JBL 2451 1.5" HF overkill for X15?

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   Hi Guys. I am slowly collecting gear and updating and increasing my old RCF tops. I will be building 4 x X15 using the SN15MB on woofer duties (already have these sorted), and wanting something high end on the HF. I have also some p.audip BMD 750 coming 2nd hand from across the ditch but may or maynot always use these for every gig. 
Some JBL neo HF's have come up on ebay. They are a 2451H driver, second hand. These new are over a grand each!! Because they are neo the can be relatively cheaply posted. Most other jbl pro drivers are around the 10 or more kg mark each, just blowing budget on postage alone.
Question is, are these good? On paper they look great and are nearly the most $$ of the JBL range. Next question is, are they an overkill for an X15 build?
Reason is I am going thru a mid-life chrisis, living in a house that wont sell, and the retail therapy is keeping me sane. However if they are the ducks nuts and nothing else is as good for the money then I will proceed. It looks like a grandish for the two with horns as the buynow is just a but more.

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Lincoln1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 16 February 2009 Status: Offline Points: 251	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lincoln1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: JBL 2451 1.5" HF overkill for X15? Posted: 30 May 2009 at 1:06am
	Hi Guys. I am slowly collecting gear and updating and increasing my old RCF tops. I will be building 4 x X15 using the SN15MB on woofer duties (already have these sorted), and wanting something high end on the HF. I have also some p.audip BMD 750 coming 2nd hand from across the ditch but may or maynot always use these for every gig. Some JBL neo HF's have come up on ebay. They are a 2451H driver, second hand. These new are over a grand each!! Because they are neo the can be relatively cheaply posted. Most other jbl pro drivers are around the 10 or more kg mark each, just blowing budget on postage alone. Question is, are these good? On paper they look great and are nearly the most $$ of the JBL range. Next question is, are they an overkill for an X15 build? Reason is I am going thru a mid-life chrisis, living in a house that wont sell, and the retail therapy is keeping me sane. However if they are the ducks nuts and nothing else is as good for the money then I will proceed. It looks like a grandish for the two with horns as the buynow is just a but more.

Lincoln1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 16 February 2009 Status: Offline Points: 251	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lincoln1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 May 2009 at 1:09am
	Just to add I see Ceharden recommended the 18sound drivers, along with beymas on HF for a sttep up in quality. So if these are of the same audible quality as the JBL's then please let me know as it's double in $NZ!!

ceharden Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List The 10,000 Points Club Joined: 05 June 2005 Location: Southampton Status: Offline Points: 11851	Post Options Post Reply Quote ceharden Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 May 2009 at 10:12am
	I don't have any experience with the JBL's but I'm sure they'd do the job. They are probably overkill and over-priced. Overkill is never a bad thing but if you have to pay over the odds for it, it's worth considering alternatives. Which driver manufacturers can you get at a good price? 18Sound, B&C and Beyma are the manufacturers I would normally look to for a decent compression driver.

Lincoln1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 16 February 2009 Status: Offline Points: 251	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lincoln1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 May 2009 at 11:22pm
	Overpriced...I wondered that. My whole approach is a bit of value where possible. I dont mind any name if it sounds primo and doesnt go pop. Some JBL pro stuff does sound nice but if I am paying double for the name, then double again for exchange rate... As far as availability over here...well...I'm better to just buy off the US, as everything here is marked up and the states are the biggest marketplace thats closer than europe of the UK. There is only one p.audio dealer here which isnt that great and one is aussie which is good so they are a possibility. Just whatever is the best, within reason, within price. As far as that goes I dont really know what I want to spend. My RCF N481's 1" I've had for years are still OK, but they are passively crossed too low and the horns add some nasal sounds. I see anything similar is now worth heaps. I am looking at possibly reusing them with new horns as they can play down to 1kHz recommended, and are quite grunty. Actually it was Calitri that had this recommendation with good quality HF's. Quote "If you want to have high sound quality, well, there's always the 18Sound ND1480 or Beyma CP-755 with an 18Sound XR1464 horn which would give a superb sound quality and coverage but would be a bit pricy solution"

Deadbeat Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 12 March 2008 Location: Singularity Status: Offline Points: 3167	Post Options Post Reply Quote Deadbeat Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 31 May 2009 at 4:06pm
	If you are in the US and looking for a good one, try BMS CDs from Assistance Audio. some of the DDS horns they sell are very good as well.
	Away on extended leave.

Lincoln1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 16 February 2009 Status: Offline Points: 251	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lincoln1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 June 2009 at 3:22pm
	Just another question (yes they keep coming), would just running 2 x comp drivers per 4 x 15's be good to go? I mean if most HF's are either l-padded or 'turned down' at the preamp/amp stage, what is to stop you running the drivers without as much 'restriction'? ie running at 8ohms (not 16) say 100ish watts at say 106+ efficiency?, which most do these specs easily. The reason I ask is soon I will be staring at 4 x SN15MB's and see buying 4 x comps a whole lot more pricey than 2 x comps if all I am doing is turning the HF's down due to their high efficiency once on a decent horn?! If this is the case I can prob afford to go more pricey on just 2 quality HF drivers and be done with it. Or even extend the X15 to take 2 x 15's each. Comments please.

ceharden Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List The 10,000 Points Club Joined: 05 June 2005 Location: Southampton Status: Offline Points: 11851	Post Options Post Reply Quote ceharden Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 June 2009 at 4:14pm
	2x15" per compression driver will be fine, especially if you're using decent HF drivers. Redesigning the X15 to be a 2x15"+2" would be fine. Might as well just start from scratch though.

CLsystems Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 16 March 2007 Location: Birmingham Status: Offline Points: 2736	Post Options Post Reply Quote CLsystems Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 June 2009 at 7:30pm
	the Jbl's are overpriced.

jbl_man Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 12 January 2005 Location: London. Status: Offline Points: 11308	Post Options Post Reply Quote jbl_man Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 June 2009 at 5:28pm
	^ ditto...very nicely built,but way to expensive. The only way to buy them is second-hand...the price drops from about a grand each new to a more realistic £200 a piece..at that figure they make more sense.
	Be seeing you.

Lincoln1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 16 February 2009 Status: Offline Points: 251	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lincoln1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 June 2009 at 7:17am
	Another set of p.audio 1.5" drivers are being sold by oceania here in NZ. Has anyone had anything to do with these p.audio SD 995N HF drivers? They seem to be the upper limit power-wise etc of p.audio ND 1.4" series. http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=225320944 If I can get 2 for a grand and they're good then I might be onto something...

Mircea Bartic Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 18 February 2005 Location: Romania Status: Offline Points: 2589	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mircea Bartic Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 June 2009 at 7:54am
	Can you get P-audio WN-D63 , WN-D72 over there?
	general manager & head designer at nexus-acoustics research http://www.facebook.com/nexus.acoustics.research Ex Nexus_3

Lincoln1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 16 February 2009 Status: Offline Points: 251	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lincoln1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 June 2009 at 10:17am
	I dont think so..Theres always the SD740N . Since rog specified them they must reasonable. I guess I dont mind spending a bit of extra money on the HF, as its not an area I like skimping on... Forgot to ask, do u recommend those drivers? I havent come across those numbers before.. Edited by Lincoln1 - 22 June 2009 at 10:19am