JBL Paragon

Commentary

One of JBL's most famous speaker systems.
The official name is "The JBL-Ranger Paragon Integrated Stereophonic Reproductor".

The Paragon was originally developed by Richard Ranger, who was the owner of Rangertone Corporation at the time, with Arnold Wolf in charge of industrial design.
In Japan, Sansui Denki started importing JBL products in 1965 and they were distributed in full scale.

Paragon is roughly divided into 3 types of variations.
The early D44000 was equipped with a 35 cm cone woofer (150 ~ 4 c) in the low band, a driver 375 and H5038P horn in the middle band, a 075 in the high band, and N500H and N7000 in the network section. In the middle D44000 after 1964, the low band was changed from 150 ~ 4 c to LE15A and the enclosure material was changed from plywood to particleboard.
In the later D44000WXA, the woofer was changed from LE15A which used an alnico magnet to LE15H which used a ferrite magnet, and the driver unit in the middle range was changed from 375 to 376 which used a diamond pattern on the edge.

The enclosure consists of two sets of speaker systems, three way units on the left and right sides and a semi-circular reflective panel in the center to expand the listening area. This enclosure uses a front-loading horn for low frequencies.
In addition, the back of the original enclosure provided mounting space for the energizer SE 408 s.

It seems that there were several kinds of exterior finishes in the middle period.
The 1965 Sansui catalog listed four variations : "black mahogany, dark brown walnut, oil-finished walnut and ebony", while the 1967 Sansui catalog listed "oiled walnut or Torny walnut".

Approximately 1,000 Paragon were manufactured from 1957 to 1983 and were sold until 1988, when the last one in stock was sold.

Model Rating

Method	Integrated stereo speaker system 3-way, 6-speaker, front loading horn system, floor type
Units Used	D44000 (initial) D44000 (Medium) D44000WXA (late stage) For low band : 38 cm cone type (150-4C) x2 For Medium Range : Horn Type (375 + H5038P) x2 For High Pass : Horn Type (075) x2 Network : N500H, N7000 (2 each) For Low Band : 38 cm Cone Type (LE15A) x2 For Medium Range : Horn Type (375 + H5038P) x2 For High Pass : Horn Type (075) x2 Network : LX5, N7000 (2 each) For Low Band : 38 cm Cone Type (LE15H) x2 For Medium Range : Horn Type (376 + H5038P) x2 For High Pass : Horn Type (075) x2 Network : LX5, N7000 (2 each)
Crossover frequency	500 Hz (LX5), 7 kHz (N7000)
Impedance	8 Ω
Output sound pressure level	96dB/W/m
Allowable input	125W (continuous program)
External dimensions	Width 2,630x Height 900x Depth 610 mm (1960 s catalog) Width 2,630x Height 900x Depth 740 mm (listed in the catalog after the 1970 s)
Weight	266 kg (according to 1960 s catalog) 316 kg (according to the 1970 s catalog, at the time of packaging) 318.4 kg (at the time of packing, according to the 1980 s catalog)