Why You chose JBL

[Jakob]

I find it very interesting how people like myself get obsessed with a special brand. I know I'm not the only one here who thinks there is something special about JBL. It would be nice to hear some stories from our forum members why You chose JBL or got hooked or what ever You want to call it!

[Harkness]

i didn't choose JBL, JBL chose me..

it was a couple of happy accidents finding great sounding JBL speakers that hooked me. i am not enamored of everything JBL, but the ones that sound great are hard to beat!


first was scoring a pair of LE8T drivers with PR8's in trimline boxes (cute but useless enclosure) that i refoamed and placed into a more appropriate size box. then finding my amazing horn loaded system which really sealed the deal.

[MJC]

I prefer the clean open sound of JBLs, that don't fall short at the top end.
Plus the overall dynamic sound. And lets not forget the JBL bass.
I can remember the first time I heard a Paragon, in the mid-sixties, just great.

I was in a local ht shop last Friday and they had Paradigm speakers playing. They seemed a bit too dull, overly warm, not open and airy like my L212s or PT800s. And that is what I don't hear when I listen to other speaker brands, most of the time

[timc]

What first caught my attention was the ability to produce dynamics at very high spl without sounding stressed. My first encounter with "real" JBL was a set of SVA2100. Not high-end in any way, but it did something special. Another thing i appreciate, is the ability to sound the same, regardless of the volume i play at. Lack of dynamic compression?

The only other speakers i have heard this in, is the Avantgarde horns, and the Klipsch Heritage series.

When i got the chance to buy a set of L65 i didn't have to think twice :D


-Tim

[louped garouv]

i was supposed to be picking up a pair of Bozak Moorish Concert Grands, when i went to check them out, there were some pretty major cabinet issues.... for the same $$$ the seller parted with very nice condition Altec Model 19s


(i know not "JBL", but in the family anyway)

[glen]

When I was in high school, playing in a rock band, I heard our guitarist's pair of L100s powered by a big Pioneer receiver. It was by far the best reproduction I ever heard, and I quietly lusted after them for years until I scored some ebay 4311Bs.

A few years ago I thought of repurposing my old pair of JBL K140 bass guitar speakers as woofers in large scale monitor system. Thus began a meandering and often mis-guided quest to build a pair of seventies recording studio style main monitors. :spin:

[smiley67]

Back in the 80's I was in a garage band. Although everyone had decent amplifiers(Fender, Ampeg, Peavey) our monitors with the JBL speakers had the clearest sound at high volume. The best part about the JBL Paragon is the way it shakes the house.:bouncy:

[Titanium Dome]

Back in the 80's I was in a garage band. Although everyone had decent amplifiers(Fender, Ampeg, Peavey) our monitors with the JBL speakers had the clearest sound at high volume. The best part about the JBL Paragon is the way it shakes the house.:bouncy:

Hey Smiley, I was born and raised in Monclova and graduated from Anthony Wayne HS. I still go back there a couple times a year. I didn't know there were any Paragons in Maumee.

My JBL passion started with the original in line L100s I purchased from Woodville Appliance, along with a Kenwood KR6160 receiver, and a Dual 1219 turntable. The L100s survive in my collection to this day.

The sound of the L100s, which I still admire to this day (to the consternation of forumites who think they know better than me :p :bash: :bs: :p ), and JBL's excellent customer service made me a fan for life.

[scott fitlin]

Back in 1976, when Saturday Night Fever was all the rage, my family began going for big dance club type sound. We had Altec 15,s and horns, but by 1978, we had JBL 18,s they were the punchiest bass you could get. Also in 78, I went to Studio54 for my first time, and I heard the 2395 lens horns, the next day, Sunday, I am at my families place, and telling my uncle I went to Studio, and he asked me what I thought of the sound? I told him they had these funny looking air conditioner vent horns that sounded great. He told ne they were acoustic lenses. I said we NEED those. The following summer, we had them. And it was fantastic. back in these days, there were alot of new products hitting the market, none were as dynamic, as efficient, or as sturdy and reliable, and good sounding as both JBL and Altec products.

JBL has a unique sound character, it makes the punchiest, and most robust sounding bass, the horns and comp drivers sounded clear, and have really dynamic capability. The JBL tweeters had that certain something that gives a dance club LIFE and SPARKLE!

Because of what we did here in Coney Island, and because my uncle was a JBL fan, we got JBL at home too. Both my dad and my uncle had L-300,s and I had a pair of 4312,s in my room. My uncle originally had the orange grill century L-100,s in 1970 or so. AR-3A,s were my moms choice, but my dad, myself, and my uncle loved that kick ass JBL bottom, and dynamic midrange, and top end.

It just works and gets peoples attention.

:bouncy:

[00Robin]

yes,yes,yes, and yes, and yes....the bass guts me into my soul,the tight crunch of the horns as they punch and the Hammond,SCOTT???? Are you forgetting the Hammond B3 in there???? That almost percolating or growl of the Leslie?

They are the work horses aren't they? Nothing in my life has gripped me like these do...except Farscape,but thats a whole different thing.

[Jakob]

Wow, I wish James him self could read these loveletters...

[scott fitlin]

yes,yes,yes, and yes, and yes....the bass guts me into my soul,the tight crunch of the horns as they punch and the Hammond,SCOTT???? Are you forgetting the Hammond B3 in there???? That almost percolating or growl of the Leslie?

They are the work horses aren't they? Nothing in my life has gripped me like these do...except Farscape,but thats a whole different thing.Yep, JBL grabbed you by the ears.

JBL woofers have always been known for that punchy, and tight sound. And JBL 18,s have a weighty, deep sounding bottom, other makers comparable models dont sound as deep to me. Articulation and definition of basslines has always been outstanding. And they have always been reliable. Hard to break em, thats a plus.

