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JBL L50 Opinion

M

Mitchell_BB

New Member
Been looking for a pair of JBL L50s for my bedroom audio system.

Out of interest does anyone know or have an opinion on how much a pair of JBL L50s with refoamed speakers and upgraded tweeters should go for these days? Condition of the box isnt an issue as long as there are grills.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks.

Mitchell
 
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L50 is "Vintage" JBL, and any "upgrade" reduces the value. Notwithstanding that, if the tweeters are 035tiA, they'll sound better than the original LE26.

I'd prefer, and probably pay more for, the "A" version with ferrite-magnet woofer.

L50 is not considered "collectible," and thus does not sell for a premium.

http://manuals.harman.com/JBL/HOM/Technical Sheet/L50 ts.pdf

http://manuals.harman.com/JBL/HOM/Technical Sheet/L50A ts.pdf

How much? eBay's your price guide, but don't be surprised to find them being literally given away on CL or other sources.

Sounds like you have a specific pair in mind and are wanting to know how much to pay for them.... :dunno:
 
L50's

Mitchell_BB said:
Been looking for a pair of JBL L50s for my bedroom audio system.

Out of interest does anyone know or have an opinion on how much a pair of JBL L50s with refoamed speakers and upgraded tweeters should go for these days? Condition of the box isnt an issue as long as there are grills.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks.

Mitchell
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "upgraded tweeters?:headscrat
I can't tell you how much they sell for. But I can tell you that last year, I paid a little over two bills with shipping for a nice pair with new foams and LE26 tweeters. After UPS bashed in both top front corners of one of them, (because the seller did'nt pack them right) the seller refunded half of the total price back to me. So they ended up costing me 117.00. And btw, for what they are, they ROCK! IMO, they rock harder than L100 Century's.:yes:

Rj
 
Mitchell_BB said:
Also one other thing, are the L50s real wood case or just wood veneer?
Click to expand...
Hmmm. "Just wood veneer?" :scratch2:

I'm not aware of JBL ever building with solid wood; perhaps some of the original true (pre-JBL) "legacy" models.

Particle board, then MDF, when it became available, were found to be superior materials with respect to minimizing cabinet resonance, better, even, than plywood, which is now used primarily in the Pro products for lower weight and higher strength.

Paragon, for example, was originally made of plywood, but later, particle board, except the curved front panel.

Given the vintage, L50's going to be particle board, with wood veneer, most likely.
 
I found foam-less L50's locally for $40. Foam done by a pro - another $40.

They didn't improve on the Advent or L26 so off to Ebay they went, $120 or so, shipping extra.

I'm partial to 2-ways vs. 3-ways when it comes to LE-5 mids and LE25 / LE26 tweet combos. Grain of salt and all that.

Paper thin veneer. A beat up L26/L36 will come out looking better after refinishing since that veneer is more like 1/16".
 
JBL's

bigstereo said:
What do you mean by "upgraded tweeters?:headscrat
I can't tell you how much they sell for. But I can tell you that last year, I paid a little over two bills with shipping for a nice pair with new foams and LE26 tweeters. After UPS bashed in both top front corners of one of them, (because the seller did'nt pack them right) the seller refunded half of the total price back to me. So they ended up costing me 117.00. And btw, for what they are, they ROCK! IMO, they rock harder than L100 Century's.:yes:

Rj
Click to expand...

L-100's just aren't getting any respect lately - unless you're trying to buy a pair of them. :sigh:
 
70salesguy said:
L-100's just aren't getting any respect lately - unless you're trying to buy a pair of them. :sigh:
Click to expand...

Oh, don't get me wrong. I like them okay but, not too long ago I had a pair of original L100 Centurys that were in fantastic shape, along with the L50's and 4311's. When it came time to thin the herd and make room for a bigger, better pair of speakers, the Centurys got the gate, at the same price that I bought them for. :D

I do however feel that the L50's bass has a little more punch than the L100's though. That's one of the reasons I kept them plus I knew that I could get way more mula for the Centurys. ;)

Rj
 
That's not an upgraded tweeter. Looks like some random kit that someone just stuck in there...

Regards,
Gordon.
 
JBL L50 Speakers good quality sound these speakers have been lined, the woofers were re-coned by professional speaker repairer not so long ago, hardly used since then.Midrange speaker is original,tweeter was upgraded. The boxes are not in so good condition varnish is worn,however they are thick and nothing a sand and a paint would'nt fix. Most of the lugs to hold the front screens are broken but can be replaced for a couple of dollars.These speakers weigh 18.5kg each so postage would be a problem however if need be they can at the buyers expence.
Click to expand...

Love that "down under" terminology :) ... what does ... speakers have been lined ... mean? ...
 
Thanks everybody for all your opinions, its great to have such a knowledgable base on hi-fi electronics. :thmbsp:

On the basis of that, if i can get the speakers for roughly US$40, would that be a reasonable outcome? I've asked the seller about the tweeters and am waiting for a response on them.

Thanks again everyone.

-Mitchell
 
Well, the cabs are beat up, and the tweets are incorrect. Can't tell for sure from the pics but the foam may not be installed properly either. If it was me, I'd pass and wait for a better pair.
Here is what the proper LE26 tweeters look like.....
DSCN0710.jpg
 
If the woofers are "correct," they alone are worth $40. Looks like a refoam rather than recone was done, tho I can't quite see clearly in the pic. That'd be a good thing, 'cause the voice coil and cone would be original. Make sure all the drivers are working well.

You'll have some work to do to make them really nice. 035tiA tweeters aren't terribly expensive (more than the $40 you'll have paid for the speakers, tho,) and your local reconer can replace that pooched LE5 dust dome while you wait, probably....
 
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