JBL 4435 (FINALLY) in the house

Valveglow

Super Member
Well, it certainly was a struggle with the shipping companies involved, but the (to me) absolutely amazing JBL 4435s are set up and singing! They are nothing whatsoever what I thought they'd be like, never having heard a set before. In fact, aside from L100s and a couple of other small bookshelf JBLs from (way) back in the day, I don't ever recall listening to this brand speaker. I did what I recommend that people NEVER do, and that is purchasing speakers that they have never heard...this is far worse generally than buying sight unseen!

In any event, the crossover, and all associated paperwork, original manuals, etc. purchased with it, "vanished". They were packaged together with (but apparently not attached to) the speakers. This means that for the present, they are not being bi-amped, powered by two 225 Watt Triode Monoblocks into the internal crossover. I am currently exploring options with the shipper at this point...

Here are some impressions thus far, with photos to follow:

  • Incredibly musical, natural, delicate, sweet, and airy when the program material calls for it
  • WIDE OPEN as far as sound staging is concerned
  • Rock solid, unwavering imaging
  • Mind boggling midrange purity and lack of coloration. Vocals are spine tingling.
  • Seemingly lower sensitivity (to me) than specs suggest
  • Much deeper bass than I imagined
  • No upper bass emphasis whatsoever that I expected to hear
  • Incredibly sweet and detailed treble
  • Sounds like different speakers on many recordings
  • The most LIVE sounding speaker I have ever heard on many recordings
  • Unforgivingly revealing of studio gimmicks: echo, limiting, compression, etc
  • A drum lover's dream! I own several sets of hi hat cymbals. I have listened to dynamic speakers, planars, electrostatics, etc. The hi hat cymbals are REAL!

Where is this alleged West Coast sound I have heard endlessly about? The implication is that these speakers would leave their unmistakable DNA characteristics on everything they touched. I bought these speakers because I wanted a change, but they are vastly above what I imagined them to be.

These speakers replaced an older set of Magnepan 1.4s, 5' tall but no ribbon, quasi-ribbon, etc. How can a short, squat, box speaker increase the height, depth, and breadth reproduction of a 5' tall dipole. Design wise, they are complete opposites. I don't get it.

The coloration is vanishingly low. Where is that "JBL sound"? Regarding the cheeks driver and horn, where are the very rolled off highs I heard about? The highs just sparkle, but they do not sizzle. On some recordings, the presentation is 2 dimensional, uninvolving, and uninspired. On other recordings that I have known and played repeatedly through the Magnepans and other speakers, one is now transported to the actual venue itself!

Forget the hyperbole. Can someone please explain how something like these can trump other speakers in certain areas for which they are renowned?

The crime regarding what has happened to speakers since their Vintage production days may just be more heinous than I previously believed...
 
Oh, now that is sweet to hear. I give you joy of your world-class new speakers!

Thanks Zonk! Boy it took you almost three full minutes to respond to the JBL post. Feeling well today?

...and thank you again, most sincerely, for your advice and knowledge of things Lansing.
 
Great speakers.
Your 4435s use the same drivers as my JBL. See details below avatar. Your description is accurate. Play some live recordings. You'll get the idea.
Have fun.
Please post some pictures.
 
That was a great description! I want a pair now!

Every time someone gets a great pair of speakers and reports a description like you did, my bucket list keeps getting longer just whenI thought I was almost done! Don't think I'll ever be done though.

Congratulations and post those pics!

Cheers, Glenn
 
Great speakers.
Your 4435s use the same drivers as my JBL. See details below avatar. Your description is accurate. Play some live recordings. You'll get the idea.
Have fun.
Please post some pictures.

That was a great description! I want a pair now!

Every time someone gets a great pair of speakers and reports a description like you did, my bucket list keeps getting longer just when I thought I was almost done! Don't think I'll ever be done though.

Congratulations and post those pics!

Cheers, Glenn


Thank you for your posts! Properly done studio recordings sound live. Properly done live recordings sound have a life all their own.

