Ever see one? The L100 Paperweight...

[HyKlas]

Technically this was my first JBL... I stumbled across this thing and had to have it.

The grill and Harman logo are both laser etched in to the solid walnut block at a depth of about 1/8". Looks much nicer in person. I'm glad to have it in the stable, definitely one of the coolest paperweights I've ever seen. Maybe it's a one-off piece? Who knows... Previous owner said he had it for quite a while but knew little of the history. Enjoy!

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/TurboTravis/JBL - Altec/5f29e758-e69b-4211-9461-50ec4a63b889.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/TurboTravis/media/JBL - Altec/5f29e758-e69b-4211-9461-50ec4a63b889.jpg.html)

[/URL][URL="http://s83.photobucket.com/user/TurboTravis/media/JBL - Altec/716f9a6c-3065-42b2-9656-f6ba015ba684.jpg.html"]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j302/TurboTravis/JBL - Altec/716f9a6c-3065-42b2-9656-f6ba015ba684.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/TurboTravis/media/DSCN2365.jpg.html)

[grumpy]

That's a fun one :)

[1audiohack]

That is way too cool. I want to make one. :)

Barry.

[martin2395]

Wait a sec, which year did Harman buy JBL?

[hjames]

Wait a sec, which year did Harman buy JBL?


and I quote:

New Management and the L100 Phenomenon
At precisely the moment when the 4310 was gaining its widespread acceptance, JBL experienced the transfer of ownership from Bill Thomas to the Jervis Corporation controlled by Sidney Harman. One of the first personnel changes was the appointment of Irving Stern to head JBL's marketing effort. Stern immediately saw the success of the Studio Monitors as presenting a golden opportunity in the consumer products field. He felt that the same systems, suitably reincarnated in consumer dress, would gain from the reputation and cachet of their professional cousins. This concept was not embraced by everyone in the company. Many felt that consumer versions would tend to dilute the distinct professional identity of the monitors and perhaps weaken the special sense of exclusivity enjoyed by commercial users. After much debate, it was decided to reconfigure the 4310 for its debut in the consumer division as the L100.

http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/jbl/l100.htm

[grumpy]

Guessing this was a memento created well after Harman International (1980?) was underway...
Which was also about the time laser engraved doo-dads were becoming popular :)

[LowPhreak]

Intended for clobbering people who bought the Klipsch Heresy? :bash:

[hsosdrum]

I believe Harman bought JBL in 1977. I received one of those paperweights back around 1978-79, when I was a salesperson at Federated Group, a very large S. CA JBL dealer. I totally forgot about it until seeing this post. I'll have to go digging through my old tschochkes to find it.

P.S. Federated was also a Klipsch dealer, and we had the L100 and the Heresy in the same sound room. Sorry, but the Heresy ate the L100 for breakfast from about 100Hz on up. Just for shits and grins I'll bring my 4312Es to my sister's house some time, A/B them against her Heresys and report the results here. I'm quite sure they'll reinforce my impressions from 35 years ago -- the 4312E's midrange is still a mess.

[JeffW]

I believe Harman bought JBL in 1977. I received one of those paperweights back around 1978-79, when I was a salesperson at Federated Group, a very large S. CA JBL dealer. I totally forgot about it until seeing this post. I'll have to go digging through my old tschochkes to find it.

P.S. Federated was also a Klipsch dealer, and we had the L100 and the Heresy in the same sound room. Sorry, but the Heresy ate the L100 for breakfast from about 100Hz on up. Just for shits and grins I'll bring my 4312Es to my sister's house some time, A/B them against her Heresys and report the results here. I'm quite sure they'll reinforce my impressions from 35 years ago -- the 4312E's midrange is still a mess.

Well, the 4312E has only been out a couple of years. Not to say the midrange isn't a mess, I've never heard a pair, just that they weren't a mess 35 years ago. They're even a current product (http://eu.jbl.com/jbl_product_detail_eu/jbl-studio-monitor-4312-e.html) as long as you don't live in the US.

[grumpy]

Federated Group, a very large S. CA JBL dealer

Lol... ever have Shadoe Stevens come by the store? (Fred Rated)... used to hit
up Federated, Pacific Stereo, University Stereo, RSL, ... Net Electronics had
a way to order JBL bits in high school days... was way out of my $ league.

Late 70's eh? I was trying to key in on when "Harman International" went live
as a name.

[LowPhreak]

P.S. Federated was also a Klipsch dealer, and we had the L100 and the Heresy in the same sound room. Sorry, but the Heresy ate the L100 for breakfast from about 100Hz on up. Just for shits and grins I'll bring my 4312Es to my sister's house some time, A/B them against her Heresys and report the results here. I'm quite sure they'll reinforce my impressions from 35 years ago -- the 4312E's midrange is still a mess.

I've never owned L100s or 4312s, though an audio pal had 4311s and L150s in the 70's, while I was using Infinities or Allisons then. His and my speakers then or my old 4412s I've always much preferred over screeching Heresies.

[martin2395]

I don't like both - screetchy Heresys or deafening mids from the L100/4311-12 series, heard the 4312MkII with Ti tweeters and the mid is the same, the whole series is voiced the same way. I really wonder how Troels Gravesen's L100 crossover would sound, probably much better.

But it's not what this topic is about ;)

[HyKlas]

Thanks for that bit of info hsosdrum! Nice to know at least a little about what I have here. Was fairly certain it was a dealer item and that solidifies it for me.

[hsosdrum]

Thanks for that bit of info hsosdrum! Nice to know at least a little about what I have here. Was fairly certain it was a dealer item and that solidifies it for me.

We toured the JBL factory in 1978 (when it was relatively new) and we may have received them at that time. Or it could have been a gift from a sales rep. I don't remember exactly (36 years is a long time).

[HyKlas]

Then I take it all back! ;) Either way, it looks nice sitting on my tuner.