JBL DIY Cabinets?

[Cosmic]

Greetings,

I am attempting to identify, if possible, what model these are. What do you think ?
4 - 130B woofers and 2 - 175 horns divided by the N1200 network.

Thank you for your consideration.

8407684077840788407984080

[Cosmic]

A couple more...

[speakerdave]

To me the cabinets look like they were made by a talented amateur or pro in the style of JBL's C34-C38 series of cabinets from the 1950's. I think the industrial design of that series is credited to Alvin Lustig.

It would be interesting to know the cabinet dimensions and whether the 130A's are rated as 16 or 32 ohm.

The woodworking looks OK, but to me the engineering looks suboptimal. That cabinet size looks too small for two 130A's (050 load) in a non corner reflex enclosure. The 32 corner cabinet or the Harlan, both about the same size, would work OK with that load if placed in a corner to support the low bass. I can't think what the thinking was that went into the port size and placement.

[Cosmic]

To me the cabinets look like they were made by a talented amateur or pro in the style of JBL's C34-C38 series of cabinets from the 1950's. I think the industrial design of that series is credited to Alvin Lustig.

It would be interesting to know the cabinet dimensions and whether the 130A's are rated as 16 or 32 ohm.

The woodworking looks OK, but to me the engineering looks suboptimal. That cabinet size looks too small for two 130A's (050 load) in a non corner reflex enclosure. The 32 corner cabinet or the Harlan, both about the same size, would work OK with that load if placed in a corner to support the low bass. I can't think what the thinking was that went into the port size and placement.


Hi Speakerdave,

The cabinet dimensions are:

Cabinet height (including base) is 26.5" Cabinet width is 36" Cabinet depth is 16". The 130B's are rated at 32 ohm.

The grill covers seem off as well, a rigid aluminium frame with a plastic like grill cloth (originally tan/beige) with no badges.

Thank you for your expertise.

[Kay Pirinha]

Oh, I vitually smell that old cigarette fume :crying:!

Best regards!

[speakerdave]

The components are a score for sure (if all the woofer cones have the right numbers like the one you show). The 32 rating means they are fairly early.

Treat them with care. Don't over drive them trying to get deep bass out of them; it's not there. Inspect the integral paper double roll surround for cracking. If you find any there may be a treatment for them, but I wouldn't know it.

I wouldn't connect more than 30 or 40 (tube) watts to them. That was a big amp when they were made. Fifteen would be plenty.

Don't know why I'm telling you all this. I see you have some other classic JBL.

[Cosmic]

I must admit that these do sound quite nice with tube power and all four woofers are 32 ohm. I have seen only one other pair of speaker with this configuration and cabinet, I found it on Facebook of all places. It was for that reason that I had hoped to identify the speaker cabinets. I dread not knowing something which I think can be know.

I have been approached on more than one occasion to offer these speakers for sale, my response has always been, how can I sell something which I cannot identify? Sadly, to me, the offers I have received are for the drivers with no regard for the cabinets and this upsets me. I think these are more than the sum of their parts, these have survived for decades, these function and sound as they were designed. The reality is that I have exceeded my storage allotment and since the Olympus have moved in, something has to go.

In order to assign a value, I will face eBay and do some math. Thanks Speakerdave!

[Cosmic]

http://jblspeaker.blogspot.com/2009/07/jbl-c37-rhodes-c60-sovereign.html

:confused:

[Kay Pirinha]

Note that wire mesh that supposedly prevents pidgeons from flying into the woofers :D!

Best regards!

[speakerdave]

Wow! Good pickup! The C37 is listed in the 57 catalogue chart with the 050 load, though pictured and not named. It does indeed seem to be a factory cab or a good copy. JBL sold plans for their cabs then.

[Cosmic]

The screen is quite curious to me as well...clearly it is intended to divert Pigeons:bouncy: Thanks!

[Cosmic]

This just keeps getting better and better, to me. I enjoy educating myself and learning from others, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for these speakers, unimaginable for most and yet I do. I would like to maintain these speakers and enjoy them daily, although that is simply not a possibility for me and they must go on to a good home. Thanks everyone! I hope to establish a value and list these, soon.

84186841878418884189

[mortron]

I noticed someone mentioned cigarette stink. I am cleaning up an old arcade cabinet and found some stuff called "LA's Oxygen Orange" at Dollar Tree that just eats nicotine off surfaces. Dunno how it is on other stuff but for $1.25 it's worth trying out. Also lets me save the Simple Green for washing circuit boards and other sensitive parts.

So you like their sound?? Those woofers are beauties. The older JBL woofers sound awesome with the right application. There is a gentle with some Sovereign C60s that were lightning and thunder. These look like they would sound great playing a nice jazz trio or something like that.

[Kay Pirinha]

I noticed someone mentioned cigarette stink. I am cleaning up an old arcade cabinet and found some stuff called "LA's Oxygen Orange" at Dollar Tree that just eats nicotine off surfaces.

Yes, that was me ;). I concur that oxidizing agents (your agent's name suggests this property) may eliminate cigarette and other stinks. Maybe there's also orange oil in it, which replaces the stink by orange flavour and also is a potent non polar, lipophile solvent.

Best regards!

[Cosmic]

I noticed someone mentioned cigarette stink. I am cleaning up an old arcade cabinet and found some stuff called "LA's Oxygen Orange" at Dollar Tree that just eats nicotine off surfaces. Dunno how it is on other stuff but for $1.25 it's worth trying out. Also lets me save the Simple Green for washing circuit boards and other sensitive parts.

So you like their sound?? Those woofers are beauties. The older JBL woofers sound awesome with the right application. There is a gentle with some Sovereign C60s that were lightning and thunder. These look like they would sound great playing a nice jazz trio or something like that.

I agree, these do sound mighty on a variety of music yet strings sound excellent, to me. I visited these speakers last week as they live in my storage room, they sadly are unused and I have no plans to place them in my listening spaces. Who would know what something like this is even worth in these times? Who would even want something like this in their home? I know of no one in my group of friends, who has any interest in tubes or old speakers.

[speakerdave]

Just put them on eBay.

[retro soulman]

Find a genuine pair of 4520 and load it with these 130b