JR149's

I've got some, probably the nicest speakers of their size i've ever heard

Just before I started uni my dad gave me a set of JR149s and a big pioneer sx1250 amp (he gave me an sx1980 at first but it kept tripping out the power in my room).
The guys I live with both have some nice sound systems so one day we decided to hook up all the speakers we could to my amp to listen to each of them from the same source.
the conclusion that i came away with is that the JRs have a nice warm sound and tight bass (probably due to the specially shaped cabinet) even though they sometimes lack a bit of detail and are lazy things to drive (hence the monster amp) they're never harsh whereas with a couple of tracks the other speakers we had set up I just couldn't listen to.

 

I had a pair of these in the late seventies but it had two bass/Mid drivers that worked in parallel. Unfortunately the electronics I had driving them at that time were not up to it and consequently I never hear them at their best. I gave them away to a friend in 1988 when I moved overseas, wish Id have kept them!! I bet they might be tough competition for my present Elacs!

 

Great little speaker the 149.
Often compared to the LS3/5a due to early versions sharing drivers but IIRC the crossover is a lot simpler which might explain why I like them and dislike the LS3.

Quality standmounts?
Carefull Chris, you'll be on Kans next

 

JR150's?

 

Correct!!

JR149's had one woofer and tweeter and the 150's had two woofers.

I still own and use daily a pair of JR149's which I've had from new (OK, OK I'm an old git!) I can't bring myself to part with them as they still sound great, and look... different... OK the foam covers have long since fallen apart, and they now stand in all their naked aluminium glory - does any body know where I can get some new foam from? I'd love to get the same type of ribbed stuff as came off them, but I'd be happy with anything that covers the cones to be fair.

Cheers all.

BiGVern
Southampton

 

The JR149 are still fabulous. You can buy new foam from Graham Hartle:

http://www.jr149.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

Hon

 

Cheers for that - I have emailed him as there doesn't seem to be a link to any prices etc. I've also found some foam on Wimslow Audio's website at £20 a sheet (+ VAT) which will do a pair of 149's

Big Vern

 

Graham has kindly emailed me and let me know that they are £26.50 inc P&P from him - think that's where my money will be going shortly!

Cheers all

BV

 

As a long user of JR149s I would suggest that you judge these speakers as the closest rendition to the "Human Voice" as can be found!

I have a lot of pairs of these speakers and I can say that, even as television extensions, they give a fantastic reproduction of the human voice. They may not be magnetically shielded for a television set, but they can certainly re-produce better vocals for a projector screen.

Sub-Base is taken care of by JR-Sub.

Stephen

 

Not sure i could endorse this, that said I only heard JR149's with and A&R cambridge amp some time ago. From this era for me I remember LS3/5a's best - with a Beard P100 mk11. This was above Proac's, Kanns JR149's and sonus fabers IMO.

Off track slightly but connected I would say that resonably priced speakers (and generally power amps) have really not improved much in the last 20 years. Improvements seem to have focused on making these items look good over sounding good.

Thats good in many ways - not least because theres lots of secondhand bargains out there for music enthusiasts to explore.

Andy

 

Just reading Hi.Fi Choice 1981,JR149 had Kef units same as LS3/5A ,but the JR 149 11 had a Focal bass coupled with a version of the Scan D200 similar to that of the Linn Kan.The interior volume was greater at 8 litres and a medite panel in the mark2 version.It was recommended in the review but failed to excite the panel due to limited dynamics.

 

Good anoracking there Smithy. Wouldnt it be interesting to see if a group could Identify A JR149 an An LS35a and a linn Kann in a some sort of blind test.

Andy

 

AD-Pully,


Contensious sounding you may be but give a little credit to someone who has grown up with these speakers. ( I have many more speakers including Sonus Faber, Townshend Glastonury's, Kef CS1's).

Out of all the speakers I have I still stand by the fact that JR149's give the best rendition of human natural voice ever heard. As a test - tune into BBC radio 4 and tell me that the presenters are NOT in the Room!!!!

When guys refer to their daddy's system of yesteryear I am one of those 'Daddy's'. Yes I'm only 47 but I know my sounds!

Stephen

 

I personally think that LS35a's are probably better for voice - As I believe it they were partly designed by the BBC as "in the field monitors" for voice production the BBC have a good pedigree is good in this area.

I have neither of these speakers at home now so I cannot verify this thinking.

I do dispute your statement "JR149 Best ever rendition of human natural voice ever heard". Great value for sure yes best ever - no.

perhaps we could agree that speakerwise a good small one more often than not sounds better than a good big one?

I trump you on age by three years

Andy

 

Natural Voice (and all),

What type or make of wire do you use or recommend to hook up the 149s?

I have a pair which seem to be pre-wired with something akin to the stuff that comes with car speakers (but then I guess if it is original it is some 30 years old).

It needs to be fairly small guage and flexible to pass through the base cap and of course connects directly to the crossover terminals (no plugs or binding posts).

I really should get round to trying these and then perhaps fettling them to some degree.

 

Made in the time before some believed cables made a difference, you won't find anything exotic cable wise inside. I've heard them sound great with bell wire or the studio type cable I use.

 

Martin Colloms of hificritic has written some comments about LS3/5a in pinkfishmedia:

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26497&page=6