JBL Olmpus speaker system

I have a homebuilt "Olympus" size cabinet using the 375 with potato masher, 075, LE15A, and PR15 passive radiator. I love the 375 and would highly recommend it. You must remember horn systems are ruthlessly revealing and will reflect any upstream imperfections. I have never found the sound hard, although, some amps or tubes have produced a fatiguing glare. This disappears if you match the system properly. I have no glare using system matched 6B4G push pull triodes, 845 and 300B amps. While tubes as small as 45 will run these speakers (I had), personnally I recommend slightly more power for better and more controlled bass. On the 075, I prefer the sound of this tweeter with the crossover on the lowest high frequency gain setting. The thing about this system and other horns I have had, they really shine if you crank up the volume.

Gorg, the Olympus is a wonderful speaker and very well suited to classical music. Linnlp12 is correct about the amplification, you need a good triode SET to get the best from this speaker. Most push/pulls will sound too hot in the mids and solid state shouldn't even be in the same room as your babies! The S8 has the same requirments.

Elizabeth also has a point, you need to check your speakers and make sure that everything is still working fine, after all they're over 40 years old.

Thanks everybody. I must be doing something wrong. A legendary Olympus is only good for the Pop music. It will be hard to swallow it.

I have a double EL 34 (4 el34 in total) single end pure tube amplifier, which produced 9 watt per channel and the max power can go to 20 watt. I could not even turn the volume over 9 0’clock (a quarter of the full scale). I think it has enough power. I also tried MC 240. As I mentioned in my previous email, it produced a great sound for Jazz and Pop music. When it turns to classic music, I realize there must be something missing. I do not know what. Friends (they all are professional musician from local Symphony Orchestra) came and all agreed that somehow the mid-frequency is not represented naturally, “some metal sound”, “cold”, a little too “hard”. I know it is hard to describe because the personal preference is involved. Meanwhile everybody cannot deny that Olympus does produce a crystal clear sound. The base is right on the point and the layer of the sound is very clearly represented. How to resolve the mid-frequency myth?

As everybody is saying, it cannot be because the mighty Olympus. It must be on my side. I have post a help on audioheritage site. Somebody also suggested to add 075 (without replacing le85 with 375). The objective is to create a clear high frequency. The “cold” sound I hear may be because the lack of high frequency.

I will certainly cleanup all the connector in the box. I think it is a good thinking thank you, Elizabeth. I will also look for any 375 and 075 available. Linnlp12, with your 375 and 075, how big the room you have for the speaker. You do not feel it produce too much for the high frequency. Maybe it is the route I have to follow. Thank you, Dkarneli, also for your comments.

For the room, I have an L shaped basement. The speakers are in the vertical part of the "L" which is about 12 x 20. I have the speakers about 3 feet out from the wall and about 3 feet from one of the side walls. The speakers are about 6 feet apart, image great and have good depth. People say horns are not supposed to image. But you wouldnt believe them if you heard this. Try putting the speakers at different toe in -- I found this can dramatically impact the sound. I also have the potato masher horn/lens. I prefer this combo to the lens plate arrangement. I listen to all types of music and think they are not music specific. Classical sounds excellent. The setting for my 075 depends on the amp and music. Sometimes, I think the high end is too much but most of the time not. I have never heard the 85 driver. Another issue is the woofer surrounds. Do you have the original surrounds? They get stiff after time. Mine had them and while they were good, I replaced the LE15s with a refoamed set. It made a huge difference in bass response, but more importantly, the sound was better balanced. This could be one of the reasons for imbalance. Are you anywhere near the chicago area? If so, you are welcome to come and listen. Send me an email through Audiogon with your email address and I will email you a picture of the setup.

Hi All,

I hope you all will respond to my posting regarding the 375 driver.

Thanks, Ken, Kftool