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Thread: JBL 104H midrange driver question.

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    JBL 104H midrange driver question.

    Does anyone know and I can't even find pics of what I am trying to figure out. I have a few sets of 104H midrange drivers. My teak 250ti's and the limited edition black piano 250ti's both have the original 104H drivers that are the gray polypropylene cones like all Ti speakers I have owned and
    seen. Now in the early 90's I bought a set of 104H drivers new from JBL as backups and have those original boxes. But the 104H's that I think are the ones I purchased have black polypropylene cones. I just can't remember from back then if these black polypropylene 104H's were the new drivers I bought from JBL.
    I searched here and all over the internet and can't find one photo of a black 104H. Does anyone know if they were used in other JBL speakers. Did the switch in 1984 to the 104H midrange drivers in polypropylene were produced in black before the gray showed up on the Ti's. The date on the back of the 104H black cone
    is 1986 and I know these 250ti's were out in 1985. Did JBL use the black cones in the early versions. But I am not talking about the 104H-2's with the black non poly cones that I have a set of from back in the day. Just confused and can't find any info. Thanks upfront for any help/info.

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    Senior Member RMC's Avatar
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    Cel,

    RE "Does anyone know if they were used in other JBL speakers."

    Looked at the listings i have from way back for consumer and pro models. Other than 250Ti, the only others i found using the 104H are 120Ti and 240Ti. None seen in pro. Also, where the 104H appears its described as 5" Black.

    Finally, in the tech manuals for both 120Ti and 240Ti the 104H is described as 5" Filled Polypropylene.

    Sorry this is all i have. Hoping this might help you. Regards,

    Richard

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    Quote Originally Posted by RMC View Post
    Cel, RE "Does anyone know if they were used in other JBL speakers." Looked at the listings i have from way back for consumer and pro models. Other than 250Ti, the only others i found using the 104H are 120Ti and 240Ti. None seen in pro. Also, where the 104H appears its described as 5" Black. Finally, in the tech manuals for both 120Ti and 240Ti the 104H is described as 5" Filled Polypropylene. Sorry this is all i have. Hoping this might help you. Regards, Richard
    Thanks for the reply Richard. I figure its going to be tough to find some information but I can guess at least that my black polypropylene 104H drivers are not the only ones out there. I will take some pics later of both and maybe that will help. Thanks again, Steve

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    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    Depending on when those drivers were made it's entirely possible that JBL didn't source the cones from the original manufacturer. An example would be as spares after the Ti series was out of production. You can look at some drivers and see clearly different cones depending on date of manufacture 2245 and 2108 come to mind. Posting a picture or two would help. I have never seen a 104H with a black cone curious to see how they look.

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

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    Here is a pic of the three 104H mid ranges that I have. The bottom left is a new 104H-2 that I bought back in the day for my L100T's that I had at the time. The bottom right is the 104H that has the black poly cone and I am under the impression it was in the box
    that is pictured but the driver has an 86 manufacture date and I bought the backups in that box in the early 90's. The top driver is the normal 104H mid range that came with my Teak 250's new and are also in my LE250'S. Still not sure where that black poly 104H
    came from and have yet to see another one in any pics.
    Attached Images Attached Images   

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    RIP 2021 SEAWOLF97's Avatar
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    My 104h's in the 120Ti's are black also
    Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

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    Quote Originally Posted by SEAWOLF97 View Post
    My 104h's in the 120Ti's are black also
    Thanks SEAWOLF97. Actually been looking for a set of 120ti's and they are hard to find. One on Ebay right now but way too much money. I have a set of 18ti's but want the 3 way 120's to build another system.

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    Senior Member BMWCCA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CEL2004 View Post
    Thanks SEAWOLF97. Actually been looking for a set of 120ti's and they are hard to find. One on Ebay right now but way too much money.
    Couldn't find them. How much is "way too much"?

    I did see a pair of L20T listed as "120T" in the subject with plenty of photos clearly showing the "L". Some people should not be allowed to operate the Internet.
    ". . . as you have no doubt noticed, no one told the 4345 that it can't work correctly so it does anyway."—Greg Timbers

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    Quote Originally Posted by CEL2004 View Post
    Thanks SEAWOLF97. Actually been looking for a set of 120ti's and they are hard to find. One on Ebay right now but way too much money. I have a set of 18ti's but want the 3 way 120's to build another system.
    have never heard the elusive "Century Gold" , but have heard many JBL - 3 way , 12 incher "bookshelves" and the 120Ti's seem the best of that lot.

    Quote Originally Posted by BMWCCA View Post
    Some people should not be allowed to operate the Internet.
    that's why I don't
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    Quote Originally Posted by BMWCCA View Post
    Couldn't find them. How much is "way too much"?

    I did see a pair of L20T listed as "120T" in the subject with plenty of photos clearly showing the "L". Some people should not be allowed to operate the Internet.

    I did see that ad for the 120T also just happy it was not advertised as a 120ti being that it was 2 way. The ad I did see yesterday for the 120ti's must have been taken down because it was not there this morning. They had a buy it now price of $2400. No thanks. I
    paid $2000 for my Limited Edition piano black 250ti's back in 2019.

