Production Estimates for JBL L220 Speaker Systems

[dinoboom]

Dear Fellow Audiophile Friends,

I was wondering if anyone could supply us with the quantity of JBL L220's manufactured and sold from the time they were introduced (was it 1979)? until the end of production (1981)?

How about how many pairs may still be in circulation that haven't been parted out or mutilated somehow?

Any information deeply appreciated...

Thank You!

kind regards,
Ralph

ps: I do own a very nice pair.

[BMWCCA]

How about how many pairs may still be in circulation that haven't been parted out or mutilated somehow?

Well, there's yours.

1. Ralph (dinoboom), White River Junction, VT
2.
3.



That ought to get your registry started!

[dinoboom]

Well, there's yours.

1. Ralph (dinoboom), White River Junction, VT
2.
3.



That ought to get your registry started!
Thank You! I do hope there will be someone that has an idea of the actual number of pairs JBL made of the L220's? Or maybe direct me to someone somewhere that may know these things? Maybe Harmon International?

Have a pleasant day!

Sincerely, Raffaele

[JeffW]

Thank You! I do hope there will be someone that has an idea of the actual number of pairs JBL made of the L220's? Or maybe direct me to someone somewhere that may know these things? Maybe Harmon International?

Have a pleasant day!

Sincerely, Raffaele


Here ya go!

http://www.harman.com/EN-US/ContactUs/Pages/ContactUs.aspx

Let us know what they say.

FWIW, I owned a pair from ~1981 to ~2011 or so.

[hjames]

Thank You! I do hope there will be someone that has an idea of the
actual number of pairs JBL made of the L220's? Or maybe direct me to someone somewhere
that may know these things? Maybe Harmon International?

Have a pleasant day!

Sincerely, Raffaele

If you google them, look for HarMAN - spelling it Harmon won't get you there. :banana:

All kidding aside - I'm pretty sure I read that all kinds of JBL production records were lost during the 1994 Northridge earthquake -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Northridge_earthquake

I think they honestly don't know anymore.

[dinoboom]

Thank You! I do hope there will be someone that has an idea of the actual number of pairs JBL made of the L220's? Or maybe direct me to someone somewhere that may know these things? Maybe Harmon International?

Have a pleasant day!

Sincerely, Raffaele

PS: I just got off the phone with JBL Professional and an authorized JBL service center in Stoneham, MA. The JBL L220's were in production from 1978 to 1989. They did not any have production numbers...

[dinoboom]

My Dear Friends,

Thank YOU! Great information...

Just in case I did send a message to Harman and I'll follow up with all you fine folks here with whatever they share with me.

Have a blessed and pleasant day!


Kind regards,
Raffaele

PS: I've asked or screened out this question before, but I'm going to be bold and ask again for input..What do you feel the JBL L220's should yield on the market today price wise? Just about ALL the JBL's appreciate in value and I'm curious. When anyone has a moment could you let me know your thoughts about this matter of pricing a value!?!

[Wagner]

My Dear Friends,

Thank YOU! Great information...

Just in case I did send a message to Harman and I'll follow up with all you fine folks here with whatever they share with me.

Have a blessed and pleasant day!


Kind regards,
Raffaele

PS: I've asked or screened out this question before, but I'm going to be bold and ask again for input..What do you feel the JBL L220's should yield on the market today price wise? Just about ALL the JBL's appreciate in value and I'm curious. When anyone has a moment could you let me know your thoughts about this matter of pricing a value!?!

Contact Kenrick Sound; probably your best bet for what you seek:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://kenricksound.com/&prev=search

[JeffW]

PS: I've asked or screened out this question before, but I'm going to be bold and ask again for input..What do you feel the JBL L220's should yield on the market today price wise? Just about ALL the JBL's appreciate in value and I'm curious. When anyone has a moment could you let me know your thoughts about this matter of pricing a value!?!

I sold mine and a Sausui G-9700 for $500.

