Finest McIntosh/JBL combination you ever heard?

Original Mac C22, Mac 275, JBL Ranger Paragon playing the Talking Heads. They were in the room with me. Life size image, at concert volume.

 

BMWCCA,

I know you’re a JBL obsessive and love the early 90s L series. I don’t remember where or by who but I remember seeing in several places that L7s sound magical with MacIntosh amps. Don’t recall which amp they were talking about though. Have you ever heard L7s with a big MacIntosh amp? If so what are your thoughts?

 

No, I haven't. In fact, the only L7s I've heard are my two pair and those have only been powered by Crown PS400, Soundcraftsmen Pro-Power-Four, JBL/Urei 6260, and some Carver pro amp I have sitting around. Everyone with big Mac amps say they make everything sound magical. I'm not sure what magical means in sound. My amps make them sound like the source material.

I can tell you they do respond to plenty of power and driving them in true bi-amp mode with the blue jumper in the right spot and an external crossover might qualify as magical to some! I don't really listen to them that much since my main speakers are in my avatar and I have L5s in my TV room (maybe only until I move the L7s down from the old house).

 

Funny this topic came up: The best (albeit the only) Mac/JBL combo I ever heard was the catalyst to my audiophile beginnings!
A friend of mine was house sitting (or renting) for Noel Lee (Yes, THAT Noel Lee), and had an amazing sounding stereo. This was in 1972-3 I believe, and I don't remember the model numbers of the Mac gear, but it was all solid state, separate pre and power amp. The speakers were JBL L-300s with Janzen super tweeters separately housed atop the JBLs. He also used a Soundcraft eq, Thorens turntable, SME arm and Supex cartridge. Loud, clean and thunderous! At age 18, I'd never heard anything like it, and was mighty impressed.

 

Kenrick Sound of Japan
Their YT uploads are something I lust over. Like a 4366 with 1.2kw Macs

 

I'm using MC40s, C20, MR71 with D130, 075 in a C36 cabinet. The cables are Clear Day (RIP Paul). I also use a Pro-Ject CD Box S2 with this set up. It is a rewarding sound. It helps that it is in the proper room. It also helps that Bob Walters checked out the preamp before I got it. I can say that this combo sounds better now than it did in a smaller room where I initially placed it. Using brass footers under the components also helped tighten the sound. If you scoff at the Mac/JBL pairing, it is possible that you have not heard it under the proper conditions.

 

Lovely sound, isn't it?

The JBL 030 system response is improved in a larger cabinet. Mine are in C35s and, while the D130 isn't really a powerful woofer, it does sound beautiful on the right kind of material and enhancing its bass response in a larger enclosure just makes it even better. I, too, use a C20 and have now for over 50-years.

 

Good Point
I have the same drivers and Xover in C38 cabinets also. I'm not sure which has the greater volume (I guess I could measure and do the math) but I won't. They sound better to me, but I can't fit them in the same spot. BTW BMWCCA, a sound guy told me if I took the aluminum peg feet off the bottoms and used spikes I would get a better sound. I am sure this has merit, bit I just can't bring myself to do it.
Back to the OP: there are good MAC/JBL combos out there, you just have to see what works in your room.

 

MC275, C52, JBL L150. “Heaven...I’m in heaven”.

 

C36 and C38 are the same volume. C38 is the Baron and the C36 is the Viscount. The C35 and C37 are like 14-inches bigger in the long dimension than the C36 and C38—one is horizontal the other vertical. The only one that works better is the C34 and C40 which are horizontal and vertical folded-horn cabinets.

I doubt you'll hear as much difference from changing the legs as you would handling room treatment and placement. My C35s are made on a plinth, just like my 4345s. My C37s are on legs. I've had both the JBL wooden legs and the spun aluminum ones. I don't differentiate any of them by the sound performance.

