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View Full Version : L19's are....GREAT!



Doc Mark
09-30-2008, 10:52 PM
Greetings, Friends,

Well, those old L19's I got from FleaBay a while back, are being put to use, now. For a while I have been listening to them in our work studio, and am very impressed by what I hear from them! The sort of remind me of my L300's, in character, interestingly enough. I'm powering them with a cheap-O Radio Shack receiver/cassette player, SCR2500, which surely doesn't have too much power. But, the depth of character of those L19's is flat-out amazing me! :blink::applaud::D Their bass response is VERY good, and overall, I'm just extremely happy with them, in spite of the fact that someone refoamed them with the foam on the wrong size! ;)

How many of you have L19's, and what are your thoughts on them, please? Thanks, very much, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

Regis
10-01-2008, 02:15 PM
The smaller vintage JBL speakers, put out the same great quality sound, just not as much power or as deep as their bigger brethren. I enjoy the 4310's and the L-110's in the house too.

Doc Mark
10-01-2008, 06:56 PM
Hey, Regis,

Thanks for the shout back! Grumpy, I believe, told me pretty much the same thing, a while back, and darned if both of you guys aren't right on the money! :applaud:;):D

I really do like the L19's, and once I get a set of medium sized monitors, then I'll pretty much be set, I think. I may have a pair of those coming soon, but won't know for a bit, yet.

How are you enjoying your new setup? I'll get it's a killer! I'm still in lust with the L300's, and it's really satisfying to finally own a pair, after all these years of wanting them! Thanks, again!

Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

shaansloan
10-02-2008, 06:33 PM
I really do like the L19's, and once I get a set of medium sized monitors, then I'll pretty much be set, I think. I may have a pair of those coming soon, but won't know for a bit, yet.

Doc

I picked up a set of L16's and L19 Decades a while back......they are really nice little speakers....they do have a big speaker character of sound....just superb for a bookshelf.....

I was just trying them out and I would sell them to a forum member for what I have into them...if someone wants a pair or two.....all (4) have been refoamed..... cabs are in 8-9/10 condition.....

L19's - $100
L16's - $75

Shaan

Doc Mark
10-02-2008, 07:48 PM
Hey, Shaan,

How about some photos of the goods? Thanks! Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

shaansloan
10-02-2008, 09:32 PM
Hey, Shaan,

How about some photos of the goods? Thanks! Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

Yes sir.....I'll try to get um tomorrow....

Shaan

doyall
10-03-2008, 02:05 PM
Put you a 12" sub with it (I play a E250P with mine) and you should be extremely pleased.

shaansloan
10-03-2008, 08:39 PM
Hey, Shaan,

How about some photos of the goods? Thanks! Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

As requested brotha......

shaansloan
10-03-2008, 08:43 PM
Hey, Shaan,

How about some photos of the goods? Thanks! Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

Couple more.....

The grills are in fine condition.....sonically very good.....no major dings or blemishes....

Go to the Marketplace forum to see the L16's.....

Doc Mark
10-03-2008, 08:47 PM
Hey, Shaan,

Thanks for the pics! The cabinets look very nice, indeed. Did you do the refoam, yourself? If I didn't already have a pair, and if I were closer to you, I'd certainly consider your's. Best of luck in selling them, and to whomever might be thinking about jumping in on these, I can highly recommend them! Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

shaansloan
10-03-2008, 09:08 PM
Hey, Shaan,

Thanks for the pics! The cabinets look very nice, indeed. Did you do the refoam, yourself? Doc

Hey Doc,

No sir....I bought them locally and the seller told they had been refoamed and obviously have been.....

if you look close you can see they were a bit sloppy with the glue, but it surely hasnt affected the sound....

They really sound nice.....JBL sweetness....! :D

Sky
12-05-2008, 12:39 AM
I discovered L19s in 1978 as an audio sales consultant. Our demo room had a lineup of 2-way bookshelf speakers of good quality - e.g. Advent, AR, ADS, Bose, JBL. When I A/B'd the L19 against any other product it sounded like a veil had been lifted. Clarity, depth and an extra octave of bass.

Needless to say, I took a pair home and used them for several years for general listening and recording. My only complaint was so-so imaging as the L19 was not shipped in stereo pairs. A few years later I downsized to the 4406 which I still use today.

Seeing your L19 photos brings back some fine memories of a great speaker.

Sky

Tony
12-05-2008, 01:13 AM
I had, indeed still have, a pair of L19's from 1983 which were in use until early last year when I quickly progressed through Century Gold's (another excellent model) onto my current 4430's.

The L19 is a fantastic speaker whose performance punches well above its perceived weight. Sometime in the mid-90's I thought I would upgrade and had a number of exotic speaker pairs brought in for audition. At my last home (in the UK) the room acoustics seemed to particularly favour the L19 because out of four speakers auditioned the only pair that really excelled and tempted were the Impulse H2 at a then hefty £3,000+ a pair. We stuck then with the L19's but today with our current 4430's we are not a million miles away :).

ratitifb
12-05-2008, 01:40 AM
i bought my 4301B pair new in 1982 in Paris, reconed one time by JBL (due to over X damage :blink: on 116H following by VC failure ...), and they are now as new in their original JBL boxes, well protected against UV ... I never forget to rotate each cabinet by 180° each six months. Sometimes i open the boxes just to see and smell them. They are the smallest great sounding speakers that i have heard. In near field hearing conditions you can imagine separately each acoustical instrument.
Very impressive speakers :p

jblman
01-25-2009, 11:16 PM
Just curious if you still have the L19's? I curently have a set and might be looking for another set. Let me know.
Thanks!



I picked up a set of L16's and L19 Decades a while back......they are really nice little speakers....they do have a big speaker character of sound....just superb for a bookshelf.....

I was just trying them out and I would sell them to a forum member for what I have into them...if someone wants a pair or two.....all (4) have been refoamed..... cabs are in 8-9/10 condition.....

L19's - $100
L16's - $75

Shaan

cary
04-10-2009, 11:09 PM
I have owned a pair of L19's for about seven years. I recapped the crossover, changed the input jacks to gold five ways, and upgraded the internal wires. It is one of my favorite speakers, great mid range, good bass, and nice highs. I am presently powering them with a Bottlehead SEX amp (2 watts).

JANDG
04-11-2009, 05:14 AM
I heard L-19's @ small AK event not long ago. I must say I thought they were the best sounding small speaker demo. Up stream gear was vintage Marantz & such, but I tell ya there was some decent speakers bieng demoed & lotsa Altec & JBL. These stood in the small ish class of speaker. Never would have thought.
Joe

4313B
04-11-2009, 05:50 AM
Never would have thought.Classic example of loudspeaker performance that substantially exceeds the sum of its parts. Fantastic little loudspeaker system that stands the test of time.

cary
04-11-2009, 08:18 AM
Last year in Sacramento at an AK event I presented my L19's and Bottlehead SEX amp. I received many complements on the quality of sound and many were surprised that the L19's were powered with only 2 watts. In fact one of the door prizes were a pair of L19's. Several friends who have heard them also are amazed how well they sound. The L19 is a very nice sounding speaker in a medium size package and low cost.

MyLittleViking
04-11-2009, 11:52 AM
Owned these speakers for a short while until passing them onto my sister... I must say that amoungst vintage JBL, including the coveted L100, they were the most balanced and offered the best bang for the buck for such a compact system. Sounded 2x as large as they were... with a quality subwoofer, you could have a true top-end speaker system for well under $1k.. and as they stand, the bass output is adequate for a small room... perhaps the world's best bedroom speaker!