[Evoke]

So I was in Palm Springs over the weekend. One of the modern contemporary galleries had this JBL console speaker based on their 300 model. It imaged very well for the time. I heard it when I walked in the door. Amazing how smooth the sound was then and still is today. Accurate? Nah. But oh what a wonderful design. It was under 4 grand then. This one in Palm Springs was on sale, er priced at, $27,000.


So please weigh in. Who would want a style like this to put under your flat screen if it had modern-day components and technology?


 

[Norman Tracy]

Actually $27,000 is a good deal. Dollartimes.com says $4,000 from 1957 is the equivalent to $34,278.99 in 2016.

This is of course the mighty Paragon.

http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/jbl/paragon.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JBL_Paragon

I love this picture with Benny Goodman.



As to the the question of using it today with a flat panel HDTV. Personally, sign me up as soon as I win the lottery.

Off the internet and out in the real world there is a niche of builders doing Paragon and Hartsfield reproductions. To play in that sandbox bring a checkbook with five figures of disposable income ready. For sellers of such systems the challange thus becomes finding a buyer with the income, who is both a dedicated audiophile and lives in a home featuring mid-century modern design.

[Evoke]

Actually $27,000 is a good deal. Dollartimes.com says $4,000 from 1957 is the equivalent to $34,278.99 in 2016.

This is of course the mighty Paragon.

http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/jbl/paragon.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JBL_Paragon

I love this picture with Benny Goodman.



As to the the question of using it today with a flat panel HDTV. Personally, sign me up as soon as I win the lottery.

Off the internet and out in the real world there is a niche of builders doing Paragon and Hartsfield reproductions. To play in that sandbox bring a checkbook with five figures of disposable income ready. For sellers of such systems the challange thus becomes finding a buyer with the income, who is both a dedicated audiophile and lives in a home featuring mid-century modern design.

I totally agree. It's pretty expensive to produce factory runs of regular speakers. I was calculating a rough cost on that cabinet and it would be insane. Worse there's typically a factory setup charge that you split over an entire run. For a product like this you would be building maybe 2 to 6 at at time!

[glynnw]

Almost 30 years ago while living in Cleveland one of these was advertised locally for abt $1K. I lived in a high rise and measured the elevator and it wouldn't fit so I passed.

[Evoke]

Almost 30 years ago while living in Cleveland one of these was advertised locally for abt $1K. I lived in a high rise and measured the elevator and it wouldn't fit so I passed.

OMG that sucked. You would have had 30 years of fun that yielded a pretty hefty profit. That is if you could ever part with a piece of art 

[sebrof]

Almost 30 years ago while living in Cleveland one of these was advertised locally for abt $1K. I lived in a high rise and measured the elevator and it wouldn't fit so I passed.

My guess is at $1K they were gone by the time you got the tape measure out of the toolbox

[Guy 13]

That JBL speaker is the first one in my audio life that really impressed me
and it takes a lot to impress me.
It was a long, long time ago at an audio show in Montreal,
they were playing a female singer and you would swear
that she was with us in that small hotel room.
I also like the look of the unit.

Guy 13
on planet Vietnam.

[Evoke]

That JBL speaker is the first one in my audio life that really impressed me
and it takes a lot to impress me.
It was a long, long time ago at an audio show in Montreal,
they were playing a female singer and you would swear
that she was with us in that small hotel room.
I also like the look of the unit.

Guy 13
on planet Vietnam.

You would have been VERY impressed still. While it didn't pack the multi-thousand post audiophile speaker, the imaging was still amazing, the high end was pretty sweet. Of course it didn't hurt that it was also being run by a vintage tube amp!

[Russell Dawkins]

What amuses me is that it was JBL's original intention that what is now known as the Paragon was to be the center channel only, with two flanking speakers like these Hartsfields:



Cooler minds prevailed and it was decided that the vast room needed for such a system would limit sales, so the concept was made more modest and the Paragon was born.

This from the Lansing Heritage page:
http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/jbl/paragon.htm

[OzarkTom]

Here is one for 19K.

http://www.mcsmk8.com/Paragon/paragon.htm

One on AG. $8,000.00

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/speakers-jbl-paragon-d44000-2016-08-09-vintage-equipment-80525-fort-collins-co

[Evoke]

What amuses me is that it was JBL's original intention that what is now known as the Paragon was to be the center channel only, with two flanking speakers like these Hartsfields:



Cooler minds prevailed and it was decided that the vast room needed for such a system would limit sales, so the concept was made more modest and the Paragon was born.

This from the Lansing Heritage page:
http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/jbl/paragon.htm

Certainly some of JBLs greatest work of the day - but that console is just so sexy!

[JapanJim]

You need to see what goes on in Japan for these classics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRI5DArFBMY

Premium restored for sale:

http://jbl43.com/?pid=68999803

In Japanese but you get the idea.

Jim

[Guy 13]

You need to see what goes on in Japan for these classics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRI5DArFBMY

Premium restored for sale:

http://jbl43.com/?pid=68999803

In Japanese but you get the idea.

Jim

Hi Jim,
thanks for the link, super interesting.
Those Japanese always impress me when it comes to audio stuff.
To enjoy even more the sound of the JBL via my laptop,
I've put on my headphones.
Nice sound, but in the video you can se - hear that the acoustic of the café shop
need some acoustic treatment.
Not criticizing, I love the video.
Thanks again.

Guy 13
on planet Vietnam.

[witchdoctor]

Almost 30 years ago while living in Cleveland one of these was advertised locally for abt $1K. I lived in a high rise and measured the elevator and it wouldn't fit so I passed.

They are taken apart for moving, its three separate parts.