To my ears, JBL comp drivers and horns have the crispest sound, and the right amount of bite, and something I call " Percussive Snap ". That means instruments like percussions are put out with authority and body, at high levels and remain clean and clear, but sound like what the instrument sounds like.

:)

[00Robin]

and we all are here because we love that perfect sound....makes you just want to do that mmm-grunt thing because it's SO good.

[scott fitlin]

and we all are here because we love that perfect sound....makes you just want to do that mmm-grunt thing because it's SO good.JBL bass is rythmically alive, it pulsates, its clear, its the driving force behind the music and energy.

To this day, JBL bass is still the best you can get, and no one else has bass like JBL.

[KromeDome]

JBL bass is rythmically alive, it pulsates, its clear, its the driving force behind the music and energy.

To this day, JBL bass is still the best you can get, and no one else has bass like JBL.

My family was all JBL, and I was raised on it. While I was going to college I had a part time job in Bangor selling records and audio. This was around '78 and '79, and one day we got a pair of L110s when they were first introduced. Everyone else hated 'em (too clean, too flat, sterile, blah-blah), but they were the first speakers I had ever heard up till then that could accurately articulate mid bass, vocals/horns & drums. No one ever bought them, so I took a loan out and bought them as demos for $600. I lost them in a flood in the '80s, but I found another mint pair that I have upgraded and still use every day. Looking back though, one of the most memorable things about selling JBL was the "new JBL smell" when I unpacked those freshly oiled cabs, and you know what I mean...:p

[sweetliberty]

I remember hearing SR8 Sovereigns in about 1970 - sexy beasts. To expensive- had to come down the line to L77's - Lancers. Great speakers took them everywhere with me. Just something about JBL, build quality, sound and yes as my previous poster said - smell as you unpacked them.

[Jakob]

JBL bass is rythmically alive, it pulsates, its clear, its the driving force behind the music and energy.

To this day, JBL bass is still the best you can get, and no one else has bass like JBL.


:applaud: I totally agree and I think the JBL marketing department have found their next M.D :D


I experienced the same thing as KromeDome with my first JBL cabinets, a pair of well taken care of L150's. They had 20 years of age when I bought them and I bet they sounded and smelled like brand new!!! Yep, it sure is something special with that smell of Black American walnut, and the looks of course!!!

[00Robin]

OHHHHH,I am such a smeller...I smell everything. Smells are one of the most important direct links to events in our past that the brain can distinguish. Remember hearing a song you loved but hadn't heard in years...suddenly it comes on and the entire day or moment 20 years back comes alive,the smell,the weather,what you did or did not have on,where you were? What you were doing,the emotions,pain,love your heart aches again for that moment in the song,the interlude,the way the bass was plucked at that certain moment,the lyrics.....ahhhhhhh,I love certain smells....

[smiley67]

Hey Smiley, I was born and raised in Monclova and graduated from Anthony Wayne HS. I still go back there a couple times a year. I didn't know there were any Paragons in Maumee.

My JBL passion started with the original in line L100s I purchased from Woodville Appliance, along with a Kenwood KR6160 receiver, and a Dual 1219 turntable. The L100s survive in my collection to this day.

The sound of the L100s, which I still admire to this day (to the consternation of forumites who think they know better than me :p :bash: :bs: :p ), and JBL's excellent customer service made me a fan for life.
Titanium Dome,
I just picked-up this Paragon a month ago or so from my wife's Uncle. It my be the first one in Maumee. My Brother-in-law picked-up his other Paragon but may not use it due to room size. If I can get this one I bet I'll have the only Paragon stack around.
Maumee class of 1985.

[Thom]

When I first met JBL speakers they weren't known for deep bass and didn't make an 18 inch but nobody else made speakers like they did: 4 inch voice coils with edge wound voice coils, magnetic structures that focused the force on the voice coil. The GratefulDead played on Mac and JBL so it seemed right to play them on the same. Today many company's make premium speakers but I don't have time to sort them out and dollar for dollar it's probably hard to beat used JBL drivers.

[JBL 4645]

Interesting reading from you’re recollections on you’re first JBL experience.


I remember reading an small article in what is called Box Office magazine and seeing this incredible site of JBL 4675-A and 4645 subs all stacked in a what is called a THX baffle wall and around 8 subs placed under and slightly behind the high rise THX baffle wall. At the same time I kept hearing about THX and after seeing Indiana Jones and the last crusade playing in 70mm Dolby stereo at the local cinema here in Bournemouth which sounded okay, I kept reading and haring about THX even on the end credits this film was mixed and recorded in Lucasfilm THX sound system theatre.

So there was just one place it was playing in the UK in 70mm THX! Destination the Empire Leicester square Wednesday 13th September 1989 and at £6.00 for the 3.15pm show it was astonishingly out of this world, when I entered the auditorium the JBL sound hit me with impact! I immediately ran down the toward the front and looked for a middle row that was placed 5 or 6 seats from the very front, and relaxed in what is called a rocker chair. :p

I was in the film with JBL and thou the film had already started, I only missed around 8 minutes the music score jolted my back in the rocker chair with total surprise, has I was unprepared for the JBL THX experience and what a treat it was, I was feeling the soundtrack not just hearing it with a few bumps here and there in a common cinema, no this was in my face! :D

After the film finished I explained to the usher that I was working as a projectionist at one of there other UCI sites and with kind generosity, I was allowed to see the next showing free. What I was about to see and hear totally gob smacked me to this day my jaw is still on the floor at the Empire, I kidd you not that is one evil wicked sound THX cinema with around 13KW at the time.

The laser show that was presented started off the show followed by adverts and trailers, then the tabs closed and the laser show started again only different from the other one, the music that accompanied it and the sound power of the JBL 4675-A and 4645 subs 8330 surrounds was seeping around the cinema with the coloured neon lighting bouncing up and down the cinema with different mixtures of colours, that helped to set the tone the mood and more importantly the atmosphere to whole new meaning of presentation.

