JBL L-220

[Bebo]

In 30 years of profession I listened to thousands of speakers. Unfortunately, for reasons that I don't know, I never listened to a pair of L-220. I found a pair of it in a used store very far from me, the price could be interesting, but I can't go to hear at them, and I see there are a lot of discordances between audiophile's judgements about the 220's. What's, please, your experience?

Thank you

Bebo

[chad]

My advice? Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you should have bought them. :D

[Laketown]

I have had a pair of L220 but in my setup/room I like my L250 TI LE better.

That doesn't mean that they are bad!!!

Best regards
Mikael

[Steve Gonzales]

I've got 5 pairs of them. It's a funny thing about speakers, what sounds good to one person may not sound good to the next. I've heard and or owned a big bunch of JBL's of different sizes/models and with a little help, the L220/222 can hold their own with most any of them. I've taken the LE5-9 mids out and installed the LE85/H92 compression driver/horn from the L300 and triamped them. Not very hard to do and what a superb speaker they have become. The stock L220/222 is no slouch with the cone mid, don't get me wrong, but that is it's weak link. You've got a great/rare 076 tweeter, great LF transducer in the LE14A or H models too. A sweet baby Hartsfield L94 lens and if you are careful and thoughful about room placement, the passive radiator tuned enclosure will produce very powerful and articulate bass. I don't believe the negative junk people say about the PR15c system, come on over and LISTEN to my system, then tell me about 'wooly' bass, I welcome the challenge ;) . I'd pick them up if I were you. Send me a PM if you want further info, I'd love to help, Regards, Steve G.

[jim campbell]

hey steve;do you have them on the floor or have you ever tried them on stands.whats your opinion?

[hapy._.face]

hey steve- show that purdy pic again!:D

[johnaec]

I've taken the LE5-9 mids out and installed the LE85/H92 compression driver/horn from the L300 and triamped them.I wonder how the T030 would work for mids - I think it's basically the same driver as the 093Ti in the XPL series: http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-JBL-T030-Pure-Titanium-Dome-Midrange-ORIGINAL-JBL_W0QQitemZ5869175767QQcategoryZ18800QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem

John

[Steve Gonzales]

hey steve;do you have them on the floor or have you ever tried them on stands.whats your opinion? The L220/222's are 4 feet tall. The tower design makes for perfect placement of the midrange and tweeter, that's one of the many things I love about these speakers. Look, I've spent a considerable amount of time tweeking these models (I'm still not done) and there is just NO comparison to their original voicing (again, no slouch). The L94 lens is wonderful when it is used with the LE85/H92 and with a small amplifier driving the 076, they really sound sweet. This mod is virtually a drop in fit that is completely REVERSIBLE! ( I cannnot imagine WHY though !). One thing about the passive radiator setup that I found out is that they do not come alive at low volume while using the stock N220 passive crossover. Now that I've gone to an electronic crossover in concert with about 450 clean WPC, the balance that they needed is dialed in and it's very satisfying to say the very least. Stands would do you no good with this tower design, in fact, it would deter from it because of the already optimum driver placement right out of the box. S.G.

[Steve Gonzales]

hey steve- show that purdy pic again!:D You like that huh?. It was kind of a neat idea, I thought ,and they're JBL's baby! :bouncy:

[Steve Gonzales]

I wonder how the T030 would work for mids - I think it's basically the same driver as the 093Ti in the XPL series: http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-JBL-T030-Pure-Titanium-Dome-Midrange-ORIGINAL-JBL_W0QQitemZ5869175767QQcategoryZ18800QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem

John That is indeed a beautiful driver. I remember seeing and hearing some big XPL's in Portland Oregon, what an awesome site and sound!. The 093ti looks as if it is part of a spacecraft. I'd like to try some ,but they are so RARE, I've never run across a pair, great idea though. There are very polarized camps here for the most part, compression and dome/cone guys. To each his own just as long as they are Just Bitchin' Loudspeakers ! Steve G.

[mike]

I don't care what speaker you are talking about you will find someone that finds fault with them. I would say that most of the negative things you've heard about the L220 aren't worth taking too seriously.They are pretty much going to sound like most other upper end JBL's from the late 70's to early 80's; not to mention the beautiful cabinets, quality drivers and overall uniqueness. You'll never regret buying older JBL stuff if it is priced fairly.

Mike

[Bebo]

Dear friends,

sorry for I didn't reply, but my story with the 220's suddenly ended when I discovered that the vendor was a (omissis)... Finally I bought a pair of L300 Summit in excelent conditions ( w. grilles, cristals, original speakers etc.). I think I made a very good deal, i paid 1000 EU for the speakers plus a Sansui C2101/B2101 couple. I was not so interested to the Sansui's but pratically they where a bonus.
I'm driving the Summit with a McIntosh MA 2275 tube integrated. I'm waiting to say a final word, but the result seems to me really impressive.
Any suggestion for upgrading, positioning or anything else to obtain the maximum possible results?