[Wagner]

PS: I've asked or screened out this question before, but I'm going to be bold and ask again for input..What do you feel the JBL L220's should yield on the market today price wise? Just about ALL the JBL's appreciate in value and I'm curious. When anyone has a moment could you let me know your thoughts about this matter of pricing a value!?!


Indeed, about 4 different ways and about 26 or 27 times...............you're not going to make bank off that pair of speakers, no matter how many times or people you ask; especially now that you have well documented a sonic presentation issue (the sound between the two being asymmetrical), that, or you have mismatched woofers (I gave up on trying to decipher the rambling "threads") I can't speak for everyone out there, but I know that if the price goes north of $500 I'm going to want to actually see some drivers (that they are correct and match)

$500 to $1,000 local sale is your spread, $1,000 if near pristine, More than that? You found the right buyer and it's icing on the cake

More if you're willing to pack and ship (maybe)

Posting about them endlessly is not going to elicit that response you need for the potential ePay buyer to read subsequent to the mandatory "Google" search; please provide the link to your sale if you have them up currently and maybe I, or others, can advise

Did you resolve the presentation problem(s)?

[BMWCCA]

I've asked or screened out this question before, but I'm going to be bold and ask again for input..What do you feel the JBL L220's should yield on the market today price wise? Just about ALL the JBL's appreciate in value and I'm curious. When anyone has a moment could you let me know your thoughts about this matter of pricing a value!?!

Well, one metric is completed Ebay sales.
A recent one timed-out with no bids at $1999 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/JBL-L220-Vintage-Speaker-Systems-/291424936919?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43da47a3d7&nma=true&si=a9Cwa%252B1vajBtfLZgxgW96NHyby4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557).
And then several days later, same result, different price: $1899

Oh wait, that may have been your listing!
Well, at least you know what they're not worth.

If you really want to find out their value, run a no-reserve auction.
Local pickup in Vermont as the only shipping option will skew the data a bit!
It's also kind of confusing when you display a photo of three-pairs of L220s and talk about how they bring $4000 on Ebay . . .

[Wagner]

Well, one metric is completed Ebay sales. A recent one timed-out with no bids at $1999 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/JBL-L220-Vintage-Speaker-Systems-/291424936919?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43da47a3d7&nma=true&si=a9Cwa%252B1vajBtfLZgxgW96NHyby4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557).And then several days later, same result, different price: $1899Oh wait, that may have been your listing! Well, at least you know what they're not worth. If you really want to find out their value, run a no-reserve auction. Local pickup in Vermont as the only shipping option will skew the data a bit!It's also kind of confusing when you display a photo of three-pairs of L220s and talk about how they bring $4000 on Ebay . . .▶Lets get serious folks and make a serious offer◀ ☛ I believe these are a fine example of the JBL L220's of that era.:frantic:

[Triumph Don]

I had a pair of 222's a few years back that I offered here for about $1100 with no takers. They were close to mint, with new refoams on the woofers and passives. Sold them on ebay 2 weeks later for $2150.

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?31144-L222-s-for-sale&highlight=36922

[BMWCCA]

▶Lets get serious folks and make a serious offer◀ ☛ I believe these are a fine example of the JBL L220's of that era.:frantic:

He's not offering these in this thread. He's asking for information. If this was an offer to sell it would be in the JBL Marketplace. If you look at his completed auction listings on Ebay you'll see three attempts at selling this pair over the last 60-days, including one that's listed as "sold" back in February for $1009 after receiving three bids, with one retracted for $1034. The marketplace has spoken as to their value. The seller just didn't like the answer. Wonder why that sale didn't go through??

Now I'm smart enough to know he's fishing for an offer here and I've seen his Ebay auction on-and-off for many months. They are a decent-enough pair of L220s and the seller is being honest about their flaws and providing photos. We all know the real value in those is in the 076s if one were to part them out. I appreciate him not parting them so someone can experience them as a system. If I was closer I'd probably buy them just so I could put them in the same room with the L150A, L7, 250ti and others I have just to refresh my memory of them from years ago with a better frame of reference.

