JBL Lancer 99

[shacky]

What are JBL L-99's worth? CL Rochester asking $175.

http://rochester.craigslist.org/ele/1404226133.html

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think so. Maybe try to talk him down to $150 or see what he may want to trade for...

 

[luckyed]

They look nice. I do not know value on them.

 

[VinylHanger]

Not sure what they are "worth", but mine paired to a low watt SS Sherwood is probably the most synergistic setup I have. If that is what your going for, maybe, if not, your call.

 

[tincat2]

i really like mine. i've seen them called the most extreme two way ever built,but i've always found them to be up to the job in terms of clarity and ability to fill a room. $150 would be nice, but if they are in good condition, i don't think you'll regret $175.

 

[shacky]

Seller willing to come down to $150. I'm thinking these would be nice paired with my new to me Zenith SE console tube amp with single pair of 6BQ5's :scratch2:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I agree...:thmbsp:

 

[barredowl]

Shacky I'd go for it at that price, I used to be much more an AR guy like you but my S99s displaced my AR-5s from the system and started me collecting JBLs. One thing to watch out for on these speakers is the yellow "lansaloy" surround which stiffens a lot and cracks with age. I got lucky and softened mine with #3 brake fluid but this doesn't alway work and these speakers often need to be re-foamed and JBLs are a little tricky to re-foam as they have a narrow voice coil gap. Having said all that I'd still say go for it, great sounding underrated speakers IMO. If you don't like them for some reason you can easily re-sell them for that much or more.

 

[barredowl]

Looking at them they have been refoamed hopefully recently as that is actually better than stock at this point. The LE-14 (14 inch) woofer has pale yellowish surrounds if original.

 

[EVBoy]

In the archives the last pair on eBay went for $255. So, $150 is a good deal.
It looks like they have been reconed though as the original cones are white with yellow surrounds.

 

[packrat]

The LE14A cones should be white, so unless they were painted they were reconed when refoamed. If reconed with LE14H cones (which are black with the foams on the back of the cones) then great! This is possible as JBL actually would repair all the bad surrounds (with a recone!) on LE14As for FREE if you were the original owner (this practice stopped in the early 80s). As well, LE14H recone kits were in stock all through the 1990s, so if they were repaired by a good JBL dealer back then, then proper cones would go in (JBL offically never refoams, only recones are accepted). If some sort of generic cone was used, well, it's not so good, and perhaps bad. The cone should have the 'Aquaplas' coating on the front (and back?) whether black or white in color. I'd ask the seller to remove the woofers so you can inspect the back of the cone. From the location of the ribs on the cones, they do look right, a part number from the back would say so for sure. Maybe they have a receipt for repairs that explains what happened? If the foams are on the front of the cones and the cones look painted, then they are then most likely the original cones but perhaps repaired in some way (as a guess).

However, even if the cones are not 'right' at $150 I'd still buy them if the cabinets were excellent mostly because the cabinets are really well made, the tweeters are worth decent $$, and if needed proper LE14As can be had for under $200 and refoamed for $30. Decent pairs of Lancer 99s have sold for over $400, but typically $200 to $300. Of course for $300 you can buy better speakers, but if they fit into the vintage system you've got so what! The also make excellent 'ewave' projects.

 

[barredowl]

Only thing with JBLs is one pair isn't enough now I have the S99s and Apollos which are incredible if you can swing a pair.

 

[barredowl]

Did you get the S99s? They are a good gateway dru... errrr I mean speaker. Just got 4313bs today, tres bon!

 

[shacky]

I decided to pass. Cabs had some bad dark water rings and some chipping veneer. And not knowing the details of those woofer cones - I decided no for now.

If anyone else is interested go for them.

 

[barredowl]

Shacky you declined the JBL koolaid, I'm shocked, shocked I tell you. Wait on some 4313s or 4412s they are more accurate anyway.

 

[shacky]

So far my only JBL is the L36 Decade that I recapped (with Russion PIO bypass), new binding posts, and refoam. While great sounding they are bright to my ears. My son loves them and so they may have permanent home with his Sui 881.

I'd like to try a good JBL 2-way with tubes. The L36 definitely sounded better to my ears with tubes.

 

[barredowl]

JBLs sound good with warm bassy amps my Apollos upstrairs sound fab with an AU 999.

 

[4ey]

...Fast forward 14 years later, the last (as of the time of this post) four pairs JBL Lancer 99 sold on Ebay went for, as follows - $400, $870, $500, $450.
This should teach us all a lesson.. I guess.

 

[David Gehle]

The ears should at least. I have mine inherited, first with Quad 33/303 combo, later Quad 33/BGW 100, now - since the 100 is in the hospital waiting for cure - BGW T6500. Fundament, detail, dynamics, I could not ask for more. Very nice also in comparison with my QUAD ESL on 34/303 combo. Each pair has his merits.

 

[Alexiaudio]

...Fast forward 14 years later, the last (as of the time of this post) four pairs JBL Lancer 99 sold on Ebay went for, as follows - $400, $870, $500, $450.
This should teach us all a lesson.. I guess.

Indeed! I’m looking at a pair (2025) for $695.!