Hello JustAudio. Long a go all the JBL tooling and remaining parts were bought up by the guy behind Kenrick Sound in Tokyo who re-manufactures modern, improved versions of JBL classics by the hundreds (mainly for rich retired Japanese guys). This is a hugely important continuation of JBL's legacy products. To talk about JBL's history and not mention this is a serious omission.
Thanks so much for this video and the history of JBL. My father spent 20 years working for JBL as an Engineer. Harold Newton 60's- through the 1970's. He had 3 draftsmen and 4 that were machinists working for him. He designed the magnet machine that charged them. He also designed the voice coil winding machine. He then had a patent under JBL for the design of the dowel pin that held the grill clothes on the front of the cabinets. All these he would scratch out and then give to the draftsmen and then to the machinists that built the parts. He also designed the carton for the larger cabinet. I remember working as a JR. Draftsman one summer while I was in High School. To test the carton, everyone was invited to the loading dock, and Bill Thomas, President threw the cabinet in the carton off the dock to see what would happen to it. It passed without a scratch. We always had speakers in our home growing up. This brought good memories and tears to my eyes.
@@LennyFlorentine No mention of some guy in Asia who many years ago bought up all JBL's pro drivers and tooling? Check out RUclips's Kenrick Sound out of Tokyo who re-manufactures classic JBL speakers by the dozens with upgrades and improvements naturally. This is a hugely important continuation of JBLs legacy products.
What I'm writing here might get taken down for content! I asked Lenny the gent in this video to get me a pair of clear "Lucite" Pioneer HPM 100 Store Demonstration Speakers. He did. They were in rough shape so I asked if they could make them more presentable. Lenny did that and more with genuine Pioneer replacement parts. Lenny tries his best at for every customer. Lenny has a passion for vintage and modern audio. I've brought in over 30 vintage items including 16 monster receivers. Lenny always treats me right. Lenny just finished my rare Pioneer HPM 100 Lucite Speakers. I'm autistic with cerebral palsy and more. Lenny & the Just Audio staff made my dreams come true with these speakers. Behind all the jokes & pranks Lenny is a Good Man!
Thee is a company in Japan called KENRICK SOUND and they have permission from JBL to re-manufacture classic vintage JBL home audio speakers. They have developed improved components for these as well. They do have a RUclips channel. Their workmanship and passion is amazing to watch.
I love the Bluetooth speakers by JBL I don’t use old school audio anymore Bluetooth took over and they are just getting better every year good video as usual JBL HAS MADE A NAME FOR ITSELF IN BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS THE BEST OF THE BEST EVERY COMPANY IS TRYING TO OUT DO THEM THAT JBL SIGNATURE SOUND.
You asked the audience to post any JBL stories we have in the comments section, so here’s mine, specifically about the Prima that you talk about in detail. I was employed by JBL in 1972 and started at 3249 Casitas Ave. I was with the company until 1977, but I would come back from 1986 to 1993. The Prima was developed a couple of years after started. Because the Prima was molded from hardened Urethane Foam, it was thought to be a very resilient material, unlike the more commonly used Particle Board or MDF. The Vice President of Sales at the time was a very charismatic individual by the name of Irv Stern. When it was decided to introduce the Prima to the sales force, a formal dinner meeting was organized. Irv decided to have some fun and pretend that he was the actual industrial designer, dressing up in a flamboyant costume and speaking with a strong, but questionable Italian accent. (I forget what fake Italian name he gave himself.) After the initial presentation, giving the audience the opportunity to see the color options, a demonstration of their clever stacking design, followed by a listening session, Irv made a big deal of the fact that they were made of a synthetic plastic material and claimed that they endure abuse better then their wood counterparts. He proceed to lift one, a Yellow Prima as I recall, and toss it across the stage. To everyone’s surprise, (they had not rehearsed the latter), it hit the floor and exploded into several pieces. Needless to say, that would not be part of future demos.
I was a retail salesman when the prima came out. We never sold any. NOT ONE. If those wouldn't sell in Austin, I can't see that did well elsewhere. The L 110 did much better. Same speaker in a conventional box. ???Does anyone has sales numbers on the Prima 25? I did sell a Paragon. That was a good day!
@Kleinage We had 3 pairs. They sat for months. The owner took the display, and the other 2 pairs were returned, as I recall. I was just a salesman and not really involved with that part. They didn't sound bad, but the shape and color seemed like the problem.
As a music producer and sometimes touring musician, I have several D130s in my various rigs. A super efficient workhorse speaker that sounds great. In the studio, I have a set of 4308s. They sound too flattering to mix on, but I love to listen back to projects on them. Nice work on the history.
I've always been a fan of JBL speakers. For me, they represent the "American Sound" I tend to prefer in my audio gear: full-range, full-bodied sound with an emphasis on being entertaining more than revealing; speakers that are easy to enjoy with all genres of music. Today's JBL is almost like an enthusiast's secret...the public know and think of them as a mainstream brand, but we know them for their pro and high-end models like the K2 and Everest. In Asia (especially Japan) JBL vintage and hi-end gear trades for very high prices...for them, this is the American sound they chase. I was all set to buy a pair of the JBL L100 75th Limited Editions (the ones that came with the stands and that monstrous shipping crate), until one day, I stopped into Just Audio and bought a pair of Kef Blade Two's from Spencer and Lenny...an entirely different path, but not as different as it sounds. Great video, Lenny...Keep dropping the knowledge!
Hello from Chicago burbs. One of my favorite memories growing up at my parents house with a Carver M500 amp and my L112's ❤ watching the lights dim as I turned it up 🤯 ( no parents of course) this content really takes me back 1983!😮
I've been a fan of JBL for years. I'm a drummer and a bit of an audiophile, so I've been around a good amount of audio gear. I've recorded at a couple of studios years ago, and the JBL monitors they used had such a life-like sound, I was instantly hooked. Back in the mid to late 80s, I bought a set of JBL 12" car audio subwoofers, and I kid you not, those were the best sound quality subs I've ever owned. Sure wish I still had them. 😢
@@samholdsworth420 You know why? It was not for the clarity or accuracy but because the NS1000M was billed as the closest approximation to the average home stereo system for a mixdown for the masses. They were never intended for or to be audiophile gear. They are meant to be the representation of mediocrity. LOL. PS. Don't hate on me. I had a pair in my studio for years for this very purpose - final mastering. I got this from Yamaha themselves in their marketing blurb of the time.
I really enjoy your 'history' videos! I had the original L100's in the mid '70s and alas divorce separated them from me. It was 50 years later and I was able to obtain a pair of completely refurbished L88 Plus. Thank you again for these great videos! There truly is no sound like JBL's.
I installed this stuff in high end homes in 1974, at the peak of quad. We installed L100 & L200’s with high end Sansui and Dual 1229Q tables. AWESOME! Later, I would use 4560’s & 4550 pro in my live PA systems. Now I have L100 and L200 in my personal studio. SRX is my live system now, but I still have my 4560’s! Love JBL!
I bought my first L100 Century speakers in 1975. Lost them to a burglary in 1979. Bought another pair in the same year. Lost them in a divorce in 2010. Out of music for about 8 years, jumped back in about 5 years ago with a pair of JBL towers. During the pandemic set up a listening room with a pair of Klipsch Heresy IV. Really missed the sound of the L100’s but read some negative reviews of the “new” L100’s so decided to search for a pair of vintage L100 Century’s. Found a pair on EBay and am a happy camper.
Great vid! I still have my JBL 4312 and a set of JBL 4311's in my music room, they are over 30 years old respectively, bought them while I was in the Army. Still sound great! Awesome vid and back story of the JBL company and how it came about. Keep the great work!
I brought my JBL L-150, The Big brother to the JBL L-100 when I was in the Military in Germany around 1980. That means I had these speakers for 43 years😲
Can you share a bit more about your 4311? Because I'm planning to save up for 4311 and I already have my eyes set on them but when I looked it up on forums there are always people saying 4312 / L112 are better so I'm interested to hear a bit more about your experience with them
@@tormenmashi_ The 4311s are a bit more subdude on the sound in comparison to the 4312. Now both models are the originals, not variants as there are models (a, b, c). The difference is in the arrangement of the drivers, were the 4311's woofer sits on top and the midrange and tweeter sit on the bottom of the speaker box with the high and mid adjustment controls. The 4312's area bit brighter and although the mids and tweeters look similar, I believe there is a difference in how they were set up frequency-wise. However, they both sound good, it also depends on your preference of music, your hi fi set up. The L112 as I understand came with titanium tweeters which makes the sound much more brighter than the 11 and 12 (first gen). I believe the 12 variants (b, c) came with titanium tweeters later. Hope this helps a bit, hopefully, someone else may have more to add.
@tormenmashi_ lpsalas.. is right on. I've found very little info from JBL. I have owned 4312b. The main differences in all of the 43xx series are the tweeters, x-overs, and driver alignment. If it were me, I'd look at cabinet condition and the amplifier used to drive them over the years. Enjoy the journey.
I’ve had a pair of 4311’s since 1975. Part of my backup sound system with a Pioneer sx1050, also from 1975. Both the speakers and receiver still sound great. Wouldn’t ever give up these speakers.