When I first saw the THX trailer I was dazzled the force of the pressure coming of those JBL hit me like ten Mike Tyson’s pounding my chest at the same time!!

When the film started again the deepness in the opening music was deep as the camera moves over hill and the sound of Indian’s dancing to the beat of drum fader off the low end got deeper and the pressure built up, without a single trace of distortion, much less vibrations or buzzing sounds, just the soundtrack was herd, nothing more and nothing less. :applaud:

So from that day on I wanted to buy some JBL loudspeakers but the prices where extremely high for most models, that was until summertime 1990 I saw some JBL Control loudspeakers 12SR and the smaller control 5 which I end up buying three. For the home cinema three matching sexy JBL control 5, over the years I’ve rather enjoyed the JBL sound in the home and last year I went nuts and brought around 10 JBL control 1 for a surround array. Since then I’ve unattached there from the surround arrays and placed three up front with a (active loudspeaker management crossover) DCX2496 to allow me to tailor the fronts for a slightly better front sound stage, so far its been working very well.

Around the late 1998 I saw someone was selling a JBL 2240 18” sub bass driver for £100.00 in a rather poorly made MDF cabinet and I mean poorly it was too square around 26” and only 12 or 14” in depth. I realized that if I buy it I’m going to need an enclosure well suited for it. So I asked a friend if he could make an enclosure that looks like the JBL 4645 and so after weeks and week of building and fabrication where one other friend did the paint work some four cans of premier and three cans of Saturn black it was delivered a little overdue and when loaded with the JBL 2240 I was stunned blown out the seat! :bouncy:

So it took one film a place called the Empire to sale the JBL concept to me within a few seconds, thou I had to wait a year before hand. And that’s that. :)

[tweeter]

I still recall when I was a student and visiting the stores how the woofer of a beautiful L40 moved. It was 25 years ago and hooked to me.
Today, I´m impressed with the bass, clarity and openess of my beloved 4301B´s. Also I´ve got a pair of expensive Spendors but, I have to say that I enjoy much more my small blue pair.

I forgot it, the wood smell when I´ve been restoring the monitors is always in my memory.

[Robbie40]

Hi Folks,

I am new to the forum, so first, "HI"! Second, I have been a jbl lover since I was a child, growing up in queens, NY. My grandfather had a Hartsfield as the speaker for the hifi. Later own, growing up through the disco era, it seemed that every club I had ever been to had at least SOME jbl components in their sound system (thank you Richard Long). Once I was old enough to buy my own stereo, JBL was the only logical choice. To me, it just sounded "right". It made the music come alive. My system when I was a teenager, (all bought used ) was a Pioneer SA9100 integrated, Driving L65 Jubals, and L100's. It has all progressed from there. Today, my system consists of four 4333 monitors, biamped with Crown M600's on the bottom, and my own-design 807 vaccuum-tube amp for the mids and highs. The dynamics are terrifying, drums sound like drums, and female vocalists eerily float in front of me in the room. In my humble opinion, JBL IS the sound of music! Cheers!

Rob

[Titanium Dome]

Seems like you've got some great kit there.

Also, being in Austin, you have access to some great live music as well. You are a lucky guy.

[Rusnzha]

I used to hang around Leonard Radio on 6th Ave. in midtown Manhatten on my lunch hour. The first time I heard the L88s, I knew what speakers I needed. I couldn't afford them so I suffered through Jensens and ARs. I finally got a pair of L88 plus. What a freakin difference. The damn things changed my life. The 70s wouldn't have been the 70s without them. I will never make it as far into the world of JBL as many on this site, but that's cool, I would have been fine with a set of L16s. I wanted to go as far as I could so now I have a pair of L100s with a Mac receiver in the bedroom and a 7.1 surround setup based on S412s and a 2241 sub in the living room. If you put in the work and do the tweaks, they play like fine musical instruments.

[Titanium Dome]

I wanted to go as far as I could so now I have a pair of L100s with a Mac receiver in the bedroom and a 7.1 surround setup based on S412s and a 2241 sub in the living room. If you put in the work and do the tweaks, they play like fine musical instruments.

Love the L100s myself, and would really like to hear your S412s. Not many people have had the chance, and they're vastly underrated.

[Rusnzha]

No problem Doug, if you ever come through Kansas, you know what to do!:cheers:

[UreiCollector]

I grew up on the Altec 604E's and G's. James Lansing was the mastermind behind the 604.....

JBL was a natural step for me.....following the great James B Lansing!

That is why I'm a JBL fan today!


Oh, and they are just the best damn sounding speakers available today.

[1audiohack]

:DHi; my name is Barry, and I'm an addict!!!

Brand obsession is an interesting thing!

My love for JBL centers on my love of live, dynamic music.

It started when I walked into the Hi-Fi Shop in Ogden Utah the year Elton John had a hit with Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. It was playing as I walked in. I think I was 11.

At the time my habit was fed by a turntable, a reel to reel, with a Heath Kit 12 watt amp that sounded like a rainstorm between tracks, and some home built two ways I made from plywood. And it was all mine! Bought with a paper route. My Dad had a Laughing-yette system with some wierd coaxial drivers, 15's? I think mine sounded as good. OUCH! Sorry Dad.

When I walked into that shop my life changed. I don't know what model JBL's they were, but they made my stuff sound like an amplified telephone.

I was devistated, and swore to my self I will someday own some of them.

Some years later the same store had a JBL three way display with a wedge cut out of it so you could see the baskets, magnets, voice coils and such, and it was beautiful!!! I had seen many drivers by then, and never any like that.

The enclosures! The craftsmanship!! The SOUND!!! Art, mechanical art.

Well here I am with more JBL than will fit in my house, and with TEF-25 on the way, I think my prognosis for breaking this addiction is pretty grim.

