JBL C45 Metregon (1958)
The JBL C45 Metregon - also listed in period references as the "Metrogon" - is one of the top flagship models in JBL's Ranger Series, released in November 1958. It's an enclosure for an integrated stereo speaker system, built on the same ideas as the Paragon D44000. Like the Paragon, the Metregon's cabinet houses two complete speaker systems, with a semicircular reflective panel mounted in the center to spread the sound across the listening area. The big difference is that the Metregon does not use the Paragon's front-loading horn.
The enclosure measures 1,860 mm wide by 760 mm high by 570 mm deep. That's a lot of furniture. The design was modular. JBL sold twelve separate system kits for the Metregon, each using two sets of drivers per enclosure. The kits cover several configurations and eras, running from the 1958-era 201 (130A woofer with 175 midrange and H5040 horn, N1200 network) to the 1962-era S82 (LE15A woofer with 375 and H5041, LX5 network). A surviving example in a 205 configuration uses a 130A 16-ohm woofer paired with a 275 compression driver.
No original price, weight, or electrical specs for the full system (frequency response, sensitivity, impedance) have turned up in the available documentation. The record does show a used example listed on US Audio Mart at $3,500, and refoam repair kits are available for the drivers. Japanese collector documentation notes that the early 1958 versions are particularly sought after.
- Type: Enclosure for integrated stereo speaker system
- Released: November 1958
- Dimensions: 1,860 × 760 × 570 mm (W × H × D)
- Series: Ranger Series flagship
- System kits: 12 sold separately (e.g. 201, 202, 203, 205, 223, 230, 231, 282, S52, S62, S72, S82)
- Known configuration (205): 130A woofer (16Ω) + 275 compression driver
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