I also bought my 4311’s in 1975. Still listening to them, though not with the SX939 I had originally. I compared the L100s to the 4311s at the time I bought them and the 4311s were much clearer and true to the music, the L100s colored the music with less clarity. Many people at that time were buying Bose 501s or 901s but those couldn’t beat the brilliance of the JBLs!
Well bc infinity is the same company. So you could call the infinity a clone of the JBL. Most infinity is made to play flatter and JBL louder or peakier. After Mark Harmon passed many engineers left and we saw a decline. Samsung has done a good job revitalizing the brand with large financial support in engineering. They are still a force to be reckoned with.
As someone that was perhaps in the middle of the original 2 channel explosion, working in it from '69 to '81, watching the names appear, grow, multiply,.... technology solidify, ... and to then leave it almost completely until a few decades ago, it is totally confusing as to who is whom anymore. Your efforts have been incredible on these different big names. Very enjoyable and informative. And I get to throw in person data from the time when you shake the cob webs as well. This one was very well done. Filling in spots in my knowledge of them. And were they went! We appreciate your research! I "married" a pair of L88's, still connected to her Sansui 5000 X in a 2nd system. She had no problem relegating them to that status after hearing my more recently purchased Maggies. I have a friend with his original L88's that wanted to upgrade them to L100 by adding the mid. But I think I talked him into getting Ohm Walsh 2000's instead. Especially for his strange rooms arrangement. But I doubt the Grateful Dead Wall of Sound was designed in 1953! 🙂
I still have my L88 speakers from 73. They are like the L100 but without the mid range driver. About 15 years ago I updated the binding posts, build an actual crossover and replaced the old tweeters with JBL Ti035s and did a few more cabinet mods. Sound great. Using a frequency response tester, the one sold by Parts Express, I get +/- 3dB across 40 Hz to about 16K with a little tweak of the tone controls on the amp. Listen to them almost everyday. Sound stage very nice and wide but not too deep. Could be improved with speaker placement but limited by the room size and shape.
I Love JBL .... i've owned JBL Bluetooth speakers for years now and i'm really Happy with the quality.... My favourite JBL related experience was to Help a friend restore a pair of Vintage L100's which became my absolute dream speakers after listening to them after they where finished .... And the Looks of them are Just gorgeous
In high school in late 70’s saving up all I could afford were the JBl L26. After school I would lay on the floor positioning each speaker like headphones to feel the power of the newly released Physical graffiti album Led Zeppelin album. Powerful experience.
My first connection with JBL was a disco in Chicago (Dugan's Bistro) - which had JBL Pro Series speakers and the the best DJ (Lou DiVito - 3 time winner of the national DJ contest). Other disco / dance systems had JBL Pro Series speakers, and I was absolutely hooked on their sound!
Great video! I made a home built copy of the B460. Got the actual driver off Ebay (2245H), and used the factory specs to design and build a cabinet for it. The result is a phenomenal subwoofer, powered by a 900W amp that I have used to knock snow off my roof in winter. I have discovered the resonant frequency of my house is 27 Hz. My neighbors love it (not). After saying for decades that you can't have too much bass, I have learned that after shaking the house and moving pictures on the walls (and we are there at about 50%), it does become too much. I've been a JBL fan since high school. Just counted: 23 JBL drivers in my house. Most are from the 70's and 80's.
No mention of “Ed May” the design engineer of the JBL L100 and many other models , if you look at his history he left JBL and moved to Marantz Superscope to become their head of loudspeaker designer . He used it to turn out three complete lines of loudspeakers in very short order. However, this was the last loudspeaker work he would perform. Edmond May passed away suddenly in 1980 while still at his desk employed at Marantz .
Indeed….I owned a pair of Ed May designed Marantz Hd880 speakers purchased new in 1978 while stationed in Germany. These were superb speakers and served me well for many years. JBL hit their pinnacle in home stereo 2 channel systems about the time Ed May departed, not a coincidence.
@@timothylindsay3244 still have his HD880’s , DS940’s and his last designed M10 , all original just needed to refoam the woofers . Would be great to see a pair on this Ytube channel.
I've got record producer Martin Hannet's JBL speakers. He mastered tracks from Joy Division, early U2 and others on those (TLX 9) representing typical 'home' speakers from the time and also Aurotrons for radio/car stereo and some Tannoy Gold's representing high end systems. The final mix had to sound good on all three. Excellent video by the way.
Thanks both, I've just found his notes... the speakers are TLX 7Gi and he described them... "Beautiful pair of medium size monitors for listening to my mixes when I bring them back to my home music room from the studio... " and then compares them to the Aurotones and Tannoys. For someone with such a wayward life he apparently made notes on everything. It's stange listening to tracks like Love Will Tear Us Apart through them.
my exposure to JBL is as a DJ. I own 515xt’s and they are still going strong after 10 years of use at events. Great sound and technology built into them. Thank you for this video.
As a big fan of JBL, I had/worked on lots of JBL speakers...not only home speakers, but also a couple headphones, some car audio setups with JBL amp and speakers, etc. I'm watching this video on 4411. Also have CF100, J900MII, 308P MKii, Studio 590 theater setup, SRX speakers, etc. All very good products.
I've been using Control 5 and Control 1 speakers for many years now and I love the natural sound of them. They are my go-to reference for near-field auditioning.
Last 10q financial filing showed they showed listed billions in backlog for OEM products they provide to the automotive industry as infotainment systems. Almost every automaker offers a harman infotainment system as an option today. By far their biggest revenue and margin contributor.
I've owned a pair of L100's since 1987. I bought them from our first landlord right after we got married. They had the original orange foam grills which rotted out. I replaced the foam with a brown fabric insert that JBL sold in the late 80's. I still have the speakers along with the Yamaha receiver I bought at the same time. They still sound good all these years later. I've thought about replacing them but I really don't know what would sound better.
I still have a pair of L26 Decades I purchased in 1973. Originally had 4 used with a simulated 4 Channel HK 75+ receiver. My first system. Wanted the L100 but couldn't afford them at the time. Have only had to recone the woffer a couple of times through the years. Use in my office and still enjoy that 70's sound they produce. Thank you for the video.
I spent almost a year in 1977 looking and listening to speakers for my stereo and kept coming back to JBL Century L100s. I purchased a pair late in 1977 and They have been with me ever since. The 70s orange grills dried out and fell apart in the early 90s but nothing has ever failed and they have been rocked, classicalled and country westered to death. The last few years they have been enjoying Rammstein and several other Germany heavy metal bands. Most likely I will have them until I die.
Thanks for the video and history lesson. Having become a fan of JBL products just a couple years ago. And not sure I will want anything less moving forward. (And I have had some decent audio gear: Pioneer Elite, and Onkyo receivers, Polk and Marantz speakers) so it was nice learning about the history of JBL. I didn't realize their impact in the Pro Audio segment. Good video.
In the pictures you show the altec 604a, jbl 4355, l100 etc. I own all of the speakers you shown currently in my collection. I’m still a sucker for vintage Altec hifi. I was raised on it. Thanks for making this video.
They were purchased by Harman who are owned by Samsung... and it shows in their current product range, and not for the better. Crown are owned by Harman also, it shows in their product range too.
Hello folks; They bought Auadx speaker around the end of the 80's. Hanging around The Speaker Shop. The question came up we all said. They'll wreak it as the same as anything that they touch.
I have used a JBL 18" 2245H as my sub for decades, the driver has been reconed twice. I drive it with a1K watt amp working through an Audio Control bass equalizer, +12 DB at 20 HZ - works great. Any true bass in the audio signal will be reproduced.
Also, JBL used a patented rounded-edge on their woofers, which was incented by Edward Villchur of Acoustics Research in 1953 also known as acoustic suspension woofers. Please make a note for same, and have a nice Labor Day weekend.
I bought my first system in 1978 and my intention was to buy the Century L-100's, but the salesman that I had dealt with for a long time talked me into buying the L-166 Horizon's. That was a mistake because I never did like the way they sounded, but I kept them for awhile and then sold them. In 1981 while stationed in Okinawa, I bought a pair of L-112's when they first came out and they were awesome. I still have them to this day in mint condition. I'm still amazed at the way they sound. I'm surprised that you didn't mention these.
JBL's name was sold, just like Bose, Pioneer, Rockford, Technics, Soundstream, and the dozens of other excellent companies to others that wanted to maximize profits based on their name recognition. Just note, even Lamborghini makes 4-doors now.
Started my JBL journey with a Diy set of 12" JBL D123a woofers and a 1" dome tweeter back in the late 70's, rocked for many years with my Marantz 2325 receiver what a combo ( I still have both! ) ! Moved on to the JBL L100t towers powered with an Adcom Gfa-555, same Jbl sound just more of it! Currently using the JBL Stage A-190 towers, notice a trend here? Just an audio enthusiast , not an audio snob. It's worked for me, many years of listening enjoyment.
My JBL experience began with a friend's parent's system in high school. Loved listing to these. My first purchased speakers were JBL LX 500 in college. I still have these they are refoamed and stored in their original boxes. My current JBL's are 4310 WX.
Good video! I just don't think new JBL deserves the hate tbh. I've owned the L100, L112, L100T, L20T, and the entire new JBL Classic Series Range. I currently use the Classic components with my L112s. I think the new gear holds up really well against the competitors, and I don't see a lack of quality in the Classic stuff at all. The 2000s was a rough time for them, as with many other manufacturers, but JBL has come through it very well. Heck, I even think the bluetooth speakers they make are much better than the competition in their price range. Love the Charge 3!
