Can anyone identify these JBL's

Phobosx

Phringe
Hello all. I have come across some JBL speakers (estate sale) that I can't seem to identify. The estate sale people said it's a custom cabinet, which I guess it may be. However, it is VERY close in shape and construction to my Sovereign II speakers but, just a bit smaller and a 3 way instead of a 2 way. The foam sound absorption stuff on the inside is on all sides and neatly cut and positioned. The wires are red, green, and black, like what I think JB normally used.

The build quality is very well done, which leads me to believe it was either a factory thing or possibly a kit someone would put together from pre-cut pieces. If completely custom someone did a great job on the cabinets.

See the pictures. They each have the following components

077 tweeter
LE85 Horn driver
H91 horn and plastic lens
LE14A woofer
LX10 divider network
N8000 divider network

I had removed the woofer and midrange out and see what numbers were on them. These LE14A's don't seem to have had that yellow like surround (Lansalloy??) but had a basic black foam type that attached to the rear of the cone. As you can see, the foam is gone and I would need to refoam them before i can use them and see how they sound.


Does anyone have any idea what model these would be? There is no little tag on the back like my other JBL systems have. I don't even see a mark on the back where a tag or label may have even been.


j1.jpeg j2.jpeg j3.jpeg j4.jpeg j5.jpeg j6.jpeg
 
That overhang on the cabinet sure can't be a good thing for the sound. I wonder if that's a Frankenspeaker utilizing JBL drivers.
 
It could be a cabinet JBL sold as they had options to build your own speakers selling cabinets and drivers. In that case they would have no factory badging other than on the drivers. They totally look like all JBL parts to me. Maybe a later cabinet design that was used on the
JBL C51 Apollo

 
Generally,with 2 JBL networks stacked together like that, its at least a modified speaker, if not a custom design.

I gather there are 2 of them, a pair? Seems like a worthy addition to grab and check them out!

There is no front port, like an L-200.
The slot on the lower back looks interesting -
is that a piece of plywood across it from the inside?
Or maybe a space for the optional Energizer amp some of the JBL speakers of the era had?
 
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That overhang on the cabinet sure can't be a good thing for the sound. I wonder if that's a Frankenspeaker utilizing JBL drivers.
No, it's not a "Frankenspeaker." The cabinet overhang doesn't affect the output from the 077 tweeter, nor does it affect the midrange any more than that diffuser lens does. :)
 
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The overhang is about the same as on my Sovereign II (Which is like an Apollo as far as the cabinet goes I think). They seem a bit smaller than my Sovereign II C61 but I could measure them and verify it.

There is no port on the front but the back seems to have a port or slot across the bottom.

I do have a pair. Just used pictures from one. O, and I already bought them. An impulse buy as they seemed to be legit JBL Drivers. Once I got home I removed the woofer from one to get inside and verified they are all JBL.

The dual crossover is odd. The speaker wires from the amp connect to the LX10. From what can tell by finding a schematic on the internet, the LF output is straight, so the LE14A is running full range. The HF part of the LX10 (1500 hz) goes to the N8000. The LF part of the N8000 goes to the midrange horn and the HF part of the N8000 goes to the 077 tweeter. So it seems crossover points are 1500hz, and 8000hz.

I am thinking they were some factory kit. Maybe different kits came with different baffles based on what drivers you wanted. The cabinets are just too nice and too similar to my Sovereign II to been done by someone unless they were w woodworking professional. And wow, are these heavy. Easily as heavy as my Sovereign II's

I'm very curious to hear how they sound. I can't really play them until I fix the woofer and I think one of the LX10's has a bad capacitor ( 12uf) since the LF output works but the HF does not (Or could be bad connection or dirty control)
 
Well that tweeter is around $400, so do you need more info right this minute?
It looks like there was a label on the back at one time. In the picture of the rear above the terminal on the left side you can clearly see a square area where there was somthing. There are "tape marks" too. Looks like someone tried to keep the label on with tape at one time but it still peeled off. Awesome find! Hope you bought them I definitely would of! Hope you got a good deal too!
 
At first glance I wanted to say L300, and then L200 with the ring radiator added. But it looks like a custom version of a L-300 using a rear port. There was the commercial version of the l300 in a square box that wasn't slanted and maybe that's where the idea of this custom design came from. UP grade the crossovers and you should be ready to enjoy your speakers fully..
 
