L-100A vs L-166

[Gregory Earl]

Hello all:). My first post here.

I've spent a lot of time listening to the L-166's at a friends house for many years. Great speaker IMO. I've heard many good things about the L-100. A matter of fact I've read so many good things about it that I just bought a pair. L-100A's to be exact.

My question is this.

What will I hear different from the 100's compared to what I've been hearing from the 166's over the years?

[4313B]

What will I hear different from the 100's compared to what I've been hearing from the 166's over the years?

You tell us what you hear.

[SEAWOLF97]

What will I hear different from the 100's compared to what I've been hearing from the 166's over the years?

boomey bass ?

I have both, prefer the L166
and generally the L100's sell for MORE.

[SMKSoundPro]

Weird spike at around 8K with nothing on upto 20k.

I have had both. 166 Horizon is much more musical IMHO.

[Mr. Widget]

Hello all:). My first post here.Welcome to the Forum!

Many of us trash the L100s and others find them to be near perfection. I wouldn't sweat it.

I own a pair and do enjoy them in a mid to near field listening situation at ear height up off the floor. In larger rooms with them over 6-10 feet away I don't much care for them. Oddly, they were originally designed as a mid to near field monitor.:D

I would agree with the couple of other posters here that the L166 is a more accurate and musical loudspeaker... and many newer JBLs are even better still. Do not assume just because a speaker is popular or expensive that it will please you more however.


Widget

[Rolf]

I love the L-100. Have heard the 166, but the "unnatural" sound of the L100 is my choice.:)

[Zilch]

L100: Fake, but also FUN! :rockon1:

[Titanium Dome]

L100 is a near-perfect small room (think: dorm room) speaker, if, as Widget recommends, you get them up off the floor, and if you want vintage JBL early 70s sound. Bigger room? Not so good.

The L166 is a better speaker in most respects, but I don't really like it as much. Perhaps it's important to disclose the fact that my first pair of JBLs ever was a brand new set of L100 Century speakers (with the in line drivers) and I still have them to this day.

[Fangio]

How about performing an A/B at your friends place.

I did this once with my Horizons (vs. L100). Blind test or not, IMO the result was predictable – he added L166's to his collection. :)

[4313B]

How about performing an A/B at your friends place.Yeah, asking a bunch of people what they think beforehand is probably a good way to make sure one has preconceptions.

[hosee]

I remember that the L-100 was the standard of reference which other similar sized speakers were compared in publications at the time (i.e. Stereo Review, etc). The writers felt that the L-100 was very accurate speaker.

[Fred Sanford]

I remember that the L-100 was the standard of reference which other similar sized speakers were compared in publications at the time (i.e. Stereo Review, etc). The writers felt that the L-100 was very accurate speaker.

That's true. And then, science & technology marched on, and other speakers came out- lots of 'em.

I honestly keep trying to like my L100s, and...I keep trying. They're OK. I think others are better.

je

[Akira]

I really like the inline early L100's. I think that one reason they sound so good on 70's rock is a lot of material was mixed on 4310's. There are certain albums that the box seems to be uniquely made for...Carly Simon's 'No Secrets' and 'Who's Next' 'Yellow Brick Road'
Off the floor they used the big boys, but in a down mix near fields were standard practice even back then and 4310's ruled the day.

[4313B]

I think that one reason they sound so good on 70's rock is a lot of material was mixed on 4310's.BINGO! You win! :yes:

[Gregory Earl]

I remember that the L-100 was the standard of reference which other similar sized speakers were compared in publications at the time (i.e. Stereo Review, etc). The writers felt that the L-100 was very accurate speaker.



I really like the inline early L100's. I think that one reason they sound so good on 70's rock is a lot of material was mixed on 4310's. There are certain albums that the box seems to be uniquely made for...Carly Simon's 'No Secrets' and 'Who's Next' 'Yellow Brick Road'
Off the floor they used the big boys, but in a down mix near fields were standard practice even back then and 4310's ruled the day.

That's exactly the reason I want to have these speakers in my repertoire. And since I'm a child of the 70's you can see what I'm going for here.
I can totally see the whole "small room is better opinion" with these speakers also.

Thanks for the replies and all opinions gentlemen. I'll post on what I hear a few days from now after I've received them and have spent some quality time getting to know them.

[3dbdown]

The absolute best speaker you can own, is the one that sounds absolutely the best to you.

Matter of fact, I have several sets, all sound different, and they all sound absolutely the best to me !!

[Titanium Dome]

The absolute best speaker you can own, is the one that sounds absolutely the best to you.

