New (to me) L100s!

[SaturationPt]

The best, quality and price
No affiliation, just satisfied customer
https://www.ebay.com/itm/JBL-LE-25-...-Original-Equipment-Manufacture-/311939436288

I bought a pair of those, and it just isn't worth the $8.00 to send them back but they are NOT original color or density. If you like the sparkly furnace air filter look of these ebay ones, go for it. I much prefer original look and material.

I bought several pairs to try to find the original color and density and feel that the Simply Speakers ones nail it. Further, I am ordering a second pair of simply speakers foam rings because they happen to also be the same foam that JBL used for damper foam in the 035T & 035Ti tweeter (also no affiliation but a satisfied customer). https://www.simplyspeakers.com/jbl-speaker-foam-edge-repair-kit-tweeter-le25-fsk-le25.html

If you're in the NE Indiana area and want these ebay foams feel free to contact me (free), they're otherwise going in the trash today.

 

[SaturationPt]

What I'm really struggling with now is whether to keep them. I really wanted them, but as timing has it I stumbled across TWO of my bucket-list speaker pairs shortly after and am probably not going to use these. If I keep and store them, do I buy new quadrex foam grilles first ($255 shipped) or just flat foam ($70 shipped), ... or just put them back in the original boxes as-is? Not sure, ... and then there's my Wife's very practical question of why I'm keeping something I will probably never use.

This is obviously a hobby for people with more storage space.

 

[M Chavez]

I bought a pair of those, and it just isn't worth the $8.00 to send them back but they are NOT original color or density. If you like the sparkly furnace air filter look of these ebay ones, go for it. I much prefer original look and material.

I bought several pairs to try to find the original color and density and feel that the Simply Speakers ones nail it. Further, I am ordering a second pair of simply speakers foam rings because they happen to also be the same foam that JBL used for damper foam in the 035T & 035Ti tweeter (also no affiliation but a satisfied customer). https://www.simplyspeakers.com/jbl-speaker-foam-edge-repair-kit-tweeter-le25-fsk-le25.html

If you're in the NE Indiana area and want these ebay foams feel free to contact me (free), they're otherwise going in the trash today.

I don't know what you wound up with and it doesn't matter
SS sells on ebay too now and cheaper than at their website and with free shipping if you want a heads up
I do know that the ones you get from the link I posted are the exact same diffuser as what I used to get from JBL pro color texture and density a light grey open cell
There are 3 foams used on different versions of the L25 and the one that I linked to is correct for L100A which is what you have or what you show in your photos anyway
but it's irrelevant cause you're the one that has to be happy
Enjoy!

 

[SaturationPt]

The ones I bought from that seller are very black, a more open / larger pore, and kind of glisten when a light shines on them, completely different from the originals for the late L100A. The seller might have different batches I don't know, but SS sent me an exact match. Kind of like what you said, I found what I want so it doesn't matter, or as others say YMMV!

 

[M Chavez]

The ones I bought from that seller are very black, a more open / larger pore, and kind of glisten when a light shines on them, completely different from the originals for the late L100A. The seller might have different batches I don't know, but SS sent me an exact match. Kind of like what you said, I found what I want so it doesn't matter, or as others say YMMV!

post the link to the ones you don't like, they are not from the guy I use
initially you said you purchased from the link in the old thread someone provided
what the guy I bought from is selling is exactly the same as what JBL sold
LE25 #50402
LE25-2 #53363
LE25-4 #54279
I have JBL supplied examples of all 3 right here in front of me
there is no YMMV to it

 

[SaturationPt]

I bought them from dougie.com on ebay, the same one you posted. They are very black, sparkle, and have larger pores than the original.

I obviously don't know what you ordered, but the SS ones match my original ones exactly, where the ebay / dougie.com ones are not even close.

I'm sorry if I offended you somehow or if you're affiliated with dougie.com.

 

[Zonker92]

M Chavez has the right of it, in my experience. The light gray ones from Simply Speakers are quite different from the originals. I can’t abide them, and I can’t tell you how many otherwise nice restorations I’ve seen them spoil. I’m hoarding the OEM ones and really should buy more.

