JBL 166?

[seven]

Hi,

I have an opportunity to purchase a pair of 166 JBLs. I haven't heard of this model, how does it compare to the Century L100s, which I hear good things about?

What is a good/reasonable price for a pair of 166s? Seller claims he had them reconed 20 years ago and have not been used since... :rolleyes:

Are these solid wood cabs? Particle board/MDF? What kind of drivers? Any gotchas with these speakers? Would the scultped foam be disintegrating at this point (30 years)?

Anyway, I have a Eico HF-81 and a Dynaco ST70/PAS3 setup, how would these 166s pair with those?

Attached are pics.

Your thoughts/comments/opinions appreciated!

Best,
Chris

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/fazeka/speaker/jbl1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/fazeka/speaker/jbl2.jpg

[Rusnzha]

if they were reconed 20 years ago, they probably need to be re-foamed. The cabinets are MDF and the grilles should be fine. As far as comparisons go, some prefer the L100 and some prefer the L166. They are both nice.

[Zilch]

I have an opportunity to purchase a pair of 166 JBLs. I haven't heard of this model, how does it compare to the Century L100s, which I hear good things about?http://manuals.harman.com/JBL/HOM/Technical%20Sheet/L166%20ts.pdf

Search these forums for the "Truth" about L100.

L166 is better....

[grumpy]

Nice speakers. I'd take them over L100's, but that's just me :D

-grumpy

[seven]

Hey y'all, thanks for the advice. And that manual. :D So I guess the woofers are 122As? Is that an alnico or ceramic mag?

Are all replacement parts still available from JBL for these? Crossovers/parts, recone kits, etc?

So these would pair up nice with my Eico and Dynaco stuff, then?

And what would be a good/fair/reasonable price?

Thanks!

[Rusnzha]

All speakers with an "A" at the end are alnico. An H at the end indicates ferrite at 8 ohms.

[grumpy]

Are all replacement parts still available from JBL for these? Crossovers/parts, recone kits, etc?

So these would pair up nice with my Eico and Dynaco stuff, then?

And what would be a good/fair/reasonable price?

not all (tweeters, no. the others are possible/likely),
I'd think so, unless you listen at pretty loud levels,
and (the rhetorical) whatever you're willing to pay for them and the seller will let
them go for (prices are all over the map). Perhaps visit a Best Buy or Circuit City
for a listen before firing these up, to gauge value. -grumpy

[kingjames]

I had a pair for a short while and sounded excellent, a true pleasure to listen to.The lattice grille was a work of art in itself.;)

[Zilch]

The lattice grille was a work of art in itself.;)Perhaps you're thinking of S99, an entirely different product?

I don't believe L166 ever came with lattice grille....

[toddalin]

Perhaps you're thinking of S99, an entirely different product?

I don't believe L166 ever came with lattice grille....

No, he is correct. While the L166 grill appears as foam in the pics, its actually a plastic sculped holey "lattice" (at least my friends set is).

http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/specs/home-speakers/1976-l166/page1.jpg

I had always heard that the L166 was replaced by the L112.

[Zilch]

Well, lookie there!

Thanks Todd and James. I never knew that.... :thmbsup:

[kingjames]

Oh Zilch, I thought you knew everything:D Actually I was trying to find a picture of them because I knew the grills were different and thought maybe I was using the wrong word "Lattice" for them. Has now been cleared up. Thanks!:p

[Zilch]

Oh Zilch, I thought you knew everything:D Naw, I get smacked around often here, actually.

Todd's done it a couple times I can recall, now.... :p

[Rolf]

if they were reconed 20 years ago, they probably need to be re-foamed. The cabinets are MDF and the grilles should be fine. As far as comparisons go, some prefer the L100 and some prefer the L166. They are both nice.

No, re-cone. Not re-foam. The cabinets are in "spon" (do not now the English word) not MDF, almost the same. And yes, they are better than the L100.