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Any JBL 1400 Synthesis Array owners

I have a pair and am interested in what amps you have tried and the results. I am currently using a 70 wpc tube amp to great effect. I will also try the Quicksilver 90wpc Silver Mono and MFA M 200 in 100 wpc triode mode. The Bryston 14BSST is great but too heavy for me so I reluctantly sold it. Perhaps trying a 3 BSST in the future for a SS alternative.
Using an Aesthetix Calypso preamp.
PT
plasmatech
plasmatech OP
77 posts
 
I am using a 70 wpc tube amp which seems to be coasting. I have tried EH kt88 and Gold Lions, more detail with EH, more body and warmth with GL. I like both. Next week is the 90wpc V-Caped Quickies. After that, 100 wpc MFA TRIODES. Bass with the tube amp is very deep, controlled, and dynamic. Damping factor is 11-12, same as the Quickies. Silver cable is used. I may upgrade the gold binding posts and use biwired cable or try 4 Quickies at 180 wpc of tube power. So many options. I may go with Silver Rhodium posts or Eichmann posts. PT
desmokid
4 posts
 
With a 70w tube amp I doubt you are hearing the full extent of bass extension and power that these very good loudspeakers are capable of.
dave_72
1,399 posts
 
One of the members of our audio club (Las Vegas Audio Club) has a pair of these, they sound great! The amps: 1000 W Crown industrial amps. I heard this system cranked. You'll be picking your jaw up off of the floor.

I have the JBL S4700s, which are, for the most part, equivalent in sound to the 1400 Arrays, and there might be something to using high powered solid state amps with these very efficient speakers. I'm looking at the Accuphase A-70, which is a Class-A lower powered amp, but can drive very low impedances. It drove a pair of very insensitive Magico speakers @ CES 2015 with no problem at all. But that Pass Labs X350.5 and .8 has gotta be one of the best, if not the best high powered stereo A/B amps out there...I would get that over the Bryston, but the Bryston is a good choice too, and it's a bit cheaper as well...
dave_72
1,399 posts
 
If you wanna go Bryston, then get the 4B SST2. That's what I use (actually the older SST model) at the present time with my JBLs. I haven't got it to clip yet. Another idea is to bi amp with tubes on the mids/highs, and solid state on the bass. But that needs to be carefully done. It's a bit tricky.
mikewerner
93 posts
 
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Oh, yes.
I also used an Audio Research Ref 110.
It's been awhile now but I seem to remember liking the combination well enough.
I would like to hear the JBls with the new Ref 150.
I just finished listening to Bartok For Children, Jeno Jando, Piano (NAXOS).
Really, the X350.8 and the JBLs are not missing much!
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