Thank you very much, or, as I alwais say in my own Forum:

Ottime cose!

[Steve Gonzales]

Dear friends,

sorry for I didn't reply, but my story with the 220's suddenly ended when I discovered that the vendor was a (omissis)... Finally I bought a pair of L300 Summit in excelent conditions ( w. grilles, cristals, original speakers etc.). I think I made a very good deal, i paid 1000 EU for the speakers plus a Sansui C2101/B2101 couple. I was not so interested to the Sansui's but pratically they where a bonus.
I'm driving the Summit with a McIntosh MA 2275 tube integrated. I'm waiting to say a final word, but the result seems to me really impressive.
Any suggestion for upgrading, positioning or anything else to obtain the maximum possible results?

Thank you very much, or, as I alwais say in my own Forum:

Ottime cose! Great buy!. As far as mods go, maybe a custom charged-coupled crossover would be about it. As you can see, I'm an L220/222 guy, but the L300 is what I've tried to emulate with my mod. Enjoy those beauties!!, Steve G.

Here is the link for the crossover mod.:http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=166&highlight=l300+charge

[salpe]

Dear friends,

sorry for I didn't reply, but my story with the 220's suddenly ended when I discovered that the vendor was a (omissis)... Finally I bought a pair of L300 Summit in excelent conditions ( w. grilles, cristals, original speakers etc.). I think I made a very good deal, i paid 1000 EU for the speakers plus a Sansui C2101/B2101 couple. I was not so interested to the Sansui's but pratically they where a bonus.
I'm driving the Summit with a McIntosh MA 2275 tube integrated. I'm waiting to say a final word, but the result seems to me really impressive.
Any suggestion for upgrading, positioning or anything else to obtain the maximum possible results?

Thank you very much, or, as I alwais say in my own Forum:

Ottime cose!

Caro Bebo,
sometimes I write in your italian forum. What a occasion to write my first post to celebrate your new purchase.
I own a couple of 4333 which, as you certainly knows, are the domestic counterpart of your L300, and I amplify them with a McIntosh MAC4100 receiver, sometime underpowered but really delicious. I listen to this speaker since 1981 and I've been never tired of. For me they are really near the maximum possible level of neutrality, they are lively, they are smooth. It's difficult to find out other speakers with all these characteristics together in a single box. Even imaging is good for me.
I think that L300 (built to be put directly on the floor) should be raised to give their best: at least 15 centimeters (for my 4333 I prefer 30), try wood blocks or graphite under them.
They should be angled a little inward, someone prefers to take away the acoustical lenses but I prefer them on, for me lenses really improve imaging. About power cables: I think they sound good with every kind of cables, but actually I prefer to use them with Audio Tekne'. Internally I've not touched nothing at all, too good for changing somehing, but, to tell the truth, I think that internal wiring could be improved a lot.
Buying a L300 for 1000 euros it's a real bargain, I'm really happy you did it. I hope that you now, with your unbelivable experience, will give us lots of inputs to improve.
All the best to you and your new speakers.
Ciao
Salvatore

[Bebo]

Dear Salvatore,

thanks a lot for your precious informations and suggestions. I had many occasions to listen to the Summit's but never in my environment. I'm really surprised, they confirm me something I tryed to say (and actually I wrote often) a lot of time during the "high-end hypertrasnsparencys 80's": Many of the snobbest high end speakers manufacturers, well, they known exactely the best JBL sound, and they where insprired by this. Impossible to make them confess it...
What I heard is a cristal clear high frequency reproduction, with no arhsness or glassy sound, a well definite, substantial, liquid mid, and an impressive but realistic and correct mid and deep bass. Damped but not strangled.
And i can rebate to everyone accuse this speaker not to have a good stereo image: just came into my home and listen. I feel I'm falling in love with them.
I'll let you know about the evolutions...

Greetings from here

Bebo

[FREDFLYPOGGER]

hi,
will the h91 horn work in the l220 cabinet? h92 horns are harder to find and i measured the cabinet depth and the h92 it might be too long.
thanks
todd

[Mr. Widget]

Define "work in the L220 cabinet".

With the proper driver, and an entirely new crossover network they could be made to work and might even sound better than stock… But then again might not. I have no idea about the mechanics of getting it to fit. As I recall there is a large pocket in the front of the mid driver to accommodate the lens. This might get in your way.


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