JBL Paragon
Designed by Arnold Wolf from a concept elaborated by Richard Ranger, it is almost 9 feet (2.7 m) long and requires over a hundred-man hours of hand-finishing by a team of dedicated craftsmen. Resembling less a conventional loudspeaker than an elegant sideboard, it is a landmark product for the company that was sought after by the well-heeled and by celebrities. With an estimated total production of about 1,000 units, it is highly sought after by collectors to this day.
History
The Paragon is a horn-loaded, stereo speaker system within a single 9-foot-wide (2.7 m) housing. It is based on a diffusion principle developed by Richard Ranger as consultant to JBL. Launched in 1957, the Paragon is the world's earliest production stereo loudspeaker for home use, and also the most expensive speaker at the time. As the flagship JBL product, it cost $1,830 (£650) – equivalent to $19,900 in 2023. The "Paragon" is the product with the longest production run of all JBL loudspeakers. It was produced continually until it was discontinued in 1983, when it was replaced by a product line named "Everest".
Design
Since even the early days of stereophonic sound, designers were faced with the issue of directionality and the listener who was not located exactly in between the two speaker units. Col. Richard R. Ranger, a pioneer of stereophonic sound in the film industry, conceptualised the solution to the problem of reproducing stereo sound for all and not just the centrally-positioned listener. He devised a loudspeaker system where the sound from the speaker drive units would be reflected against curved surfaces (wood panels) within a cabinet to create a wide, uniform stereo image that would hold stable in any location within the listening room. Ranger elaborates on the JBL-Ranger Radial Refraction system of stereophonic reproduction thus:
... only along this axis of symmetry that the two speakers have consistently equal effect. As soon as the listener moves off axis, the speaker toward which he moves takes predominance. Sound intensity decreases rapidly with distance and the more distant speaker quickly loses out to the nearer.
This can be avoided by projecting the sound from each speaker against a curved surface which acts as a convex lens for the sound and directs it more strongly to the side opposite the speaker than it does to its own side. The convex refractor thus eliminates the sharp axis of symmetry where the slightest movement of the listener is so disturbing.
In the listening area in front of the integrated speaker system, the energy from the two stereo channels builds up a full front of sound which can readily be appreciated by more than one person. So the axis of symmetry no longer exerts its unstable equilibrium on the critical listener.
The term "unstable equilibrium" is not mere whimsy. In stereo reproduction, it is customary for the soloist to appear in the center. Then, certain sections of the accompanying music are positioned right or left; but it is most important that wherever they are, they STAY THERE. Uncertain movement of the apparent sound source gives a very queasy feeling.
Once it became possible to hold monaural sound to the center, it was found that with regular stereo everything fell into its proper place ... A whole curtain of sound was opened up.
Ranger's 9-foot prototype of the product, with plenty of right angles and shiny black Micarta skin, was bulky, imposing, and visually unattractive. Arnold Wolf was called in as the industrial design consultant to this project in early 1957. Wolf, who would later become president and chief executive of JBL, was initially asked to produce a shell version for dealers' shops. Due to transportation and installation constraints, it was decided that the speaker would be split into three components – the left and right channel enclosures, and the curved radiator panel – that could be easily re-assembled with a screwdriver. To support the weight and prevent deforming, the design called for six feet, of which four are height-adjustable. Instead of producing detailed drawings, Wolf worked with scale models. First, he created a 1:4 model in plastic, after which he made others. He ended with a 1:12 scale model that would show how it could be disassembled and reassembled. During the design phase, the relationship between Wolf and Ranger became very tense, and the project nearly collapsed. The parties came together over the month of June, and agreed on the definitive production specification for the Paragon. This would be a 2-way design.