In 1963 I bought a pair of JBL C50 Olympus for about $1k each. They had LE15A woofers and PR15 passive radiators along with the 375 driver/horn and 075 tweeter. Almost 200 lbs each and still sounding great today!
In the early 2000s I picked up a slightly weather beaten JBL 4550A cabinet for $5 at an auction. It got tucked into the storage area of my shop and I occasionally had to dissuade my dad from chopping it up for the plywood. Fast forward to 2017 and my local theater was being cleaned out for the digital conversion. I knew the owner and got an Altec Lansing 8-cell horn, driver, and crossover out of the dump trailer, 15 minutes before it was leaving for the landfill. I then had all the parts. I ordered a couple cheap MCM Audio 15" paper cone drivers, mounted the horn and crossover on top with a Crown DC300A II. An old DOD mixing board combines L and R to feed the Crown. It's kind of a Frankenstein monaural system but my ears are completely spoiled now.
I started as a professional sound engineer in the late 70’s, in the 80’s it seemed that JBL were the only high quality speaker driver manufacturer, I think at that time they had 80-90% of the market, my first studio monitors were JBL 4311’s, wonderful sound
I have an 09 Prius with JBL sound. It was pretty funny getting in for the first time and seeing the same branding as the PA speakers I worked with every week. It sounds pretty alright in the Prius lol. My room isn't very well treated, so it's been good for referencing. Also, bought my mom one of their $300 BT tube speakers. It's for sure not worth the price. The low end sounds horrible as you would expect, but there's also a lot of weird resonance in the low mids, and there's some kind of aggressive lpf going on that removes all the air. Pretty much only a small portion of the mid range is good, sounds more like something you would get for $50-$100. And thanks lol This was a very informative video!
I listened to JBL speakers in a small disco when I was young and I loved that sound. Recently I bought a pair of 708P - absolutely great sound. Thanks for the video.
I had JBL's on my Fender Twin reverb amp, in my 4 by 12 cabinet and a few years ago the mighty Control 5's. These not very well loved among enthusiasts but very good as far as I'm concerned.
As a hobbyist mobile DJ I invested in some powered EON G2s in the late 2000s though they get barely any action these days - they pack a punch for 20kg each though as I’ve never needed to take them up to full power 😊
Back in the 80's I built a 15" JBL subwoofer cabinet from plans. I went down to the local instrument store to look for the driver and the first two salesmen tried to sell me the instrument driver. The third one took me into a back room, reched up to a high shelf and pulled off a dusty cardboard box with a brand new 15" subwoofer (16 ohm). I installed it in the box and was amazed by the bass (powered by a bridged Hafler). Later on I tested it with a sound generator (clean down to 20hz before the port unloaded). Amazing subwoofer for it's time.
I had a pair of L-112. I really liked them a lot. I did sell them in the mid 1990's. There are days when I wish I still had them. They were a great set of speakers.
I enjoy your content, but wow... I couldn't disagree more with your final opinion on modern JBL if I tried. They are perhaps _the_ case study of a brand that turned its back on its heritage and abandoned decades of loyal customers. As you said, JBL famously would supply you (or more specifically, a dealer) with just about any part you could dream of. That pretty much stopped in entirety about 10 years ago and it was spotty for at least a decade before then. The 250s you showed in the video being a prime example... you haven't been able to buy genuine LE14 cone kits in _years._ Same goes with for the 2214 drivers in the wildly popular L100T. I own many sets of vintage JBL Pro and HiFi and I refuse to invest any more in the brand because the brand refuses to invest in customers like me. A guy trying to keep a set of L300s running for another 50 years is not interested in a Walmart blutooth speaker with the same logo on it. JBL has gone from a brand that, at their low end, made heirloom grade home hifi (and supported it) into yet another forgettable brand selling to the lowest common denominator at any box store or truck stop. If I sound bitter, it's because I am. If they'd at least sell me the parts, I'd get over it.
@@LennyFlorentine I'd like to see how you handle this stuff from a servicer prospective. Surely there is plenty of stuff that rolls into your shop that just _can't_ be made as it once was again.
@TheBrokenTech Stumbled upon this a bit late but I’ll put it out there anyway. I’m with you brother on the abandonment issue as I own around 30? prs. of JBLs and I’m in the same boat. Funny you brought up 250’s, LE14 & 2214 as I have (2) pr L250 walnut, (2) pr 250ti teak, L100T walnut, L100TBQ black lacquer. Try worrying about a 2245H that’s in my…..yes B460!!! Almost forgot, I have a Sumo Samson sub (factory w/2235H JBL) and Delilah crossover. I have acquired back up drivers even multiples over the years I suppose for my sanity but the JBL stable has gotten out a hand!! The oldest of my bunch is the L212 sub/sat system, hell I was only 12 yrs old when they debuted that system in 1977!! The only horns are 4425’s & 4430’s which are all to their own also. The audio world has certainly changed considerably over the years from when I was growing up as you couldn’t swing a dead cat without hitting a hifi store or repair shop in the Tri-state area (east coast) and now they’re few and far between. It was exciting going out with dad in the 70’s to every audio store to see what’s new, look, learn, listen etc. This country has settled on “it’s broke….throw it out and buy new” even though new doesn’t compare. At this point in Pa. I don’t even know where to take/trust audio equipment for repair except drive to NY? Ship? Not if you own some amps that weigh in excess of 100+lbs. For the love of music and audio, it’s getting discouraging.
@@huskydaddy-y5y If I count up all the little guys, I'm probably somewhere in the same ballpark as far as inventory. The heavy hitters are the L300s, 4430s, 240Tis and L100Ts. I do have an SRX cabinet with twin 2241s in it though and those kits are still available... for now (may cross over into your models). I snagged a couple off eBay not long ago. But... To be honest, for what JBL charges for their kits, at least for subwoofer repair, I'm not too worried about keeping with genuine parts. I would _prefer_ to do so, but am I really going to hear the difference between the $600 of real JBL kits in my 18s vs. $300 of aftermarket kits? Since JBL offshored all of their manufacturing, I suspect the components are exactly the same anyhow. As far as mail order repairs go, I will never do it again. I sent the 136As out of the L300s to who was supposed to be "the" JBL guy and it was an absolute nightmare. The shipping being over $500 (and my custom packaging being about another $200) was a separate issue, but would have been acceptable if the work was done well and the transaction was easy. It wasn't. I decided after that I will repair my own stuff or die trying. I can't possibly have as poor of a result. My local JBL service man retiring has been almost as bad as JBL giving me the finger when it comes to parts. 🤣 FWIW though, I have heard good things about the other JBL "guy", who operates off of the East coast. I went with the west coast guy... Never again. I don't remember if the East Coast guy was in NY, but PA to NY isn't that bad of a drive if the work is good. Really, getting down south to our channel creator wouldn't be all that bad for you if you really wanted to do it. For that matter, I intend to cover some speaker repairs on my channel eventually. PA to IN isn't that far either. Bring 'em over and I'll hack 'em up. 🔪😂
I've used JBL 4301s as our main monitors at Theta Sound Studio since 1978. Only had to recone the woofers once. I worked for TFA Electrosound (a pro light and sound company) from 1977-1978. While there, the company sent me to JBL reconing school so I could recone the blown speakers and HF drivers damaged during tours, mostly from Ted Nugent! We used the JBL K series speakers for the custom-built cabinets. Electrosound was a JBL dealer so I got to hear various speakers when they came through our reconing room. When I heard the 4301s I noticed how flat they were when doing a frequency sweep. So I bought a pair for my fledgling project studio which is still in business today! Electrosound had an amazing wood shop with people who knew how to build cabinets. And the chief engineer, Tom Schlum, knew how to design the systems for maximum fidelity. I remember as a kid seeing the Paragon advertised and really wanting to hear it. I think I actually did get to hear it at a stereo showroom and it was awesome. Thanks for the history, most of which I knew nothing about.
JBL professional still makes some good stuff. The 2000s seemed like a kind of low point for them, the VRX and VERTEC were not my favorite speaker to see at concerts, but in the past few years their new VTX speaker arrays, especially the A series, are actually pretty good, though other manufacturers like L-Acoustics and D&B Audiotechnik have risen to the top for big touring bands and festivals. Also they make the LSR studio monitors which I’ve heard good things about. They’re certainly not L100s though. They’ve also always made really good point source install grade speakers for sports venues, and these are mostly pretty good.
Company I worked for had a set of A12's. Much easier to rig than their earlier designs like the Vertec's, took mere minutes to have a stack in the air. I definitely don't miss the old caster boards on the faces that kept falling off while trying to bump a chain motor up!
@@altgraymedia3655 Yeah! VTX A12 seems like a great product. The new arena in Seattle has 8 hangs of those in the rafters. That sound system is massive. They’ve got the A12s for the main bowl, 2 small hangs of A8 facing downward toward the court, 2 hangs of the VTX S28 subs, pd6000 series high power point sources in the east upper bowl, AM5212 point sources in the west upper bowl located behind a sky bridge, VRX 932 in front of the sky bridge and facing the upper bowl corners, control 25-1 under an overhang on the lower bowl, and control 28-1 and control series pendant speakers along with some EV and Bosch speakers in the halls, bathrooms, etc. truly massive.
Thank your for sharing theJBL History. My first pair of High Fi speakers were the JBL L112's. They were great. I then had an SAE Amplifier. All traded in for new gear but I enjoyed those speakers.
I love these videos ❤ could you do a video like this on Gene Czerwinski and Cerwin Vega? It seems like a trend, that all the cool brands and the people behind them really gets chewed up and kicked around alot. Is there any audio company ever that had smooth sailing from the start? I know alot of brands are still around, but are they really?? I mean the names and logos are still in use, but they are often totally different in too many ways. 😅 like seas, scanspeak, vifa and peerless. Mergers, buyouts, shutdowns and restarts... Like the dirty "aristocrats" joke, only with hifi manufacturers instead of people 😂
Jeez there's a name I haven't hear of in years. Speaking of which, I saw Blaupunkt the other day...in the post office on a 32" HD TV with a $199 price tag 😢
As an audiophile (just someone who loves all things related audio). I’ve had both home and audio products from JBL. I loved the loud speakers, their subs and the 1200,1 amp was a monster…
JBL is one of the few audio brands that still makes products that cater to various users, as you stated. It's my go to brand if it's available in the budget and use case. I use several portable speakers from them, my two Toyotas are fitted with sound systems bearing their logo, also I have some headphones, but because of iOS's peculiarities I prefer to use some in ear wireless Beats, specially for work. Gladly I will buy more products from them when need arises as for the moment they are covering almost all the needs that arise.
many thanks for this video, I am a JBL lover and owner of two pair of speakers: 2 cheap bookshelf in a little room and 2 main speakers with 4 15" woofers and titanium drivers with wave guides in my listening room. I have the book about JBL but your video add some more info and pictures, so I appreciate the view of this short documentary. Actually JBL is a piece of history and we have to be grateful to these men who studied acoustic and created projects and so loudspeakers to allow us to listen to live music and greatly reproduced music in our homes. If you go deep studying their patents and projects you will not be disappointed! really proud to listen to my loved music JBL products. Best regards from NE Italy CIAO
Good summation, though omitting the fact that the Harmon connection shut down their R&D/design and spares operations. I've lost count of the number of Control series units I've installed, but they were classic bulletproof JBL gear, from the JBL horn systems we built at Liverpool university in the 70s, to the last control 5s I bought, for myself, they are part of my history. these days I'm more fond of Dynaudio, (hint - do a video about them), and Genelec, but yes, they were giants.
When my ship was in Japan in 1978 I almost bought a pair of L100s but I couldn't quite afford them because I had already bought a Kenwood amp and tuner. My son bought four JBL Lancer S99s a few years for 80 dollars. He had to have two of the 14 inch woofers refoamed and he replaced two of the tweeters but cosmetically with the wooden grills and original stands, these things are beautiful. They may be the loudest speakers I have ever heard. I have owned three pairs of JBLs and loved them.
I remember the k140 and k145 drivers we used as mid and low end drivers in our live reinforcement, my dad built his own cabinets( mcaully designs) and modified to our needs. Always got a ton a of comments on how well they sounded at high volumes and they were never muddy like some of the other cabinets and sound systems we heard when listening to other bands. Been a jbl junkie almost all my life and still have one pair k140’s sitting in my shop begging to be placed in a pair of good cabinets!
I managed to be able to purchase a set of JBL1400's for a venue back in the 90's and used these for live music. Fast forward to the mid 2000's and I was offered these to purchase for myself. After a full rebuild and even had the x-overs re tuned to match each other, I still have comments on how good they sound each time I roll them out.
I bought my first set of JBL 112'S back in 1984 which I was told Bruce Springstein used them in his recording studio so when born to run came out I had to buy a set. I still have them and love the sound they produce, strong and clean.
Wow, thanks for this video. You brought back memories of listening to my JBL L112's in the dorm while stationed in Okinawa in the early 80s. My first real stereo system was purchased there. JBL L112, Technics SL-10, Marantz receiver and tape deck. All on an airman's budget. I still use the SL-10 in my system. The L112's drivers ended up failing and I never replaced them. I still have the cabinets stacked on each other as a tv stand. Nice walnut veneer.
I got the deal of the "century" (pun intended) when i found a pair of JBL Century L100's in perfect condition at an estate sale in the mid 1990's. The orange foam was missing off the grill covers. After pulling off the cover, I saw what they were. "How much?", I casually asked. "$20". For the pair. I've paired them with my restored 1976 Marantz 2325 and still use them each and every day in my recording studio/home office. Absolutely love them and the only speakers I had that can handle the output of the 2325.
There is a demo room at the factory in LA for their 3D sound setup, about 3 stories high and a hundred feet deep and wide. The music sounds like it's coming from inside your head no matter where in the room you are. There is also a portable mixing booth with an original master copy of MJ's Beat It that you can play with, all 78 tracks or so. And free drinks.
Don't forget about JBL Professional! JBL still makes some of the best selling (and highest performing) line arrays, PA speakers, and studio monitors in the world. Great video!
I had a pair of JBL L150 speakers and the bottom end of the low frequencies would shake the entire house. Bought them from a guy for $100! They were well over 10 years old at the time but sounded great. The craftsmanship and engineering was top notch.
my pye isotronic 7000 was made in the 70s and since 1999 i have had an akai rack system andcracked it to the limit of just before distortion AND STILL TO THIS DAY are my primary channel i do now own a pioneer vsx-515. i love my classic speakers. i have listen to ALOT of music... more then most as knowone told me to turn it down. i know they must of heard it so i guess they vibed
I own a vintage ALTEC p.a. amplifier. 60 years old still works great. 4 Channels all tube monophonic. It has a line in. I use it for playing music out in my shop.
Having a set of JBL’s was the fantasy of us all back in the 70’s, when they only had one line of consumer and professional speakers. My first set was a pair of L112’s in the early 80’s. I went on to own L100’s, 4312’s etc and worked with 4320’s 4311’s, Urei 813’s in the studio for many years.
It took me 12 years to find a pair of JBL 4343's... absolutely no regrets. But 250TI's are no slouch either. My first "big JBLs" were L100T3's and I was hooked.
I was working at a stereo store in Harvard Sq, Boston as a salesman in the late 70's- early 80's while I went to music college. I bought a pair of JBL L112's which I STILL have! I've reconed the woofers 2 times, but they still sound great. I was able to find a pair of L15's for $150 that are now my matching surround speakers. The best part of these series of JBL's is that they're very effcient. With 90 watts per channel in my home theater, I can literally shake the walls!
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Hello JustAudio. Long a go all the JBL tooling and remaining parts were bought up by the guy behind Kenrick Sound in Tokyo who re-manufactures modern, improved versions of JBL classics by the hundreds (mainly for rich retired Japanese guys). This is a hugely important continuation of JBL's legacy products.
To talk about JBL's history and not mention this is a serious omission.
Dynaco a25 sold over 600,000 pair, far outselling JBL 100.
I have a product of jbl and it's pathetic service don't buy jbl but tribit much better product and price in india
Thanks so much for this video and the history of JBL. My father spent 20 years working for JBL as an Engineer. Harold Newton 60's- through the 1970's. He had 3 draftsmen and 4 that were machinists working for him. He designed the magnet machine that charged them. He also designed the voice coil winding machine. He then had a patent under JBL for the design of the dowel pin that held the grill clothes on the front of the cabinets. All these he would scratch out and then give to the draftsmen and then to the machinists that built the parts. He also designed the carton for the larger cabinet. I remember working as a JR. Draftsman one summer while I was in High School. To test the carton, everyone was invited to the loading dock, and Bill Thomas, President threw the cabinet in the carton off the dock to see what would happen to it. It passed without a scratch. We always had speakers in our home growing up.
This brought good memories and tears to my eyes.
I'm glad we could provide a story to do that! Really, our goal here is to provide the best story possible to envoke emotions. Appreciate you sharing!
From Wellington nz thank you so much for your post I have been using jbl In my pa business for over 35 years and I still love the brand
@@LennyFlorentine No mention of some guy in Asia who many years ago bought up all JBL's pro drivers and tooling? Check out RUclips's Kenrick Sound out of Tokyo who re-manufactures classic JBL speakers by the dozens with upgrades and improvements naturally. This is a hugely important continuation of JBLs legacy products.
Yes, they were back then and it was a great place to work, and with my Father that was really great. Thanks for post.😊
Jesus, you don't leave home much do you?
What I'm writing here might get taken down for content! I asked Lenny the gent in this video to get me a pair of clear "Lucite" Pioneer HPM 100 Store Demonstration Speakers. He did. They were in rough shape so I asked if they could make them more presentable. Lenny did that and more with genuine Pioneer replacement parts. Lenny tries his best at for every customer. Lenny has a passion for vintage and modern audio. I've brought in over 30 vintage items including 16 monster receivers. Lenny always treats me right. Lenny just finished my rare Pioneer HPM 100 Lucite Speakers. I'm autistic with cerebral palsy and more. Lenny & the Just Audio staff made my dreams come true with these speakers. Behind all the jokes & pranks Lenny is a Good Man!
I love reading positive reviews like this ! Good on you !
I'm mortified
@@ChiefExecutiveOrbiterwhy
>Be Me
>Be Lenny
❤Bose❤. . Jbl🔉💩💉No bass
Thee is a company in Japan called KENRICK SOUND and they have permission from JBL to re-manufacture classic vintage JBL home audio speakers. They have developed improved components for these as well. They do have a RUclips channel. Their workmanship and passion is amazing to watch.
Damn good the Japanese are anal about perfection
They don’t have permission from JBL they just build and sell reproductions of old JBL studio systems. Very good reproductions.
are they the ones that had their youtube channel and/or videos deleted? I used to watch those
@@EdwardT9 Not that hard to beat JBL in quality lol
I love the Bluetooth speakers by JBL I don’t use old school audio anymore Bluetooth took over and they are just getting better every year good video as usual JBL HAS MADE A NAME FOR ITSELF IN BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS THE BEST OF THE BEST EVERY COMPANY IS TRYING TO OUT DO THEM THAT JBL SIGNATURE SOUND.
You asked the audience to post any JBL stories we have in the comments section, so here’s mine, specifically about the Prima that you talk about in detail.
I was employed by JBL in 1972 and started at 3249 Casitas Ave. I was with the company until 1977, but I would come back from 1986 to 1993. The Prima was developed a couple of years after started. Because the Prima was molded from hardened Urethane Foam, it was thought to be a very resilient material, unlike the more commonly used Particle Board or MDF.
The Vice President of Sales at the time was a very charismatic individual by the name of Irv Stern. When it was decided to introduce the Prima to the sales force, a formal dinner meeting was organized. Irv decided to have some fun and pretend that he was the actual industrial designer, dressing up in a flamboyant costume and speaking with a strong, but questionable Italian accent. (I forget what fake Italian name he gave himself.)
After the initial presentation, giving the audience the opportunity to see the color options, a demonstration of their clever stacking design, followed by a listening session, Irv made a big deal of the fact that they were made of a synthetic plastic material and claimed that they endure abuse better then their wood counterparts. He proceed to lift one, a Yellow Prima as I recall, and toss it across the stage. To everyone’s surprise, (they had not rehearsed the latter), it hit the floor and exploded into several pieces. Needless to say, that would not be part of future demos.
Dude, that's a great story! This is great stuff! Thanks for sharing, and keep it up!
I was a retail salesman when the prima came out. We never sold any. NOT ONE. If those wouldn't sell in Austin, I can't see that did well elsewhere. The L 110 did much better. Same speaker in a conventional box. ???Does anyone has sales numbers on the Prima 25? I did sell a Paragon. That was a good day!
*have
@@roberthastings708what did your store do with the surplus?
@Kleinage We had 3 pairs. They sat for months.
The owner took the display, and the other 2 pairs were returned, as I recall. I was just a salesman and not really involved with that part. They didn't sound bad, but the shape and color seemed like the problem.
As a music producer and sometimes touring musician, I have several D130s in my various rigs. A super efficient workhorse speaker that sounds great. In the studio, I have a set of 4308s. They sound too flattering to mix on, but I love to listen back to projects on them. Nice work on the history.
I've always been a fan of JBL speakers. For me, they represent the "American Sound" I tend to prefer in my audio gear: full-range, full-bodied sound with an emphasis on being entertaining more than revealing; speakers that are easy to enjoy with all genres of music. Today's JBL is almost like an enthusiast's secret...the public know and think of them as a mainstream brand, but we know them for their pro and high-end models like the K2 and Everest. In Asia (especially Japan) JBL vintage and hi-end gear trades for very high prices...for them, this is the American sound they chase. I was all set to buy a pair of the JBL L100 75th Limited Editions (the ones that came with the stands and that monstrous shipping crate), until one day, I stopped into Just Audio and bought a pair of Kef Blade Two's from Spencer and Lenny...an entirely different path, but not as different as it sounds. Great video, Lenny...Keep dropping the knowledge!
Except the TV soundbars from JBL, they sound like crap.
to me jbl is currently over inflated for their quality
Hello from Chicago burbs. One of my favorite memories growing up at my parents house with a Carver M500 amp and my L112's ❤ watching the lights dim as I turned it up 🤯 ( no parents of course) this content really takes me back 1983!😮
That's the goal! Thanks for sharing!
Carver m500t, my speakers are 105db efficient so she only runs easy at scale.
I've been a fan of JBL for years. I'm a drummer and a bit of an audiophile, so I've been around a good amount of audio gear. I've recorded at a couple of studios years ago, and the JBL monitors they used had such a life-like sound, I was instantly hooked. Back in the mid to late 80s, I bought a set of JBL 12" car audio subwoofers, and I kid you not, those were the best sound quality subs I've ever owned. Sure wish I still had them. 😢
Everyone knows pros use Yamaha monitor speakers not JBL 😊
@@samholdsworth420 haha! Good one. 😄
@@samholdsworth420 You know why? It was not for the clarity or accuracy but because the NS1000M was billed as the closest approximation to the average home stereo system for a mixdown for the masses. They were never intended for or to be audiophile gear. They are meant to be the representation of mediocrity. LOL.
PS. Don't hate on me. I had a pair in my studio for years for this very purpose - final mastering. I got this from Yamaha themselves in their marketing blurb of the time.
@@GarthClarkson hmm I don't remember what model my dad had in his studi but it wasn't the ns 🤔
My jeep still has one inside of it lol. Great sub.
I really enjoy your 'history' videos! I had the original L100's in the mid '70s and alas divorce separated them from me. It was 50 years later and I was able to obtain a pair of completely refurbished L88 Plus. Thank you again for these great videos! There truly is no sound like JBL's.
I installed this stuff in high end homes in 1974, at the peak of quad. We installed L100 & L200’s with high end Sansui and Dual 1229Q tables. AWESOME! Later, I would use 4560’s & 4550 pro in my live PA systems. Now I have L100 and L200 in my personal studio. SRX is my live system now, but I still have my 4560’s! Love JBL!
As a teen 20 years ago I picked up a vintage Sansui amp and big Pioneer speakers. I LOVED that rich sound.
I bought my first L100 Century speakers in 1975. Lost them to a burglary in 1979. Bought another pair in the same year. Lost them in a divorce in 2010. Out of music for about 8 years, jumped back in about 5 years ago with a pair of JBL towers. During the pandemic set up a listening room with a pair of Klipsch Heresy IV. Really missed the sound of the L100’s but read some negative reviews of the “new” L100’s so decided to search for a pair of vintage L100 Century’s. Found a pair on EBay and am a happy camper.
Great vid! I still have my JBL 4312 and a set of JBL 4311's in my music room, they are over 30 years old respectively, bought them while I was in the Army. Still sound great! Awesome vid and back story of the JBL company and how it came about. Keep the great work!
I brought my JBL L-150, The Big brother to the JBL L-100 when I was in the Military in Germany around 1980. That means I had these speakers for 43 years😲
Can you share a bit more about your 4311? Because I'm planning to save up for 4311 and I already have my eyes set on them but when I looked it up on forums there are always people saying 4312 / L112 are better so I'm interested to hear a bit more about your experience with them
@@tormenmashi_ The 4311s are a bit more subdude on the sound in comparison to the 4312. Now both models are the originals, not variants as there are models (a, b, c). The difference is in the arrangement of the drivers, were the 4311's woofer sits on top and the midrange and tweeter sit on the bottom of the speaker box with the high and mid adjustment controls. The 4312's area bit brighter and although the mids and tweeters look similar, I believe there is a difference in how they were set up frequency-wise. However, they both sound good, it also depends on your preference of music, your hi fi set up. The L112 as I understand came with titanium tweeters which makes the sound much more brighter than the 11 and 12 (first gen). I believe the 12 variants (b, c) came with titanium tweeters later. Hope this helps a bit, hopefully, someone else may have more to add.
@tormenmashi_ lpsalas.. is right on. I've found very little info from JBL. I have owned 4312b. The main differences in all of the 43xx series are the tweeters, x-overs, and driver alignment. If it were me, I'd look at cabinet condition and the amplifier used to drive them over the years. Enjoy the journey.
*owned for about 30yrs. Purchased new from Army PX.
I’ve had a pair of 4311’s since 1975. Part of my backup sound system with a Pioneer sx1050, also from 1975.
Both the speakers and receiver still sound great. Wouldn’t ever give up these speakers.
I also bought my 4311’s in 1975. Still listening to them, though not with the SX939 I had originally. I compared the L100s to the 4311s at the time I bought them and the 4311s were much clearer and true to the music, the L100s colored the music with less clarity. Many people at that time were buying Bose 501s or 901s but those couldn’t beat the brilliance of the JBLs!
@@hawgbreath I agree, the Bose had “expansive” sound but not clean or accurate sound.
Simple, they got acquired by Harman Audio and haven't been the same since. Many of their products are clones of Infinity products now.
Well bc infinity is the same company. So you could call the infinity a clone of the JBL. Most infinity is made to play flatter and JBL louder or peakier. After Mark Harmon passed many engineers left and we saw a decline. Samsung has done a good job revitalizing the brand with large financial support in engineering. They are still a force to be reckoned with.
