JBL L Series (1990s)

[JBLAddict]

I can only tell you the more clean power I feed them, the better they sound. I'm actually listening to them right now as the L7s are headed out the door to the great L300/L7 Comparo function tomorrow. Wonderful little speakers but they are getting the benefit of a Crown PS-400. Even at soft levels they sound better with more power. We'll find out tomorrow what some other Luddites think about them. The plan is to take them along with the L7s for a little critique. Maybe A-B them with some 120Ti's and some 4412A's, too. I might even bring along a PS-400 and a PS-200 to compare just what does happen when you double the available power.

Enjoy!

would love to have the 120Ti in that mix, as one of the sets I considered in this decision (thought typically more expensive and harder to come by), really looking forward to the report on the JAM-boree.....

[BMWCCA]

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ele/908158529.html

For posterity:

[clmrt]

Prince needs a little cash.

Either that or one of the Vikings was let go.

[Titanium Dome]

Wow! Talk about an ignoble end.

Still, one's man's trash(hy look) is another's treasure I guess.

[Triple J]

I am in the process of moving and was thinking about selling a pair of my mint L5s. So I did a search in order to try to find pricing information. I remember picking up this last pair for like $250 each off eBay and I felt that was a real steal. So to make a long story short I came across this thread. For now I have decided to keep the L5s. I really can't bear the thought on letting them go for the kind of prices they tend to bring on the used speaker market. They are so much better than that, as the rest of you know.

Well, let me tell you about my experience with these speakers. Originally bought a pair of the L5s from Circuit City in the early 90s. They were like my third set of speakers from Circuit City in two months time. I kept upgrading until I found something that really seemed good. I drove these speakers with reciever power amplification until around 2001. Then I was ready to overhaul my system again and get it right finally. At that time I sought out more L series speakers to complete my home theater setup. Initially I wanted L5s in all four corners, and as I mentioned I found a pair on eBay. After placement issues with the L5s in the rear, I decided to get a pair of L1s for the rears. I also found a really good deal on the L1s on eBay. So since I got the L1s, the extra pair of L5s have been in storage. My solution to the center channel issue was to run center in phantom mode, letting my front L and R original L5s also handle center channel. I have always been happy with this arrangement which of course avoids any coloration issues when the center speaker does not match the others.

In my room I found speaker placement to be very important with the L5s and tried to follow JBLs recommendations (which are much the same for the L5s as for the L7s).

As for tweaks I got the internal wiring on both pairs of L5s upgraded at a local stereo shop. The other tweak which I found very good was to spike the stands. The stands came fitted from JBL with inputs for triangular brass spikes which the same shop also carried. So my L5s are on the stands which are each spiked with one brass spike in front and two in back.

The system really came to life when I added a dedicated amplifier with approx 300w/channel x5 (although I was only using 4).

The volume the system can achieve is tremendous. I did blow an 8" woofer on one of the L5s listening to Blue MAn Group DVD Audio. Even though I have a dedicated subwoofer and balanced everything out using Outlaws LFM1 or whatever to cross everything over. I can say on that occasion it never really distorted but the amp actually overpowered the speaker which is very rare with the L series. But they do love the power.

I have found the L series to be the best speakers by far I have heard when setup correctly. Mainly speaker placement and lots of amplifier power are important. The other aspect is the speakers are extremely transparent and revealing and so the rest of the components must be of very high quality. The system is only as good as its weakest link and the L series will reveal this. Lots of times when people are not happy with the L series they had picked up the speakers at a good price point and then setup their systems with other low end parts, CD players and receiver amplification, etc. I think thats why you can find them so cheap when consumers unload them who had gotten into something they did not really know how to appreciate. When setup correctly with a good system these speakers are incredible.

[Titanium Dome]

Welcome to the forums and thanks for sharing your L Series experience with us.

[BMWCCA]

The other tweak which I found very good was to spike the stands. The stands came fitted from JBL with inputs for triangular brass spikes which the same shop also carried. So my L5s are on the stands which are each spiked with one brass spike in front and two in back.

Got pictures of that mod? I can picture the bottom of the bases and how the spikes would fit, but was that the intention of the casting shape? Seems like it would leave the rather flimsy base-plates exposed to breaking from errant footsteps. Especially on the L7s.

I know it can't be long before you try the L7, too. I can see it in your story. Let us know what you think.

[Triple J]

Here is a picture of my L5s with the brass spikes. I am rather sure that was the intention in the design of the stands, as I can't imagine why there would have been a triangulated set of sockets under the base that fit these big brass spikes perfect. But I really don't know as I never saw any JBL documentation as such. With the spikes the stands still serve their main purpose of keeping the speakers from easily tipping over.

[Triple J]

I know it can't be long before you try the L7, too. I can see it in your story. Let us know what you think.

Yes surely that will happen at some point - with the much thinner flat screen and/or wall mounted sets I could easily see some L7s up front. My current set is a rear projection DVD / 1080i model circa 2001 that is about as deep as it is wide so I ruled out the L7s. Plus the room was acoustically challenged so it would not have a chance of doing justice to the L7s. But all that is changing ...

[BMWCCA]

Here is a picture of my L5s with the brass spikes. I am rather sure that was the intention in the design of the stands, as I can't imagine why there would have been a triangulated set of sockets under the base that fit these big brass spikes perfect. But I really don't know as I never saw any JBL documentation as such. With the spikes the stands still serve their main purpose of keeping the speakers from easily tipping over.

Very interesting. Thanks for the pics!

I checked the L7s (easy, since I don't use the bases on those) and they have the same three holes. Any idea what the brand or model number was? Were they threaded or just turned-down? And cost, of course, since I am a bottom-feeder.

[Titanium Dome]

Interesting. The spikes are actually directly under the bottom of the enclosure, so there's no stress on the flares at all. In fact, the flares are superfluous in this context.

[Triple J]

Here are a couple other pics so I could better show the type of spikes. They each came with their own socket which screwed into the unthreaded holes in the stands. Then the spikes screw into the sockets. I don't know where to get them but I think a good parts supplier would know. They are about 1 1/8", I did a google and found some similar looking spikes, for instance http://www.soundocity.com/Oregondv/spikes.htm

[BMWCCA]

Thanks. I had already found that link and another I can't seem to find now that said for JBL use the 6mm versions with no other application information. I'll make some measurements but we have few-to-none suppliers around here to test for fit so mail-order may be a crap shoot I'll have to chance if I want to try them.

[Titanium Dome]

BMWCCA posted this info in another thread, but I wanted it here for future reference and maybe an informed comment from our member and L7 designer Chris Hagen. Were there Piano Black L7s produced for show or otherwise?

The text:

[Titanium Dome]

The pictures: