JBL 4344MKII User's Manual
Contents
1. Ear at when isch Sosttion No PLACEMENT Ideally the systems should be placed at least three feet from any walls The height at the bottom of the Lens assembly should be at ear level The two speakers should be equidistant from your primary listening position the distance should be determined by the distance between the speakers We recommend that the angle between the speakers at the listening position be between 45 to 60 For example if the speakers are 8 apart your listening position should be 8 12 from each speaker To widen the area in which the best stereo image will be perceived turn the speaker to face the primary listening position Figure 2 It is normally recommended that the 4344MKII loudspeakers be positioned so that the ultrahigh frequency transducers are towards the out side In some listening environments however the imaging characteristics may be improved by positioning the ultrahigh frequency transducers towards the inside We suggest you experiment with the positioning of your loudspeakers to determine the ideal placement in your listening room SPEAKER CONNECTIONS The 4344MKII loudspeakers can be connected by one of several meth ods The binding posts on the rear panel of the 4344MKII will accept most types of audio cable and connectors including banana plugs and bare wire Figure 3 Follow the hookup method that best describes your system STANDARD CONNECTIONS FIGURE 4 1 For2. 1344MKII PROFESSIONAL SERIES LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM JBL is part of the Harman International family of audio companies a group with a common purpose combining technology with a love of music to manufacture audio products that provide new levels of satisfaction perform ance and value To promote diversity and creativity JBL operates independently in research and development When it comes to translating the results of these efforts into actual consumer and professional products JBL draws on the full combined strength of the Harman companies including one of the world s most advanced manufacturing facilities The result of this teamwork is that JBLs renowned excellence in engineering is successfully carried through to each individual product regardless of its application or price range As new audio concepts and technologies are pioneered the partnership of JBL and Harman International guarantees that consumer and professional audio users everywhere will be able to enjoy their full benefits JBL continually engages in research related to product development and improvement Because of this new materials production methods and design refinements may be introduced into existing products without notice For this reason any current JBL product may differ in some respect from its published description but will always equal or exceed the original design specifications unless otherwise stated c SALZA SONY YER TABLE OF CONT
3. ENTS Low Frequency Transducer Mid Frequency Transducer High Frequency Transducer Ultrahigh Frequency Transducer Dividing Networks Battery Replacement Placement Speaker Connections Bi Wiring Maintenance and Service System Specifications UBL JBL Consumer Products 80 Crossways Park West Woodbury NY 11797 D N ON va Ul uo da 13 14 8500 Balboa Boulevard Northridge CA 91329 1 800 336 4JBL 4525 USA only www jbl com 1996 JBL Incorporated JBL is a registered trademark of JBL Incorporated Printed in USA 2 97 Part No 4344MKIIOM97 H A Harman International Company Declaration of Conformity CE We JBL Europe A S Kongevejen 194B DK 3460 Birker d DENMARK declare in own responsibility that the loudspeakers described in this owner s manual are in compliance with technical standards EN 50 081 1 1992 EN 50 082 1 3 1995 Steen Michaelsen JBL Europe A S Birker d DENMARK 2 97 NO With che Professional Series 4344MKII Loudspeakers JBL combines the most advanced technology with a classic JBL design These speakers continue the longstanding tradition of precise studio monitor sound for which JBL is famous You will enjoy the benefits of a 2 high frequency compression driver cast frame low frequency transducers with vented pole pieces and JBL proprietary Symmetrical Field Geometry magnet design as well as high definition dividing networks incorporating the highest quali
4. at normally connect the 4344MKII low frequency and high frequency terminals must be removed before bi wiring To remove the shorting straps simply loosen and slide the bars off to the side Figure 8 2 Never connect two amplifiers to the same loudspeaker without first removing the Strapping bars Operating two amplifier channels without removing the strapping bars can seriously damage your amplifiers 3 If you have hooked up your 4344MKII loudspeakers in any of the bi wire configurations indicated it is not advisable to use additional speakers separately or simultaneously 4 As with conventional one amplifier connections make sure that all speaker cables are the same length FIGURE 5 BI WIRE CONNECTING METHOD FIGURE 5A NORMAL BI WIRE POSITION LAMP NORMALI BLWIRE FIGURE 6 ONE AMP BI WIRE Preamp peo gt 3 luo E Stereo amp NO FIGURE 7 TWO AMP BI WIRE Preamp w Y corded output 27 Giz lot Stereo amps FIGURE 8 REMOVAL OF SHORTING STRAPS GOD FIGURE 9 BI AMP CONNECTING METHOD FIGURE 9A BI AMP SWITCH SETTING o lo Om TT B AMP n BATTERY d NORMALI NG I BI WIRE NO 12 BI AMPING CONNECTIONS The optimal method of powering the 4344MKII system is with two amplifiers one for low frequencies and one for the mid high frequencies It is necessary to use a hi