They suck now,not alot of punchy bass,everything has went to hell in this new millenium
@@adriangreen9785yea new jbl lack bass
As someone that was perhaps in the middle of the original 2 channel explosion, working in it from '69 to '81, watching the names appear, grow, multiply,.... technology solidify, ... and to then leave it almost completely until a few decades ago, it is totally confusing as to who is whom anymore.
Your efforts have been incredible on these different big names. Very enjoyable and informative. And I get to throw in person data from the time when you shake the cob webs as well. This one was very well done. Filling in spots in my knowledge of them. And were they went! We appreciate your research!
I "married" a pair of L88's, still connected to her Sansui 5000 X in a 2nd system. She had no problem relegating them to that status after hearing my more recently purchased Maggies.
I have a friend with his original L88's that wanted to upgrade them to L100 by adding the mid. But I think I talked him into getting Ohm Walsh 2000's instead. Especially for his strange rooms arrangement.
But I doubt the Grateful Dead Wall of Sound was designed in 1953! 🙂
Thanks for the insight as always! Got my numbers mixed up haha
@@LennyFlorentine…. Yeah I just let it go
@@Dirtyharry70585 OCD.
I still have my L88 speakers from 73. They are like the L100 but without the mid range driver. About 15 years ago I updated the binding posts, build an actual crossover and replaced the old tweeters with JBL Ti035s and did a few more cabinet mods. Sound great. Using a frequency response tester, the one sold by Parts Express, I get +/- 3dB across 40 Hz to about 16K with a little tweak of the tone controls on the amp. Listen to them almost everyday. Sound stage very nice and wide but not too deep. Could be improved with speaker placement but limited by the room size and shape.
I Love JBL .... i've owned JBL Bluetooth speakers for years now and i'm really Happy with the quality.... My favourite JBL related experience was to Help a friend restore a pair of Vintage L100's which became my absolute dream speakers after listening to them after they where finished .... And the Looks of them are Just gorgeous
In high school in late 70’s saving up all I could afford were the JBl L26. After school I would lay on the floor positioning each speaker like headphones to feel the power of the newly released Physical graffiti album Led Zeppelin album. Powerful experience.
My first connection with JBL was a disco in Chicago (Dugan's Bistro) - which had JBL Pro Series speakers and the the best DJ (Lou DiVito - 3 time winner of the national DJ contest). Other disco / dance systems had JBL Pro Series speakers, and I was absolutely hooked on their sound!
Great video! I made a home built copy of the B460. Got the actual driver off Ebay (2245H), and used the factory specs to design and build a cabinet for it. The result is a phenomenal subwoofer, powered by a 900W amp that I have used to knock snow off my roof in winter. I have discovered the resonant frequency of my house is 27 Hz. My neighbors love it (not). After saying for decades that you can't have too much bass, I have learned that after shaking the house and moving pictures on the walls (and we are there at about 50%), it does become too much.
I've been a JBL fan since high school. Just counted: 23 JBL drivers in my house. Most are from the 70's and 80's.
No mention of “Ed May” the design engineer of the JBL L100 and many other models , if you look at his history he left JBL and moved to Marantz Superscope to become their head of loudspeaker designer . He used it to turn out three complete lines of loudspeakers in very short order. However, this was the last loudspeaker work he would perform. Edmond May passed away suddenly in 1980 while still at his desk employed at Marantz .
Indeed….I owned a pair of Ed May designed Marantz Hd880 speakers purchased new in 1978 while stationed in Germany. These were superb speakers and served me well for many years. JBL hit their pinnacle in home stereo 2 channel systems about the time Ed May departed, not a coincidence.
@@timothylindsay3244 still have his HD880’s , DS940’s and his last designed M10 , all original just needed to refoam the woofers . Would be great to see a pair on this Ytube channel.
I've got record producer Martin Hannet's JBL speakers. He mastered tracks from Joy Division, early U2 and others on those (TLX 9) representing typical 'home' speakers from the time and also Aurotrons for radio/car stereo and some Tannoy Gold's representing high end systems. The final mix had to sound good on all three.
Excellent video by the way.
A legendary producer, with some legendary acts. 'Martin' - FAC325 is an awesome compilation...
that's so cool! so precious.
Thanks both, I've just found his notes... the speakers are TLX 7Gi and he described them... "Beautiful pair of medium size monitors for listening to my mixes when I bring them back to my home music room from the studio... " and then compares them to the Aurotones and Tannoys. For someone with such a wayward life he apparently made notes on everything. It's stange listening to tracks like Love Will Tear Us Apart through them.
@@hackedoff736How so?
@@colnixon8989 I bought them from Chris Hewitt, a friend of Martins. He sold a mountain of stuff on behalf of the family.
Another great informative article. Please keep them coming!
Thanks, will do!
I have a set of L5’s I’ve been rocking every day since the 90s. Love ‘em. Nothing compares for the price.
my exposure to JBL is as a DJ. I own 515xt’s and they are still going strong after 10 years of use at events. Great sound and technology built into them. Thank you for this video.
dude samw! 10 years going strong
As a big fan of JBL, I had/worked on lots of JBL speakers...not only home speakers, but also a couple headphones, some car audio setups with JBL amp and speakers, etc. I'm watching this video on 4411. Also have CF100, J900MII, 308P MKii, Studio 590 theater setup, SRX speakers, etc. All very good products.
I've been using Control 5 and Control 1 speakers for many years now and I love the natural sound of them. They are my go-to reference for near-field auditioning.
Last 10q financial filing showed they showed listed billions in backlog for OEM products they provide to the automotive industry as infotainment systems. Almost every automaker offers a harman infotainment system as an option today. By far their biggest revenue and margin contributor.
Nobody buys Real stereos anymore. Probably because we can't afford a house to put one in. So they sell us wireless portable shits
I've owned a pair of L100's since 1987. I bought them from our first landlord right after we got married. They had the original orange foam grills which rotted out. I replaced the foam with a brown fabric insert that JBL sold in the late 80's. I still have the speakers along with the Yamaha receiver I bought at the same time. They still sound good all these years later. I've thought about replacing them but I really don't know what would sound better.
I still have a pair of L26 Decades I purchased in 1973. Originally had 4 used with a simulated 4 Channel HK 75+ receiver. My first system. Wanted the L100 but couldn't afford them at the time. Have only had to recone the woffer a couple of times through the years. Use in my office and still enjoy that 70's sound they produce. Thank you for the video.
Yeah man same here! Use em all the time with a vintage 70’s Technics receiver. Killer sound! Added a Bluetooth dongle😉
I spent almost a year in 1977 looking and listening to speakers for my stereo and kept coming back to JBL Century L100s. I purchased a pair late in 1977 and They have been with me ever since. The 70s orange grills dried out and fell apart in the early 90s but nothing has ever failed and they have been rocked, classicalled and country westered to death. The last few years they have been enjoying Rammstein and several other Germany heavy metal bands. Most likely I will have them until I die.
Thanks for the video and history lesson. Having become a fan of JBL products just a couple years ago. And not sure I will want anything less moving forward. (And I have had some decent audio gear: Pioneer Elite, and Onkyo receivers, Polk and Marantz speakers) so it was nice learning about the history of JBL. I didn't realize their impact in the Pro Audio segment. Good video.
In the pictures you show the altec 604a, jbl 4355, l100 etc. I own all of the speakers you shown currently in my collection. I’m still a sucker for vintage Altec hifi. I was raised on it. Thanks for making this video.
They were purchased by Harman who are owned by Samsung... and it shows in their current product range, and not for the better. Crown are owned by Harman also, it shows in their product range too.
Hello folks;
They bought Auadx speaker around the end of the 80's.
Hanging around The Speaker Shop. The question came up we all said. They'll wreak it as the same as anything that they touch.
I have used a JBL 18" 2245H as my sub for decades, the driver has been reconed twice. I drive it with a1K watt amp working through an Audio Control bass equalizer, +12 DB at 20 HZ - works great. Any true bass in the audio signal will be reproduced.
Also, JBL used a patented rounded-edge on their woofers, which was incented by Edward Villchur of Acoustics Research in 1953 also known as acoustic suspension woofers. Please make a note for same, and have a nice Labor Day weekend.
Very interesting! My first speakers were a pair of AR-2’s!
I bought my first system in 1978 and my intention was to buy the Century L-100's, but the salesman that I had dealt with for a long time talked me into buying the L-166 Horizon's. That was a mistake because I never did like the way they sounded, but I kept them for awhile and then sold them. In 1981 while stationed in Okinawa, I bought a pair of L-112's when they first came out and they were awesome. I still have them to this day in mint condition. I'm still amazed at the way they sound. I'm surprised that you didn't mention these.
JBL's name was sold, just like Bose, Pioneer, Rockford, Technics, Soundstream, and the dozens of other excellent companies to others that wanted to maximize profits based on their name recognition. Just note, even Lamborghini makes 4-doors now.
In fairness, so does Porsche (for 20 years) and lately, Ferrari.
Pioneer, technics, Bose, are all still the original companies.
Started my JBL journey with a Diy set of 12" JBL D123a woofers and a 1" dome tweeter back in the late 70's, rocked for many years with my Marantz 2325 receiver what a combo ( I still have both! ) ! Moved on to the JBL L100t towers powered with an Adcom Gfa-555, same Jbl sound just more of it! Currently using the JBL Stage A-190 towers, notice a trend here? Just an audio enthusiast , not an audio snob. It's worked for me, many years of listening enjoyment.
