JBL 4343 coming soon to Mumbai

[Naturelover]

The closest 2nd in Prems setup ( which i have heard ) was the Rethm Saadhana V2 but even that gets surpassed by this by atleast 2-3 country miles ...

Mind you the Saadhana V2 is an amazing speaker in its own right.. ( Hats off )

Do you think the Saadhanaas were better than the Tektons? Or did you not hear the Tektons?

 

[arj]

So what's the recommended detox after listening to a setup like Prems ?

Some depressant - alcohol )
Some more music - At your own home
Some music shopping therapy
Some hardware changing therapy
Counting coins in the piggy bank
Brighten up and ask Prem when is he planning the next change ..maybe we can snag something ?
Vipassana
Any other

Take your pick and let us know..

I generally do not listen to my system for 1 week after listening to prems system . so option 1 works best . Have not really heard the JBLs but this has been true for all his setups I have heard in the past.

From what I have seen after hearing prems system over the years, you will not get the same sound even if you get the same components since prem has the ability to setup his system to perfection and he does it all by ear with an ability to hear things which i find difficult to hear even after being told what to hear

 

[Naturelover]

Mpw, you missed out on the easiest one. Shift bed and baggage to Prem’s house

‍I am going to take that up

 

[prem]

Hi Naturelover, mpw has not heard the Tektons. Like mpw, I too prefer the V2 version over the V3. V2 is the one you have.

Only jls001 and Rikhav from the forum have heard the Tektons

 

[Deleted member 15865]

So what's the recommended detox after listening to a setup like Prems ?

Some depressant - alcohol )
Some more music - At your own home
Some music shopping therapy
Some hardware changing therapy
Counting coins in the piggy bank
Brighten up and ask Prem when is he planning the next change ..maybe we can snag something ?
Vipassana
Any other

Take your pick and let us know..

If I’d be frank, I’ll add “find that one area where your system does better (or at least you can fool yourself into believing does better) than his“ to the list.

Lets not forget this is a 1970s design. Just goes to show how much we have advanced in 40 years and how marketing has taken over good product design over time. So is the turntable and phono stage. (added after Prem objected to them feeing depressed for being left out)

I was so much in awe of that turntable after Prem told about its antecedence, that I figuratively put it on a pedestal in my mind, and couldn’t even dare to approach the physical pedestal he has placed it on. Felt doing that sacrilegious. Seriously!

 

[prem]

Sachin, many decent systems will beat my system on many individual parameters. I try to work on the principle that the whole is better than the sum of the parts. That’s always been my approach. And more importantly it should be a balanced sound. I never break up what I hear into frequencies. What I hear either works for me as a whole or it doesn’t

 

[prem]

Today had a lovely evening with Santhosh. It’s been ages since we met. I guess almost 8 years.

 

[prem]

There were a few messages asking what my system components are. Here goes

Source
EMT 950 turntable with 927 tonearm and TSD 15 cartridge, restored to original specs in Germany

Amplification
Quicksilver 20 watt push pull integrated amp using EL 84 tubes

Speakers
JBL 4343 speakers restored to original specs in Japan

Cables
Radio Shack IC, Radio Shack Auvio 12 awg copper speaker cables, 14 awg hospital grade non shielded power cords

Power
Dedicated line from the board and the power cords are hard wired to the incoming ac line

Turntable Isolation
Turntable comes with its own console which isolates upto 2 hz

Speaker Isolation
5 inch high Sound Anchor type steel stands for the speakers. Base is a H frame solid steel. Speaker sits on a hollow tube steel frame filled with 60% sand and 40% lead shots. The columns too are hollow and filled with sand and lead shots. The stands have 4 steel spikes resting on Herbies spike decoupling gliders.

Amp Isolation
Amp rests on a 1 inch steel base which rests on 4 Diversitech EVA anti vibration pads at the 4 corners of the base. The base is 1 inch bigger than the amp on all the 4 sides. Between the amp footers and the steel base, a 5mm thick hard wood coaster is used primarily to break the steel base resonances, if any.