What is interesting to me is that I had planned to write impressions of the speakers after several hours of listening, which is what I did. However, I felt that in reality, I could have written them in advance of listening to them, so certain was I of their tonal qualities and presentation. They come very close to having "no sound " whatsoever. They sound like what the recording sounds like.

Also, the listening thus far has been CD and streamed music. After a readjustment, I can't wait to fire up the turntable. This is why I am baffled about this "geographic" sound which has eluded me entirely.

Yes, pictures will be coming soon.
 
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Great speakers.
Your 4435s use the same drivers as my JBL. See details below avatar. Your description is accurate. Play some live recordings. You'll get the idea.
Have fun.
Please post some pictures.

That was a great description! I want a pair now!

Every time someone gets a great pair of speakers and reports a description like you did, my bucket list keeps getting longer just whenI thought I was almost done! Don't think I'll ever be done though.

Congratulations and post those pics!

Cheers, Glenn

Yes, pictures will be coming soon.

I'm sorry, but remind me where the pics are again?!?



Janikphoto, with that name, you undoubtedly love photos, as do I. However, these speakers, with their pristine walnut cabinets, arrived with white circular marks...hundreds of them...from tightly placed bubble wrap. I went to use Watco Danish Oil on them, but there was only a bit left in a rusty can, so I was afraid to use it. Tomorrow, I am going to buy a fresh can, apply lots of this fine product, and hope for the best! Then I will be able to properly show these gems!
 
Thanks Zonk! Boy it took you almost three full minutes to respond to the JBL post. Feeling well today?

Thanks for asking; I was a touch slow on the draw, I admit. We're hosting a birthday party here and it's caused me to slack off a bit on my real duties.

...and thank you again, most sincerely, for your advice and knowledge of things Lansing.

My pleasure, truly, to the extent it's even helpful.

I went to use Watco Danish Oil on them, but there was only a bit left in a rusty can, so I was afraid to use it. Tomorrow, I am going to buy a fresh can, apply lots of this fine product, and hope for the best! Then I will be able to properly show these gems!

Yeah, the old stuff should be chucked; it takes forever to dry. Subtle difference, but I rather prefer Watco Teak Oil to the Danish Oil; it seems to impart a deeper, richer finish.

(And recently I wiped down my existing Teak Oil finish, which was getting a little dry and rough on the veneer, with some Howard's Restor-A-Finish, and it made it even richer and smoother for some reason.)

That sucks about the documentation going missing and the white rings, but I bet you get them shipshape in no time. If you do find the documentation, I would be very curious to see it. The original owner couldn't find what came with my 4430s. :( I understand that these never did come with owner's manuals, but of course the other factory literature is readily available online.

I may get some 4435s one of these days; I dig the 4430s but I understand that the 4435s offer somewhat better midrange and deep bass, plus more sensitivity, output and power handling.
 
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Thanks for asking; I was a touch slow on the draw, I admit. We're hosting a birthday party here and it's caused me to slack off a bit on my real duties.

I hope the 4430s are part of the festivities!

My pleasure, truly, to the extent it's even helpful.

I actually believe your modesty is sincere; it does in no way come off as false. Believe me, you have been tremendously helpful, and it is very much appreciated.

Yeah, the old stuff should be chucked; it takes forever to dry. Subtle difference, but I rather prefer Watco Teak Oil to the Danish Oil; it seems to impart a deeper, richer finish. (And recently I wiped down my existing Teak Oil finish, which was getting a little dry and rough on the veneer, with some Howard's Restor-A-Finish, and it made it even richer and smoother for some reason.)



I was not even aware that Watco made a teak oil. Years ago, Watco was recommended for my CWD audio furniture (long gone; remember them?) I purchased the only products known to me in pre-internet days, the Danish Oil and the Watco Wax, which I bought in "dark" for the dark oak cabinetry.


That sucks about the documentation going missing and the white rings, but I bet you get them shipshape in no time. If you do find the documentation, I would be very curious to see it. The original owner couldn't find what came with my 4430s. :( I understand that these never did come with owner's manuals, but of course the other factory literature is readily available online.

