JBL 250ti

I sold these many years ago while working at an audio retailer. At that time I thought they were a very good speaker, especially for a JBL. Listening to them needed to be done at a distance, as they were not near field. They also benefited from a beefy amp. The Threshold Stasis 2 was a good match, as well as some Macs. They threw a nice image and sounded very solid. It was the 1st JBL in my experience that "disappeared". One of my fellow associates purchased a pair, and we spent many evenings enjoying them at his apartment. However, I was never compelled to purchase a pair. Not much more to say.

I purchased my pair used in the Bay Area in 1993. Plugged them in to my NAD receiver and could barely get them up to room level. I checked the classifieds again, went back out that night and bought a used 200 wpc Conrad Johnson amp. It sounded much better but always seemed like something was lacking as well as the lower mid sounding somewhat coney. I replaced the NAD receiver, which I was now using as a preamp, with a McIntosh MX-134 and it added a richness and fullness as well as infinite detail to the sound.Still not happy with the lower mid, I contacted JBL. They said the speakers really needed a minimum of 400 watts. I replaced the C-J with a McIntosh MC-2500 and WOW, what a difference. The speakers finally came alive. I was happy with them for a few years but then that nasty habit of tinkering crept back in. I was using an Arcam CD player, modified by Audio-Horizons, so I decided to contact Joseph Chow for my next step. He came out to the house and after a time of arranging the placement of the speakers (they don't like to be against or near a back wall), it was sounding pretty good. We played a favorite cd and he commented how the vocals seemed drowned out by the instruments. I thought that was the way it was recorded. He plugged in a pair of his interconnects between the Arcam and the MX-134 and boom the vocals were now even with the instruments. No more weak lower mids, no more coney sounds, just rich full music! I now am integrating them as my mains in my surround system and after trying many THX approved center channel speakers, the JBL L20t works perfect as a center. I would like to try the 18Ti since it has the identical titanium tweeter as the 250's but the 20 does sound wonderful!The biggest thing I have found in making these light up is making sure they had enough power. That change was the most dramatic. As for imaging, getting them out in the room, away from the wall made a huge difference.

I have had many classic JBL's monitors over the years-4311A, 4311B, 4410, 4412 (which I still own). I also owned many home speakers-Jubal, L220, L100T3, L1, L5 etc. I have heard the 250Ti and they are awesome. As the above thread states, all JBL's love power-you cannot blow them up! I never could afford a pair of them back in the day, but i would dream about owning them.

The 250ti was a wonderful speaker for the time they were made. Newer, higher end JBL's such as the ti10k or pt800 are better, in my opinion. Better, more modern drivers, crossovers, etc. I have since moved to more up to date speakers (Nola Boxer), and really enjoy the change, which is huge. Check out the JBL website here http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/
There are lots of opnions and facts about all things JBL

A very good speaker, especially for a JBL, and It was a good speaker, for its time.

I once heard a pair of Wilson Watt Puppy 5's, being driven by a new Threshold T400 Amp at a dealer. I thought they were the most highly overrated, POS speaker my ears ever heard.

Had the salesman told me, I'll trade these for your JBL's staight up, I would've turned him down. I'm the type that piano black laquer just ain;t gonna get, I want more than that for $17K

Many underestimate the name. While they still make some of the very best today (Everest), you won't usually see them in this country, the Japanese took command of tha market. market.

My opinion is I liked the L220 over 250ti L220 uses horns and the 250i uses titanium tweeter. Used 4 L220's and one 4333 center channel. All driven by Levinson, for my surround system.

My favorite main system is the 4350's. Custom internal crossovers, Madisound external crossover, 16ohm 4 chassis custom OTL Tube Futtermans . The horns are also 16ohm, it's a match made in heaven. A Levinson ML3 for the woofers. Wadia dac, Sony transport and Custom tube preamp and a Cello Palette.

My favorite big sound little system, Silverline Preludes, Pass X250.5 and Pass pre, Modified Resoluction Audio dac, Sony transport. Bybee pwer conditioner, all balanced, with Tara labs cables throughout.

The L220 didn't use horns, it had a diffraction lens over a regular cone driver.

I think you may be wrong , They also had a slot tweeter

take a look

http://www.audioassembly.com/jblmito.htm

I stand corrected, they infact did have a cone, I had them
a long time ago, I belive they also had a passive driver. and the boxes were triangle in shape.

You can put the Le85 horn drivers in to replace the cone midrange driver.

This conversion kit will convert your LE5-9 mid range to a LE85/H91 horn without making any changes to your beautiful enclosure. You cannot tell it from original. The kit includes: 2 LE85 mid range compression drivers. 2 H91 Horns. 2 3110A crossovers. 2 horn/lens adapter plates. 2 back plates. If you want a 3 way system it includes 2 additional N7000 crossovers (additional 349.00). Drivers and horns are in near pristine condition. Shipping will be determined by location