They look nicely made. All I can add is that the crossovers being mounted horizontally would tend to support the home-built theory. Otherwise they look like C51 or C61. Are there any grilles with them? The rear port is unusual for any JBL of that vintage and probably a problem given the size of the boxes unless you're planning to put them way out into the room. It appears the wrong size for an Energizer installation. I'd consider calculating port size based on the drivers you have and maybe blocking the rear and installing two round ducts in the front baffle. :dunno:

Interesting find.
 
No, it's not a "Frankenspeaker." The cabinet overhang doesn't affect the output from the 077 tweeter, nor does it affect the midrange any more than that diffuser lens does. :)
The cabinet looks a lot like a home job, probably taken from another speaker model, as well as the xover setup. If so I would call it a frankenspeaker. That's just an if though. I doubt many designers today would mount a tweeter under an overhang like that, even one with a limited horizontal dispersion.
 
The cabinet looks a lot like a home job, probably taken from another speaker model, as well as the xover setup. If so I would call it a frankenspeaker. That's just an if though. I doubt many designers today would mount a tweeter under an overhang like that, even one with a limited horizontal dispersion.
That's how many cabinets were made by manufacturers OEM and aftermarket, remember this was 50+ years ago. If made by a DIY'er then kudos to him (or her;)) because they were highly skilled. Evidently you don't have much experience with speakers of this vintage. :) No offense meant.
 
That's how many cabinets were made by manufacturers OEM and aftermarket, remember this was 50+ years ago. If made by a DIY'er then kudos to him (or her;)) because they were highly skilled. Evidently you don't have much experience with speakers of this vintage. :) No offense meant.
Of course I remember they did, I'm not sure why you would think otherwise from my comments. But if you or someone else can find an authentic identity of these speakers that would be cool.
 
Well that tweeter is around $400, so do you need more info right this minute?
I sold a pair for $720 last December, and I was disappointed; they can go for $850. I love the LE85 — amazing FR, crystal clear yet warm — and the 077 adds new dimensions in nuance, image, stage, even bass. The LE14A was damn fine in my L220s (which added a PBR).

Price, which I don't see, would decide it for me.
 
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It looks like there was a label on the back at one time. In the picture of the rear above the terminal on the left side you can clearly see a square area where there was somthing. There are "tape marks" too. Looks like someone tried to keep the label on with tape at one time but it still peeled off. Awesome find! Hope you bought them I definitely would of! Hope you got a good deal too!

Oh, the label was just a hand written label about them being heavy and be careful when lifting them.
 
Thanks for all the help. I am guessing this were not a REAL JBL product but rather a copy of the C61 cabinet but with different components.

There are grills. I just don't have them on. They are basic black cloth that cover the front and then cover about 4" on each side.

I guess I'll refoam the LE14A's, fix the HF output on one of the LX10's (I think the capacitor inside is bad) and see how they sound.
 
JBL offered the driver and crossover kits, they were in the brochures with the rest of the home speakers. The crossovers are essentially in series, the first one splits HF and LF with LF going to the LF driver and HF going to the HF crossover, then the HF crossover splits to the tweeter and mid.

The LE14A became obsolete around '76 (to the H), and the 077 available about the same time so I'd place the kit around '76. JBL also offered empty cabinets at least through '75 or so, would've recommended the Flair cabinets for that componentry I'd expect.
 
These cabinets are the JBL C61 Sovereign II styled exactly like the C60 Sovereign except smaller, similar in all respects to the JBL C51 Apollo which in turn was styled like the C50 Olympus.

The styling of both cabinets are what they are, furniture styled large speaker cabinets. However, for the driver load, the top overhang isn't as bad an issue as it may seem because the acoustic lens actually brings the sound path out to the grille and widens the dispersion. Similarly, the 077 has controlled and limited vertical dispersion while the slot widens the horizontal dispersion, much better than the beamy 075 bullet.

Of course, with today's knowledge and considerations, these cabinets should be raised up from 4-12 inches to pull them off the floor and reduce bass boom reinforcement, and bring the tweeter and midrange/lens more on target to a seated listener's ears. A nicely styled plinth would give you a semi-tower/lowboy type appearance. Another option would be to angle the speakers back about 5 degrees to acoustically give you a similar soundfield.

You can see them here in the 1969 JBL catalog:
http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/catalogs/1969-home/page07.jpg

page07.jpg


http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/catalogs/1969-home/page05.jpg
page05.jpg
 
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