The JBL D44000 Paragon is a one-piece stereo loudspeaker created by JBL that was introduced in 1957 and discontinued in 1983; its production run was the longest of any JBL speaker. At its launch, the Paragon was the most expensive domestic loudspeaker on the market.
Designed by Arnold Wolf from a concept elaborated by Richard Ranger, it is almost 9 ft long and requires over a hundred-man hours of hand-finishing by a team of dedicated craftsmen. Resembling less a conventional loudspeaker than an elegant sideboard, it is a landmark product for the company that was sought after by the well-heeled and by celebrities. With an estimated total production of about 1,000 units, it is highly sought after by collectors to this day.
History
The Paragon is a horn-loaded, stereo speaker system within a single 9 ft housing. It is based on a diffusion principle developed by Richard Ranger as consultant to JBL. Launched in 1957, the Paragon is the world's earliest production stereo loudspeaker for home use, and also the most expensive speaker at the time. As the flagship JBL product, it cost $1,830 (£650) –. The "Paragon" is the product with the longest production run of all JBL loudspeakers. It was produced continually until it was discontinued in 1983, when it was replaced by a product line named "Everest".
Design
Since even the early days of stereophonic sound, designers were faced with the issue of directionality and the listener who was not located exactly in between the two speaker units. Col. Richard R. Ranger, a pioneer of stereophonic sound in the film industry, conceptualised the solution to the problem of reproducing stereo sound for all and not just the centrally-positioned listener. He devised a loudspeaker system where the sound from the speaker drive units would be reflected against curved surfaces (wood panels) within a cabinet to create a wide, uniform stereo image that would hold stable in any location within the listening room. Ranger elaborates on the JBL-Ranger Radial Refraction system of stereophonic reproduction thus:
"... only along this axis of symmetry that the two speakers have consistently equal effect. As soon as the listener moves off axis, the speaker toward which he moves takes predominance. Sound intensity decreases rapidly with distance and the more distant speaker quickly loses out to the nearer.
This can be avoided by projecting the sound from each speaker against a curved surface which acts as a convex lens for the sound and directs it more strongly to the side opposite the speaker than it does to its own side.
External links
- Product brochure, Lansing Heritage
References
- Paragon Audio Heritage^
- The Paragon Audio Heritage^
- Danny Kaey. Hi-Fi reviews, audio events, show coverage, photos and more JBL Everest DD66000 SonicFlare, 10 September 2006^