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  1. #1
    tWreCK
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    Difference between the D series & K series JBL speakers?

    I'm looking at a pair of JBL K120 speakers I want to use in a guitar cab but from what I've heard these are entirely different speakers than the D120F's. What are the differences construction wise as well as tone wise? Which ones are the better choice?
    Last edited by tWreCK; 12-12-2003 at 08:45 AM.

  2. #2
    Senior Seņor boputnam's Avatar
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    Man, I can't find nothin' on those D120F's - no Thiele-Small parameters, no nuthin'.
    bo

    "Indeed, not!!"

  3. #3
    Senior Moment Member Oldmics's Avatar
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    The "F" is for Fender and they went in guitar cabinets.I would go with the - F- units as long as they are original and have not been reconed.Oldmics

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    Webmaster Don McRitchie's Avatar
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    I believe the K series introduced Kapton coil formers and epoxy adhesives to allow higher power handling. JBL never published T/S parameters for the "F" series to my knowledge. They were long out of production by the time that JBL adopted T/S design.
    Regards

    Don McRitchie

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    Quote Originally Posted by Don McRitchie View Post
    I believe the K series introduced Kapton coil formers and epoxy adhesives to allow higher power handling. JBL never published T/S parameters for the "F" series to my knowledge. They were long out of production by the time that JBL adopted T/S design.
    Actually my re-cone guy tells me they used NOMAX for the "K" series and KAPTON for the "E" series...kind of took me by surprise...

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    Senior Member gibber's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gerry D View Post
    Actually my re-cone guy tells me they used NOMAX for the "K" series and KAPTON for the "E" series...kind of took me by surprise...
    I can confirm Nomex on a K145, s/n 17464 and a later-series K145-16, s/n 10489


    Quote Originally Posted by whitebeard View Post
    Anyone know what years the K 120-16 was produced?
    K120-16 is the later series iteration of K120.
    1979 thru 1982 to the best my memory. But others here in this forum (even this thread) would know with much more certainty


    Now here's a trivia question on the Fender series (they are before my "active" time). When were the orange frame D...F sereis produced for Fender and were they orange for the whole Fender range within the D series or just D140F? The standard Fender-labelled D series just has the rear badge in orange. This pair fetched quite a decent price. Attachment 56992

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    Quote Originally Posted by Don McRitchie View Post
    I believe the K series introduced Kapton coil formers and epoxy adhesives to allow higher power handling. JBL never published T/S parameters for the "F" series to my knowledge. They were long out of production by the time that JBL adopted T/S design.
    The T-S specs are available...they are the same as the "K" series. It seems the only real change was to the power handling capability of the speakers...I think I got the info from a Thiele Small data base...GOOGLE Thiele Small and you will find it as the first or second entry...although the data base in not complete there is a lot of useful info there...

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    difference between D and K speakers

    Quote Originally Posted by Don McRitchie View Post
    I believe the K series introduced Kapton coil formers and epoxy adhesives to allow higher power handling. JBL never published T/S parameters for the "F" series to my knowledge. They were long out of production by the time that JBL adopted T/S design.
    From what I understand, the K series was suppose to be the "new and improved D series. First off, the VC gap was a little wider. This was to cure the problem of VC pinch that sometimes happened with the old D series when they got hot. Second, the K series had cloth surrounds instead of paper. Third, the aforementioned changes allowed the speaker to handle more power...rated at 125W RMS. As far as the K's having a Kapton coil former, I'm not sure if and/or when that happened. I've reconed a number of K 120's and the original; cones had the aluminum coil former. Some guitarist tell me that the tone of the D's was better, but since I'm a keyboard player I can't comment on that.

  9. #9
    Senior Seņor boputnam's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Don McRitchie
    I believe the K series introduced Kapton coil formers and epoxy adhesives to allow higher power handling.
    I wasn't exactly sure, but thought that.

    We've had great luck in using both the E- and K-series swapped-into more recent vintage Fender tube cabinets (tho the 110's) for our guitar player. Both these followed the D-series, so if it were me, tWreCK, I'd be relaxed about going ahead with the K120's. I think it'll please you...
    bo

    "Indeed, not!!"

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    Well FWIW

    I "believe" that everything that JBL learned from the R&D exercise of making a higher powered guitar speaker ( the D120F ) was incorporated into the design of the K series. This would also include a wider gap ( when compared to the original D130 spec. ). Giskard posted a link somewhere to the Dick Dale story about his speaker (D130F). Here's a link to the difference between the orginal "D" series and that with the "F" suffix. D130F History

    <> Earl K

  11. #11
    Tom Loizeaux
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    I've compared D120s and K120s and found that the D120s were more efficient. Both had similar frequency responses, but I feel the K120 has a slighty heavier cone and, therefore, isn't quite as bright. The E120, which uses the ceramic magnet, seems to have an even heavier cone and stiffer surround and sound a little veiled to my ears, though it can take gobs of power!
    I know a lot more about the 15" musical intrument speakers than the 12s.
    The D130 and D140 (F) drivers had treated cloth surrounds. This gave them a nice long throw and made them efficient. When JBL followed them with the K series they changed the surrounds to rolled paper. This controlled the cones a little better and made them able to handle more power. My bass amp can easily slam and bottom out a D140F with big transiants, while the K140 seems to handle these big "spikes" with ease. Both seem to have similar low end. The E140s, like the E120s, have the ceramic magnet and stiffer surrounds, allowing for higher power handling at the cost of deep low end. I really like the K140s, especially when used in multiples, for a good bass amp sound.
    I think the K120s are good, very strong speakers for guitar but I think the D120s are a little quicker and brighter. Many guitar players, however, don't like the "Hi-Fi" sound of JBLs but prefer lighter weight, cheaper drivers like Jensen, Weber, and even Eminence instrument speakers. These speakers add "color" to the guitar's sound which many feel is important.

    I use K120s (with 2402s) in my stage floor monitors because they can kick nicely with a respectible full range sound.

    Hope this helps

    Tom
    Last edited by Tom Loizeaux; 12-12-2003 at 10:20 PM.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Loizeaux
    The D130 and D140 (F) drivers had treated cloth surrounds. Hope this helps

    Tom
    No, they didn't. The cones and the surround were all one piece - paper. I did add "goop" to the surround, mainly to keep the surrounds from drying out.

  13. #13
    Tom Loizeaux
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    Quote Originally Posted by Harvey Gerst
    No, they didn't. The cones and the surround were all one piece - paper. I did add "goop" to the surround, mainly to keep the surrounds from drying out.
    Harvey,
    I certainly respect your knowledge, but when I examine my D140Fs, I see the cone paper ending and the surround looking like treated fabric. Unless I'm calling it fabric when its actually something else ... but it certainly does not look like one-piece rolled paper to me!
    Can you double check this?
    Thanks,

    Tom

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    Tony Lowe may have changed it after I left JBL, but I used stock parts in all the "F" series, so a 15" cone with a fabric surround would have been out of the question for the D140F. It's either a later version, or a recone.

  15. #15
    Dang. Amateur speakerdave's Avatar
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    I love this horse's mouth stuff.

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