JBL 4340/4341 (1974)
The JBL 4340 and 4341 are four-way studio monitors introduced in 1974. They inherit technology from the larger 4350. Each came in two finishes, gray and walnut, and the WX versions were specifically oiled walnut. The 4340 was built for multi-amplifier systems and needs an external electronic crossover like the 5231 or 5232. The 4341 used a passive network. Japanese market pricing around 1975 was ¥721,000 for the 4340 and ¥739,000 for the 4341, with the WX versions slightly higher. A German source lists the 4340 at approximately 5,500 DM per piece.
The driver complement is substantial. A 38 cm cone woofer (2231A) handles the low end, and a 25 cm cone unit (2121) covers the mid-low range. That 2121 was newly developed for the 4340/4341, with a magnet assembly at 10,000 gauss flux density. The upper midrange uses a 2420 compression driver on a 2307 exponential horn with a 2308 acoustic lens. A 2405 horn-type tweeter reproduces the high frequencies. All units use Alnico V magnets and edge-wound ribbon voice coils. Frequency response is rated at 35 Hz to 20 kHz ±3 dB, impedance 8 ohms, sensitivity 93 dB (new JIS), with crossover points at 300 Hz, 1.25 kHz, and 9.5 kHz. The enclosure is a bass reflex design with 156 liters internal volume, measuring 600 × 950 × 500 mm. It weighs 72 kg (4340) or 73 kg (4341). Front-panel controls adjust mid-low, mid-high, and high frequency levels.
A 1974 brochure from JBL describes the 4341 as a "Four-Way Studio Monitor." Owner reports are limited but generally positive. One Audiofanzine user called the bass "hyper realistic" and praised the midrange for brass and voice. A forum user on audioheritage.org noted "I really like how they sound," though another found they didn't suit their taste compared to newer JBL models. The 4341's level pots are described as ±3 dB adjustments. The 2420/2307 driver-horn combination was shared across the 4340, 4341, 4343, 4344, and 4345, so collectors use it as a common point of reference.
Documentation on the 4340/4341 is thinner than for some of JBL's better-known monitors, and much of what exists traces back to a single Japanese database source. The core facts are consistent across the sources that do mention the model, and the 4341 in particular has a confirmed 1974 brochure. No production end date is confirmed beyond the 1974-1978 range given for the 4340, and no comprehensive maintenance or repair history has been documented. No production years are confirmed for the 4341 specifically.
- Type: 4-way, 4-speaker, bass reflex, floor-standing studio monitor
- Drivers: 2231A 38 cm woofer, 2121 25 cm mid-low, 2420 driver + 2307 horn + 2308 lens (mid-high), 2405 horn tweeter
- Frequency response: 35 Hz – 20 kHz ±3 dB
- Crossover: 300 Hz / 1.25 kHz / 9.5 kHz
- Impedance: 8 Ω · Sensitivity: 93 dB (new JIS)
- Dimensions: 600 × 950 × 500 mm · Weight: 72–73 kg
- Variants: 4340 (multi-amp), 4341 (passive network); WX versions in walnut
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