Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: EnPar Speaker Systems

This is topic EnPar Speaker Systems in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 09-26-2010, 11:23 PM:

Has anyone used or familiar with the EnPar line of theatre speakers? They apparently are made by Electro Voice. Here is a link to an Ebay auction for JBL 4675 clone they make.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-27-2010, 02:27 AM:

That eBay store from Lighting Images Technology and a host of others are going to rapidly grow with used parts with buying the surplus equipment from cinemas that are dumping their 35mm equipment for digital installs.

A linky to EnPar ... from China.

-Monte

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 09-28-2010, 04:42 PM:

quote: Monte L Fullmer
A linky to EnPar ... from China.

Reason #1 to stay away from them...who knows what kind of support you'll get (remember the Horizon caper?) or how long they'll be around.

There are plenty of good used GENUINE JBL systems out there so no need to buy this crap.

And if you're building new, the speakers are one thing you will be sorry if you cheap out on them.

Posted by Cameron Glendinning (Member # 3516) on 09-29-2010, 01:19 AM:

I have been sampling several speaker components from China, most are pretty average, some are OK, some are even impressive but that tends to be the exception.

On average the most noticable aspect tends to be a lack of deep bass from most Chinese woofers. Usually caused by too tight a suspension. This flaw does have one positive, it makes them hard to blow up!

Speakers are remarkably complex, so too are the mathamatics involved in both the box design and horn designs. Factory consistency is a huge part of JBL's continual success and the reason for the high price. Just because they look similar does not mean they will sound anything alike.

There really is only one way to know if they are any good and that involves testing them, even then there is no guaruntee that the next batch will even sound similar.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 09-29-2010, 03:09 AM:

quote: Tony Bandiera Jr
remember the Horizon caper?

Tony, I installed the first multiplex using Horizon. Later that year, when I was in China, I made a trip to the factory in Harbin to talk with the president and engineers at the factory. They took me to dinner, ordered a fifth of rice wine (grain alcohol) and a case of beer. I don't know if they ever made any mods to the projector. The ones I installed after that had already been imported earlier.

Rick

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 09-29-2010, 09:58 AM:

You should try to talk to a bunch of drunk Chinese guys through an interpreter. Peng was with me in Harbin and she was the only sober one at the table. I wish I could've video taped it [Big Grin]

.

They really were interested in any input I had, and improving their projector.

The good thing is, Me and Peng got to see the Harbin Ice Festival [Smile]

Rick

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 09-29-2010, 11:21 AM:

wasn't JBL getting some of there components out of asia

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 10-04-2010, 08:28 PM:

quote: Richard Hamilton
They really were interested in any input I had, and improving their projector.

LOL! I bet you could give them an earful!

On the Enpar's... I installed one set so far. They are strictly budget type stuff. Nothing to write home about but not awful... better than Peavey though!! They are supposedly kitty corner from the JBL plant located in that same town in China... [Big Grin]

Posted by Don Sneed (Member # 955) on 10-14-2010, 09:59 AM:

I just installed a new 8-screen with Enpar speakers, crossover, amplifiers, & sound racks...The sound racks sucks, good idea but sucks...The crossover & amplifiers appear to be OK, the amplifier is very heavy (73-lbs) noisy fans, not as bad as Strong's Highlight console fans, but close !! With a the sound rack on your right, the Strong console on your left, it is like hearing the fans in stereos, now time that by 8 & you have a very noisy projection room: [scream]

The speakers are OK, the medium horns is not adjustable, the large format horns are, but not the smaller & medium horns (did not like that)....the crossover has 1/4" TRS connectors,(did not like, pull out to easy causing a lost of a channel or hi/low, rather have locking XLR or screw terminals), Overall the Enpar is a budget system, not bad sounding, better than expected, & they sent all the connecting cables...This Was a Plus !!! [thumbsup]

....The one thing to stay away from is the Enpar monitor....this is not a cinema monitor, this is a powered speaker that connects to, & play the center channel only, this is not a cinema monitor.... other than that, I liked what I heard & the EQ was close to flat....not bad.. [thumbsup]

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 10-14-2010, 12:59 PM:

They use the same numbers of JBL for speakers that look like JBL's. Are JBL happy with that?

Posted by Cameron Glendinning (Member # 3516) on 10-17-2010, 12:19 AM:

Behind the screen all speakers look the same! The reality is that they are definitly NOT the same.

A horn you can not angle is very compromised in design for cinema use. There is a big difference in results from a speaker that can be professionally installed and that of one that can not!

I doubt it features JBL's 4" sweet compression driver for the mid to top end. I suspect/ guessing that that is still made in a factory in a totally different asian country. Has anyone noticed if its a 3" compression driver on this Enpar speaker?

Posted by Tom Sauter (Member # 616) on 10-17-2010, 10:55 AM:

quote: Gordon McLeod
wasn't JBL getting some of there components out of asia

Hard to find someone who isn't. Electrovoice certainly is, and QC problems over the summer resulted in some pretty impressive backorders