I wish Dino all the best with his sale and if he wants to offer them here, he can probably find the correct venue for that!

[dinoboom]

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your time and considerations.

I have not been "fishing" for offers on this site. Yes, I'd prefer to keep the speakers as is and sell them that way.

On eBay I have noticed L220's being sold for as much as $4,500.00 a pair and it's not uncommon to see them sell for right around $2,000.00

As you must be aware there is a certain collective clientele and atmosphere on eBay.

Yes, I was wish washy about the listing on eBay...I've been on a learning curve with this whole scenario with them and others.

I listed the JBL L220's at various times at various prices in *all the various formats they offer. *Buy It Now, *Auction, *Reserve. The reserve was never meant which they charge a fee to list items using that feature every so many days. The auction IMHO was an insult to the L220's and JBL in regard to a $1,000.00 plus offer. Of coarse eBay and PayPal is right there with their hands out looking for their cut..and just in case your interested eBay also charges 10% of the shipping costs in addition to the cost of the items.

I chose to close the auction after notifying the potential buyer numerous times that I would not part with the L220's for the $1,000.00 plus offers., and that I'd rather donate them to a charity of my choice than sell them for that price.

My impression after being on eBay for awhile in general is that people are looking for a bargain. In my book there are no bargains when it comes to JBL, Tandberg, Denon, Harman/Kardon, etc...the list is long.

I personally do not feel overall that the L220's ever really found [had been recognized] their place in the market of JBL and other speakers of similar price and specifications.

JBL speakers like the Paragon's which I've seen being sold for over $30,000.00 and other models of coarse. Rightly so, the Paragon's are very special and appear to be bought and sold primarily by purest and collectors. In a different class shall we say than speakers like the L220's and other JBL models.

I'm not going to venture into what's worth the most in a pair of L220's as in the 076 tweeters selling for as much as $1,200.00 a pair, that are used in Westlake'sREFERENCE SERIES LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEMS SM-1. The LE14H woofer is no slouch as far as low end goes and certainly is favored over the LE14A's., etc...this is mostly out of my league and field of interest at this stage in life.


Recone kits for the LE14H's according to JBL Professional are no longer available..only for the LE14A's. To recone a LE14H/A would likely cost $500.00 per speaker assuming it was done at an authorized JBL dealer. The closest one to me is about three hours away in Stoneham, Massachusetts.

Assuming I hear back from Harman on any of the production numbers for the L220's or any other related information. I'll be sure to post it here.

I hope this has done some good.

Kind regards,
Raffaele

[Wagner]

Dear Friends,
On eBay I have noticed L220's being sold for as much as $4,500.00 a pair and it's not uncommon to see them sell for right around $2,000.00I "watch" ePay auctions regularly, as well as receive "JBL alerts" for most models; I seldom see this ($2,000 not $4,000) and this for the most EXCEPTIONAL pair(s) only


As you must be aware there is a certain collective clientele and atmosphere on eBay. Yes, there certainly is, but that sort of "clientele" is not indicative of any sort of "norm" and is, in general, located over seas (Asia)


I listed the JBL L220's at various times at various prices in *all the various formats they offer. *Buy It Now, *Auction, *Reserve. The reserve was never meant which they charge a fee to list items using that feature every so many days. The auction IMHO was an insult to the L220's and JBL in regard to a $1,000.00 plus offer. Of coarse eBay and PayPal is right there with their hands out looking for their cut..and just in case your interested eBay also charges 10% of the shipping costs in addition to the cost of the items.That is the cost of selling your wares on ePay; it costs money for the exposure to a World market
Just the way it is friend


