Jbl l 100 ??
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hspLOBO
Active Member
found a web link but....
found the below excerpt for JBL L100 history.....but still not clear on why the JBL L100s i found today state on the speaker tag "JBL L100" and other pictures I've seen have "JBL L100 Century". Maybe this was just for a particular production run......anyone? Just curious.....thanks
"When the marketing plans were prepared for the product's introduction, Irv Stern came up with the felicitous name of "The Century" to go with its L100 sales number. After its introduction at the 1970 summer Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, the L100 went on to become not only JBL's most successful product up to that time but, from all indications, the best-selling loudspeaker system of the decade."
©
found the below excerpt for JBL L100 history.....but still not clear on why the JBL L100s i found today state on the speaker tag "JBL L100" and other pictures I've seen have "JBL L100 Century". Maybe this was just for a particular production run......anyone? Just curious.....thanks
"When the marketing plans were prepared for the product's introduction, Irv Stern came up with the felicitous name of "The Century" to go with its L100 sales number. After its introduction at the 1970 summer Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, the L100 went on to become not only JBL's most successful product up to that time but, from all indications, the best-selling loudspeaker system of the decade."
©
hspLOBO
Active Member
I picked up the L100 over the weekend. I'd imagine the L100 Century is the preferred speaker of the two, correct?
Although, the L100 sounds AWESOME to my ears and has much depth to them.
Zonker92
All shiny and chrome
Check out the different versions here:
http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/jbl/l100.htm
I'm not sure whether "Century" designation is very good at discriminating among them. I have seen even the older ones with vertical drivers (the 4310 version?) that had the "Century" name on the foilcal.
I think a better discriminator is that the older vertical ones were called L100s and technically, the ones with the woofer and tweeter offset to either side, were L100As.
http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/jbl/l100.htm
I'm not sure whether "Century" designation is very good at discriminating among them. I have seen even the older ones with vertical drivers (the 4310 version?) that had the "Century" name on the foilcal.
I think a better discriminator is that the older vertical ones were called L100s and technically, the ones with the woofer and tweeter offset to either side, were L100As.
hspLOBO
Active Member
Check out the different versions here:
http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/jbl/l100.htm
I'm not sure whether "Century" designation is very good at discriminating among them. I have seen even the older ones with vertical drivers (the 4310 version?) that had the "Century" name on the foilcal.
I think a better discriminator is that the older vertical ones were called L100s and technically, the ones with the woofer and tweeter offset to either side, were L100As.
thanks.
Here are the speakers i found over the weekend and wanted more info on, thanks again folks.
Attachments
Zonker92
All shiny and chrome
Sweet! Those are the later version, the "A" model I suppose. I have no idea why some don't say "Century." I never noticed that before. They look bone stock and nice.
If the wood veneer is dirty or dry, I would suggest Howard's Feed N Wax. If they're really beat looking, try Howard's Restor-A-Finish.
You can buy new foam rings for the tweeters, on eBay.
You can buy new replica foam grill inserts, also on eBay (sometimes). (Grill badges, too.) I would love to rock new blue, or orange ones.
You can recap the crossovers, or upgrade them. See here:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=5639710
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=106180
If the wood veneer is dirty or dry, I would suggest Howard's Feed N Wax. If they're really beat looking, try Howard's Restor-A-Finish.
You can buy new foam rings for the tweeters, on eBay.
You can buy new replica foam grill inserts, also on eBay (sometimes). (Grill badges, too.) I would love to rock new blue, or orange ones.
You can recap the crossovers, or upgrade them. See here:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=5639710
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=106180
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itch the crappy twist connectors for 5-way binding posts.
hspLOBO
Active Member
Thanks all for the feedback and links.
Final question......in my pictures above, are they really upside down? Should there proper stance be with the woofer on top and tweeters on bottom, per reference of JBL speaker line above?