I even have a pair of 604 8-G's bi-amped in the garage!

Nobody help me!!! :o:I don't have a problem!:blink:

[4343]

:DHi; my name is Barry, and I'm an addict!!!

...

Nobody help me!!! :o:I don't have a problem!:blink:

Ezackitly!:applaud:

I can remember JBL from several early encounters, one was a D130 in a Karlson, the dome angled up was such sweetness!;) I don't remember a tweeter on that one, or the next time, hearing the slot and the plates came much later. The second time I heard JBL, it was from far away, maybe a mile, but the bass came through loud a punchy. Turned out to be a bass and drums jamming down by the river, the bass cab was a dual showman with K140's. I jumped at the chance to by a set of 2420's on 2307's back in the 70's, even though the 15's didn't match. Still got 'em, well not the odd 15, 2215 or something. It was K140's and 2420's for years, doing sound gigs and playback duty. I had to replace one of the diaphragms back in the 80's when the surround gave out (it broke in the truck on the way to a gig), $20 for a used one, haven't needed another since. Say what you will about Ti, the Al is plenty tough, and a bit sweeter in this app... That being said, my current setup with 2446's on 2385's kicks from a distance, I still prefer the plates for closeup work. :bouncy: Nearfield of course, there's nothing quite like EOS! I recently replaced a Control 1 center with a dedicated center with EOS between my L112 components, nice!:applaud:Here's a diaphragm that's been past XMAX a few times! (NOT from one of mine, from epay...)

[Steve Schell]

The "family sound" of JBL speakers- punchy, lively, dynamic- traces its roots directly back to Jim Lansing's work in designing and building motion picture theatre systems in the 1930s. Very high efficiency was required then because of limited amplifier power, but Jim realized that maximizing efficiency also resulted in the most lifelike sounding speakers, and sound quality was always a high priority for him. This philosophy has wisely been (mostly) maintained at JBL over the decades, resulting in products whose sound stands above that of most competitors.

[diamondsouled]

Hi all,

My first impression of JBL came from the 418B JBL speakers I put into a cabinet I built when I was playing in a band back in the late sixties early seventies. Powered by my Traynor YBA-3A Custom Special those 418Bs sang. I'd also heard Jubals and L300s around the same time and loved them but they were way out of my price range.

Funny story. My buddy had just bought a Yamaha CA-1000 Natural Sound amp and we were partying. I was no longer playing in the band and those two 418Bs were sitting in that cabinet right in my bedroom. We'll next thing you know my buddy walks into my room and sees me cutting the cabinet in half with a hand saw, lol. I thought we needed more speakers.

I brought the sawed in half cabinet out (one half at a time) and proceeded to hook them up to the Yamaha amp. We'll I was floored. I thought: "Holy!! these sound beautiful !!).

I later picked up the Altec speaker plan book and built myself some home VOTTs, the Valenicia. I ordered Altec crossovers, 811Bs and drivers hooked them up and was sort of happy but the roll off was just too noticeable to be ignored. I then went down to the JBL dealer and ordered 077s and N7000s. When it all came together it was glorious! That was 1974.

I parted ways with the home made Valencia ++++s in 82 and missed them sorely. Around 99 or so I went into a pawn shop I used to check out now and then and saw a mint pair of Valenicas sitting there. Needless to say I had to have them. For $500 I figured they were a steal.

Now I'm back to adding 077s to them again lol.

Full circle.

Lar

[johnaec]

...418B JBL speakers I put into a cabinet... Errr...the 418B is an Altec speaker.

John

[JBLAddict]

Post#1

It was my first day of kindergarten, 1975, my father was supposed to pick me up but never showed. I sat in the playground, desperately crying for about an hour when he finally pulled up and I raced across the lot to the car. I did not know it at the time, but the two brown wooden boxes with funny orange foam squares on the front were the reason he was late, was picking up his L100A's

For the next 18 years our house had the sounds of Steely Dan, The Doobie Bros, Marshall Tucker, Deep Purple, Joe Walsh, Aerosmith, Eagles, Zeppelin, Jeff Beck, Men at Work, Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, Springstein, The Police, Bach, Mozart, John Cougar, U2, Iron Maiden, Metallica, and so on emanating gloriously from these, powered by a tubed Pioneer rcvr and BIC turntable. I knew essentially nothing about equipment other than the equipment my friends and their parents eventually purchased made the same music sound lifeless, dull, and they all wanted to come to my house to listen to our favorite bands at the time. When I was 23 working my first job out of college, he was going to give them to a cousin and I asked him to ship them to me in FL. He mentioned that it was the least he could do to make up for that day 18 years earlier, at which point I found out these were the reason I was left stranded ....I forgave him :D

Another 15 years later (33 total) I still have them running strong, now playing Dave Matthews, Collective Soul, Toad, John Mayer, Lifehouse, Blues Traveler, James Blunt, and even an occasional Steely Dan to hear something perfectly tuned on this system. About three years ago I was looking for some information on replacing a pushed in LE25 and came across this website, got hooked, and have been reading religiously ever since, but never had cause to post, until reading this thread. My sense of pride....and understanding, of why these seemed to always make music so more "real" than anything else I'd heard has grown immeasurably through following this community. With each month I consider an upgrade more strongly (Was eyeing a pair of 250Ti LE's 25miles from here on ebay last week for 3K), but feel compelled to stay loyal to JBL, though with small kids in a relatively small house the 100A's are still serving well enough to not push me to make a second leap. We'll see, maybe when the kids move on, I'll go after the TiK, a 250Ti, Performance Series......I'll keep reading and see if one or more of you can persuade me. :)

Thanks to all for sharing so much....

[Peter_Klim]

I chose based upon a review of L100t in Stereo Review magazine circa ~ 1986(?)

