Oct 10, 2012 the l100 was the consumer version of jbl s 43104311 pro monitors, the speakers shared the same 12inch woofer, 5inch midrange and 1. If you want a full sound coming from these speakers, investing in thick speaker wires would be the way to go. Late 1970s bookshelf with fairly low efficiency for a jbl. History of the speakers, look and feel of the drivers and enclosures, technical specifications as well as authors subjective opinion about their sound. Over the years, the l100 became the bestselling loudspeaker in jbl s history. History of the speakers, look and feel of the drivers and enclosures, technical. Jbl by harman introduces updated, iconic jbl l100 loudspeaker. Jbl l100 restoration techtalk speaker building, audio. In 2018, we are proud to bring you the jbl l100 classic, a modern take on a. The jbl l100 classic speakers are a mix of the old and the new.
Harman reintroduces jbl l100 classic speaker ce pro. Dec 08, 2018 the jbl l100 classic handily illustrates the differences in sound between box and horn speakers. Introduced in 1970, the jbl l100 was the most popular loudspeaker in jbl s history. And the tweeter in l100 classic updates that of jbl s finest oneinch titanium driver. View and download jbl l100 century owners manual online. This bass driver hands over to the cm midrange unit at 450hz. Mid driver cm with 2,2cm edgewound copper bobbin, 2,2cm rigid aluminium dome, lowtolerance diecast chassis set in its own isolated chamber. It was 1970, when hifi speakers all had drab cloth grilles, the l100 sported a brilliant orange waffle pattern grille, and when every other speaker had grey or black woofers, the l100s was white. Theres also the fact that jbl didnt bother to mirrorimage their drivers, and that the trim. Las vegas, nv harman international, a whollyowned subsidiary of samsung electronics co. This bookshelf loudspeaker features a 2way design with patented highdefinition imaging hdi waveguide technology, the patented 2410h2 1inch 25mm compression driver, and a 6. To purchase l100 classic spares or accessories, please contact the company via their website or visit an authorised. For the old, theres the awesome walnutveneer cabinets with their textured opencell foam grills in either orange, blue, or black. A quick internet search revealed mostly positive opinions and because i really enjoyed listening to jbl l26 and l100, i thought i would give jbl l20t a go.
The t3 is also far rarer than the original 100, with a manufacturing run of 8990 i think. The jbl l100 classic specs come with inputs of fiveway binding posts that are goldplated. Technical specifications according to manufacturer. Back to the future with jbls iconic l100 classic speaker. The l100 classic uses the newly developed jt025ti1 1inch 25mm titanium dome tweeter mated to a waveguide with an acoustic lens for optimal integration to the jm125pc 5inch 125mm castframe, purepulp cone midrange driver located directly below. It may be the most successful loudspeaker in its class ever produced by anyone. The jbl l100 is considered the best selling speaker in jbls history. The new l100 classic loudspeaker system features a 1970s retro design, including an iconic quadrex foam grille in a choice of three colors black. I had a set of l100s a couple of years ago, they were fun speakers and built like tanks but man they were bright. The new l100 classic loudspeaker system features an attractive, 1970sstyle retro design, with vintage jbl styling including an iconic quadrex foam grille in a choice of three colors black, orange, or blue all with a black and bronze jbl logo. Low driver 25cm with 7,6cm edgewound copper bobbin, alnico v magnet, linear frequency response up to 3khz, lowtolerance diecast chassis. Even before i heard the jbl l100 century i knew it was going to be great. Then the jbl 4311 studio version came out several years later.
Popular since the 1970s, the l100 reemerges in 2018 with its iconic look and modern technology. The first thing i did was to remove the drivers and store them away. L100 classic 12 3way bookshelf loudspeaker jbl synthesis. Back to the future with jbls iconic l100 classic speaker cnet.
The l100 century is the most successful bookshelf loudspeaker ever produced by jbl. Heres a picture of one of the beautifully made woofers. Jbl hdi1600 2way bookshelf loudspeaker audio advice. The speakers, apart from a couple of scuffs here and there, turned out to be in very good condition. Ill never forget the first time i heard a pair, and the big jbls lit up my led zeppelin and jimi. Controls attenuators for mf and hf drivers connectors fiveway goldplated binding posts dimensions h x w x d 25. The jbl l100 classic are new jbl loudspeakers that allude to the iconic jbl. Tweeters and mid drivers crossovers, if you can call them crossovers. Theres also the fact that jbl didnt bother to mirrorimage their drivers, and that the trim pots on the front baffle for the midrange and treble are still. If you are using a screen reader and are having problems using this website, please call 800 3364525 for assistance. With this article i hope to shed some light over the differences in components. Jbl l100 classic loudspeaker a classic looking speaker.
