Expensive JPWs

[Andrew]

Good luck getting £140 for these. I think I sold my last pair ( near mint and newly re-foamed) for about £35. I only bought them because they needed rescuing and sorting.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JPW-AP-2-CLAS ... 3cd38f8445

Really tatty cabinets and an awful job on the re-foaming, meaning they should really be re-done. Such a pity because the AP2s are such a nice speaker. I hate to see great items showing the scars of a hard life in unappreciative hands, when they deserve so much better.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Its just someone trying it on and relying on finding a mug. Ebay is a street market, you have to have your wits about you, it is part of the fun.

[southall-1998]

Pity to see them in such a bad state with a heavy price tag !!

Andrew, would you call these big JPW's ''Poor Mans Snell'' ?

S.

[Andrew]

Pity to see them in such a bad state with a heavy price tag !!

Andrew, would you call these big JPW's ''Poor Mans Snell'' ?

S.

I think I'd upset some people if I did, but that's not too far from my own recent experiences comparing them directly.

The thing is, I feel they are still good in their own right, if you don't compare them so directly. Comparison hasn't served me too well over the years either, having sent me down the wrong road more than once, by following a more overtly detailed sound at the expense of enjoyment.

My first encounter with JPWs was when I borrowed a mate's P1s back in 1987. I had ES14s at the time, which were a real dealer and magazine favourite, but they just seemed too fussy in my system and I just couldn't settle. In that system, with a Rock and a Myst Tma3, the P1s were wonderful. Just so "right" sounding. They seemed to give little or nothing away to the Epos, yet everything just seemed to hang together so well.

I've had a few pairs over the years and all are good. I've rewired JPWs internally on a couple of occasions and I found that this really closed the gap between them and Snell/ Audio Notes Ks. Hardly surprising really, because the drivers look very similar and the JPWs (especially the older speckle-backs) have better constructed cabinets. That only leaves the crossover and wiring. I still love JPWs but you should definitely have a listen yourself, because we are all different. It shouldn't cost a lot to scratch that itch and all the P series have the same family sound. Great to hear they are desirable overseas too.

[southall-1998]

Thanks Andrew.

What is the difference between the JPW P1 & AP2?

s.

[Andrew]

They are essentially the same except for the crossover. The P1 is just a standard pair of binding posts. The AP2 could be used either passively with the same pair of binding posts, but also could be driven actively via the other terminals. The AP3 was the same, but in a bigger cabinet. I've done a bit of a search and some pics are here:

http://www.audiosmile.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28293

It also shows the difference between the cabinets of the early speckle-back versions and the later ones. You can see by the front lip of the earlier ones, just how substantial the cabinet was. I know which I'd prefer. At the same time the Epos ES14 retailed for £350 and was rave reviewed, these were only £125 retail (£65 trade). Hard to think of a better bargain at that time. They go for peanuts now, because the foams perish. Repairing them is cheap, fun and rewarding.