Comparable replacement for JBL L250?

[greybeard]

Context: Bit of a bad news story. Cross country relocation moving company was hired by my company to move my household goods from Colorado to Mississippi. Among other pieces the movers never delivered my pair of walnut JBL L250s. I paid for moving company insurance. The insurance company now needs to establish the value of a comparable, current production speaker for replacement. Before the insurance company suggests to reimburse me with a $99 pair of Best Buy JBL speakers I'd like your informed and insightful opinions.

Question: What would be a reasonable, comparable, current production speaker to substitute for the build quality, caliber, sound quality, future collectability/value, performance of a very good condition, stock pair of oiled walnut L250s? The comparable substitution is not limited to JBL speakers; but is limited to current production speakers. This will help establish replacement value for the L250s.

I am looking forward to your inputs and rationale. As it will help my case to establish fair comparable value.

Word of advice for classic speaker collectors; be sure to take pictures and record serial numbers before items are stolen or damaged. And getting estimates of fair comparable value beforehand can save you much frustration later. :banghead:

Thank you in advance.

[BMWCCA]

I'd say
1400 Array: $12,000
or
S4700: $20,000

and some might say
K2 S9900: $44,000

[grumpy]

Also, might look at and document comparable sales (e.g., prev year over eBay), I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if your insurance co would pay for equivalent/new replacements. You'd have to get a dealer to agree that a specific current model was the closest equivalent (which they might). Last retail for a PT800 + 1400 sub stack might be closest. Good luck!

[JuniorJBL]

Sorry to hear that.:(

IMHO they are really hard to replace. I have both 250's and 1400 arrays. I would say that is the closest comparison to the 250's is the 1400's. Now I have not listened to the s3900 yet and it may compare but the difference is really a 3-way vs a 4-way. Greg could really do 4-ways like nobody's business.:)

[Dave_72]

I'd say
1400 Array: $12,000
or
S4700: $20,000

and some might say
K2 S9900: $44,000

I agree, but didn't the price of the S4700s go down to $15k?

[4313B]

1400 Array if they are still available. They have the unique look to go along with their performance.

As mentioned above, the Performance Series is the closest equivalent but it won't have the power and dynamics of the L250/250Ti.

I cannot remember what the price of the L250 was when it went off the market. If you can find the price and extrapolate it to today's dollars it could be interesting to know the result.

[JuniorJBL]

1400 Array if they are still available. They have the unique look to go along with their performance.

As mentioned above, the Performance Series is the closest equivalent but it won't have the power and dynamics of the L250/250Ti.

I cannot remember what the price of the L250 was when it went off the market. If you can find the price and extrapolate it to today's dollars it could be interesting to know the result.

About 2 yrs ago we did an inflation comparison and found the 250Ti's would run just shy of 10K new in 2011.

There are about 5 or 6 pairs of new 1400 Arrays here in Denver.:)

[4313B]

There are about 5 or 6 pairs of new 1400 Arrays here in Denver.:)I should just buy a pair while I am there later this week...

I will not be buying a pair of M2's while I am there.

I'm not looking forward to the twenty hour drive out there.

[SEAWOLF97]

I cannot remember what the price of the L250 was when it went off the market. If you can find the price and extrapolate it to today's dollars it could be interesting to know the result.

My BlueBook shows last year for L-250 was 1985 , first was 1981

walnut or black = $3000/pr
black lacquer=3200
rosewood=4000
ebony=4000
white oak=3200
WX=3000

$3,000 of 1985 dollars would be worth: $6,521.74 in 2013
$3,000 of 1981 dollars would be worth: $7,712.08 in 2013

if yours were 1981 rosewoods ..jackpot

$4,000 of 1981 dollars would be worth: $10,282.78 in 2013

http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php

[greybeard]

Thank you all for your input. I've sent the same request to customer support for JBL Synthesis; for their recommendation as the manufacturer of the most comparable, current production model to serve as the best suited replacement to the L250s. So far no response to multiple email inquiries.

My thinking now is to use your inputs for my basis of response to the insurance company. I'll suggest a comparable replacement model of current production is either the JBL 1400 Array or the JBL S4700. The costs of these two models with serve to establish a reasonable replacement cost benchmark. Then they'll start negotiating and making offers of cents on the dollar from there I'm sure.

Will post what the final result is for common reference to all. It may be interesting to the community to see what an insurance company feels is reasonable to offer for the loss of some mint L250s.

Cheers.

[Dave_72]

Thank you all for your input. I've sent the same request to customer support for JBL Synthesis; for their recommendation as the manufacturer of the most comparable, current production model to serve as the best suited replacement to the L250s. So far no response to multiple email inquiries.

My thinking now is to use your inputs for my basis of response to the insurance company. I'll suggest a comparable replacement model of current production is either the JBL 1400 Array or the JBL S4700. The costs of these two models with serve to establish a reasonable replacement cost benchmark. Then they'll start negotiating and making offers of cents on the dollar from there I'm sure.

Will post what the final result is for common reference to all. It may be interesting to the community to see what an insurance company feels is reasonable to offer for the loss of some mint L250s.

Cheers.

You're welcome. Try to hear both before you make a decision. :coolness:

[jblnut]

I went amp shopping two years ago and they only had B&W and Sonus Faber speakers to listen to amps with. I was over $10k before I thought I was hearing anything close to what my 250Ti's can deliver. And that was only close - none of these tall/thin multi ~6" driver arrays that are so popular could touch the low bass impact of the LE-14H1.

Best of luck in your search for a replacement - there are still plenty of 250's changing hands out there if you are patient. And there are plenty of 1400's ready to be bought if you get sufficient funds from your settlement. Having heard the 1400, I think it would be an interesting step sideways from the 250. It does some things better (well, many things is probably more accurate) but try as I might I don't really love the looks. The 250 is art, the 1400 - science.

jblnut