 

MC2255 on L300 - musical

 

JBL 4367 + MC462 + C53 sound is amazin. most natural and real sound I have ever heard. can listen to it all day and I do, at the moment some 12-14 hours a day due to mandatory isolation orders from government. It is amazing to be greeted by shiny blue Mac stack every morning, hearing the purity and the true sound of music that these lovely bits of Mcintosh provides to me. Combined with the extremely wide and natural soundstage of my JBL horns and the amazing dynamics that only a 15” or bigger woofer can provide, plus all the current I could ever ask for to drive the woofers (70a peak) I have a system that is set to last me for dozens and dozens of years. Been enjoying it immensely every day for the last 30 days now. I wish it was tomorrow already so I could wake up and start a new day listening to music. But I have to get some sleep haha.

 

Presently using a McIntosh MC2300 amp, C22 preamp, and JBL 4312E's. Also 4412's. Sounds great, but I'm thinking that amp/preamp combo could make pretty much any speaker sound great.

 

Paired McIntosh amps with both JBL Jubal L65's and the large JBL 240Ti. Nothing at all wrong with the combination...

 

Interesting and timely thread. I have 2 JBL 4350 that I am running in a system that is in transition. I had 2 Altec Flamencos being run by either a pair of modified Allen organ amps with all kinds of cool premium parts or a pair of McIntosh Mc30s. I need a preamp and was using an old Sansui as a preamp in that system and am now using a Hafler preamp that is having some issues and thus I am gonna get a preamp. I am open to options there but always into McIntosh.
Anyway now the system is the 2 JBL 4350 into the Hafler preamp then into a Pioneer SF-850 crossover since the speakers need or should be biamped. If there are better ones I am all ears as that has been one place I have had no idea what to do. From the Biamp each speaker has one MC30 running the top and mids and the lows are being run by a Allen on each side which rates I think close to 50 watts. It sounds glorious but I do feel like something is either off in the preamp which I know I need either way, or the crossover, aw well as feeling like the lows aren't quite there. The mids and highs are the best I have heard and I know I am close to getting this thing sound spectacular.
Part of me thinks of doing 1 solid state stereo amp for the lows on both side, then using either the Allens or the MC30s for the mids and highs. The other part of me thinks getting 2 matching stereo amps and biamping the highs and lows. I'd do solid state and match a tube pre ideally I'd think there. Of course I could get 4 matching monoblocks at some point; or get 2 then 2 more later. Anyway here are the 4350s and kind of my crazy in process pile of gear. Anyone that has experience with these or similar 43xx let me know what you found out!

 

Had those for a short time, nice speakers

 

JBLs like your 4350s like power, I wouldn't be using low power tubes with them. Give yourself head room and look at MC501s or MC601s. I would also keep it simple as there is no real need to bi-amp, however you can bi-wire them if you want to try that. When you bi-wire you don't have to use the same taps on the amps trying different combos. Like the 8ohm for the low frequency, 4 ohm for the high frequency.

 

The only thing that has bene confusing to me is that they seem to have pretty good sensitivity. So in the bi-wire would I still need to do the passover? I am a little confused on it all. It sounds good now, but there is no question that the lows need way more. And a preamp. I'll def look into the MC50s and 601s

 

The wall of sound...

 

do you mean Crossover?
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?34930-4350-manual

 

Oops I do. Thats how foolish I am \.

 

As far as me, I'v run many different types of speakers and amps. I generally have at least two to three amp/speaker setups at one time in my system. This gives me choices to match the type of music, or mood better. Not all speakers will play all music well or the way you want to listen to it and they could excel in one direction only.









One thing I have thought about was if I had the seriously down size and even move into a apartment. What would I keep? the JBL L250s and the McIntosh MC 501s. Yeah kind of big but they can do just about everything right at all volume levels and types of music.

 

I tryed to copy and past in the owners manual here from Lansing but they didn't post. So you can go to the site and read the manual, take note @ post #8

 

Yeah I think I have that and understand most. I have been wanting the JBL crossover but had access to this pioneer and it seems fine but not totally sure. The problem I am having with the JBL crossover is I don't see it with the card I need very often. But I would still use the passover either way and biwire from the power amp to the speakers as I understand this?

 

Well I don't have the time to figure this out right now, but am I seeing these speakers do not have an internal Xover?

Meaning like PA speakers you need a external xover network?