I chose to close the auction after notifying the potential buyer numerous times that I would not part with the L220's for the $1,000.00 plus offers., and that I'd rather donate them to a charity of my choice than sell them for that price. Then maybe that's what you should do and let Uncle Sam determine the value for your Tax deduction purposes (that would not be an attractive option for me) But as you insist that you can demonstrate fairly regular sales of this model at "around $2,000" then that is what I would venture to guess you might receive a percentage of in credit, IF you can demonstrate that $2,000 (or more) is what you have in them (or that you have had them regularly insured for that amount)


My impression after being on eBay for awhile in general is that people are looking for a bargain. In my book there are no bargains when it comes to JBL, Tandberg, Denon, Harman/Kardon, etc...the list is long.
As are you, yet in "reverse"
This also (to some degree) contradicts your rationalization written above regarding the justification for "holding out" for higher money, rather than consider those "higher than $1,000 plus offer(s)" that you find so insulting
As for "there are no bargains when it comes to JBL, Tandberg, Denon, Harman/Kardon, etc"?
Not true for the dedicated, patient and diligent


I personally do not feel overall that the L220's ever really found [had been recognized] their place in the market of JBL and other speakers of similar price and specifications. I admire that you feel that way and in many instances you are correct. Still that does not change the reality of the Law of Supply and Demand


I'm not going to venture into what's worth the most in a pair of L220's as in the 076 tweeters selling for as much as $1,200.00 a pair, that are used in Westlake'sREFERENCE SERIES LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEMS SM-1. The LE14H woofer is no slouch as far as low end goes and certainly is favored over the LE14A's., etc...this is mostly out of my league and field of interest at this stage in life.I can assure you that it is (the "076") but trying to speculate as to motive and all the why and why nots of what people do, is, in general, a losing game so I would have to agree with you. As for the LE14A, yes, it is one FINE transducer, I concur wholeheartedly, but they're still a right fair number of them in general circulation. Easily had for between $100 to $200, depending on condition, and even cheaper if you look hard (and long) enough. There's a seller on my local "craigslist" who has been trying to get rid of a nice one for more than a year now (and he has gone from some outrageous asking price, then incrementally down to $150, and I think now he is asking for a "best offer"


JBL speakers like the Paragon's which I've seen being sold for over $30,000.00 and other models of coarse. Rightly so, the Paragon's are very special and appear to be bought and sold primarily by purest and collectors. In a different class shall we say than speakers like the L220's and other JBL models. You are correct; apples to oranges


Recone kits for the LE14H's according to JBL Professional are no longer available..only for the LE14A's. To recone a LE14H/A would likely cost $500.00 per speaker assuming it was done at an authorized JBL dealer. The closest one to me is about three hours away in Stoneham, Massachusetts. That is true, many parts are becoming very difficult, if not impossible to come by. That is why (as others have pointed out) that "cannibalizing" many models of JBL will gross you a greater dollar amount than selling the complete system with it's enclosure, all intact

You also reference a couple of times the "as much as $4500" sale. Absolutely; I don't doubt that for one instant. It is called an anomaly and can result from more than a few sets of circumstances.

All that being said and as for your ORIGINAL question:

Your speakers, as described, are "worth" $500 to a $1,000 bucks (tops) (plus shipping), based on the current trends and buying patterns I can see for this model

If someone will pay you $1,000 for those boxes and is willing to pay for the shipping and insurance then I would suggest that you take it, assuming of course you are serious about wanting to sell them

That, or sit on them for a year or more and wait for the trends and "what's hot" to change and you just might get the $2,000 to $4,000 you seek (but I wouldn't bet on it) Could just as easily go the other way

Hope this helps and good luck whatever you do

[dinoboom]

Hi Wagner,

Thanks for making the time to respond and all that really good information. I'll certainly take it to heart...
My Best,
Ralph
65329

[Wagner]

I'm sure
Good luck

[dinoboom]

I'm sure
Good luck

Grazie molto il mio amico Wagner