Extreme JBL Restoration & Recreation, Japan.

R1200S

R1200S

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#1
I'm not sure if any of you have stumbled across the http://kenricksound.com website or not. Based in Tokyo, they restore and recreate mainly classic JBL speakers but work on other brands and electronics also. They post an insane number of videos you have to wade thru. Below are a few links of businesses in Japan that have incredible sound systems based on classic JBL speakers, sourced from Kenrick Sound. It looks like Kenrick Sound can completely rebuild drivers even down to remagnitizing them or building an exact JBL replica with vintage, rebuilt JBL drivers. They do amazing work!

There are some SERIOUS sound room setups scattered through their videos. Japanese take their audio seriously.
They need a WOPL or two!!!

Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/hosoken007/videos

JBL Paragon home delivery and installation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnmIYbivPag

Coffee shop (1/3 coffee, 2/3 stereo), JBL 4312
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znMO-bklkhg

Norainu Bar, JBL4343B
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpafhKSiZWw

Cortez Jazz Cafe, JBL4350
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyskrNaF37U

Yamashita's Office, JBL4310
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u3hNsPxTpY
 
hayabusa

hayabusa

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Very nice, thanks for sharing the links.

I really like the Jazz cafe "Cortez" setup. I wish there were more places that utilized even a decent, sound system.
 
R1200S

R1200S

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That's mainly why I posted links to those videos. The kick-ass stereo in a small cafe/bar setting is really appealing. Hell, Starbucks might get some business out of me if they had a set-up like that!
 
hayabusa

hayabusa

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R1200S said:
That's mainly why I posted links to those videos. The kick-ass stereo in a small cafe/bar setting is really appealing. Hell, Starbucks might get some business out of me if they had a set-up like that!
Click to expand...
Me too. I need something more for my $5 cup of coffee. Lol Some good tunes might just do it.:hello1:
 
MarkWComer

MarkWComer

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In the "suggested videos" column on the right side I saw that one guy was reproducing the Paragon. What a beautiful thing they were/are!
 
R1200S

R1200S

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I agree Mark!! I've only seen/heard one Paragon in my life. Probably in the early 70's. At the time I had no idea what I was listening to, I was 18 or 19 years old and I thought that Paragon sounded like shit. It was absolutely gorgeous!! I'd love to have the chance to listen to one again to hopefully refute my original opinion.

I think they used those 375 compression drivers for the mids. Just for fun, go price those things on eBay now. I think I've seen them around $2K for a pair.
 
62vauxhall

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R1200S said:
I agree Mark!! I've only seen/heard one Paragon in my life. Probably in the early 70's. At the time I had no idea what I was listening to, I was 18 or 19 years old and I thought that Paragon sounded like shit. It was absolutely gorgeous!! I'd love to have the chance to listen to one again to hopefully refute my original opinion.

I think they used those 375 compression drivers for the mids. Just for fun, go price those things on eBay now. I think I've seen them around $2K for a pair.
Click to expand...
I too heard a Paragon in the (very) early 70's at age 17 or 18 and didn't much care for it either. And it looked for all the world like a console stereo. At that time, I had (and may have already gotten them by then) my sights on a pair of Altec VOT A7-500's. Now those were loud and looked like they meant business - my main criteria in those days. Plus only $650 for a used pair that took me 6 months to pay off.
 
62vauxhall

62vauxhall

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R1200S said:
I agree Mark!! I've only seen/heard one Paragon in my life. Probably in the early 70's. At the time I had no idea what I was listening to, I was 18 or 19 years old and I thought that Paragon sounded like shit. It was absolutely gorgeous!! I'd love to have the chance to listen to one again to hopefully refute my original opinion.

I think they used those 375 compression drivers for the mids. Just for fun, go price those things on eBay now. I think I've seen them around $2K for a pair.
Click to expand...
I too heard a Paragon in the (very) early 70's at age 17 or 18 and didn't much care for it either. Plus it looked for all the world like a console stereo. At that time, I had (and may have already gotten them by then) my sights on a pair of Altec VOT A7-500's. Now those were loud and looked like they meant business - my main criteria in those days. Plus only $650 for a used pair that took me 6 months to pay off.
 
R1200S

R1200S

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62vauxhall said:
I too heard a Paragon in the (very) early 70's at age 17 or 18 and didn't much care for it either. Plus it looked for all the world like a console stereo. At that time, I had (and may have already gotten them by then) my sights on a pair of Altec VOT A7-500's. Now those were loud and looked like they meant business - my main criteria in those days. Plus only $650 for a used pair that took me 6 months to pay off.
Click to expand...
That makes me feel a lot better about my memory of hearing that Paragon. I'd still love to have one simply as a beautiful piece of furniture/sculpture. Maybe turn it into a bar.
 
R1200S

R1200S

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laatsch55 said:
Wasn't there also a Metragon??
Click to expand...
The Metragons looked like smaller Paragons. You see them for sale here and there. The big difference besides the size and probably the drivers, was that the Metragon was a single piece (console?) stereo speaker. The Paragon was 2 separate speakers with that big curved panel to blend them together.

It's still astounding restoration work that Kenrick Sound does on those old JBL studio monitors.
 
F

fitz43

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62vauxhall said:
I too heard a Paragon in the (very) early 70's at age 17 or 18 and didn't much care for it either. Plus it looked for all the world like a console stereo. At that time, I had (and may have already gotten them by then) my sights on a pair of Altec VOT A7-500's. Now those were loud and looked like they meant business - my main criteria in those days. Plus only $650 for a used pair that took me 6 months to pay off.
Click to expand...
I heard it at A+B Sound. Wasn't it there when you worked there?
 
Northwinds

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I wonder how they would fare playing Metallica or Slayer :toothy5:. Classical Music sounds like where they are right at home with
 
R1200S

R1200S

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Hard to say how they'd make out. I believe the drivers they used were the biggest JBL had at the time. I don't know that anyone makes a compression driver as big as those 375's. Big ole 15" woofs with monster magnets on them. Even the slot-loaded tweeters were monsters. It'd be fun to find out!!
 
laatsch55

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Someone back in that timeframe made some 18" and 21" woofs, just can't remember who....
 
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