[readswift]

Im from digital generation, and the answer is...

-the simulated frequency response of 2235h

[bill8888]

Long and boring…

It seems that JBL and I chose each other. In 1958 when I was in kindergarten I was in the same class as Bill Thomas’ son Nikki. We went through elementary, junior high and high school together. In grade school years my friend and I would go to Nikki’s mansion in Los Feliz for play dates and Nikki would throw their dog in the pool for laughs (he was sort of a spoiled child and a little difficult to control). We didn’t know that Nikki’s father was the owner of JBL…we were just told that he had an “electronics” company. In 1977, I needed a job to pay rent. My girlfriend at the time worked as a cashier in a Hollywood carwash and met Arnold Wolf. Through that connection I got a job at JBL’s Sherman Way facility as a warehouse Packer…that is I put finished products in cartons for shipment. It was a crap job but I only did it for five months because I transferred to the engineering department in Northridge as a Junior Draftsman doing DCN (Document Change Notices). My junior role only lasted couple months because I was an engineering major in college so they quickly put me in new product design. The first products I worked on were the SG620 preamp, SA640 power amp, L220, L150, and the ferrite transducer changeover. Over the years I’ve worked on the Radiance series, L40, L50, L96, L112, L250, 4400 series, J series, biradial and constant coverage horns, Everest, K2, T series auto sound, and other products I can’t even remember. In 1985 I left JBL and along with seven of my former JBL engineering coworkers went down the road to Rocketdyne to work on rocket engines…and most of us are still here today. I still own JBL speakers (L300 and L100) and I’ve owned many others in the past (4333, 4315, L26, L40). I haven’t been back to JBL in 20 years but I still know many people that work there.

[oznob]

Great story Bill, more facinating than boring. I think it's great having former and current JBL employees on the Forum. It's one thing to guess about what was going on, it's another to get the real story from people who were there. I know I have gained a bunch of knowledge from Harvey "HI-FI" Gerst. Greg Timbers has also provided some great insight from time to time. I'm sure you will get some questions from other members so stand by! Great job with the L220 by the way. I had L222's for a time and they ROCKED! Take care and WELCOME!:applaud:

Mark

[jblfreeek]

After spending 6 months or so trying to buy the best speaker with my 2k budget, I finally decided (with help of this forum as well) to acquire the 250Ti.
I was looking for the classic 250Ti in teak color originally, then something wonderful happened and I am considering myself extremely lucky that I did find, not only a mint pair, but Jubilee version as well. :)
Words are not enough to describe the joy and fulfillment given by these.
They look stunning in piano finish as well.
This is the story of my main system.

For my own room, I wanted the impossible..the Yamaha NS-2000.
Almost extinct (in Europe), crazy expensive, devilishly handsome for me.
I searched for 2 full years.
After that, I got tired of searching and turned to my beloved sound of JBL and decided to try Century Gold.
And I did after 2 months of searching.
Once again JBL proved itself as an excellent choice, the sound is unbelievably good and these are very very serious speakers.
Century Gold turned out to be a perfect choice (and quite handsome too). :bouncy:

I did find "my sound" in the match of vintage Technics gear (not the plastic '90s stuff :bs:, but '80s all metal, bi-polar, built-like-a-tank ones) combined with highest quality JBL speakers.
They are feast to my ears. (and to my eyes)

If I would like to try something new, I may change my room system with Luxman M-05/C-05 coupled with Yamaha NS-2000 speakers after I'm firmly convinced that they are indeed a better combination in sound terms.

[alotawatts]

1969 - Me aprox.9th grade
Our next door neighbors /Father had Marantz gear and Lancer 77's. One of the kids had the radio/receiver on with the Stones - Honky Tonk Woman cranked up to a trouser flapping level. I'll never forget it. Years later I managed to get those speakers. One box was missing the original white/sand cones but I really wish I had never sold them. I like my 4311b's but those Lancer active and passive 10 inchers can really rattle the house.

[scorpio]

I always loved looking at the big JBL speakers in the hi-fi shops in the late 70's-early 80's, obviously couldn't afford. I also love reading about them in the hi-fi mags of the time.

'Bout 5 years ago, I had to replace my maggies, my cat jumped on one to catch a fly and ripped a tweeter, which I couldn't get replaced. I did not fleece the frigging animal, but it all turned good in the end.

Doing the rounds of the shops, I realized that I would have to spend a whole lot more money than I wanted to get a good sounding commercial pair of speakers brand new, so it was time to go the DIY way. I found some JBL components in my local shops and that's how it started, first (shot) 2425 and 136A, then found LE15A, LE85A etc, etc... Now I guess I'm hooked. Should I win the lottery, I could go for commercial speakers again, in the meantime I'll stick to my JBL based DIY experiments. DIY may not ultimately be the cheapest approach, when you account for all what you tested over the years, but it certainly allow for a wide range of reasonably affordable (continuous) improvement journey.

[AmericanPie]

I'm a newbie here but I spotted this thread and it seems like a logical place to start....

Chicago suburbs, circa 1973. I was 18 and purchasing my first real stereo system; I decided on a Sansui QRX-6500 4 channel receiver and a Thorens turntable. Then I went shopping for speakers (I know, I should have chosen the speakers FIRST) and visited a local high-end stereo shop. Although I was quite perplexed, the sales rep was polite and respectful. He was very enthusiastic about JBL and proceeded to play the Doobies' "China Grove" through a pair of L100s powered by a Mac amp with about 300 watts/channel. The bass they were putting out was amazing considering their size, and when he pulled off the L100 grills the woofers looked like they were bouncing back and forth about 2", without any distortion. I bought two on the spot. I had to wait another couple of months (read: get some more paychecks) before I could afford the other two.

