L100?

[KT88Lover]

Just picked up a very nice pair this morning. Standard issues; grille foam long gone and tweeter foam badly deteriorating. 12"'s white cones are immaculate! Very dry veneer, but taking care of that problem is a pleasure. Walnut frames in excellent shape. Wiped them down, worked the pads and ran some test tones. Listening now, beautiful :bouncy:, can't decide if I like them better than my L96s or not. Not nearly as detailed (first impression, I haven't heard a pair of these in 25 years) but very smooth and musical.

My question is: who supplies the best replacement tweeter foam rings?

Thanks a million,
Jim

[BMWCCA]

My question is: who supplies the best replacement tweeter foam rings?JBL Pro. When I ordered some for my L26 they were out of stock on the L100 part but expected more soon. Seems people buy them from JBL than jack up the price and sell them on Ebay. Imagine that! ;)

Give JBL-Pro (http://www.jblproservice.com/parts.html) a call. Part numbers are available by a search or if you can trust this guy: http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=209777&postcount=6

[KT88Lover]

JBL Pro. When I ordered some for my L26 they were out of stock on the L100 part but expected more soon. Seems people buy them from JBL than jack up the price and sell them on Ebay. Imagine that! ;)

Give JBL-Pro (http://www.jblproservice.com/parts.html) a call. Part numbers are available by a search or if you can trust this guy: http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=209777&postcount=6


Thank you much!

This is the 5th pair of JBLs that I've brought home in the same number of years, all of which are from a different era or decade, and all of which are still here. They're all different sound wise, very different, yet I can clearly hear a family sound philosophy at work and running through them all. I've also had more than a few pairs from other makers, including that "East Coast" icon. Sold my last "other maker" pair last weekend (the OTHER southern California "used to be" icon).

Anyway, point is, DAMN these things all sound good and make it very hard to pick, as I don't have a room to accommodate a set up for them all. I am not physically able any more to be constantly swapping thing around either.

These L100s are amazing for a 35 years old loudspeaker with a paper tweeter. I recognize them for what they are, yet still I'm floored, and as I mentioned I also own a pair of MUCH loved L96s. I know already the 96s give me more, assessable information, but still, amazing from so small and "dated" a box.

I have NO regrets getting rid of my acoustically suspended fart pump collection; the ones with the bees on top (and in your ears)! ;)

Icing on the cake? If the asking price had been any lower they would have been free. I've had a run of unhappy luck as of late and these were a wonderful distraction to just fall in my lap. :bouncy:

Thank you guys, for being here,
Jim

[KT88Lover]

Isn't there an article here, somewhere, on the L100 and it's evolution?

I've found and read the one in "Profiles" but for some reason I think I saw one that went into even more detail, like various production changes etc.

Also wondering how can I determine the year these were made? They are the ones you see more often with the staggered drivers, not the vertical array.

They sound wonderful.

Jim

[KT88Lover]

The ones I just purchased look like #2 from the left, L100A:
http://audioheritage.org/html/profiles/jbl/l100.htm

My foilcals simply says "L100". "JBL" logo is in an orange square.

I have determined from reading here that they are L100As, but are they early/late?

I'd like to narrow it down to at least a year.

Thank you,
Jim

[Rusnzha]

If the woofer wires are at 0, 90, 180 or 270 degrees, they have the 123A-1 woofer which was used in the first 2 versions. If they are at 45, 135, 225, or 315 degrees, they have the 123A-3 woofer which was the last version of the L100.

[KT88Lover]

If the woofer wires are at 0, 90, 180 or 270 degrees, they have the 123A-1 woofer which was used in the first 2 versions. If they are at 45, 135, 225, or 315 degrees, they have the 123A-3 woofer which was the last version of the L100.

Thank you. Mine are at 135.

Jim

[pierce]

also look at the crossover. a L100A just has two capacitors, in series with the mid and tweeter. a L100 Century original has a choke and a resistor for the mid and the tweeter in addition to said caps.

the original L100 had the LE20-1 tweeter, while both A versions had the LE25 tweeter. As another poster said, early A version had the -1 woofer, later A version had the -3 woofer with a slightly wider gap

this data and more can be mined from the data sheets here
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=10661

[KT88Lover]

Thank you. It's interesting they all list the same grille, "G100 - Cloth".

Universal replacements for long after the foam days? I'd love to see one of those.

I've started making a pair of inserts for mine, (I have the Walnut trimmed frames, just not the foam). I'm going with cloth as I was never a big fan of the foam ones even back in the day. I have designed a simple insert for the frame which will allow the easy swapping in of foam if I ever have a change of heart. I have designed the insert so that it protrudes roughly 1/4" inch beyond the top edge of the Walnut.

The homemade inserts that came with this pair were terrible. "AR" style construction with some ugly ass off white cloth and LOTS and LOTS of glue. The original owner also got even more creative on one, and it's "install" included little nuts and bolts, as well as subsequent marks on an otherwise unblemished front baffle. Guess he got lazy half way through and just opted for glue on the other. Hoping my approach will prove a bit more convincing as O.E. to anyone other than those in the know.