If I ever do receive the missing items, anything of interest I will copy and send to you.

I may get some 4435s one of these days; I dig the 4430s but I understand that the 4435s offer somewhat better midrange and deep bass, plus more sensitivity, output and power handling.

Interestingly, I want to eventually get a set of 4430s for a smaller area in my home. Please consider getting the 4435s one day, so I can see what marvels you construct as plinths! Aside from the attributes you identified above, for some reason that I do not understand, JBL claimed vastly lower rates of distortion. Please check out this comparative link below, though I am convinced that you have already seen it. It makes for some interesting reading and is complete with many graphs. Also interesting is that the 4430 uses "similar" woofers than the 4435, but they are not the same. Brief description below; full PDF at the bottom:

The 4430 and 4435 differ chiefly in their low frequency
capabilities. The 4430 uses a single 380 mm (15 in) low
frequency driver and is 3 dB down at 32 Hz; it can handle
full power input to 27 Hz. The 4435 is designed for
applications requiring greater low frequency output and
uses a pair of 380 mm (15 in) low frequency drivers; the
second operates below 100 Hz, in parallel with the first.
The system is down 3 dB at 27 Hz and will handle full
power down to 22 Hz. Compared to the 4430, the 4435 is
capable of 3 dB to 4 dB greater output from 35 Hz to 600
Hz, and 6 dB to 12 dB more output in the important low
bass range of 20 Hz to 35 Hz. When operated at the same
level as the smaller system, the 4435 generates about one half
to one-tenth the distortion in the low frequency
range.
The two systems use similar low frequency drivers,
but the cone assemblies in the 4435 are lighter in weight
for increased efficiency ( + 3 dB).

http://cn.jblpro.com/pub/obsolete/443035.pdf
 
I did see that; yes. I think the deal is, the 2234 woofers in the 4435 have no mass rings, so they don't play as low but they're more efficient and have less midrange distortion. And the second helper woofer more than makes up for the reduced lower bass output.

At least that was my impression.
 
^^^Zonk, you were right about something else as well. The Watco Teak Oil is even more highly regarded than their Danish Oil, and it's sold all over the place for a couple of dollars more per can. I have been reading rave reviews. Thanks (once again).
 
Cool! I tried both and preferred the Teak Oil.

Are you going to pull a horn to see what kind of compression drivers yours have, or do you know already?

Still curious to try those Radian diaphragms.
 
I think those could possibly displace the Cornwalls I have and love so much. Those are really serious speakers you got there! Nice going! How is the soundstage? Enjoy and have fun.

Pictures please.
 
This is why I am baffled about this "geographic" sound which has eluded me entirely.

Eventually those who think every JBL sounds like an L100 will die off and we won't have to deal with that "West Coast Sound" label any longer. I'm tired of explaining why that is a misconception. Welcome to the world of big JBL studio monitors! I've never found anything I like better than my 4345s!

 
The West Coast Sound applied to 1970s JBL The 4435 was a 1980s design. More natural sound (uncolored) and less in your face.
 
Congratulations on the arrival of your 4435s and thank you for sharing your listening impressions. I'm a big fan of the 4430s in my main system, wonderful speakers. I'd love to hear the 4435s.
 
Sounds like an awesome speaker and glad they sound so good for you. Wow what a review that is! Amazing. Now did I miss the pictures so I can drool on my keyboard while looking?
 
Sounds like an awesome speaker and glad they sound so good for you. Wow what a review that is! Amazing. Now did I miss the pictures so I can drool on my keyboard while looking?

These speakers, with their pristine walnut cabinets, arrived with white circular marks...hundreds of them...from tightly placed bubble wrap. I went to use Watco Danish Oil on them, but there was only a bit left in a rusty can, so I was afraid to use it. Tomorrow, I am going to buy a fresh can [now changed to Watco TEAK], apply lots of this fine product, and hope for the best! Then I will be able to properly show these gems!
 
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