But the light gray SS aftermarket ones are so common these days I can see why they look “correct” to many people. The only reason I know they’re wrong, is because I remember clearly how they looked when L100s were current in the late 70s. That, and I’ve spent countless hours reviewing the OEM product literature, including the images above. I’ll admit to being a bit obsessive on the subject.

 

[M Chavez]

I bought them from dougie.com on ebay, the same one you posted. They are very black, sparkle, and have larger pores than the original.

I obviously don't know what you ordered, but the SS ones match my original ones exactly, where the ebay / dougie.com ones are not even close.

I'm sorry if I offended you somehow or if you're affiliated with dougie.com.

I made it clear from the start that I was no more affiliated than happy customer several times over
if you received 'very black' diffusers from him then you ordered the wrong ones or he inadvertently sent you the wrong ones he offers more than one see my post with part #s above
could have straightened it out with an email and no need for bad mouthing a very reputable vendor or the I am throwing them in the trash drama

 

[SaturationPt]

No drama, just don't have any use for them, they are gone. I don't know where this becomes drama, just facts, and I offered them for free.

I was around these speakers for a lot of years when they were new, but admittedly only in the mid-late '70s as these were my favorite rock speakers that we carried, so I missed the early versions and can't speak to how they sounded and looked, nor the early drivers.

The vendor that you mention clearly states that his are made by JBL, I have some doubt that he is buying from JBL, which is my first "red flag" for an ebay vendor:

"This auction is for a pair (2) of NEW - Original Equipment Manufacture - Genuine JBL foam replacement rings.

These foam rings are made by JBL to replace the deteriorated absorption rings on a JBL LE 25 tweeter."

The photo above copied from JBL literature does show the early JBL L100A Century with the white retainer posts and different foam, I do not have early L100As. The original foam on mine has deteriorated to the point where it can't be touched, but it hasn't changed dimensions nor density. Since they are original and need replacement I have chosen to replace them with foam that matches their original density and apparent original to my version color. If they were more black originally that doesn't bother me, I would not be able to state for fact that they have not faded but if so then removal will likely reveal a color gradient. The SS ones are hardly a "light gray", they are clearly not black like the ebay ones but neither are my original ones.

Thank you for your guidance and advice, taken into consideration. I would like my speakers to remain as original as possible even in something as simple as a pair of stick-on $10 foam rings. I might find that mine have faded, but at this point I have not seen any original photos of the late L100A (not Century) with black grille retainers that I can use for reference. If you have some please share as I can use all of the information that I can get. I also haven't found russet brown photos to match my original grilles, mine have been in the original JBL box for 40 years and although chemical reactions can alter the color I **think** that I should be matching the color of these grilles.

 

[SaturationPt]

A picture of another pair of original survivors found today, matches the color and density of mine exactly.

 

[M Chavez]

A picture of another pair of original survivors found today, matches the color and density of mine exactly.

they turn green like that and lose cell definition because of absorbed moisture for decades if you push or squeeze them when they are green like that they are gummy and sticky like a bad foam surround
SS are green because they use an over seas source that copied from rotted original

 

[SaturationPt]

Absorbed moisture? What plastic is it that absorbs moisture and turns green? Mine are gray, more fragile and crumbly than gummy. Maybe yours display green because your screen gamma is different?

Absorbed moisture in plastics (example PA) is dealt with by drying before molding, and absorbed moisture can always be driven back out with warm air. Fortunately, the plastics only absorb as much moisture as its environment, ... dry air will actually over-dry plastics (again the problem with PA / Nylon in exterior uses as well as UV stability). Part of my Engineering responsibilities for much of my career was choosing plastics.

 

[Zonker92]

Those are definitely not original survivors, which have all long since perished; they're clearly new(ish), and as noted above, the gray color is far too light (see any OEM images from that era). The photo is clearly an amateur shot, and you can even see where the woofer has been removed at least once.

But I have no hope of changing your mind on the subject, so I will on to more productive endeavors and wish you well.

 

[SaturationPt]

Not asking you to, in fact even the brochure photo posted above shows the ring to be lighter than the black around it and lighter than the woofer surround on the L88 Plus.

... or does it?

I think that your speculation about late A speakers is as good as any, but I'm sticking with what I see on older speakers and it doesn't really matter.

