[Vintage-Audio] Re James B. Lansing Bass Response

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Hi All,

I have heard tell from some serious audio devotees that the James B. Lansing
woofers were among, if not "the", best anyone ever designed and constructed.
Do any of you know on what basis this claim can be supported?

Now most of you who are still awake and breathing, as well as subscribed to
this list, know that I am biased in the direction of the older JBL speakers.
So here is how I came to wonder. My fifteen year old grandson, Brandon, used
to hangout here with Grandpa quite a lot. (Notice the past tense? Notice his
current age? I am still cool, but not as close to the top of the 'friend'
list as when he was younger!) LOL! Now I have a pair of B&W model 630's
flanking my hand built 72 inch White Birch stereo console. I use them as the
'B' speakers, either for monitors while recording, or phased in with the
house mains JBL Century L-100's. I have the tweeter in each bi-wired to
increase the high frequencies. Yes, oh ye of little faith, it does work.

I was playing something from the RCA Nashville Studio B, the Anita Kerr
Singers, if I correctly recall, through the B&W's. Sounded very clean, very
nice.

I hear this voice from my left, or the East for the direction challenged
among us, saying "I like it better on the JBL's Gramps, change it!" Amazing!
Brandon hears what I am doing at the opposite end of the house while using
his Sony Play Station #2, playing some RP video game, amplifying the stereo
through my 1972 Sony TA-1144 solid state integrated stereo amplifier and
four speakers strategically placed around his bedroom here to simulate being
run over by a stray 200 mph+ Gran Prix car!

Teenagers are truly amazing. However, the fact that both of my parents
survived my teenage years is really amazing!

Here was a fifteen year old, hardly damp behind the ears with a vinyl album
scrub sponge, telling me which set of speakers sounded better? Even better,
he was right! The surprising part? I did not have to pay him ahead of time
to say that, but then again, there was nobody here to impress either! (LOL!)
Truthfully, he knew which set of speakers I was using without looking, so
obviously there had to be something he was keying on. So I sucked it up and
asked the "How stupid can you be" Gramps question.

"Yo Brandon! Pause the role playing game for a moment. How did you know what
pair of speakers I was using?" "Simple! The B&W's have stronger highs, but
the JBL's have a sweet mellow bass that you can feel in your soul, Gramps."

So gentlemen, what is it about the woofers by the original James B. Lansing
company that gives them that clean, strong and quick snap bass?

For those who partake: Merry Christmas - Feliz Navidad
See the Christmas tales on the HHI web site in the Frogzilla Files
adventures areas and under the SWL area too!

Duane Fischer, W8DBF
dfischer at usol.com
HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
http://www.w9wze.net
HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
http://hhrp.w9wze.net

Duane Fischer, W8DBF
dfischer at usol.com
HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
http://www.w9wze.net
HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
http://hhrp.w9wze.net