Matter of fact, I have several sets, all sound different, and they all sound absolutely the best to me !!

I agree, except I can't afford every speaker that I think is the best. :baby:

[3dbdown]

Yeah, no kiddin' !!

I'm still looking for 250ti's, 4350's and Everest II's with my name on them!

They're all bound to be the best I ever heard......

[Doc Mark]

The absolute best speaker you can own, is the one that sounds absolutely the best to you.

Matter of fact, I have several sets, all sound different, and they all sound absolutely the best to me !!

Hey, 3dbdown,

I like the way you're thinking, and couldn't agree more!! Great way to look at it, and so very true, too! Well said! :applaud::applaud: Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc (and his beloved L300's)!!!

[Gino]

Gregory Earl,
My situation is the exact opposite of yours. I've had L100a's for the past 30 years and bought a pair of L166's a year ago. I bought the L166's based on a listening experience I had with the 30 years earlier at Leisure World in Baraboo Wisconsin. Until the 166's arrived, I hadn't even seen a pair of L166's in as many years, but they were worth the wait. I keep them stacked with the L100's on top. As much as I have loved the L100's over the years, I really couldn't say I like one pair better than the other. The L100's have a more pronounced midrange than the L166's, but the L166's just seem more smooth neutral overall. Taste is subjective and opinions vary, but I truly enjoy them both and switch back and forth regularly. I don't plan on ever parting with either pair. Enjoy your "new" speakers. Gino

[Mr. Widget]

The L100's have a more pronounced midrange than the L166's, but the L166's just seem more smooth neutral overall.:yes:


...but I truly enjoy them both and switch back and forth regularly. I don't plan on ever parting with either pair.Cool!


Widget

[boputnam]

I have both, prefer the L166...Yessir, especially if it has had the 128H swapped-in. Yummy... :bouncy:

[Fangio]

Yessir, especially if it has had the 128H swapped-in. Yummy... :bouncy:

I did try this once, last summer..

Not the best pic (http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj35/MacFangio/jblnews/DSC09258cc.jpg) but the only one I have. Alas, I had to let those 128H's go again, with the L112's they belonged to.

Wouldn't mind to find a pair separately.

[Gregory Earl]

I've been listening to them for a week now. First impressions I'm sad to say were disappointing. I was depressed. Highs and midrange were not what I remembered from the 166's. I played with the presence and brilliance controls to no avail. My biggest disappointment was the bass. That big classic JBL bass I had heard at my friends house just was not there. What's the problem I thought?

So I pondered on it the other night while listening to a Joe Walsh record. And then it hit me. My buddy was pushing his Horizon's with an Onkyo Integra 504. That's 165 watts per side. I was pushing these with an old Onkyo A8017 rated at 75 watts per channel.

So I hooked the L100's up to a Conrad Johnson 2200 that I just recently received. That's 200 per side. The punch I was missing?

HELLO! The bass was improved drastically. Not low down 20Hz deep bass, but hard thumping bass. Mids and highs had more separation and was clearer. Now that's the JBL sound I remember.

Though I do agree with those who say the 166 is a better over all speaker (I'm guessing it's due to the crossover and tweeter) the L100's certainly are not far behind. They just yearn what they were created for. In the right size room (smaller) and with the right amp, the Century certainly from what I can hear, has rightly earned it's legendary reputation.

To fill in the blank, I used a CJ PV-11 for the front end....tube magic. So it certainly was a night and day experience after spending a few days with the A8017.

[Titanium Dome]

Though I do agree with those who say the 166 is a better over all speaker (I'm guessing it's due to the crossover and tweeter) the L100's certainly are not far behind. They just yearn what they were created for. In the right size room (smaller) and with the right amp, the Century certainly from what I can hear, has rightly earned it's legendary reputation.


I agree. So many detractors of certain speakers put them in the wrong room, in the wrong place in the room, and with the wrong power source, then write how crappy the speakers are.

[VOTT]

"We take great care with our recordings to provide all the musical subtleties which permit the fullest expression of the artist. We use JBL components as the reference source for mixing our master tapes because they offer the greatest articulation of sound. They tell us better than any other loudspeaker exactly what is on the master tape."

Lee Herschberg, Director of Recording and Engineering, Warner Bros. Records.

That is from the back of a "Superecord" vinyl. So that may be from the mid seventies, but that is quite a statement. A lot has changed since then, like I wonder if many studios are still mixing with JBL professional series speakers since JBL domestic no longer mirrors their pro counterpart.