L100 Century woofers vibrate insanely
Thought I'd just post my issue here, instead of starting a new thread, since folks knowledgeable about these speakers are already participating. So, my L100s seem to be perfectly functional, and I've been using them for a good while. They sound great, and appear to have no issues, but one thing I noticed lately, is the the woofers, at times, vibrate to a scary point, and it's not just with tracks that have a lot of bass, or in response to bass thumps. It appears to be pretty random. Is this normal? Is it the result of these speakers just being old? The actual woofers are in very good shape. BTW, I did check for out-of-phase wiring, and that's OK. Any advice appreciated.
Thought I'd just post my issue here, instead of starting a new thread, since folks knowledgeable about these speakers are already participating. So, my L100s seem to be perfectly functional, and I've been using them for a good while. They sound great, and appear to have no issues, but one thing I noticed lately, is the the woofers, at times, vibrate to a scary point, and it's not just with tracks that have a lot of bass, or in response to bass thumps. It appears to be pretty random. Is this normal? Is it the result of these speakers just being old? The actual woofers are in very good shape. BTW, I did check for out-of-phase wiring, and that's OK. Any advice appreciated.
BMWCCA
Addicted Member
Does this occur when you're using a turntable? The 123A-1 will do a nice job as a transducer for solid bass but it reproduces what it's sent. In the case of use with a turntable that could be rumble from the table, the LP, or room vibrations or other t/t placement issues.
If this is the case, simply try it with another input like a CD and see it it helps. Doesn't sound like it could be caused by the speakers but the result could be damage to the speakers.
Does this occur when you're using a turntable? The 123A-1 will do a nice job as a transducer for solid bass but it reproduces what it's sent. In the case of use with a turntable that could be rumble from the table, the LP, or room vibrations or other t/t placement issues.
If this is the case, simply try it with another input like a CD and see it it helps. Doesn't sound like it could be caused by the speakers but the result could be damage to the speakers.
Thanks, guys for the replies. Ya know, I think it is the turntables. I mostly use tables and listen to vinyl. In fact, I was on this site a couple of days ago bragging on how great this DJ table I just found at a yard sale, a Vestax PDX-2000, sounded with the JBLs, because the bottom end seemed punchier than ever. Anyway, it seems like this table may be the worst offender. I hooked up a B & O TX-2 for comparison. It also moved the woofers significantly, almost as much as the Vestax. I followed your suggestion and tried a CD. Even with the loudness button on and a thumpin' bass song, the woofers were totally still. What a difference! So, what's up with the turntable issue? These tables are not particularly rumbly. And, these speakers were made in an era when vinyl was the main medium, right. So, it seems a little odd that these speakers are having so much trouble with the turntables. What do you guys think. Of course, I can EQ the bottom down, but that's no fun. Why can I super crank the CDs and not the vinyl? BTW, the JBLs sound incredible with The Fine Young Cannibals' 'The Finest' CD, which I'm listening to. For 40 year old speakers, it's amazing how 'modern' they sound.
Cheers
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BMWCCA
Addicted Member
Sure they're from the age of vinyl but they're also from the age of rumble filters! It can come from the record itself, or the table, or the room. Make sure your table isn't causing it internally. Check with a blank vinyl side or a long lead-out groove. Then try isolating the table with some damping material, a better shelf, a huge lithography stone, or squash balls cut in half. Anything is better than nothing. It could even be "feedback" from the speakers to the turntable. You're not setting the table on top of the speakers, are you?
Or just junk the vinyl and feed the JBLs some decent sources. Just don't blame the speakers. (But then you could try plugging the L100 ports with expanding plumbing plugs also known as Zilch Plugs on this site.)
Well, there is something going on with these speakers and turntables. I've tried several, and they all freak the speakers out. I've got two sets of B&Ws (Dm330s and DM610is) that aren't phased at all by the same tables. And like I said, playing CDs does not bother the L100s at all, no matter how much bass. Oh well, the L100s are going to be relegated to CD duty. Can't complain, they sound fantastic!
