JBL Paragon
- Thread starter Copa1934
- Start date
michaelhigh
mind's eye music
I've heard that story too and doubt it's veracity. If JBL really wanted to keep making the things it would've been easy enough for some other people to step up; Steinway has no problem when people retire.
No doubt there are many carpenters who could easily build the things if simply given the drawings, materials and tools.
My guess is that orders were low enough at that point that spending the time and money to train a new craftsman/overseer for the Paragon line would have been a waste of money. Considering the few units sold (~1,000 over the course of 25 years) and the cost of development and materials, even at the Paragon's stratospheric price point, they couldn't have been very profitable.
Horn Head
Super Member
Well then it's up to the retired cabinet makers to continue the tradition 
.
I've never heard (let alone seen) these monsters but It's hard to imagine that they'd sound bad....based on the blueprint posted above.
If you have the nerve and skills, go for it! Even using modern drivers (with whatever tweaks it takes to get them right) you'll end up with some seriously beautiful speakers.
Wish you the best of luck (err...skill) creating these pieces of art.
Some day I'd like to hear the Paragon.
.I've never heard (let alone seen) these monsters but It's hard to imagine that they'd sound bad....based on the blueprint posted above.
If you have the nerve and skills, go for it! Even using modern drivers (with whatever tweaks it takes to get them right) you'll end up with some seriously beautiful speakers.
Wish you the best of luck (err...skill) creating these pieces of art.
Some day I'd like to hear the Paragon.
....or that they started designing better sounding home stereo speakers.
James B Lansing, bless his heart, never made much money even though the speakers with his name on them became $$$world renown$$$.
In 1973 my best friend and his wife split up and he and I became roommates. He had a Paragon his Dad had owned. We moved into a house with a large living room and after listening to the Paragon for a couple of days I unhooked it and used it as a equipment stand for my gear and listened to the Valencias from then on. It was a thing of beauty to look at. Sonically it wasn't that good IMHO. It was easy to drive as I only had a 50 Watt MC-2505 for an amp at the time.
A couple of reasons for JBL dropping it were the cost of the cabinet work and speaker technology had improved enough that design wasn't viable compared to other high end speakers that were available at the time. The story about the one person who made them is partially true. There were no two alike so there were no hard & fast complete plans. The Lansing Heritage Site has the story somewhere. Who knows, maybe I don't remember the story correctly myself.
A couple of reasons for JBL dropping it were the cost of the cabinet work and speaker technology had improved enough that design wasn't viable compared to other high end speakers that were available at the time. The story about the one person who made them is partially true. There were no two alike so there were no hard & fast complete plans. The Lansing Heritage Site has the story somewhere. Who knows, maybe I don't remember the story correctly myself.
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
Yeah, I dunno, Tom... those modern Steinways don't throw much of a soundstage; PRaT's not what it used to be, either....Steinway has no problem when people retire.
;-)
There's a movie on netflix streaming about building Steinways called "Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037"; very interesting. They have a big jig they bend the body around starting with a 22' long straight piece of wood; big C-clamps, guys pounding wedges into dogs and pulling on come-alongs, like a bunch of boilermakers.
I read an Atlantic article many years ago about the building of Steinways and it said they bent the wood without steaming it first; thus the wood is in a state of tension and that helps give their good sound. The article gave the impression the things are ready to explode.
Here's the article.
http://www.sherwinbeach.com/lenehan/K2571.htm
wilberforce
Active Member
yes. :yes:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/169755-what-would-you-do-cabinet.html Thanks again, Zilch!
One thing that most people who have never seen a Paragon in person don't realize is just how BIG one of the beasts really is. They're long and they stick out from the wall quite a way. You need a big room, or the speaker is going to absolutely dominate everything else.
From what I've heard, the smaller Metregon has better sound.
From what I've heard, the smaller Metregon has better sound.
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
Thanks. I love the sound of Steinways; my favorite piano (not that I am an expert by any means).There's a movie on netflix streaming about building Steinways called "Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037"; very interesting. They have a big jig they bend the body around starting with a 22' long straight piece of wood; big C-clamps, guys pounding wedges into dogs and pulling on come-alongs, like a bunch of boilermakers.