In the end, I wouldn't buy from any vendor (ebay or otherwise) who claims to be selling genuine JBL (or implies) when they aren't, shows intent to deceive.​

 

[M Chavez]

Not asking you to, in fact even the brochure photo posted above shows the ring to be lighter than the black around it and lighter than the woofer surround on the L88 Plus.

... or does it?

I think that your speculation about late A speakers is as good as any, but I'm sticking with what I see on older speakers and it doesn't really matter.

In the end, I wouldn't buy from any vendor (ebay or otherwise) who claims to be selling genuine JBL (or implies) when they aren't, shows intent to deceive.​

he does not say they are JBL parts he says they are from the OEM supplier

 

[M Chavez]

Absorbed moisture? What plastic is it that absorbs moisture and turns green?

sponges and open cell plastic diffusers on old JBL tweeters

 

[SaturationPt]

Plastic does not (can not) absorb nor retain more moisture than its environment.

A direct quote from your protected ebay seller:

"This auction is for a pair (2) of NEW - Original Equipment Manufacture - Genuine JBL foam replacement rings.

These foam rings are made by JBL to replace the deteriorated absorption rings on a JBL LE 25 tweeter."

Both "Genuine JBL foam replacement rings." and "These foam rings are made by JBL ..." are statements that they are genuine JBL, ... there's no misinterpretation here.

Maybe this should be reported to eBay and JBL as fraud, not my fight, or maybe your vendor will change the wording (or prove how he is getting an endless supply of NLA parts from JBL). Not my job, but as I mentioned above it clearly indicates to me that the supplier intends to defraud / deceive, I don't trust a word of his ads.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JBL-LE-25-...h=item48a10a0f00:g:KWcAAOSwpgNZkwBJ:rk:2:pf:0

Why do you feel so compelled to protect this seller? I don't know if it is you or you are affiliated but it sure looks that way.

 

[M Chavez]

Plastic does not (can not) absorb nor retain more moisture than its environment.

A direct quote from your protected ebay seller:

"This auction is for a pair (2) of NEW - Original Equipment Manufacture - Genuine JBL foam replacement rings.

These foam rings are made by JBL to replace the deteriorated absorption rings on a JBL LE 25 tweeter."

Both "Genuine JBL foam replacement rings." and "These foam rings are made by JBL ..." are statements that they are genuine JBL, ... there's no misinterpretation here.

Maybe this should be reported to eBay and JBL as fraud, not my fight, or maybe your vendor will change the wording (or prove how he is getting an endless supply of NLA parts from JBL). Not my job, but as I mentioned above it clearly indicates to me that the supplier intends to defraud / deceive, I don't trust a word of his ads.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JBL-LE-25-...h=item48a10a0f00:g:KWcAAOSwpgNZkwBJ:rk:2:pf:0

Why do you feel so compelled to protect this seller? I don't know if it is you or you are affiliated but it sure looks that way.View attachment 1313669

then you should not have thrown yours in trash if you really want authentic look
I know what his ad says I told you I buy from him

 

[SaturationPt]

You are correct, I shouldn't have thrown them in the trash.

What I should do:

Remove them from the trash
Open an SNAD with eBay
Open a complaint with eBay that these are copyright infringing
Notify JBL that there is a seller on ebaty representing product as "Genuine JBL"
Take my speakers and foams to my brother (JBL Pro for 30 years, speaker designer even longer) and ask his opinion on how foam can change pore size and density over time and what he feels is the correct foam.

I have bought a lot of JBL over the years, I hoard some NOS / NLA JBL repair kits because I had the opportunity at times, and it all has a P/N somewhere on the packaging and/or the part (the foam rings should have an ink-stamped P/N on the backing paper I believe) and comes in a package with a JBL label on it. Other more reputable vendors selling these rings do not try to represent theirs as "made by JBL" the way this vendor does.

Why you continue to defend a seller (which might be you) who is quite apparently selling non-JBL product as genuine I do not know, but it looks a lot like either you have a stake in the sales of these rings (which you haven't yet denied) or you just like to argue. I guess we're all taller on the internet.

I will proceed with the proper channels, have a good day.

 

[M Chavez]

what is the name for this?