5. copper ribbon wire on a thermoset composite form Its very high power capability and freedom from breakup make it an ideal midrange in a system that is designed to play at high levels with absolutely no signs of distress It makes the transition from the woofer at 340Hz providing excellent response throughout the important vocal range HIGH FREQUENCY TRANSDUCER Throughout the history of high frequency transducer design the goal of extended frequency response has been at odds with the need for high power handling The 4344MKII utilizes a 2 compression driver with an Aquaplas coated titanium dome JBL has long chosen titanium as the material for its highest quality high frequency transducers and the 4344MKII is no exception Titanium possesses the essential requirements for a high frequency transducer First titanium is extremely light yet rigid The goal is to maintain a piston like action as high in frequency as possible Should the material flex easily the diaphragm will break up into random vibrations Second titanium is virtually immune to fatigue unaffected by the cumulative effect of millions of flexures over long operating periods These factors coupled with the higher power handling that titanium affords allow us to produce an extremely smooth high frequency transducer with extended frequency response that can handle all the demands of today s digital programs The Horn Lens assembly ensures controlled distribution of the high f
6. e bi amp and full active bi amp operation For the full active HIGH FREQUENCY LEVEL dB bi amp mode we recommend the use of a high quality electronic crossover 25 MID FREQUENCY LEVEL dB 25 LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS ARE PROVIDED TO ALLOW PRECISION FREQUENCY RESPONSE CONTOURING THE MIDRANGE HIGH FREQUENCY AND ULTRAHIGH FREQUENCY DRIVERS MAY BE FINE TUNED FOR OPTIMUM SOUND IN ANY LISTENING ROOM BATTERY REPLACEMENT The battery should be replaced approximately every 2 years This is accomplished as follows e Unscrew the two screws that hold the battery access cover in place It is located on the upper portion of the dividing network on the rear of the speaker enclosure Figure 1 e Write today s date including the year in this manual e Install the battery by aligning the battery terminals with the mating terminals in the network housing Align male to female female to male terminals then snap the connectors together assuring a tight connection e Replace the battery access cover and install screws BATTERY REPLACEMENT RECORD Date Installed FIGURE 1 BATTERY INSTALLATION o o BLAMP_ ly BATTERY von BI WIRE JBL INCORPORATED 8500 Balboa Blvd Northridge CA USA High Frequency amp CI CES NO FIGURE 2 PLACEMENT POSITION TOP VIEW 14 31 10 15 POSITION FRONT VIEW 3 3
7. each channel connect the red terminal on the 4344MKII to the red terminal on your amplifier 2 For each channel connect the black terminal on the 4344MKII to the black terminal on the amplifier Connecting the systems in this manner ensures that they will operate in phase that is they will work together rather than in opposition Connecting the speaker system out of phase will not cause damage but will adversely affect the speaker s sound FIGURE 3 CONNECTIONS BARE WIRE CONNECTING METHOD BANANA SPADE CONNECTING METHOD FIGURE 4 STANDARD CONNECTING METHOD NO 10 BI WIRING The 4344MkI1 s outer connection panel and internal dividing network are designed so that separate sets of speaker cable can be attached to the low frequency transducer and midrange high frequency transducer portions of the dividing network This is called bi wiring Bi wiring can provide several sonic advantages and considerably more flexibility in power amplifier selection The advantages of bi wiring are as follows REDUCTION OF INTERMODULATION The majority of current flowing between an amplifier and speaker is devoted to bass reproduction In fact 60 or more of an amplifier s output is des tined for the woofers When current flows through a wire it produces an electro magnetic field EMF that expands and collapses at a rate equal to that of the music s compl
8. ex frequency components If a single speaker wire must conduct the full musical frequency the preponderance of low frequency information can interact with or modulate high frequencies The resulting intermodulation can create audible changes to the high frequencies even before they reach the loudspeakers By using separate cables for high and low frequencies unwanted high frequency modulation is avoided Low frequency information flows through one cable while high frequencies flow through another FREQUENCY OPTIMIZED CABLES Having the opportunity to use separate low and high frequency cables allows you to use cables best suited to each frequency range Optimally you should use high quality audiophile grade speaker cables for both low and high frequency conductors However let your ears guide you to the cables that best match the 4344MKII loudspeakers to your amplifier AMPLIFIER FLEXIBILITY Bi wiring also allows you the option of using separate stereo power amplifiers for left and right speakers or even four mono amplifiers Whether you use two or four amplifiers it is important to use the same brand and model to power like connections on the 4344MKII BI WIRING CONNECTIONS Figures 5 through 8 show two bi wiring options single stereo amplifier and dual stereo amplifier modes For passive and bi wire connections set the switch to the Normal Bi Wire position Figure 5a IMPORTANT 1 The external strapping bars th