Regards,
Jim

[Bones]

Looking for:

L100 CENTURY (http://manuals.harman.com/JBL/HOM/Technical%20Sheet/L100%20CENTURY%20ts.pdf)
L100A LATE (http://manuals.harman.com/JBL/HOM/Technical%20Sheet/L100A%20LATE%20ts.pdf)
L100A (http://manuals.harman.com/JBL/HOM/Technical%20Sheet/L100A%20ts.pdf)


also look at the crossover. a L100A just has two capacitors, in series with the mid and tweeter. a L100 Century original has a choke and a resistor for the mid and the tweeter in addition to said caps.

the original L100 had the LE20-1 tweeter, while both A versions had the LE25 tweeter. As another poster said, early A version had the -1 woofer, later A version had the -3 woofer with a slightly wider gap

this data and more can be mined from the data sheets here
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=10661

[Bones]

Hi
Mine can be seeen in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SIP1Wt2GUc
It appears that the drivers 12" drivers have the terminals at 45 degrees which acccording to the quote means that they are 123A-3 woofers (correct?). The crux of the matter: There is a set of very good 123A-1 drivers for sale here in Victoria, BC and I was wondering if they are completely interchangeable without any depreciable loss in sound quality. I am assuming it would be best to replace both to have the same drivers. Mine are in very good shape with the exception of one small soft spot that was repaired by the previous owner (who fully disclosed this) with a superglue or resin that has a slight colour blotch on the outside edge of the driver. It appears to be the same stiffness as the surrounding material now. You can see it in a close-up in the youtube video (left speaker). Acoustically it sounds fine but I am trying to get them up to snuff cosmetically. I could then sell my drivers on ebay or locally (singly or as a pair). The local guy here will only sell his as a pair as well. I am really loving the sound of these speakers and will be hanging on to them for a long time to come. Have already ordered the Quadrex Ultra Blue Foam inserts with metal labels as well as the foam rings to replace the rotted ones around the tweeters. Last questions: Anyone know the best way to remove the rotted foam cleanly without damaging the tweeter or the base? Would Goo-Gone work for that? What is the best glue to affix the foam or is a doublesided tape best?
Thanks for considering my queries
TMF


If the woofer wires are at 0, 90, 180 or 270 degrees, they have the 123A-1 woofer which was used in the first 2 versions. If they are at 45, 135, 225, or 315 degrees, they have the 123A-3 woofer which was the last version of the L100.

[Don C]

Scrape the edge of the foam's backing material and peel it away slowly. Very slowly, taking extra care not to peel the tape underneath that protects the voice coil wires.

[AmericanPie]

:applaud:It's always nice to hear some L100 appreciation and love. I'm the original owner of four, which I've had in storage off and on since I purchased them. You're aware that very good reproductions of the original grills are available, right? I happen to really LIKE the quadrex design; gives them that "period" look.

I also own L86s and L96s and while I'm aware of the L100s' limitations given their age and the era they represent, they're still far better sounding than the loudspeakers that, oh 99.99+% of the world's population gets to enjoy. :bouncy:

[Bones]

Many thanks and Hmmmm
Good thing I posted the question - wasn't aware the tweeter/voice coil wires were so vulnerable underneath as it isn't obvious looking at them that they are beneath the foam tape layer. I thought they would just go through the back of the tweeter driver into the cabinet. I will be very careful trying to peel it off. I am assuming then that the foam is stuck on with double sided tape which is over another layer of protective tape for the tweeter/voice coil wires? Any comment on swapping ot the 123A-1 drivers for the 123A-3 drivers that I currently have? Is it a no no or is it doable?
Thanks again
TMF


Scrape the edge of the foam's backing material and peel it away slowly. Very slowly, taking extra care not to peel the tape underneath that protects the voice coil wires.

[Bones]

Oh I'm loving them all right. My first set of speakers ever were the Bart Locanthi HPM-100 in 1979 which I have regretted selling ever since I did that in the late eighties. They were a kinda poor man clone so they said. Even when I bought the HPM-100s at a Canadian Forces base in Germany I really always had my eye on these bad boys from years previous during visits to the US base PX's to our north. The Quadrex Ultra Blue I ordered were in fact reproductions from ebay. Just waiting for them to arrive.


:applaud:It's always nice to hear some L100 appreciation and love. I'm the original owner of four, which I've had in storage off and on since I purchased them. You're aware that very good reproductions of the original grills are available, right? I happen to really LIKE the quadrex design; gives them that "period" look.

I also own L86s and L96s and while I'm aware of the L100s' limitations given their age and the era they represent, they're still far better sounding than the loudspeakers that, oh 99.99+% of the world's population gets to enjoy. :bouncy:

[Eaulive]

Any comment on swapping ot the 123A-1 drivers for the 123A-3 drivers that I currently have? Is it a no no or is it doable?
Thanks again
TMF

I think they are basically the same, but if I remember well the polarity is reversed between one and the other.

[Bones]

Before I cough up $150 CDN for the pair I wanted to be sure the screw pattern and everything will fit exactly. I did some surfing through other threads and polarity is indeed opposite between these. They recommend doing an AA battery test to make sure the drivers push or pull the same when reconnecting to make sure they are phased correctly. Should be easy to figure out.


I think they are basically the same, but if I remember well the polarity is reversed between one and the other.