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Amplification for JBL L100 Century Speakers

Spackler

Spackler

Member
Hey all,

Long time lurker and reader but new member and first-time poster. Am curious about amplification requirements for JBL L100s. I recently acquired a pair but found that my Marantz PM 300 (48WPC) did not sound great with them. My friend's father gave me one of his Marantz 2220 receivers which although only rated at 20WPC, really brought the speakers to life. However, as they are rated at 50WPC minimum, I was concerned about potentially damaging the voice coils in the speakers. Some older audiophiles here in Vancouver have told me that is highly unlikely but still, there is a part of me that wanted to give these babies some more juice. I have my eyes on a Luxman R-1070 (70WPC), a Luxman M-2000 (120WPC), and Marantz 140 (70WPC). Some interwebbers have told me that I need at least 250WPC to drive these speakers well but that seems kind of insane to me given they are just set up in my living room. Is there a "right answer" to this question or like so many things, Hi-Fi, does it all just come down to personal preference?

Am also using a Mastersounds Radius 2 premium mixer as my pre-amp.

https://mastersounds.co.uk/collections/mixers/products/radius-2-black

Thanks in advance and please excuse the newbie question.
 

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Spackler said:
Hey all,

Long time lurker and reader but new member and first-time poster. Am curious about amplification requirements for JBL L100s. I recently acquired a pair but found that my Marantz PM 300 (48WPC) did not sound great with them. My friend's father gave me one of his Marantz 2220 receivers which although only rated at 20WPC, really brought the speakers to life. However, as they are rated at 50WPC minimum, I was concerned about potentially damaging the voice coils in the speakers. Some older audiophiles here in Vancouver have told me that is highly unlikely but still, there is a part of me that wanted to give these babies some more juice. I have my eyes on a Luxman R-1070 (70WPC), a Luxman M-2000 (120WPC), and Marantz 140 (70WPC). Some interwebbers have told me that I need at least 250WPC to drive these speakers well but that seems kind of insane to me given they are just set up in my living room. Is there a "right answer" to this question or like so many things, Hi-Fi, does it all just come down to personal preference?

Am also using a Mastersounds Radius 2 premium mixer as my pre-amp.

https://mastersounds.co.uk/collections/mixers/products/radius-2-black

Thanks in advance and please excuse the newbie question.
Click to expand...
No excuse needed for asking a question and it"s a good question to be asking. IMHO you do not NEED AT LEAST 250WPC for these. Back in the day they were often matched up with Marantz 2270s & 2325s. I think that unless you're wanting to run a nightclub or concert hall with these speakers, anywhere from the 70WPC to 120WPC for be more than adequate. Of course more power isn't going to hurt anything either. :)
 
Agree. Back in the day, the typical L100s i SAW were powered by a solid-state Sansui, Technics, Pioneer, etc., receiver with around 60-90 WPC. I heard plenty powered that way and they sounded great, or at least as great as L100s will ever sound. (As a proud L100 owner, I'm allowed to say that. :D)
 
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Spackler said:
Hey all,
Long time lurker and reader but new member and first-time poster. Am curious about amplification requirements for JBL L100s. I have my eyes on a Luxman R-1070 (70WPC), a Luxman M-2000 (120WPC), and Marantz 140 (70WPC). Some interwebbers have told me that I need at least 250WPC to drive these speakers well but that seems kind of insane to me given they are just set up in my living room.
Click to expand...

Welcome to AK and as far those interwebbers telling you that you "need at least 250WPC to drive these speakers" do yourself a favor and don't pay them any attention that's ridiculous.

I'm biased, and I've owned both, but if you can your mitts on the Luxman gear you mentioned for a decent price then go for it. Either one of them will be fine for a living room set up.
 
Thanks for the welcome and answers, guys. Not sure why it took me so long to actually sign up. Think I am leaning towards the Luxman R-1070. Sure I will be back with more questions before too long. : )
 
Years ago in the 1970's a friend of mine had his Akai receiver and Coral cum Sansui speakers stolen. Somehow he wound up with an HK Citation 11 & 12 combo and JBL 100's from the insurance company.

When his wife kicked him out, he set his system up at the house I was living in and 60 watts per channel was plenty good enough for those speakers.
 
I found that a more neutral amplifier was helpful for the splashy forward midrange and tweeter. I ran a Yamaha CR 2020 and Harman Kardon 930 and preferred both to a Marantz 2330 which was less detailed. The Luxman could be a bit bloomy and round sounding as well, I had a R-1120, your ears and money though.
 
Interesting. That's something I hadn't really considered yet. I do find them to be a bit boomy (especially when playing house or disco) when they're on the recommended lower stands/risers. However, when I raise them up by about a foot or so, this tends to go away. Still working to find just the right placement for my space but may end up putting them on 15" cube stands and see how that works.