9. gh quality active crossover module Since each amplifier only drives a limited frequency range this method allows the user to select amplifiers with the desired sonic character for low and high frequencies Make sure that the input sensitivity of each of the amplifiers is the same or that input level controls are provided to maintain the proper low to mid high balance If two identical stereo amplifiers are used one may be located near each loudspeaker to drive low and mid high frequency sections through short wire runs The external strapping bars that normally connect the 4344MKII low frequency and high frequency terminals must be removed before bi amping To remove the shorting straps simply loosen and slide the bars off to the side Figure 8 If the system is wired in the bi amp method set the Bi Amp Normal switch to the Bi Amp position Figure 9 and Figure 9a MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE The 4344MKII loudspeaker systems have an oiled finish Cleaning should be done with an untreated dust cloth Do not use conventional furniture waxes and polishes which are not designed for oiled finishes If touch up is necessary or the finish appears to be drying out the surface may be re oiled with a commercially available oil finishing preparation Do not use any solvents on the finish The grille may be gently vacuumed Stains may be removed with an aerosol cleaner following the cleaner s instructions Do not use any so
10. lvents on the grille All wiring connections should be inspected and cleaned or remade periodically The frequency of maintenance depends on the metals involved in the connections atmospheric conditions and other factors but once per year is the minimum The battery should be replaced approximately every three years Consult your JBL dealer for specific recommendations If a problem occurs make sure that all connections are properly made and clean If a problem exists in one loudspeaker reverse the speaker wires to the left and right system If the problem remains in the same speaker then the fault is with the loudspeaker If the problem appears in the opposite speaker the cause is in another component or cable In the event that your 4344MKII loudspeaker system ever needs service contact your local JBL dealer No 13 NO 14 SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS Frequency Response Sensitivity Recommended Maximum Power Handling Nominal Impedance Crossover Frequencies Low Frequency Transducer Mid Frequency Transducer High Frequency Transducer Ultrahigh Frequency Transducer Tuning Frequency of Woofer Dimensions HxWxD Weight 30Hz 22kHz 6dB 95dB for 2 83V 1 meter 200 watts continuous 800 watts peak 6 ohms 340Hz 1300Hz 8000Hz ME150H 2123H 275ND 2405H 32Hz 41 3 8 x 25 x 17 1051 x 635 x 432 mm 180 lbs 82 kg
11. requencies resulting in a wide sound stage with pinpoint imaging ULTRAHIGH FREQUENCY TRANSDUCER For the ultrahigh frequency transducer we chose a 1 3 4 compression driver with an edge wound aluminum voice coil This driver reproduces all of the ultrahigh frequencies above 8000Hz with incredible clarity and detail No DIVIDING NETWORKS The job of the dividing network is to distribute the various frequencies to their respective transducers The network is also designed to complement component location on the baffle Slopes are chosen to match the exact response of each driver in its respective frequency range as well as to ensure that the high frequency transducers are adequately protected from dangerous low frequency components For the 4344MKII system we chose our Charge Coupled Linear Definition Dividing Network The inductors are all designed for high current low distortion operation All capacitors in the network are J series parallel connected and operated with D C bias This effectively enables the capacitors to operate in Class A mode which substantially increases sonic detail resolution and dynamics The low frequency section of the dividing network is mounted on a dedicated circuit board that Model 4344MKII separates both electrical and magnetic properties from that of the midrange and tweeter sections Additionally the 4344MKkITs dividing network allows for passive bi wire passiv
12. ty electronic components available LOW FREQUENCY TRANSDUCER The 4344MKII features an all new 15 381mm low frequency transducer developed specifically for the 4344MKII Derived from JBLs legacy of highly powerful yet efficient bass drivers this woofer delivers full low frequency performance with clarity and speed unprecedented among 15 drivers The voice coil is 4 102mm in diameter and wound on edge from flat aluminum ribbon wire on a thermoset composite form The cone is a rigid paper composite treated with Aquaplas for strength speed and damping JBLs Symmetrical Field Geometry is employed in the form of an aluminum sleeve around the pole piece This sleeve reduces second order distortion through induced flux control Its aluminum composition is also a more efficient conductor of heat so it assists in dissipating heat away from the voice coil to extend the power capacity Cooling of the voice coil is further enhanced by the use of a vented pole piece The rigid frame is cast from aluminum alloy an excellent thermal conductor which further acts to efficiently draw heat away from the voice coil and magnet assembly This combination of advanced design technology results in a bass driver that is remarkably free from dynamic restriction due to heat buildup MID FREQUENCY TRANSDUCER The 4344MKII also features a 10 254mm mid frequency transducer The voice coil is 3 76mm in diameter and wound on edge from flat TM
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