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    Quote Originally Posted by SEAWOLF97 View Post
    have never heard the elusive "Century Gold" , but have heard many JBL - 3 way , 12 incher "bookshelves" and the 120Ti's seem the best of that lot.
    Exactly and why I want to find a nice set for a reasonable price. I still have my 18ti's and they sound great but want the 3 way 120ti's.

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    Quote Originally Posted by CEL2004 View Post
    Exactly and why I want to find a nice set for a reasonable price. I still have my 18ti's and they sound great but want the 3 way 120ti's.
    My 18ti's do duty as my headboard set .... really like the 044ti , but the 18's bass is somewhat lacking.

    have had L88's , L-100's. L-166's , 4412's , 4311b's, L-65's and who knows what else , but TO ME , the 120ti's & L-166's are the cream of that crop.

    OBTW ... got my 120's for $100 , needing 2 refoam's & replacement of 1 044ti and new dustcaps on the 104h's..

    http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...l=1#post364287

    http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...l=1#post364321

    Quote Originally Posted by DingDing

    The 120Ti sounds amazing, they surely do. Yup, I tried both positions on the switches. Had them singing for 3 weeks and loved it, they throw a really nice soundstage and they have great attack too. Kept them around because they're to darn good to give up for what they're worth. After three weeks of adjusting to the 120Ti and going back to the 4343B I actually had to check all connections, because I thought there was something wrong with the highs in the big boys, haha. Comes to show how we adapt.

    Quote Originally Posted by DingDing

    With 120Ti it's wonderful. You get great soundstage with depth, again the the attack is just wonderful and, well, they're great .

    an email from a bud:

    Confessions of a 120Ti shameless SHIMMER

    Just scored some 120Ti's out at Hboro ($5 a piece) ... Need some 12" foams for them.

    After initially gluing the inner ring(s), I couldn't find the "sweet spot" for the life-of-me (LOM) ...

    So I joined the ranks of the Cutter/Shim-Shammers/Re-gluers and: (a) not all that hard to do, and (b) wow ! Does this woofer bug in and out sweetly and easily !

    Found these woofers to have very tight clearances. Just as well that I shimmied.

    And the winner IS .......

    Bookshelf Shmookshelf ... These guys fully fill my living room with ease and a nicely balanced top-to-bottom sound. Couldn't be more impressed and pleased.

    Now, I don't want to use them, because they might get hurt ... Guess I'll have to use headphones forever more.
    Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

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    Quote Originally Posted by SEAWOLF97 View Post
    My 18ti's do duty as my headboard set .... really like the 044ti , but the 18's bass is somewhat lacking.

    have had L88's , L-100's. L-166's , 4412's , 4311b's, L-65's and who knows what else , but TO ME , the 120ti's & L-166's are the cream of that crop.

    OBTW ... got my 120's for $100 , needing 2 refoam's & replacement of 1 044ti and new dustcaps on the 104h's..

    http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...l=1#post364287

    http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...l=1#post364321

    Quote Originally Posted by DingDing

    The 120Ti sounds amazing, they surely do. Yup, I tried both positions on the switches. Had them singing for 3 weeks and loved it, they throw a really nice soundstage and they have great attack too. Kept them around because they're to darn good to give up for what they're worth. After three weeks of adjusting to the 120Ti and going back to the 4343B I actually had to check all connections, because I thought there was something wrong with the highs in the big boys, haha. Comes to show how we adapt.

    Quote Originally Posted by DingDing

    With 120Ti it's wonderful. You get great soundstage with depth, again the the attack is just wonderful and, well, they're great .

    an email from a bud:

    Confessions of a 120Ti shameless SHIMMER

    Just scored some 120Ti's out at Hboro ($5 a piece) ... Need some 12" foams for them.

    After initially gluing the inner ring(s), I couldn't find the "sweet spot" for the life-of-me (LOM) ...

    So I joined the ranks of the Cutter/Shim-Shammers/Re-gluers and: (a) not all that hard to do, and (b) wow ! Does this woofer bug in and out sweetly and easily !

    Found these woofers to have very tight clearances. Just as well that I shimmied.

    And the winner IS .......

    Bookshelf Shmookshelf ... These guys fully fill my living room with ease and a nicely balanced top-to-bottom sound. Couldn't be more impressed and pleased.

    Now, I don't want to use them, because they might get hurt ... Guess I'll have to use headphones forever more.



    Very nice. So I am guessing that your 120ti's are totally restored. My 18ti's have been stored away in the original boxes for years. I had them setup in my bedroom for a while on my old Marantz receiver.
    They would be helped with a nice sub. Once my new house is done soon might set them up in my garage for work tunes in the garage. I need to pull them out of the box and replace the foam dampers in the
    044ti tweeters like I just did in both sets of my 250ti's. Thanks to your post and help plus some others here it was quite easy to do. The 038ti tweeters in my LE250ti's are much easier to do.

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    I use my 18Ti as speakers for the TV in the back room. I knew I was happy with the way they performed, then a buddy came over and was blown away by how good the sound was (powered/processed with Marantz AVR).

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