I also use to filter and Isolator/Master EQ on The Radius 2 to adjust the frequencies as needed. Will look into a more neutral sounding amp as well (although I love the sound of the Marantz). There is a store near where I am that said I can bring my speakers out to demo with their amps and receivers to see what might sound best so I am hoping to have a day to be able to do that soon.
 
Hey all, just wanted to update this as I am now the proud new second owner of a Luxman M2000 and all I can say is, WOW! This amp with the L100s brings them to a whole different level. Now, I see what all the hype was about. Thanks again for all of your input and suggestions!
 
For a time, I had my Soundcraftsmen A-5002 amp (250 WRMS/Channel) and they sounded very dynamic. Before that I used my old Marantz 240 (125 WRMS/CH.) and it was fine. Never ran them with anything else.....
 
WaynerN said:
For a time, I had my Soundcraftsmen A-5002 amp (250 WRMS/Channel) and they sounded very dynamic. Before that I used my old Marantz 240 (125 WRMS/CH.) and it was fine. Never ran them with anything else.....
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Yes, they certainly love some power, don't they? I've always been a big Marantz fan as well but this Luxman pushes them into a whole different realm. Think this one's a keeper!
 
Now I run a pair of JBL Studio 530s, powered by a Sony ES amp, the TA-N55ES. The detail is incredible. Looking for some L100s again (sold mine years ago, early 90s), but that deal hasn't emerged yet. Someday......

The 530s....

530 2.jpg

Wayner
 
WaynerN said:
Now I run a pair of JBL Studio 530s, powered by a Sony ES amp, the TA-N55ES. The detail is incredible. Looking for some L100s again (sold mine years ago, early 90s), but that deal hasn't emerged yet. Someday......

The 530s....

View attachment 1276413

Wayner
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Wow, those look amazing. beautiful design. I fluked onto my L100s on Vancouver Craigslist a few months back. The original owner had them for about 30 years and had them in storage for the last 13. He sold them to someone who had them for about a year but ended up wanting a more modern sound so they fell into my lap. One of the frames was cracked and the tweeter domes are slightly pushed in but I've ordered new frames and grill clothes (not the foams, too expensive). They weren't quite performing the way I had wanted them to with the little Marantz (the bass was boomy and the mids were a bit muddy) but the Luxman has really brought them back to life and opened them right up!
 
It is the speaker and amp pairing that is critical. I have 10 pairs (and one center channel) of speakers in my vinyl room, along with 8 different power amps, and believe me, each amp is paired with the speakers that produce the best sound. All amps do not sound the same. Try some different speakers with the 2220. I have the Marantz 140 as well and find the Klipsch KG4 and Empire Caviler 2000s a nice pairing. I think a Dynaco would work well with the smaller powered Marantz receievers, like the A25 or A25XL.

Glad its working for you. You should measure the cap values for the mid and tweeter. The speakers are getting really old. The caps might be fine, but if you think you hear anything a miss, then it might be worth going in.
I have the JBL S109 Aquarius IV that I have done nothing to their electronics and they sound fine (they don't have a traditional XO, because they are full range speakers (LE8T-2) but do have a circuit in them to stabilize impedance.
 
250 watts is not crazy. Anybody hear about clean headroom. Remember a 3db increase in volume requires double the power. All depends how much volume you want. Your not going to run 250 watts wide open, but is nice to have a reserve when needed. At least you won't clip your speakers.
 
WaynerN said:
It is the speaker and amp pairing that is critical.
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^^^^^
Words to live by.

When I was flipping my L100s, I paired it with a little Yamaha CR-400 receiver, less than 20 w/ch.
It was a really magical combination that made me smile, just wonderful.
Came across a new class A Technics integrated with 5X the power of the Yamaha, got to sound better, right?

No contest, the little Yamaha unquestionably bested the Technics in sound quality, Sold the Yamaha with the L100s...

So it’s not just gobs of power that will spark the JBLs, you are looking for that synergy.

I would think higher end Marantz, Pioneer. Yamaha, even Technics SA receivers will make them sing!
 
One day I had my Ls opened by removing the woofer. To my surprise, the woofer did not have a cross-over network. Its leads came right off the speaker terminals. A couple of days later I made the corporate decision to add another set of speaker jacks to the back, and removed the wires to the woofer from the original and attached them to the new set of terminals. I had made it possible to bi-amp or bi-wire them. Out came the stored Dynaco Stereo 70. Marantz 240 on the woofers, Dynaco Stereo 70 on the midrange and tweeters..........both amps "Y'd" off my Marantz 3300 preamp.
 
WaynerN said:
...I made the corporate decision to add another set of speaker jacks to the back, and...made it possible to bi-amp or bi-wire them. Out came the stored Dynaco Stereo 70. Marantz 240 on the woofers, Dynaco Stereo 70 on the midrange and tweeters..........both amps "Y'd" off my Marantz 3300 preamp.
Click to expand...

...AND???
 
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