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View Full Version : Taking you back in time



markd51
07-18-2007, 04:08 PM
Hi Folks.
Many years ago, I heard a pair of JBL Speakers, which were IMO the epitome of what JBL stood for. No, these weren't Paragons, nor Hartsfields, Olympus, etc,but a pair of what I've never seen before, or since.

I'd like to call them JBL VOTT, but I'm unsure if JBL ever did such a line by themselves?

These were two Cabinets,(I assume Ported) painted Battleship Grey, with one 15" Woofer, JBL Decal on the side, and also a "Warning Sticker" saying something like "Warning, Sound levels can reach 113Db", or such.

On top of this quite large Bass Cabinet was bolted quite "crudely", a huge Compression Driver, the size of a large Clincher Softball, with a huge 23', or 24" Sectional Horn.

Definitely zero WAF, but for anybody into audio,this was a speaker that ALL would sit up, and take notice! All audio freaks who saw this speaker, the first comment would be "Whoa!" 'Holy $hit!"

I never forgot this speaker, it has been to me, one of the all time best speakers I've ever heard, and I can count this list on one hand.

Back in '74, the price of the Bass Cabinet with Woofer, was $700, and the Compression Driver W/Horn was another $700, so in other words, equating to $2800 per Stereo Pair.

Were these perhaps indeed a factory issue of a VOTT, or perhaps a "bastardized" version, which somebody locally put together?

This was at MusiCraft on Chicago's north side back in the good ole days, and I sort of doubt the salesmen would put together such a system?

I can remember hearing some funk, with Horns, and I think it was Tower of Power, where they sounded like they were right in the room with me.

If anybody has any ideas, of information of maybe what these might have been, I'd love hearing other's comments.

These certainly weren't a "bedroom" system, and to achieve full appreciation, they truly needed a monster sized room to enjoy the hair raising visceral impact, and slam they achieved! Mark

louped garouv
07-18-2007, 04:13 PM
http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/catalogs/1982-pro/page12.jpg

one of these maybe?

markd51
07-18-2007, 08:56 PM
Yes,The Bass Cabinet bore very close similarity-resemblence to the top right Cabinet you have pictured, with just the raw large Sectional Horn-Driver Bolted to the top of the Bass enclosure. I remember the Cabinet having the same similar Front Baffle in front of the Woofer like this Cabinet Pictured.

Of course, I would assume some sort of Crossover was used-utilized.

Asking the Gurus here, I would think there's no actual sonic neccessity having the Horn/Driver inside a cabinet, is there? Mark