I wasn't then - and still am not - an audiophile. However, I knew I had purchased some pretty "special" speakers when I noticed that other stereo stores often using L100s as a reference when hawking their own speakers...usually Advents, EPI's, etc. Those lesser speakers tended to sound good in the store setting, but I had friends who had bought them and were disappointed in the sound quality at home.

I still have my four L100s, as well as the Sansui and Thorens. I lived overseas for awhile and moved around a bit, keeping all this stuff in storage most of the time so they're all in mint shape (well, except for the nonexistent L100 grill foam :o: which I hope to take care of soon). I have no desire to own any other brand of speaker, but I'd love to add a nice pair of L200Bs, L250s, or L300s to my system.

To me, owning old JBLs is a little like owning a vintage Corvette or Ferrari. You know that there are many newer, more modern models available that will easily outperform it, but they just don't have that "character" you seek or can warm up to. JBLs are keepers. :banana:

[tube-it]

My fammily had allways been into audiophile gear, MY Father had large Advents and Rectilinear spakers that I loved at the Time. I also got into building speakers at a young age (around 15 years old) My first set was a pair of Klipsch Herasy copies wich got me into high efficiency speaker design.

My uncle who had always had big money audio gear moved away and no longer had room for his JBL olympus speakers. They were given to my father and we were both blown away by the sound and build quality of these monsters. The Olympus put my Heresy copies to shame They are now mine and the collection of JBLs and Altecs just continues to grow.

[jackz4000]

I was about 20 and working at an audio boutique and that was when I first heard the L100's which were a new product and I planned to get a pair as soon as I first heard them. I just loved the sound compared to most of the other speakers out there at the time. I really like the crisp and clean sound reproduction at high spl.

Things change. I am working at a large recording studio and all the rooms had the large JBL's in gray cabinets and these speakers were absolutely awesome, 43xx (?) series I suspect and dwarfed the L100's in sound, size and quality. At the time these were the best speakers I had ever listened to; although a bit too large for my home.

I still love the sound of JBL's today. I have 2 stereo set-ups one with a pair of 4311b's and the other with the L80T's and both systems are powered by Pioneer SX-1250's and for me the sound produced is just fine. Placement and room acoustics do of course make a difference.

[RIGGED]

Back in my club going days, I recall hearing some JBL PA located on the second floor dance area. They were pumping out some serious decibles sans distortion-I was hooked!
While my friends were out feeling their way around the club, I spent the rest of the evening enjoying jack/coke and sittin on a stool near JBL.



RIGGED

[invstbiker]

Well back in 1976, stationed Air Force in Germany, the base had an "audio club" not really a club more like a store. There were 3 choices for speakers.


1. Pioneer HPM 100
2. Bose 901's
3. JBL 100's

After listening to all 3 sets, I chose the JBL's 'caus my ears told me they sounded the best. That's my story, have never looked back.

[Mr. Widget]

Well back in 1976, stationed Air Force in Germany, the base had an "audio club" not really a club more like a store. There were 3 choices for speakers.


1. Pioneer HPM 100
2. Bose 901's
3. JBL 100's

After listening to all 3 sets, I chose the JBL's 'caus my ears told me they sounded the best. That's my story, have never looked back.You must have been at a pretty small post... I remember visiting a cousin who was stationed in Germany and walking into an "Audio Club" about that time and feeling like I was back home at a Pacific Stereo... except the prices were better.;)


Widget

[invstbiker]

You must have been at a pretty small post... I remember visiting a cousin who was stationed in Germany and walking into an "Audio Club" about that time and feeling like I was back home at a Pacific Stereo... except the prices were better.;)


Widget

HAHN Air Base to be specific, Now HAHN regional airport.

[BJL]

What a great website you've got here!
I've just made a donation I hope will cover all the site's bandwidth I've consumed over the past month of voracious reading.

I got hooked on the JBL sound twenty-four years ago when my college roommate brought his L50s into our dorm. I'd never heard music sound like that before. I knew then I'd like to own a pair someday, but never really pursued the dream.

Until recently. About a month ago I picked up a pair of Decade 36 with LE25-4 and "A" serial numbers. I guess that makes them L36A. The MF cones aren't the same shade of black, but they're both LE5-6.
They sound nice--miles ahead of the speakers I've been enduring in the intervening years, yet somehow the bass response isn't quite what I seem to recall.

In DIY I saw a closeup picture of R.Cobb's foam surround for 125A, and I noticed my foam is much thicker and probably way too stiff. So I've ordered his kit. I hope that solves my problem, although I can't forget Greg Timbers' statement about 125A "only had to see an amplifier in the room and they got really nervous." Maybe they need re-gaussed. I read about a guy in Oklahoma....

Or maybe I should save my money for the inevitable next pair of JBL. Maybe try something with a 3" coil. 4313B is probably out of my budget. L96 perhaps?

Anyway, I'm glad I found this place to rekindle my old love affair.

[Ken Andrew]

Here is a typical 1970’s experience:

You enter the premises and stare at the stock. It’s bookshelf ALTEC and JBL speakers; the cream of affordable US made amplifiers (Marantz, HK); some almost hidden Japanese electronics; and classical English speakers. The owner asks you not to brush against the ‘counter’. You then realize the counter is a grey 4350 cabinet turned backwards. The owner comments about this being a real ‘bookshelf sized’ speaker. You ask who would buy a grey colored speaker. He says they are going to spray it white for a special order. Customer modifications and home installations are their specialty.

You mention an interest in JBL and follow him into the Sound Room. A passion for JBL is apparent by the range of sizes from big to small and color choices. In the top spot is another 4350 pair. The grills are removed for to you salivate at the wall of drivers. Questions follow about room size. You can’t do much about the room (always too small) and you toe in the boxes for the closer listening distances. Then comes a pitch about being ‘professional’ quality with local installation, home tuning, and service.