Jbl are now proud to present this l100 classic, a modern take of the time honored legend. By the mid1970s the jbl studio monitors had become ubiquitous in the u. All of this supported with many photos and a video. Since the parts express lpads have a longer shaft than the stock crossovers, i cut a new piece of 12 mdf and mounted them on there. Jbl l112 manual 3way loudspeaker system hifi engine. Launched in 1970, the l100 was and remains jbl s bestselling loudspeaker of all timenot to mention one of the most iconic loudspeakers ever. View and download jbl g series owners manual online. If you go for a receiver that can handle more than 200 watts such as 800 watts, you will still only get the speakers maximum 200 watts. If you can find an old picture of the jbl l123a bass driver used in the original l100, you will see they are just two totally different components. As previously, the whole series was a domestic version of jbls studio monitors from that era, and included the following models. Over the years, the l100 became the bestselling loudspeaker in jbls history. As with the legendary l100 3way bookshelf loudspeaker released in 1970, itself a consumer version of the popular jbl 4310 pro studio monitor, the. Jbl l100 classic loudspeaker a classic looking speaker with truly.
Orange county speaker repair repairs this unit with aftermarket parts built to original jbl specs, as original replacements are no longer available. The jbl l100 classics have a strong retro appearance, but their. Jbl releases updated iconic jbl l100 speakers audioholics. Designed and engineered in jbls worldfamous acoustic engineering facility in northridge, california, the hdi1600 delivers exceptional performance from a compact enclosure. In 2018, we are proud to bring you the jbl l100 classic, a modern take on a timehonored legend.
The jbl l100 classic boasts the same iconic 3way design as its predecessor from the 1970s, with updated driver technology for a more dynamic sound. Mar 31, 2020 this article will be an overview of the three different major versions of the jbl l 100 speaker, also known as the l 100 century speaker. Nov 10, 2018 back in the day audio nerds like me knew the l100 was the consumer version of jbl s sought after 4311 pro studio monitors. And the tweeter in l100 classic updates that of jbls finest oneinch titanium driver.
Manufacturing our own component transducers has historically set jbl professional apart from other loudspeaker system manufacturers. Apr 18, 2019 the l100 classics are pretty sensitive speakers, rated at 90dbwm, but their nominal impedance is claimed to be 4ohm, which suggests that its wise to use an amplifier with a bit of grunt. The jbl l100t is a floorstanding speaker system in a handsome oiledwalnut cabinet. Make sure that you also look at the jbl l100 specs so that you can find the correct wattage on the receiver. I think that jbl just sold so damn many l100s that they represent a sort of sentimental value for guys lo these decades later. May 26, 2010 the research i did indicates these used the 2214h series 12 woofer.
The 3 models were similar 3ways however the 4311 did have some improvements near the end of the 1970s over the. Here is a picture of my remanufactured factory spec crossovers. It has been produced in several versions over the years, so it is well possible to find slightly different midrange and tweeter placements. Jbl l100 classic loudspeaker a classic looking speaker with. Heres my own stock drivers for recreating the jbl l100. The jbl l100 was the home version of the jbl 4310 studio version. At the harman store the l100 classic sounded more tonally saturated, more fleshed out and bolder. Any speakers midrange driver is critical to getting everything right, and again, l100 classics fiveinch driver delivers accurate tonality and lifelike dynamics be they from a human voice, or tone of a guitar, a piano, a snare drum, or any other instrument. The jbl l100 speakers can range from 25 to 200 watts in rms handling power. Jbl century l100 restoration page 2 klipsch upgrades. I think some guys mellow them out and get them flatter with different crossovers. The jbl l100 classic handily illustrates the differences in sound between box and horn speakers. They were midsized floorstanding speakers although jbl refers to them as bookshelf that is a big shelf, with 3 drivers, a 12 bass, 5 midrange driver and a dome tweeter.