I’ve had my JBL 4365’s for 11 years now. I just love the way they make music.
My JBL experience began with a friend's parent's system in high school. Loved listing to these. My first purchased speakers were JBL LX 500 in college. I still have these they are refoamed and stored in their original boxes.
My current JBL's are 4310 WX.
Good video! I just don't think new JBL deserves the hate tbh. I've owned the L100, L112, L100T, L20T, and the entire new JBL Classic Series Range. I currently use the Classic components with my L112s. I think the new gear holds up really well against the competitors, and I don't see a lack of quality in the Classic stuff at all. The 2000s was a rough time for them, as with many other manufacturers, but JBL has come through it very well. Heck, I even think the bluetooth speakers they make are much better than the competition in their price range. Love the Charge 3!
Thanks!
Thanks Glenn!!
In 1963 I bought a pair of JBL C50 Olympus for about $1k each. They had LE15A woofers and PR15 passive radiators along with the 375 driver/horn and 075 tweeter. Almost 200 lbs each and still sounding great today!
In the early 2000s I picked up a slightly weather beaten JBL 4550A cabinet for $5 at an auction. It got tucked into the storage area of my shop and I occasionally had to dissuade my dad from chopping it up for the plywood. Fast forward to 2017 and my local theater was being cleaned out for the digital conversion. I knew the owner and got an Altec Lansing 8-cell horn, driver, and crossover out of the dump trailer, 15 minutes before it was leaving for the landfill. I then had all the parts. I ordered a couple cheap MCM Audio 15" paper cone drivers, mounted the horn and crossover on top with a Crown DC300A II. An old DOD mixing board combines L and R to feed the Crown. It's kind of a Frankenstein monaural system but my ears are completely spoiled now.
I started as a professional sound engineer in the late 70’s, in the 80’s it seemed that JBL were the only high quality speaker driver manufacturer, I think at that time they had 80-90% of the market, my first studio monitors were JBL 4311’s, wonderful sound
I have an 09 Prius with JBL sound. It was pretty funny getting in for the first time and seeing the same branding as the PA speakers I worked with every week.
It sounds pretty alright in the Prius lol. My room isn't very well treated, so it's been good for referencing.
Also, bought my mom one of their $300 BT tube speakers. It's for sure not worth the price. The low end sounds horrible as you would expect, but there's also a lot of weird resonance in the low mids, and there's some kind of aggressive lpf going on that removes all the air. Pretty much only a small portion of the mid range is good, sounds more like something you would get for $50-$100.
And thanks lol
This was a very informative video!
I listened to JBL speakers in a small disco when I was young and I loved that sound. Recently I bought a pair of 708P - absolutely great sound. Thanks for the video.
I had JBL's on my Fender Twin reverb amp, in my 4 by 12 cabinet and a few years ago the mighty Control 5's. These not very well loved among enthusiasts but very good as far as I'm concerned.
As a hobbyist mobile DJ I invested in some powered EON G2s in the late 2000s though they get barely any action these days - they pack a punch for 20kg each though as I’ve never needed to take them up to full power 😊
NOTABLE: Altec Lansing is a retired brand now owned by a consumer multinational. STAY AWAY. Total garbage.
Back in the 80's I built a 15" JBL subwoofer cabinet from plans. I went down to the local instrument store to look for the driver and the first two salesmen tried to sell me the instrument driver. The third one took me into a back room, reched up to a high shelf and pulled off a dusty cardboard box with a brand new 15" subwoofer (16 ohm). I installed it in the box and was amazed by the bass (powered by a bridged Hafler). Later on I tested it with a sound generator (clean down to 20hz before the port unloaded). Amazing subwoofer for it's time.
I had a pair of L-112. I really liked them a lot. I did sell them in the mid 1990's. There are days when I wish I still had them. They were a great set of speakers.
Great Video!! Keep’em coming!
Hey can you do about ADS? Their speakers rocked, then they stopped making speakers.
Great series. Love the all the info…. Thanks, again….
I enjoy your content, but wow... I couldn't disagree more with your final opinion on modern JBL if I tried. They are perhaps _the_ case study of a brand that turned its back on its heritage and abandoned decades of loyal customers. As you said, JBL famously would supply you (or more specifically, a dealer) with just about any part you could dream of. That pretty much stopped in entirety about 10 years ago and it was spotty for at least a decade before then. The 250s you showed in the video being a prime example... you haven't been able to buy genuine LE14 cone kits in _years._ Same goes with for the 2214 drivers in the wildly popular L100T. I own many sets of vintage JBL Pro and HiFi and I refuse to invest any more in the brand because the brand refuses to invest in customers like me. A guy trying to keep a set of L300s running for another 50 years is not interested in a Walmart blutooth speaker with the same logo on it.
JBL has gone from a brand that, at their low end, made heirloom grade home hifi (and supported it) into yet another forgettable brand selling to the lowest common denominator at any box store or truck stop. If I sound bitter, it's because I am. If they'd at least sell me the parts, I'd get over it.
Love the input! Thanks for sharing!
@@LennyFlorentine I'd like to see how you handle this stuff from a servicer prospective. Surely there is plenty of stuff that rolls into your shop that just _can't_ be made as it once was again.
@TheBrokenTech Stumbled upon this a bit late but I’ll put it out there anyway. I’m with you brother on the abandonment issue as I own around 30? prs. of JBLs and I’m in the same boat. Funny you brought up 250’s, LE14 & 2214 as I have (2) pr L250 walnut, (2) pr 250ti teak, L100T walnut, L100TBQ black lacquer. Try worrying about a 2245H that’s in my…..yes B460!!! Almost forgot, I have a Sumo Samson sub (factory w/2235H JBL) and Delilah crossover. I have acquired back up drivers even multiples over the years I suppose for my sanity but the JBL stable has gotten out a hand!! The oldest of my bunch is the L212 sub/sat system, hell I was only 12 yrs old when they debuted that system in 1977!! The only horns are 4425’s & 4430’s which are all to their own also. The audio world has certainly changed considerably over the years from when I was growing up as you couldn’t swing a dead cat without hitting a hifi store or repair shop in the Tri-state area (east coast) and now they’re few and far between. It was exciting going out with dad in the 70’s to every audio store to see what’s new, look, learn, listen etc. This country has settled on “it’s broke….throw it out and buy new” even though new doesn’t compare. At this point in Pa. I don’t even know where to take/trust audio equipment for repair except drive to NY? Ship? Not if you own some amps that weigh in excess of 100+lbs. For the love of music and audio, it’s getting discouraging.
@@huskydaddy-y5y If I count up all the little guys, I'm probably somewhere in the same ballpark as far as inventory. The heavy hitters are the L300s, 4430s, 240Tis and L100Ts. I do have an SRX cabinet with twin 2241s in it though and those kits are still available... for now (may cross over into your models). I snagged a couple off eBay not long ago. But... To be honest, for what JBL charges for their kits, at least for subwoofer repair, I'm not too worried about keeping with genuine parts. I would _prefer_ to do so, but am I really going to hear the difference between the $600 of real JBL kits in my 18s vs. $300 of aftermarket kits? Since JBL offshored all of their manufacturing, I suspect the components are exactly the same anyhow.
As far as mail order repairs go, I will never do it again. I sent the 136As out of the L300s to who was supposed to be "the" JBL guy and it was an absolute nightmare. The shipping being over $500 (and my custom packaging being about another $200) was a separate issue, but would have been acceptable if the work was done well and the transaction was easy. It wasn't. I decided after that I will repair my own stuff or die trying. I can't possibly have as poor of a result. My local JBL service man retiring has been almost as bad as JBL giving me the finger when it comes to parts. 🤣
FWIW though, I have heard good things about the other JBL "guy", who operates off of the East coast. I went with the west coast guy... Never again. I don't remember if the East Coast guy was in NY, but PA to NY isn't that bad of a drive if the work is good. Really, getting down south to our channel creator wouldn't be all that bad for you if you really wanted to do it. For that matter, I intend to cover some speaker repairs on my channel eventually. PA to IN isn't that far either. Bring 'em over and I'll hack 'em up. 🔪😂
I've used JBL 4301s as our main monitors at Theta Sound Studio since 1978. Only had to recone the woofers once. I worked for TFA Electrosound (a pro light and sound company) from 1977-1978. While there, the company sent me to JBL reconing school so I could recone the blown speakers and HF drivers damaged during tours, mostly from Ted Nugent! We used the JBL K series speakers for the custom-built cabinets. Electrosound was a JBL dealer so I got to hear various speakers when they came through our reconing room. When I heard the 4301s I noticed how flat they were when doing a frequency sweep. So I bought a pair for my fledgling project studio which is still in business today! Electrosound had an amazing wood shop with people who knew how to build cabinets. And the chief engineer, Tom Schlum, knew how to design the systems for maximum fidelity. I remember as a kid seeing the Paragon advertised and really wanting to hear it. I think I actually did get to hear it at a stereo showroom and it was awesome. Thanks for the history, most of which I knew nothing about.