You notice enough equipment racks for a telephone exchange. He says these speakers justify an excellent front end and that US speakers sound best with US amps. I think they were using HK Citation with the power level LEDS in a row. The stereo amps were bridged mono (200W ?) with a rats nest of cables, connectors, and switch boxes. This hardware was going to cost about as much as the speakers. Lower power amps would do when budget is a problem. The golden rule was don’t compromise on the speakers. Buy them first and work backwards.

The source was a Linn on its own shelf bolted to the brick wall. The lid was permanently removed because the draft rocked it like a sail. The recommendation was for a concrete filled pipe passing through the floor and sunk into the soil. The shop could do this for you.

The owner asks about your favorites. On comes Deep Purple and Supertramp. The speakers sound harsh and bright at ‘background’ listening levels, probably because the room is too small. The amp LEDs are on low range and you can see an occasional blink (.01W ?). A twirl of the volume knob convinces you that all the amps and speakers are working. At ‘loud’ volumes, the LEDs flash rows of pretty colours (1 W ?) and the speakers are sounding more balanced. The bass drivers are actually starting to move (ie vibrate). The sound is open and dynamic. These speakers are not straining to produce great sound. After 3 or 4 tracks you are convinced that these speakers really special. Good enough for any home. The sell is that you use the dynamic range to focus in on a particular sound within the track.

Now comes Dark side of the Moon. You attention is drawn to this being an imported limited edition pressing which the shop also sells. The amp LEDS are switched to full scale and selections played. You see the four15 inch bass drivers pumping. You feel the draft from the ports. It sounds absolutely superb and so effortless. The amp LEDs show 5-40W bursts and the owner gives a spiel about headroom and power handling (200W+). You experience the bass notes move along your ear canal. The owner identifies extraneous noise from cables flapping inside the stud walls, plaster cracks, and where the ceiling fell during a previous demonstration. More volume is applied to offset hearing fatigue. The quality is still superb but it feels like a garden hose is stuck in your ear with the water pushing against the drum in time to the music. You remember reading the warning in the brochure about permanent deafness and so enough for now.

After a thank you for the education and with mumblings about needing to save more money you exit.

Your hearing returns to normal two hours later. The shop: Insound Crows Nest NSW Australia (still JBL agents). How could someone resist ?

[Charlie4350]

That took some work and very intertaining. Appreciated. Might be just a touch a truth as well :)

[Mr. Widget]

Ah, to be 17 again... :D


Widget

[alpina]

I not to explain it ... they have his beauty.

[pdemondo]

I was stationed at a radar repair site right out side of Baumholder Germany.

I bought a Pioneer SPEC 1 and SPEC 2 from a friend in my unit. I needed
speakers to go with them.

I went to the Sight and Sound store in Baumholder Germany.
It was a military store (run by AAFES) on post.

There were many loudspeakers to choose from. After a lot
of listening, I narrowed it down to the JBL L100T or the Polk SDA SRS.
The JBLs won out.

I bought an ADC CD100X CD player and some CDs and was up and running. CDs were fairly new so I had to mail order the CD player.
There was a pretty good CD shop, however, right by the post.

My most enjoyable experience was putting in a brand new CD,
not hearing anything, turing the volume up and then BAMMMM a
drum hit LOUD! THe power amp was pegged but wow the speakers
played clear and hit hard and fast.

These were my first step up from the junk speakers that come with
Fisher-type systems. I had no idea before then how much better
good speakers sounded, (compared to department store junk).

I still have those up and running in my son's room. I have replaced
the L100Ts with 250TIs in my stereo room.

[greyhound]

well because its a brand thats down to earth, building quality is good (not as good as the older stuff offcourse)they still use big woofers.

and who doesnt like a big woofer :D

no hocus pocus mambo jambo materials that will do wonders.
everything they claim is meassurable.

and nothing wrong with a company that has a history.

in the end ...i choose it because im a metalhead en no brand comes closer to the marshall,fender,lesPaul sound as JBL

followed by Tannoy, klipsch and cabasse

[jan_slagman]

Wayback in 1968 i built my own loudspeakersystem consisting out of a pair of 10" Goodmans extended range units and a pair of conventional Philips paper cones for the high frequencies. I crossed the speakers with only 4,7 uF capacitors and i believe the crossover point was at 3500 Hz.
My amplifier was a Danish 2 x 10 Watt Arena design, manufactured by Hede Nielsen A/S in Horssens. Later on the factory was damaged by fire. My turntable was a Perpetuum Ebner from the Black Forest region in Germany (PE34) suited with an Empire cartridge. Well, it sounded very nice to my ears and i was completely satisfied with that system, till...................one day.

Some guy i vagely knew came along for something i can't recall and i showed him my hifi equipment. Listening to the reproduced sound he stated: "Well Jan, not that bad, but it can't be compared to the system of a friend of mine !". At that moment i felt if i had been stitched by a wasp, but my curiosity won from my hurt feelings.
I asked him to introduce me to that friend and one Saturday the both of us went to his friend's house.

My Goodness, entering the livingroom i saw a pair of huge cabinets (JBL Baron with D130 and 075 - enclosure C38), a soft glowing tube amplifier and a massive Thorens TD-124 MKII turntable with a Ortofon moving coil cartridge.
The owner of that equipment who became my friend till his death played Lorilee, a David Gates song, at that memorable moment.
Holy Moly, the sound was breathtaking and i was totally gobsmacked and it blew away all my opinions about sound reproduction. A new standard had been created. From that moment on i suffered from the JBL disease and I was often at my (new) friend's place. Together we also listened to the Paragon at a High End Exhibition in Germany.

Unfortunately American products were very expensive at that time (1 US$ was Dutch 3,65 Guilders).
After having had several loudspeakersysems such as, Dynaco A25X, Cambridge Audio TL200, Infinty Quantum2, Cabasse Galliote, i always kept thinking about JBL and i finally bought my first pair of JBL4312A Control Monitors in 2005, followed by a pair of JBL Control Ones and a pair of JBL L110's. The JBL L110's have been restored a few weeks ago.