Room treatment
Wool carpet between the speakers and the listening position.

 

[souravin]

Dear friends,

I have been lucky enough to listen Prem's lovely audio rig and this time too I'm mesmerized. The mandatory pics before I write my experience.

 

[AVM]

Thanks Mahesh for a wonderful summary of the evening. It was great having you and Surrealistix over. We should do this more often

Also last week it was great hosting Nikhil and Souravin. And AVM, the week before. Thank you guys for coming over. Enjoyed the evening with you guys

Thanks Prem for accommodating me.
I have heard quite a few extreme systems but the EMT/QuickSilver/JBL combo coupled with Prem's ability to setup was a revelation.
Large drivers make a big difference in bass. The essential foundation to music. It was balanced, digging deep and in tune.

Never listened to Lataji this way before. Sublime and enjoyable.
Tin Pan Alley was superb.

The standout was tone, resolution, balanced presentation ( a very rare experience) and dynamics.

Your home is a visual treat and cosy. Enjoyed the time and thanks for being wonderful host.

 

[prem]

EMT 950 JBL 4343 Quicksilver Integrated Norma LPA 140 Graham LS5/9 Bestvox RATOC

Click all pics to enlarge. Top, what a place! Fantastic! this must be one of the "simplest" systems I have ever seen in the high-end. ...

cheaptubeaudio.blogspot.com

 

[prem]

Guys, there’s one error in the article which is being corrected. I am not a mastering engineer.

 

[arj]

Guys, there’s one error in the article which is being corrected. I am not a mastering engineer.

for us you are Prem !!!

 

[Deleted member 15865]

Guys, there’s one error in the article which is being corrected. I am not a mastering engineer.

He perhaps meant ‘you master the engineers’!

 

[ashsbnrg]

Guys, there’s one error in the article which is being corrected. I am not a mastering engineer.

Okay - Only Master - then ?

 

[Naturelover]

Honorary mastering degree. Do you deserve less

 

[prem]

Thanks guys. I would rather stay a student

 

[prem]

for us you are Prem !!!

Prem naam hai mera. Prem Chopra

 

[souravin]

Saying a few words on Prem’s audio rig has been long overdue. At the outset, I’d say, this rig has changed an outlook that I earlier had. An audiophile and a music lover is not congruent. Am sorry if this sounds a bit illogical.

I have had the opportunity to listen Prem's audio rig many a times. Awesomely musical and soothing on all the previous avatars- a few here and there- a notch up and down may be. I’m referring to his journey from Rethm Saadhna to Tekton SE and now JBL 4343. I listened them all. Even had the opportunity to meet Nikhil in the last session.

Prem's thought process is coherent basis his aural liking. He knows what he wants. He's ultra-careful to his audio set up and even a millimeter repositioning of his speakers make him groping for the best quality sound of music. A special mention: Though there is a sweet spot, surprisingly listening from a corner of his apartment makes me feel I'm almost sitting in front of his audio rack.

This is really an outlier that he only listens to vinyl but no digital... Praiseworthy. He handpicks the analogue sources and possess an enviable collection of bollywood oldies LP records in pristine condition. Understand the kind of passion he has on the groove quality.

Now moving on to the objective- JBL 4343 is an astonishing pair of speakers. EMT 950 is a piece of engineering beauty and that too crafted by EMT engineers before it is added to his home. Together they form an enticing family with Quick Silver integrated amp. The sound- Oh man! it takes me to a trance. However, audio never engrosses music in this rig, that's the most eye-opener to me as a growing audio enthusiast. A must request is a R.D. Burman, Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar song from the OST Shakti- Jaane Kaise Kab Kahan, any session ends with The Telegraph Road...... Happy listening. Looking forward to more such session.

Thank you Prem,
Sourav

 

[prem]

Have decided to have some fun during lockdown. Have ordered a Croft Integrated R amplifier from UK. Should be here by July end.

So now I have the Quicksilver, the vintage Yamaha CR 620 receiver which will reach me later in the year when my son comes down and the newly ordered Croft Integrated R. Fun times ahead