JBL L220 Speaker Systems - Request for Pricing and Technical Info

[dinoboom]

Dear Friends, I have a nice pair of JBL L220's Oracles.

I'm interested in finding out what the original suggested retail price was for these speakers for the years they were manufactured?

What is a reasonable asking price for these speakers today? Are there still re-coing and re-foaming kits still available from JBL and the associated costs?

I dropped a message at the AudioKarma Forums and was directed here for full details.

I would deeply appreciate all the information you fine folks would have to share with me on these wonderful speakers...

Sincerely, Raffaele

PS: I understand that if you replace the LE14H's with LE14A's that the power handling capacity is affected by about half. In that case if I had let's say one perfect LE14H and one LE14A you could not run them as a pair and get the proper reproduction? One of the LE14H's I have at certain frequencies for lack of a better term/word has some form of a distortion [it's quite subtle and annoying.] I could play a full orchestra recording and then let's say a song that has mainly vocals/harmonies mixed in and their appears to be to my ear a very subtle distortion/harmonics of some sort.

[hjames]

A lot of the operative spec on sales, like real estate, has to do with location ...
Now "Earrp" is not terribly informative for a large pair of speakers like the L220s.

Roughly where are they located, friend ..
Don't need specifics - but a nearby town would be greatly informative!


Dear Friends, I have a nice pair of JBL L220's Oracles.

I'm interested in finding out what the original suggested retail price was for these speakers for the years they were manufactured?

What is a reasonable asking price for these speakers today? Are there still re-coing and re-foaming kits still available from JBL and the associated costs?

I dropped a message at the AudioKarma Forums and was directed here for full details.

I would deeply appreciate all the information you fine folks would have to share with me on these wonderful speakers...

Sincerely, Raffaele

PS: I understand that if you replace the LE14H's with LE14A's that the power handling capacity is affected by about half. In that case if I had let's say one perfect LE14H and one LE14A you could not run them as a pair and get the proper reproduction? One of the LE14H's I have at certain frequencies for lack of a better term/word has some form of a distortion [it's quite subtle and annoying.] I could play a full orchestra recording and then let's say a song that has mainly vocals/harmonies mixed in and their appears to be to my ear a very subtle distortion/harmonics of some sort.

[grumpy]

Here's part of your answer:

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/reference/price-lists/1970-1999-prices.htm

ebay is your friend re current prices.

[dinoboom]

Location: White River Junction, Vermont

Dear Friends, I have a nice pair of JBL L220's Oracles.

I'm interested in finding out what the original suggested retail price was for these speakers for the years they were manufactured?

What is a reasonable asking price for these speakers today? Are there still re-coing and re-foaming kits still available from JBL and the associated costs?

I dropped a message at the AudioKarma Forums and was directed here for full details.

I would deeply appreciate all the information you fine folks would have to share with me on these wonderful speakers...

Sincerely, Raffaele

PS: I understand that if you replace the LE14H's with LE14A's that the power handling capacity is affected by about half. In that case if I had let's say one perfect LE14H and one LE14A you could not run them as a pair and get the proper reproduction? One of the LE14H's I have at certain frequencies for lack of a better term/word has some form of a distortion [it's quite subtle and annoying.] I could play a full orchestra recording and then let's say a song that has mainly vocals/harmonies mixed in and their appears to be to my ear a very subtle distortion/harmonics of some sort.

[dinoboom]

Here's part of your answer:

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/reference/price-lists/1970-1999-prices.htm

ebay is your friend re current prices.

Thank YOU! for your time and considerations. The list is helpful!
Any further thoughts or information at any point appreciated.
Sincerely, Ralph

[grumpy]

Re-foaming hasn't ever been through JBL, but many shops offer parts and/or service.
DIY kits from Rick Cobb, I can recommend.

Recones are tougher, as many are now NLA from JBL.
I'd look for a loose LE14H to match what you have.

You can certainly ask a JBL service center if they know
of plans for a run of cone kits, but that might range
from months to maybe never. They might also be able to
evaluate your woofer and recommend a range of options.

There was rumor (fact?) of a run of later version LE14 kits
but I don't have the parameters to tell you if it would fit
or be an obvious audible change... or if so, could it be
mitigated by a retune of the passive radiator (add/remove
weights).

These used to be more valuable for parts, but they seem
to go for more recently. Keep checking eBay for -sold-
prices.

[dinoboom]

Re-foaming hasn't ever been through JBL, but many shops offer parts and/or service.
DIY kits from Rick Cobb, I can recommend.

Recones are tougher, as many are now NLA from JBL.
I'd look for a loose LE14H to match what you have.

You can certainly ask a JBL service center if they know
of plans for a run of cone kits, but that might range
from months to maybe never. They might also be able to
evaluate your woofer and recommend a range of options.

There was rumor (fact?) of a run of later version LE14 kits
but I don't have the parameters to tell you if it would fit
or be an obvious audible change... or if so, could it be
mitigated by a retune of the passive radiator (add/remove
weights).

These used to be more valuable for parts, but they seem
to go for more recently. Keep checking eBay for -sold-
prices.

Very good information...(see attachment) which was sent to me in an earlier post (by Odd to show the technical differences in the LE 14H and LE14A.
I spoke with a JBL service center a few months ago and if my memory serves me correctly the re-cone kits were available, but only through certified JBL centers (would they match or work with my LE14H? good question.) Reasons were obvious as many folks were re-coning with these kits and they failed or didn't work at all. Wholesale prices were just under $200.00 each and would of been $300 or more plus labor. JBL apparently had so many complaints they had to stop selling directly was my understanding. It's not easy finding matched single or double pairs so there is apt to be a difference in sound between them even if they are the same models., You could find one LE14H on eBay, etc...but, there would be a certain amount of risk that it would "not" match your existing LE14H. Thanks again, Ralph