I read an Atlantic article many years ago about the building of Steinways and it said they bent the wood without steaming it first; thus the wood is in a state of tension and that helps give their good sound. The article gave the impression the things are ready to explode.
Here's the article.
http://www.sherwinbeach.com/lenehan/K2571.htm
I have an original Paragon.
15 years ago when I acquired it at a good price, I connected it up in the driveway for a listen. I had heard it in the original owner's home, as well, prior to the purchase.
With appropriate updates and upgrades, it might actually be listenable, but I know better than to mess with it, and thus, it is here as a world-class aesthetic icon in my large (1000 sqft.) living/dining room. To move it safely requires four people hand-carrying each section.
A member over at Lansing Heritage Forum was head of QC at JBL during the final years of Paragon production and tells fabulous tales about them over there. Here on AK, a member acquired one at an estate sale in NJ at a very good price, and there is a thread here relating my advice at the time, which he followed to a letter to resell it for, let's say, a "substantial" handover in cash. If somebody could locate that thread and link it here, I believe it would be of genuine general interest.
With respect to tradmark/copyright issues, JBL sold plans how to build them and expected some would, so, simply not a problem. In Europe, there is a company that custom-builds them for well-healed buyers. It is possible to put together either vintage or updated driver sets for them.
Yes, the curved center panel confers constant-directivity, hallmark of our own EconoWave design performance. Metregon, better-sounding than Paragon, as already noted here, as well....
15 years ago when I acquired it at a good price, I connected it up in the driveway for a listen. I had heard it in the original owner's home, as well, prior to the purchase.
With appropriate updates and upgrades, it might actually be listenable, but I know better than to mess with it, and thus, it is here as a world-class aesthetic icon in my large (1000 sqft.) living/dining room. To move it safely requires four people hand-carrying each section.
A member over at Lansing Heritage Forum was head of QC at JBL during the final years of Paragon production and tells fabulous tales about them over there. Here on AK, a member acquired one at an estate sale in NJ at a very good price, and there is a thread here relating my advice at the time, which he followed to a letter to resell it for, let's say, a "substantial" handover in cash. If somebody could locate that thread and link it here, I believe it would be of genuine general interest.
With respect to tradmark/copyright issues, JBL sold plans how to build them and expected some would, so, simply not a problem. In Europe, there is a company that custom-builds them for well-healed buyers. It is possible to put together either vintage or updated driver sets for them.
Yes, the curved center panel confers constant-directivity, hallmark of our own EconoWave design performance. Metregon, better-sounding than Paragon, as already noted here, as well....
Last edited by a moderator:
The C44 that I've been hands-on with sold for about $4100 at a local auction (I just ran out of cash, and couldn't convince anyone I knew that I could easily turn it around for a $9k profit), the buyer sold it a few weeks later to a gentleman in Japan for over $14,000. The buyer flew over to personally inspect it and arrange shipment.
Thank you finding that wonderful thread, Dave; I am in tears here re-reading it.
I see my LHF forum pal Super Bee popped in there at the end. The undocumented part of that backstory is that he uses his own beautiful Paragon primarily to listen to Howard Stern daily. :tongue:
With respect to Englissa, we subsequently took it private and had many detailed communications back and forth, ultimately culminating in a successful resale.... :yes:
I see my LHF forum pal Super Bee popped in there at the end. The undocumented part of that backstory is that he uses his own beautiful Paragon primarily to listen to Howard Stern daily. :tongue:
With respect to Englissa, we subsequently took it private and had many detailed communications back and forth, ultimately culminating in a successful resale.... :yes:
Last edited:
Lazarus Short
Well-Known Member
There's a movie on netflix streaming about building Steinways called "Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037"; very interesting. They have a big jig they bend the body around starting with a 22' long straight piece of wood; big C-clamps, guys pounding wedges into dogs and pulling on come-alongs, like a bunch of boilermakers.
I read an Atlantic article many years ago about the building of Steinways and it said they bent the wood without steaming it first; thus the wood is in a state of tension and that helps give their good sound. The article gave the impression the things are ready to explode.
Here's the article.
http://www.sherwinbeach.com/lenehan/K2571.htm
Back in KC, my wife and I got to see the movie, hear that very Steinway played LIVE, and even to touch it. I told her to ask to play it, but she declined.
