What did I buy??

[Harvey Gerst]

Well I guess your right, just checked measurements. Official JBL Olympus cabinet 27"x40"x20" and mine 28"x38"x21". They still sound pretty darn good.

I would guess that they would. It's a great score.

[Cooljjay]

And, of course, no JBL logos on the grills.

There is one.

[Harvey Gerst]

Well, I did say the grills were definitely JBL issue.

[Wagner]

Based on a pair of boxes I once owned (the way the tops are executed) and where you are located, I'd venture to say those are some of Hal Cox's cabinets.

Thomas

[Harvey Gerst]

Based on a pair of boxes I once owned (the way the tops are executed) and where you are located, I'd venture to say those are some of Hal Cox's cabinets.

Now that's very possible. Hal did some great stuff. And Hal had enough clout with JBL to get Olympus grills as a seperate item.

[Wagner]

Keep the ones you think sound better - there are scads of uncommon, fair sounding speakers around.

I do not think that the speakers are factory. It doesn't make sense that the factory would custom make their top of the line cabinet for an inferior load. If you look at pictures of factory Olympus', you will see that the base is different (It's narrower and black). One front panel having exposed, unpainted screws while other doesn't is also suspect. Front porting? Don't see it. I think what you have started out as an Olympus, but was rebuilt by someone with some tools - maybe it had water or smoke damage, and was rebuilt, though I have no idea why they didn't use the whole enclosure for the woofer - maybe LP storage in the empty section? Anyway, you scored some drivers. If you really like how it sounds, keep it, but if you're not in love with it, the newness will wear off and you'll be stuck with a pair of coffins in your Living Room. Keep the Tannoys, if you want any coffins I have a few...

What's "inferior" about the "001"? At one time it was the top of the line home system.
I understand your remark, and from the style of grille badge it certainly wasn't the top drawer system the year that they were made.
Still, I hate it when people refer to the "001" and the 175s as the "cheap" system; all depends on the year you bought 'em.

Thomas

[Wagner]

I've owned several pairs of Hal Cox cabinets over the years, none of which ever had any sort of dampening or cabinet fill material.
Yours appear to be the same.
The top of your boxes was his style for sure, less involved though still very lovely, with the edge cuts.

Thomas

[Harvey Gerst]

Except for maybe directly behind the woofers, we (JBL) never used padding in horn loaded enclosures. No padding showing would be correct for this horn cabinet.

HCSGuy is wrong; these cabinets were built from the ground up, based on the C40 rear-loaded, folded horn design.

[4343]

I've owned several pairs of Hal Cox cabinets over the years, none of which ever had any sort of dampening or cabinet fill material.
Yours appear to be the same.
The top of your boxes was his style for sure, less involved though still very lovely, with the edge cuts.

Thomas

Is there a discussion of Hal Cox somewhere? I must admit to being in the dark...

[Cooljjay]

Except for maybe directly behind the woofers, we (JBL) never used padding in horn loaded enclosures. No padding showing would be correct for this horn cabinet.

There is padding behind the woofer, when I removed the front board to check models I seen pink fiberglass insulation.

[Harvey Gerst]

There is padding behind the woofer, when I removed the front board to check models I seen pink fiberglass insulation.

That would be appropriate, but we used a straw-colored insulation, not pink.

[Harvey Gerst]

Is there a discussion of Hal Cox somewhere? I must admit to being in the dark...

Hal Cox was one of the larger JBL dealers. As with many of our dealers at the time, they often built custom cabinets for their clients.

[4343]

Hal Cox was one of the larger JBL dealers. As with many of our dealers at the time, they often built custom cabinets for their clients.

Ahh. I do remember reading about him, now that I've re-read it. Probably among the first things I read here. My wife says his garage had more stuffed into it than mine does! (I realize that does NOT mean I can go buy something like the boxes Cooljjay just found...)

[Cooljjay]

Ahh. I do remember reading about him, now that I've re-read it. Probably among the first things I read here. My wife says his garage had more stuffed into it than mine does! (I realize that does NOT mean I can go buy something like the boxes Cooljjay just found...)

I seen those pictures too, I would love to "clean" his garage out for him Did you see in the photos the paragon curved front piece? Now why would you have one of them.