JBL professional still makes some good stuff. The 2000s seemed like a kind of low point for them, the VRX and VERTEC were not my favorite speaker to see at concerts, but in the past few years their new VTX speaker arrays, especially the A series, are actually pretty good, though other manufacturers like L-Acoustics and D&B Audiotechnik have risen to the top for big touring bands and festivals. Also they make the LSR studio monitors which I’ve heard good things about. They’re certainly not L100s though. They’ve also always made really good point source install grade speakers for sports venues, and these are mostly pretty good.
Company I worked for had a set of A12's. Much easier to rig than their earlier designs like the Vertec's, took mere minutes to have a stack in the air. I definitely don't miss the old caster boards on the faces that kept falling off while trying to bump a chain motor up!
@@altgraymedia3655 Yeah! VTX A12 seems like a great product. The new arena in Seattle has 8 hangs of those in the rafters.
That sound system is massive. They’ve got the A12s for the main bowl, 2 small hangs of A8 facing downward toward the court, 2 hangs of the VTX S28 subs, pd6000 series high power point sources in the east upper bowl, AM5212 point sources in the west upper bowl located behind a sky bridge, VRX 932 in front of the sky bridge and facing the upper bowl corners, control 25-1 under an overhang on the lower bowl, and control 28-1 and control series pendant speakers along with some EV and Bosch speakers in the halls, bathrooms, etc. truly massive.
Thank you for that story I never realized so far JBL went back You've actually clarified the whole thing fantastic job thank you
Converting all my speakers into JBL
Thank your for sharing theJBL History. My first pair of High Fi speakers were the JBL L112's. They were great. I then had an SAE Amplifier. All traded in for new gear but I enjoyed those speakers.
I love these videos ❤ could you do a video like this on Gene Czerwinski and Cerwin Vega? It seems like a trend, that all the cool brands and the people behind them really gets chewed up and kicked around alot. Is there any audio company ever that had smooth sailing from the start? I know alot of brands are still around, but are they really?? I mean the names and logos are still in use, but they are often totally different in too many ways. 😅 like seas, scanspeak, vifa and peerless. Mergers, buyouts, shutdowns and restarts... Like the dirty "aristocrats" joke, only with hifi manufacturers instead of people 😂
I too would like know about Cerwin Vega
A cerwin vega episode would be great
Jeez there's a name I haven't hear of in years.
Speaking of which, I saw Blaupunkt the other day...in the post office on a 32" HD TV with a $199 price tag 😢
Great video, even too short really
Yeah will have to expand in another! Thanks!
As an audiophile (just someone who loves all things related audio).
I’ve had both home and audio products from JBL.
I loved the loud speakers, their subs and the 1200,1 amp was a monster…
Dont forget about the Mobile/car audio aspect of JBL's lineup! Their studio/concert series speakers have incredible sound quality!
I still use JBL car speakers in my cars. Still the best car speakers and they are over 30 years old.
JBL is one of the few audio brands that still makes products that cater to various users, as you stated. It's my go to brand if it's available in the budget and use case. I use several portable speakers from them, my two Toyotas are fitted with sound systems bearing their logo, also I have some headphones, but because of iOS's peculiarities I prefer to use some in ear wireless Beats, specially for work. Gladly I will buy more products from them when need arises as for the moment they are covering almost all the needs that arise.
Great video!
Still using my JBL L100T as a main front speakers on my HT system and they are great!
Used JBL for live concerts in the 80's. The speakers were awesome.
many thanks for this video, I am a JBL lover and owner of two pair of speakers: 2 cheap bookshelf in a little room and 2 main speakers with 4 15" woofers and titanium drivers with wave guides in my listening room. I have the book about JBL but your video add some more info and pictures, so I appreciate the view of this short documentary. Actually JBL is a piece of history and we have to be grateful to these men who studied acoustic and created projects and so loudspeakers to allow us to listen to live music and greatly reproduced music in our homes. If you go deep studying their patents and projects you will not be disappointed! really proud to listen to my loved music JBL products. Best regards from NE Italy CIAO
There's no noise in Illinois! Cmon man!
Good summation, though omitting the fact that the Harmon connection shut down their R&D/design and spares operations. I've lost count of the number of Control series units I've installed, but they were classic bulletproof JBL gear, from the JBL horn systems we built at Liverpool university in the 70s, to the last control 5s I bought, for myself, they are part of my history. these days I'm more fond of Dynaudio, (hint - do a video about them), and Genelec, but yes, they were giants.
My dad still has a pair of black L250's in his living room, they look and sound amazing, the design really is something.
When my ship was in Japan in 1978 I almost bought a pair of L100s but I couldn't quite afford them because I had already bought a Kenwood amp and tuner. My son bought four JBL Lancer S99s a few years for 80 dollars. He had to have two of the 14 inch woofers refoamed and he replaced two of the tweeters but cosmetically with the wooden grills and original stands, these things are beautiful. They may be the loudest speakers I have ever heard. I have owned three pairs of JBLs and loved them.
Thanks for the channel, great work !!
I remember the k140 and k145 drivers we used as mid and low end drivers in our live reinforcement, my dad built his own cabinets( mcaully designs) and modified to our needs. Always got a ton a of comments on how well they sounded at high volumes and they were never muddy like some of the other cabinets and sound systems we heard when listening to other bands. Been a jbl junkie almost all my life and still have one pair k140’s sitting in my shop begging to be placed in a pair of good cabinets!
I have no clue about JBL per se, but we do have JBL Pro cinema speakers in one of our screening rooms. Would those count?
I managed to be able to purchase a set of JBL1400's for a venue back in the 90's and used these for live music. Fast forward to the mid 2000's and I was offered these to purchase for myself. After a full rebuild and even had the x-overs re tuned to match each other, I still have comments on how good they sound each time I roll them out.
You guys videos have improved so much, keep it coming! :)
I bought my first set of JBL 112'S back in 1984 which I was told Bruce Springstein used them in his recording studio so when born to run came out I had to buy a set. I still have them and love the sound they produce, strong and clean.
Watching this lovely doc running through my awesome JBL LSR studio monitors.
Wow, thanks for this video. You brought back memories of listening to my JBL L112's in the dorm while stationed in Okinawa in the early 80s. My first real stereo system was purchased there. JBL L112, Technics SL-10, Marantz receiver and tape deck. All on an airman's budget. I still use the SL-10 in my system. The L112's drivers ended up failing and I never replaced them. I still have the cabinets stacked on each other as a tv stand. Nice walnut veneer.
I got the deal of the "century" (pun intended) when i found a pair of JBL Century L100's in perfect condition at an estate sale in the mid 1990's. The orange foam was missing off the grill covers. After pulling off the cover, I saw what they were. "How much?", I casually asked. "$20". For the pair. I've paired them with my restored 1976 Marantz 2325 and still use them each and every day in my recording studio/home office. Absolutely love them and the only speakers I had that can handle the output of the 2325.
Big JBL fan here.
Owner of L19, Control 1 Plus, 4310, and 240Ti.
There is a demo room at the factory in LA for their 3D sound setup, about 3 stories high and a hundred feet deep and wide. The music sounds like it's coming from inside your head no matter where in the room you are. There is also a portable mixing booth with an original master copy of MJ's Beat It that you can play with, all 78 tracks or so. And free drinks.
Great story. I used many JBL`s in bass guitar speakers. The L100 was a home speaker that would crank!
Very cool!
Fantastic historical record my friend. Great content.
Thank you!
Don't forget about JBL Professional! JBL still makes some of the best selling (and highest performing) line arrays, PA speakers, and studio monitors in the world. Great video!
L26 Decade, L100 Century, SR4731A. Really fun, musical speakers, love them all.
I had a pair of JBL L150 speakers and the bottom end of the low frequencies would shake the entire house. Bought them from a guy for $100! They were well over 10 years old at the time but sounded great. The craftsmanship and engineering was top notch.
Cool video, thanks. Been using a tiny JBL GO as a main speaker for years lol
Totally loved the content bro thanks for taking the time to learn and educate.
Thanks!! I appreciate that!
This bring back the memory of the pair of L100 in our home, driven by a Sansui AU999 back in the 70’s. The sound was so sweet.
my pye isotronic 7000 was made in the 70s and since 1999 i have had an akai rack system andcracked it to the limit of just before distortion AND STILL TO THIS DAY are my primary channel i do now own a pioneer vsx-515. i love my classic speakers. i have listen to ALOT of music... more then most as knowone told me to turn it down. i know they must of heard it so i guess they vibed
I own a vintage ALTEC p.a. amplifier. 60 years old still works great. 4 Channels all tube monophonic. It has a line in. I use it for playing music out in my shop.
Very cool!
Having a set of JBL’s was the fantasy of us all back in the 70’s, when they only had one line of consumer and professional speakers. My first set was a pair of L112’s in the early 80’s. I went on to own L100’s, 4312’s etc and worked with 4320’s 4311’s, Urei 813’s in the studio for many years.
It took me 12 years to find a pair of JBL 4343's... absolutely no regrets. But 250TI's are no slouch either. My first "big JBLs" were L100T3's and I was hooked.
I was working at a stereo store in Harvard Sq, Boston as a salesman in the late 70's- early 80's while I went to music college. I bought a pair of JBL L112's which I STILL have! I've reconed the woofers 2 times, but they still sound great. I was able to find a pair of L15's for $150 that are now my matching surround speakers. The best part of these series of JBL's is that they're very effcient. With 90 watts per channel in my home theater, I can literally shake the walls!