JBL L110 Score!!

[kwape]

I've recently received my second pair of JBL L110 speakers, for free! They do need some work but have potential. I have the re-foam kit for the woofers. One of the mids has a tear in the cone and one 033 tweeter has been dented that I pulled out with tape. Haven't tested the tweeter yet, waiting to have the woofer surround done, I may need to replace that tweeter.

On the mids, the drivers on this set are labeled LE5-10, my other set is LE5-6 and looks damn near same. Anyone know if there is a difference between the 2 part numbers? I would like to grab a pair to help with my OCD ( one has dented center cap).

One grill has a tear, doesn't look so easy to replace that fabric.

 

[BMWCCA]

 

[kwape]

nice! thank you

 

[nclh77]

I know what you mean about the grill fabric. I always thought the fabric on the 110's was part of what made them special. You might be able to sew them and it be nearly invisible?

 

[Hanleyster]

Explain how free happen

 

[kwape]

a snow blow a neighbors driveway every year. he pays me 50$ for it and last snow storm he offered them to me for free, plus paid me the 50$. He knows I work on speakers and electronics. Which is awesome because I paid 400$ for my other L110 but they're already recapped and fix up.

 

[lrb1951]

The only difference between the LE5-10 and the LE5-6 is the LE5-10 has a brushed finish on the frame front and the LE5-6 does not. The grille cloth is not the easiest to replace. You're better off finding a decent set of grilles on the bay. The do come up every once in awhile but not as often as they used to.

 

[Zonker92]

I wonder if some sheer Spandex Lycra might work for grill cloth?

 

[kwape]

Well I lucked out on ebay on a clean pair of 033 tweeters for a good price. On the midrange drivers not so much, had to pay 100$ shipped for a pair of LE5-6 mids. But I can sell one to recoup some dough.

I have the woofers re-foamed and gave them a listen. Being that one midrange cone is ripped that needs to be replaced. But the one tweeter that was dented is not sounding perfect, some high end tones are distorted. That seems to happen with every 033 I come across that is dented.

went to home depot and grabbed some Howard's walnut oil and some Watco cleaner for the cabinets. I'm going to try the watco cleaner on the black face of the cabs, they're looking a little oxidized. Then finish with feed n' wax. Walnut oil obviously for the veneer.

 

[kwape]

work in progress. waiting for crossover caps.

both mids replaced and new 033 tweeter sourced and installed. All drivers working. However the mid on one cabinet is playing very low output. I'm assuming this is from a bad cap.

started the clean up on one cabinet with the Howad's oil and Watco cleaner. Applied the Howard's walnut oil with 0000 steel wool and these cabs will be near mint.

 

[Jayrosc]

Hey Kwape, I'm right behind ya! I picked up a pair of 110's in the fall at an estate sale for $40 and I'm just now getting around to a refoam. Good news for me is that all the drivers work. However, one of the binding posts on the back of one has snapped off, but that's no big deal. Like yours, one of the grills has a hole in it, but I don't think I'm gonna complain cause it's pretty small. How hard was your refoam? I ask because, while I have done some JBL L26's with ease, I did a pair of Allison speakers last weekend and it was a bitch. I notice these 110's have some type of plastic ring around the surround, so hhmmmmm. I'm hoping these have a different sound than my other JBL's (have a couple pair of 4312's also) but I can't find info on the L110's. That Howards walnut did make yours look great. What is watco cleaner?

 

[kwape]

the JBL L110's are the best bookshelf speaker I've heard. I haven't heard a ton of gear like some folks on here but they really are phenomenally great speakers.

on the re-foam you just need to take your time, and have patience. You want to make clean work so try avoid getting glue all over the cone, but be sure to use enough. You will need to re-use that ring so take care in removing it and clean off the dried up glue. go on ebay and get the foams from rick cobb (ebay seller looneytune2001). He has detailed instuctions in the kit along with a frequency test disc to help center the cone.

it's called Watco Rejuvenator Oil. They sell it at home depot in my area.

 

[GD70]

Those are looking awesome! Nice work!

 

[stupidhead]

Hey Andrew, good for you! Did you resolve the amp problem that was blowing tweets?

On the refoam, know that you must glue under the cone, not on top! Here is a thread from a couple years ago showing the procedure.
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulle...-authorized-JBL-repair-person-shop&highlight=

Good luck to both of you, very good speakers!

Geoff

 

[Zonker92]

Very nice. As to both pairs above, I would repaint the baffles; it's a huge improvement, and Duplicolor Bumper and Trim Paint (from the auto parts store) looks fantastic on JBLs.

 

[Jayrosc]

I checked the binding post again and it is actually only missing a knob. If I can still get one I'd like to do that, but if not, anyone know which of the many many sets available from parts express would fit these speakers without any drilling out more of the holes that are already there? I'm kinda partial to those round, shiny, gold push in ones with the black and red tips. They are much like the old push in ones on my other JBL's.

 

[kwape]

I checked the binding post again and it is actually only missing a knob. If I can still get one I'd like to do that, but if not, anyone know which of the many many sets available from parts express would fit these speakers without any drilling out more of the holes that are already there? I'm kinda partial to those round, shiny, gold push in ones with the black and red tips. They are much like the old push in ones on my other JBL's.

I'm replacing the stock posts on my cabs. I just don't like the locking mechanism on those. If you like I can send you the stock posts off my speakers. pm me if you want them.

 

[kwape]

Hey Andrew, good for you! Did you resolve the amp problem that was blowing tweets?

On the refoam, know that you must glue under the cone, not on top! Here is a thread from a couple years ago showing the procedure.
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulle...-authorized-JBL-repair-person-shop&highlight=

Good luck to both of you, very good speakers!

Geoff

yes sire glue on the underside of the cone. I had to run a very thin bead along the topside where the cone meets the foam. Just to be sure it would hold well. That's what I meant by avoiding a mess.

as to the blowing tweeters, it was my amp. That thing was unstable at anything above or below 1khz. I sourced original part numbers for the driver transistors and is now working. clean sine wave @ 20khz. modern transistors just were not meshing well with that amp.

Very nice. As to both pairs above, I would repaint the baffles; it's a huge improvement, and Duplicolor Bumper and Trim Paint (from the auto parts store) looks fantastic on JBLs.

I used some Watco rejuvenator oil on the baffle of one speaker just to try it. Really brought the color back and I don't see a need to paint. I will post some pics when done to show the difference.

 

[Zonker92]

Outstanding!

 

[kwape]

recap complete. Playin' some Alice In Chains, I just love how these speakers sound.

They do sound a bit better, a little smoother and greater detail. I did one cab at a time to a-b them. I don't have the ability to test leakage on the old caps, but they were within capacitance specs.