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=21629

I also acquired a JBL SA -600 integrated amplifier from 1966 and a the restoration can be seen on:

http://www.hififorum.nl/index.php?topic=10420.0

Well, i am very glad to have different kind of JBL equipment in my collection, but i have noticed it has become a kind of addiction and i can't stop searching on Ebay. Who knows what comes across next time ?

Kind regards,

Jan Slagman
The Netherlands

[macaroonie]

Good story and I know what you mean. I think you need to search for 4315's
-- Mac

[jan_slagman]

Good story and I know what you mean. I think you need to search for 4315's
-- Mac

Hi Macaroonie,

Thanks for thr information. I really will think about that suggestion !

Kind regards,

Jan Slagman
The Netherlands

[A9X]

I find it very interesting how people like myself get obsessed with a special brand. I know I'm not the only one here who thinks there is something special about JBL. It would be nice to hear some stories from our forum members why You chose JBL or got hooked or what ever You want to call it!I've never been a real fan of specific brands, but I do like a lot of JBL product.
I first heard a JBL speaker in a store (now closed) in York St, Sydney in the early 80's when I was wagging school for the day. It has stuck in my memory. I don't recall the model, but I think L100 as it had a coloured foam grille.

When I got back into DIY-ing gear, I got some KHorns and fell in love with high efficiency. As I modified these to remove some of their limitations (all non-invasive/reversible) I found a great source of second hand JBL drivers locally. I've since used, owned and still own a lot of drivers. One of my current projects involved a WMTMW with 2225 and 2123 and a B&C DE250.

Great drivers, very expensive new over here, but if you know where to look, they can be found in good condition at decent prices.

[Tweak48]

I find it very interesting how people like myself get obsessed with a special brand. I know I'm not the only one here who thinks there is something special about JBL. It would be nice to hear some stories from our forum members why You chose JBL or got hooked or what ever You want to call it!

Dynamic range. Headroom. Low distortion. Always has been among the most important characteristics of high quality audio to me.

I grew up listening to Lansing Iconics at home. Stephens TruSonics at Grand dads (below).

You get used to that, and it's hard to stray too far (second photo).

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/tweak48/IMGP0071.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/tweak48/DSC_0160.jpg

[Akira]

When I was 18 and trying to put my first studio together, there wasn't much choice in smaller format speakers. The little basement studio was yet to be invented.
I had a detailed list of all of the gear I wanted but, knew little about the two most important items in the chain--what captures the sound and what reproduces the sound...mics and monitors. The salesman was so adament that I take a pair of L100's that he was willing to forgo any commission on the speakers, just so long as I took home the JBL's. My world was changed that day and I still have that original pair (modified) today. They are the only things that have lasted 33 years...now that's quality!
pics: first studio 1975/ and today (mobile system)

[cosmos]

Titanium Dome,
I just picked-up this Paragon a month ago or so from my wife's Uncle. It my be the first one in Maumee. My Brother-in-law picked-up his other Paragon but may not use it due to room size. If I can get this one I bet I'll have the only Paragon stack around.
Maumee class of 1985.

Hi Smiley,

Another local JBL fan! I knew there were at least two Paragons sold in the area at one time. If you ever have the inclination to host a local get together.. I am sure there's at least a few of us local fellas that would love to give it a listen. It's been over 30 years since I heard one...

[jcrobso]

I had been taking guitar lessons for about a year when Fender started putting JBL speakers in there amps. My teacher got one of them and the sound was incredible. Also my dad drove me down to Allied Radio's main store on Western ave. in Chicago. We went into the Hi-Fi rooms and low and behold there were JBL Speakers! I wanted to stay all day and just listen, I was hooked! John:D

[Titanium Dome]

Hi Smiley,

Another local JBL fan! I knew there were at least two Paragons sold in the area at one time. If you ever have the inclination to host a local get together.. I am sure there's at least a few of us local fellas that would love to give it a listen. It's been over 30 years since I heard one...

If you do this, I hope it's when I'm back visiting my mom.

[robertbartsch]

My first exposures to dynamic accurate loudspeakers were in the late 1960s at live concerts which were powered with Altec bass horns, Altec compression drivers and Altec multicell horns. These were bi-amped typically with Crown DC 300s.

Big Altecs were also used in most movie houses.

Anyway, in the early 1970s, I heard several JBL L100s at local audio stores. I was amazed at how effecient and accurate these were and after that I knew I wanted a pair of quality speakers.

From that point forward, I research the Lansing history and products and collected EVERY brochure from Altec and JBL that were collected from stereo stores and I memorizing all the impressive statistics!

Anyway, for the next several months I saved some serious coins working in restaurants. I remember receiving a catalog from Heathkit that had Altec VOTT systems with 15 inch woofers, compression drivers and 511 horns. The speakers required assembly of the crossovers, installation of the drivers into the furniture grade cabinets, installing the installation, etc.

The price in 1973 was $745 for the pair! Back then, that was BIG money.

Anyway, I was 17 and spent all the dough I saved to buy a pair of the big Altecs. For the next 30 years, I enjoyed these very much. In 1975, I added a pair of JBL 077 slots ($300) and JBL crossovers ($220) to the big Altecs to supplement their UHF.

I've always liked Altecs even when compared to the big JBLs like the L300. To me, the JBLs are more accurate hands down - but the Altecs hold the edge in effeciency and dynamic range. Over the years, I used several moderate sized SS amps powering these speakers (e.g., Marantz 80 WPC was one favorite) and I never was able to feed them more than 20 watts or so of power without blowing the roof off.

Today, I own several pairs of large JBLs and big amps but I still miss the old Altecs which I sold in 2002.