Jbl l100 classic black grille bookshelf speaker at crutchfield. The combination of a new high frequency dome radiator, a powerful midrange driver, and the lowdistortion sfg low frequency loudspeaker give the l112 stateoftheart bookshelf speaker performance. At ces 2018, harman international, a whollyowned subsidiary of samsung electronics co. The published specifications of the l100 classic state that the lowfrequency. We employ our reference 200w per channel gamut d200i for most of the test, but also try naims uniti star allinone system rated at 70w per channel. This website is not affiliated with or sponsored by jbl. I was searching for a small set of speakers for my bedroom and came across these monitors.
Back in the day audio nerds like me knew the l100 was the consumer version of jbls sought after 4311 pro studio monitors. This article will be an overview of the three different major versions of the jbl l 100 speaker, also known as the l 100 century speaker. The forte iii almost didnt make the list because i wasnt sure if i would like the sound of the titanium midrange driver i recently noticed the cornwall iv doesnt use one. As with the legendary l100 3way bookshelf loudspeaker released in 1970, itself a consumer version of the popular jbl 4310 pro studio monitor, the new l100 classic follows on the heels of the successful 4312se 70 th anniversary studio monitor model launched in 2016. Review by tom lyle because i was a working musician from around highschool onwards, and more seriously during the 1980s, spent quite a bit of time in recording studios. The research i did indicates these used the 2214h series 12 woofer. The 105a midrange driver used in the l100 classic is polymer coated and has a magnet structure larger than you find on some entry levels speakers woofers.
Jbl renews a bestselling classic the original l100, introduced in 1970, is jbls bestselling speaker of all time. It has a 12inch woofer, a 5inch cone midrange driver, and a 1inch dome tweeter. I dig the l100s triple driver design, especially that majestic 12inch white. Following the success of jbls l series from 1970s, jbl decided to release another l series in the mid80s. Building on a robust history of producing world class loudspeaker lowfrequency units and compression drivers, jbl selenium provides a variety of world class component. Good solid example of the jbl sound, if you like that. Back in the day audio nerds like me knew the l100 was the consumer version of jbl s sought after 4311 pro studio monitors. I have to say its much cheaper buying an old pair of l100s compared to buying the drivers separately on ebay.
An iconic 70s speaker revived as a modern standout. The 4310 quickly became one of the most successful products in the jbl catalog and paved the way for additional products in the monitor series. In the studios i noticed many different makes and models of monitor. As with the legendary l100 3way bookshelf loudspeaker released in 1970, itself a. At the time i didnt fully understand what listener fatigue felt like, the l100s taught me this lesson, they were harsh. The jbl l100 was the most popular speaker jbl ever made as it sold the most maybe over 200,000 units. Retro sound with jbls l100 classic loudspeaker darko. Jbl relaunch l100 classic loudspeakers at ces 2018 part. Bottom line those precious vintage jbl studio drivers and used with a proper network i see these jbl studio derivitives as very high end and well worth the money. When it was found that musicians, engineers and other discriminating professionals in increasing numbers were purchasing the jbl studio monitor for home use, jbl introduced the l100 acoustically identical to the studio monitor, yet offering provocative styling appropriate to the home environment. It will always be remembered for its looks, sound and its role in the famous maxell ad, the blownaway man. Counterfeit products are not authentic and therefore do not meet the high quality and safety standards established by jbl. Review of jbl l100 century vintage bookshelf speakers from 1970s. Jbl l100 restoration got to spend some more time working on the jbl l100 restoration and upgrade.
You can connect these binding posts with regular speaker wires. Jbl l100 classic loudspeaker a classic looking speaker with truly modern sound. The l100 epitomized 1970s west coast sound, and once you heard an l100. This model unit is fairly close in design to the jbl l166 which is a classic consumer model. Introduced in 1970, the jbl l100 was the most popular loudspeaker in jbls. Jan 11, 2018 the new l100 classic loudspeaker system features an attractive, 1970sstyle retro design, with vintage jbl styling including an iconic quadrex foam grille in a choice of three colors black, orange, or blue all with a black and bronze jbl logo. The jbl l100 classic introduced last year, according to jbl s literature, is not a retro speaker, but a modern speaker built to modern specifications, although it is a modern take on the timehonored legend. My friends jbl l100, some scratches to the cabs, but drivers in mint condition.
1530 871 119 1250 1452 686 1368 2 839 840 351 1126 969 1573 811 3 197 653 1572 1228 773 1027 1447 625 511 850 1153 176 1204 199 1036 1064 816 417 1000 426 928 350 147 571 1292 742 732 473 896 132 648 550