JBL tweeter mounting bracket

[RMC]

While on the OEM driver topic, and JBL made drivers for Fender. Some people's understanding is that those Fender are orange color, therefore if not orange then its not a JBL/Fender driver. This is not an accurate way.

True that many Fenders are orange, however JBL made some black drivers too for Fender! On a list page of about 15 Fender drivers, 10 are orange and 5 are black (so 1/3rd). This makes JBL/Fender positive identification or not a little more tricky.

One cannot rely on driver color alone for the black ones, which may or may not be of JBL origin. Then the driver's number needs to be checked, and such number doesn't look like a traditional model identification but instead more like a part number. Bottom line the "black sheep" requires a verification to know for sure. Hopefully you haven't thrown away a black Fender driver thinking that it was some poor speaker, while in reality it might have been a JBL...

Richard

[toddalin]

Black?

I've seen mostly grey 120F/D130F.

[Robh3606]

Don't they all have "F" on the label???

Rob

[toddalin]

No.

My understanding is that "F" was for "Fender" and the speakers include a slightly wider voice coil gap to avoid voice coil rub when the ham-fisted line workers at Fender torqued them down slightly tweaking the frames. Because of the increased gap, they also loose a bit of efficiency.

[Robh3606]

No.

My understanding is that "F" was for "Fender" and the speakers include a slightly wider voice coil gap to avoid voice coil rub when the ham-fisted line workers at Fender torqued them down slightly tweaking the frames. Because of the increased gap, they also loose a bit of efficiency.

Thanks didn't know they opened up the gaps.

I meant all the Fenders had an "F". So if true you could use the label no matter the color.

Rob

[RMC]

I've attached a partial picture of JBL/Fender drivers including their number and short description. The document has very small print and increasing the cam zoom markedly for easy reading sends some info out of the picture. The intent of the pic was simply to illustrate what i talked about in previous post. You can still see the basic on the image, and wonder about their different "model" number.

The list makes no reference to an "F" on the driver, but it indicates Fender next to very little driver data. It mentions some infos for 10, 12 and 15 inch drivers. It appears the A are Alnico and H Ferrite as usual. I guess the possibility remains some drivers could be similar to JBLs based on the fact Engineers don't reinvent the wheel everytime a driver is requested, maybe small changes, with the bulk being comparable to JBL?

For example which JBL/Fender is comparable to say a 2225 isn't an easy determination in absence of full specs and TS. I assume one would need to test it with DATS 3 or similar.

Just under the 10" orange at the bottom of pic there's a 10" Black (not shown), as well as other Fender cone drivers.

TODD: when a transducer is grey for example the list says so. Here Black means black. Btw JBL made two OEM GREEN drivers for another manufacturer, based on the list, a 12" and a 14", that OEM's name is not indicated though. Maybe the greens were intended to go in the X-MAS tree? lol. I'd bet if Madona had requested PINK JBL drivers for a Tour they would have made these, money money, and a form of endorsement/advertising for JBL...

Richard

[toddalin]

TODD: when a transducer is grey for example the list says so. Here Black means black. Btw JBL made two OEM GREEN drivers for another manufacturer, based on the list, a 12" and a 14", that OEM's name is not indicated though. Maybe the greens were intended to go in the X-MAS tree? lol. I'd bet if Madona had requested PINK JBL drivers for a Tour they would have made these, money money, and a form of endorsement/advertising for JBL...

Richard

I've seen plenty of green 075s. These were commonly used for the "walk" cycle for pedestrian crossings. I would guess that the green coating was an anodized finish to better resist corrosion in an outdoor environment. Additionally JBL 375 drivers were used in foghorns, and I wouldn't be suprised to find these in green also.

The green woofers may have been intended for Heathkit. I've also seen these.

[RMC]

My point here is if its not Orange color it could still be a black JBL for Fender driver as the list shows. Color isn't everything, however the Orange ones are a no brainer.

TODD:

RE Additionally JBL 375 drivers were used in foghorns

Since you mention the 375 there's 6 versions of this, 3 of them without a phasing plug based on a list. But one version is quite unusual and the EX stands for explosion (bottom of the pic). The 375EX is explosion-proof! That's a pretty good one... Maybe you're familiar with that one too in terms of use?

