JBL Hartsfield

[rugy]

First post on this forum and looking for some help please.
Building my retirement home that is off grid and looking for a high efficiency speaker to fill my music room.
Room size will be 16 x 24 x 10 feet and is going to be used for music/ vinyl only.
Had JBL L110 and also L100 but have always loved the The Hartsfield which seem to fit that bill but have been searching for impedance and efficiency numbers but cant find any.
Would like to drive them with small wattage tube gear if possible.
Second questions is what items should I look for or test as there is a local seller that has a pair of Hartsfield for sale.
Any advice is appreciated, Thanks.

[Mr. Widget]

Welcome to the forum... since I am no expert on these speakers I'll let others chime in.
Please look at these links if you haven't already found them:

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/...hartsfield.htm

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/...hartsfield.htm

http://www.lansingheritage.org/image.../page16-17.jpg

Good Luck!

Mr. Widget

[Horn Fanatic]

First post on this forum and looking for some help please.
Building my retirement home that is off grid and looking for a high efficiency speaker to fill my music room.
Room size will be 16 x 24 x 10 feet and is going to be used for music/ vinyl only.
Had JBL L110 and also L100 but have always loved the The Hartsfield which seem to fit that bill but have been searching for impedance and efficiency numbers but cant find any.
Would like to drive them with small wattage tube gear if possible.
Second questions is what items should I look for or test as there is a local seller that has a pair of Hartsfield for sale.
Any advice is appreciated, Thanks.

Hi rugy -

The only retail seller of Hartsfields that I know of is Kenrick Sound, in Japan. The Hartsfields they sell, as with all the other vintage equipment they sell, are fully restored to showroom condition, including upgrades to the dividing networks and drivers.

Seriously, as far as I know the Hartsfield system has been out of production since 1964 or 1965. Your best bet to find a pair will be on Ebay, but be prepared for sticker shock. The folks who put them up for auction are seriously out of tough with reality, that they think their Hartsfields are worth $30,000, and more. On a good day they may have have gone for that price pre-9/11. Rarely will you find the first year model, as they are rare as hens teeth. I am unsure if the auction was legitimate, but around five years ago an original pair of Top Loaders with paper work and receipts from an estate sale sold for $60,100. Some believe it was a phony auction. There were over 5000 watchers on that auction. Two words; Caveat Emptor.

If you're not hung up on actual vintage gear, there are folks who will reproduce a pair of Hartsfields for a fraction of the cost. There is a forum member who has created a drawing package for the first year model C30 enclosure. That box is lovingly referred to as the, 'Top Loader', whereas the subsequent model was dubbed the, 'Coffin Back'. I have built a pair of the Coffin Back, but never got a chance to hear them. I did however, have the pleasure of listening to a pair of the Top Loaders, and I can say I was very impressed. The only thing the Hartsfield system needed was a bullet to overcome the limitations of the acoustical lens and the poor frequency range of the 375 driver.

Good luck, and be careful.

H.F.

[BMWCCA]

No affiliation:

http://www.jrsoundco.com/jbl-hartsfield.html

[jw5115]

A little late to the thread but in case you are interested.
The Vancouver Hartsfields are not Classic Audio or factory JBL.
3 obvious observations.
1- The N-500 is wrong, should be a N-500H N-400 was for early Paragon and other 150-4c systems.It looks completely different,like an early LX-5.
2-The space that the gold lense is in looks to tall, should be 7-5/8" to 7-3/4" tall. Look at the 1/4" acorn nuts that hold the lenseplates together.JBL used a black acorn, Classic uses a brass acorn nut.
3- The coffin cover should only have 10-screws 5/side, attaching it to the main cabinet.
Over the past 40+ years I have talked to many people who have built these cabinets
Whether JBL's or ? they look great and depending on what you are looking for, are an impresive sounding speaker and can only get better with a few changes.
Use Watco natural to oil the cabinets and rub out with 3M Pads (fine)
Good Luck
jw5115

[Maron Horonzakz]

I never seen a N500H... The N500 was was nominal 12ohm on the low side & i6 ohm on the high side

[tomee]

I'm no Hartsfield expert, but 10 minutes of google searching shows both crossover types, with a pic of the 'H' version on the early cabinets (?)

some other pics here :
http://www.hifido.co.jp/KWHartsfield/G1/E/0-50/

show 3,5, and 7 screws per side on the backs, and some as 'Japanese made'. Could these have come from Japan to Canada???

The ones the OP bought are a beautiful matched pair in fantastic condition, and look to have real vintage JBL drivers. What's not to like!

[Maron Horonzakz]

That's really odd...Usually the N500 will have the level strapping bars....That one has a rotary switch... H for 8ohms Mine had strapping bars

[rugy]

Had a local speaker repair shop look at the online photos and he gave me a thumbs up.
So I closed the deal and will have them delivered tomorrow.
Now to make room in my house so that my wife won't kill me....
Thanks for the help.

[rugy]

Pictures of the speakers at home.
Will clean up the years of dust that I can see in the back.
Seeking a manual for the speakers as the back has so many possible setting
Wires are rather thin. Upgrade to a Kimber or something better ? Suggestions ?
Then into my listening room, have to move thing out to be able to place them into the corners.
Any advice re set ups ?

[audiomagnate]

Dayum! I am simply speechless, and that almost never happens. Wire's not important. A small 7199 based tube amp should work fine, but even small tube amps use a lot of juice compared to modern (shudder) class D amps. Those are simply jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Jealous does not describe how I feel right now. I have to go out and sell a ton of insurance. Just guessing, but sensitivity has to be at least in the high 90s for these. Wow. There is a holy grail, it comes in pairs, and it now resides in the great white north. Is that rosewood? How did you make your first billion? Does your wife know what you paid for those? I'll shut up now.

[Mr. Widget]

Congratulations!!! Those are truly stunning... especially being such a nicely matched pair. Are they actual JBL built originals?

Regarding wire choice, if it makes you happy use any fancy wire you want... if these are a true vintage pair of Hartsfields, you may want to clean the contacts, but fancy wire is hardly necessary.

Regarding location, well built and located corners are key and may or may not be available. If your room is a rectangle you should try them along both the long and short walls if possible to see which setup sounds best.

Additional pictures would be appreciated, especially from the rear.


Widget

[Oldmics]

If they are real Hartsfields they should only have an input connection coming from the amplifier and then 4 wires leading to the woofer and tweeter.
Not a variety of connections.

Also if the componets are original it will run just fine on a single ended amp.

Oldmics

Oh,and my original 1st year pair of Hartsfields will cost someone 50K since I enjoy them daily!

[spkrman57]

300B SET amp should do a great job with approx 8 wpc being avg power rating for amps using that tube.

Great find on the spkrs.

Regards, Ron

[rusty jefferson]

Rugy,

I don't know if they're originals or reproductions, or if that matters to you, but they are beautiful. The matched veneer work is excellent, not to mention the condition if they are 50+ years old. Congratulations. Post a picture when you get them set up!