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JBL 2226H availability [message #70949]

Tue, 10 January 2012 13:23

Marc321
Messages: 8
Registered: April 2011

Esquire

With the current delay of JBL 2226H & AE woofers. Is there another woofer out there that could possibly be on par with these, that could be used for 4pi? B&C, BMS, Faital etc,etc.
I'm thinking worse case scenario. Or will JBL's become regularly available again. I realize this must put you in a difficult position. Just wondering if there is a plan B for the best performing 4pi design.

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Re: JBL 2226H availability [message #70950 is a reply to message #70949]

Tue, 10 January 2012 15:22

Wayne Parham
Messages: 18676
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Short answer, no. There is no drop-in replacement that is as good.

If you're in a hurry, I might suggest looking for used 2226 drivers. One of the nice things about JBL is a reconed speaker is 100% as good as new, provided you use a genuine OEM recone kit.

The driver that is closest in performance and quality is probably the Acoustic Elegance TD15M, which is an excellent part. But it would require a crossover redesign, as has been discussed here in the past. It isn't a drop-in replacement for the JBL 2226 in the four π loudspeaker and the lead time is no better, so I'm not really on board with taking that approach.

I know it is difficult to wait, but the truth is that whether you plan on getting the top-of-the-line upgraded three π or four π loudspeakers, you should probably plan on a six month lead time.

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Re: JBL 2226H availability [message #70951 is a reply to message #70949]

Tue, 10 January 2012 16:16

Marc321
Messages: 8
Registered: April 2011

Esquire

Thats makes it easy then since I am not in a huge rush. Now that I know what I want I'll just have to pick away at it from the top down & start with the horns & B&C units. Hopefully the JBL thing will work out soon. Thanks.

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Re: JBL 2226H availability [message #70955 is a reply to message #70951]

Wed, 11 January 2012 10:31

spkrman57
Messages: 522
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (1st Degree)

Wayne,

Is the Eminence Omega 15 no longer on the list for 4-Pi drivers? I still have Pi info I printed back in 2002 and the Omega 15 was listed as a option back then.

marc321 - I have a pair of JBL 2225H's if you are looking at JBL options. PM me thru this forum mail if interested.

Regards, Ron

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Re: JBL 2226H availability [message #70956 is a reply to message #70955]

Wed, 11 January 2012 14:45

Wayne Parham
Messages: 18676
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Yes, the Omega 15 is still one of the supported drivers. The 2226 is the upgrade option, but it takes a while to get these days.

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Re: JBL 2226H availability [message #70958 is a reply to message #70956]

Wed, 11 January 2012 22:02

Bill Epstein
Messages: 1088
Registered: May 2009
Location: Smoky Mts. USA

Illuminati (2nd Degree)

Why the delay on 2226s? They switched production to China, right? Trouble ramping up or is there a 2227, 8 or 9 that's more in demand?

And while I'm thinking about it, was the 2001, or was it '02?, JBL Tent Sale the greatest thing the DIY community ever got or what? What'd we pay for the 4648 cabimet with two! 2226Js? $250? And I think I recall freight was free?

I wonder if now, ten years later it wouldn't be in Harman's interest to have another gonzo promotion?

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Re: JBL 2226H availability [message #70962 is a reply to message #70958]

Thu, 12 January 2012 09:36

Wayne Parham
Messages: 18676
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

JBL closed the Northridge plant that made 2226 drivers last July. They moved production to Tijuana, Mexico. My suspicion is they will need to work through some bugs, and are probably experiencing some rejects as they ramp up production. Note, however, that this plant has been running for decades making JBL products, and in fact, made the 2245 before production ended. So it's not like the facilities and staff are new to driver manufacturing.

I don't like the move, of course, but I think probably they will inspect the parts pretty thoroughly to ensure quality remains high. Hopefully once they get going, it will be back to business as usual. We'll see.

JBL Northridge Plant Closure

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Re: JBL 2226H availability [message #70966 is a reply to message #70949]

Thu, 12 January 2012 10:40

Marc321
Messages: 8
Registered: April 2011

Esquire

Where would be the best place to source re-coned 2226H drivers. Are they really as good as brand new?

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Re: JBL 2226H availability [message #70967 is a reply to message #70966]

Thu, 12 January 2012 13:30

Wayne Parham
Messages: 18676
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Yes, provided the basket isn't beat to death, and even then - as long as the magnet is good and the gap isn't deformed, whatever wear and tear you might see is largely cosmetic. Honestly, even if the cone and/or voice coil are toast the basket is usually in great shape. So when the OEM recone kit is used for repair, the speaker is 100% as good as new.

Check with David Miller at Speakerworks. He'll get you fixed up.

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Re: JBL 2226H availability [message #70995 is a reply to message #70967]

Sat, 14 January 2012 10:57

BeOfService
Messages: 4
Registered: October 2011
Location: Atlanta

Esquire

Allow me to encourage the purchase of 2226 woofers on the used market (as somebody suggested above). There is of course some risk, as with purchasing baskets with a plan to recone. However, the upside opportunity is huge. Through careful shopping on CL here in my major metro area I was able to get a pair for under $100 each.

Right now it looks like good used 2226 drivers cost about $150 each on ebay with some going for $200. I think the price has gone up due to the shortage, as I'm pretty sure they went for around $125 this past summer. Compared with the retail price of about $500 each that is still very attractive.

I also think the recone option is very attractive. Baskets are cheap on the used market - $20. With new (unavailable) units retailing for $500, you can afford the best recone you can find and still save hundreds of dollars.

One more comment: I believe the 2225 was the precursor to the 2226, but the specs are not quite the same. Because of those somewhat subtle differences I would not assume you could swap them directly into one of Wayne's designs and get the same results as the 2226. Maybe they are close enough, but I'd want to explore that further.

Gary

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