For the battle field? For shows involving pyrotechnic stuff, fireworks? Or for the mining industry?

Richard

[toddalin]

But one version is quite unusual and the EX stands for explosion (bottom of the pic). The 375EX is explosion-proof! That's a pretty good one... Maybe you're familiar with that one too in terms of use?

For the battle field? For shows involving pyrotechnic stuff, fireworks? Or for the mining industry?

Richard

They would be used in any environment that would require that any equipment used be "intrinsically safe." I actually could not do noise monitoring at one site that required that my equipment be intrinsically safe because of the potential for explosive gas leakage.

https://www.omega.com/en-us/resource...insically-safe

[RMC]

Thanks for the 375EX info.

Interesting development regarding a previous post of mine here: "For example which JBL/Fender is comparable to say a 2225 isn't an easy determination in absence of full specs and TS. I assume one would need to test it with DATS 3 or similar."

Well, i found a way to mitigate the little specs/TS hurdle with regards to JBL OEMs. Cross-referencing some JBL lists now i know which driver recone JBL designates for the OEMs it made, in addition to the previously known ones with a JBL sticker. JBL made OEM driver(s) for a number: Fender, Dukane, Peavey, Ampex, Heath, etc.

That's a step forward to put some meat on the OEM bone. A part number or 15" black or orange says nothing about driver type (LF, Mid, etc.) and intended duty, though size may give some clue. But the use of a specific recone does provide more info on driver type and use (e.g. only, a 2235H recone would point in the direction of a woofer for VLF reproduction).

Actually i found some more JBL/Fender drivers, i had mentioned about 15 of them, but now its more in the 17-20 range. That range is due to more recones than drivers, may be caused by more than one recone option for some model(s)?. When i get time i need to look into that aspect.

So from an OEM driver ID number its possible with lists to get a JBL specified recone , and the latter will provide some indication on driver type/duty: e.g. E140 recone = MI type, Bass guitar or general purpose LF. This somewhat opens the door to alternative driver acquisitions, knowing its a JBL, has a few specs, and type plus duty known.

TODD: familiar with Dukane speakers? Private brand? JBL did many OEMs for them too. Pretty sure they were not distributed in Canada? Can't recall seeing that name here.

Richard

[mmc8180]

Mostly useless information off the track of this thread, but intrinsically safe and explosion proof are not necessarily the same thing as the link briefly mentions. (they could be but by definition one doesn't imply the other). Explosion proof means the housing/enclosure will not shatter from ignition sources internally (as in shrapnel blown everywhere - think hand grenade). Intrinsically safe means an ignition source inside a housing will not ignite flammable materials outside, or perhaps even inside the enclosure. Clear as mud?

So for a 375 EX driver, its outer housing will not hand grenade when being used in possible flammable environments (think PA systems in mines, printing processes, chemical plants, other industrial plants).

[toddalin]

TODD: familiar with Dukane speakers? Private brand? JBL did many OEMs for them too. Pretty sure they were not distributed in Canada? Can't recall seeing that name here.

Richard

Yes, I've seen "Dukane JBLs" as well as Dukane "other manufacturers" (e.g., projectors).

A Dukane "LE175":


https://www.ebay.com/itm/29558310799...Bk9SR7KSnOL9Yg

[DerekTheGreat]

Gotta love the box on that one, "Another Dukane product." More like, "Someone else's product in our box."

[RMC]

Hi Derek,

Thanks i had a good laugh about the writing on the box...

I think Gold Sound or similar name also used JBL drivers, they made some RTA(s) too if i recall correctly, but i'm not sure about them using OEM or regular retail versions of the JBL drivers. I think they weren't the OEMs.

With so many JBL drivers discontinued, some difficult to find, the interesting aspect in having a pool of OEMs is those provide additional choices to look at and consider if you can't find one with the JBL sticker on.

The OEMs lineup probably doesn't cover as many models as JBL made, however there's still a number of them. Better to have some more options than having none in my view.

Richard

[DerekTheGreat]

Yes, more bloodlines are a good thing. Much like with cars. For example, I did not know that once upon a time GM supplied transmissions to Rolls-Royce. Or that I could pilfer parts from an S10 to keep my K1500 going...