW, omsed, I did not know you own JBL speakers, Welcome to the JBL family of friends!,Good to see you again Dave_72! cheers!
I agree, there's no typical horn coloration. I chalk that up partially to the material (Sonoglass) that JBL uses for their high end horn-based systems such as my S4700s (one model up from the 1400s). Both are very good to great speakers overall! Then you get into the K29900s and Everests which are in a league of their own!
There is so much misinformation about horns. I wonder if it came from folks, years ago, hearing Klipsch speakers with bad solid state amps when SS was new.

Certainly there are horrible cone speaker systems, really bad planars have been made, and there have been bad horns made. Why do horns alone seem to be saddled with prejudice about "harsh sound"? Maybe the dynamics of horns make bad ones stand out more than bad cone speakers.

In the case of the 1400, look up the Stereophile article. Reviewers often get things wrong, but the reviewer describes the 1400 well. He loves them. And he's comparing them to Quad electrostatics! And yes, there are some similarities (I have owned both speakers) The 1400 are smooth, natural, great on voices, great on a wide range of instruments, very nice dynamics (seeing off nearly all cone speakers), great driver integration. They do NOT quack, honk, zing you in any way. Behind a curtain nobody would be able to hear a "horn" sound. And they go DEEP in the bass, JBL certainly knows woofers.

If I had to assign a "coloration" from neutral, they are slightly warm, a bit on the "natural" side.

A very, very well balanced speaker. A bargain, in today's crazily-priced speaker market.
Do they have an "in your face" presentation ?
they look beautiful and must have a very controlled dispersion
I have a pair. At first I used a McIntosh MC402--not bad but the bass was a little 'flabby'. Currently use Marantz MA9S2.
I've heard them. They are really good speakers. That amp is fine for them. The downside is you have to assemble that horn on top of the bass cabinet. If you're clumsy, you might wanna get a friend to help. What price are we talking? How much off of retail? Good luck!