I get your logic, but I have a hard time understanding $1500 L96 since I paid $200 for mine 15-years ago from their original owner after he had the woofers re-coned by JBL in 1998, and I still have the L112s I bought new over 40-years ago and they weren't even a thousand then! I guess I need to bring the L96 down from the old house and add them to my group photo! Probably time for a re-surround, too.
C'mon, Phil - be real.
Most folks pay a heck of a lot more for clean vintage JBLs than you have
I just looked back at the thread on LH when my L96 were offered for sale by the original owner. They sat for months at $300. I made a $200 offer sometime around November when I was headed to DC for Thanksgiving, but it was refused. By around April when I was making another trip up (Easter?) I believe he took that offer. Not really any "luck" involved in that! I wasn't fastest on the draw. I think it was even the LH member's first post and I questioned if it was legit before they sat un-taken for several more months. Everyone knew it was a good deal.C'mon, Phil - be real.
- you've had amazing luck finding outrageous deals
- and being right on top of them!
It's the same thing with guitar amps.
And—now that I'm retired—I have time for long responses to the gentle chiding of friends!
You were lucky in that you were into audio 15 years ago before things went insane. I unfortunately was not, having left my audio dreams behind once I got married only to return just recently (on the upside the 16 year old is totally into it as well and is madman on the guitar). It wasn't even a "vintage" thing, I just wanted to set up my old TT (a pioneer PL530), and I just couldn't use my surround HK AVR 2600 in the new home- no place for rear speakers- so I looked for a two channel system. I started shopping and was set on a marantz NR 1200, but while I was saving for it I wandered into a vintage stereo shop. lots of memories from my youth! I picked up a little Nikko 25w receiver for $75 and some small Infinitiy's for $60. It was all over after that; I remembered how good music can sound with a proper stereo.
The drivers, waveguide, and other parts for the M2 are available at not completely unreasonable prices. Crown amps with the M2 DSP profile are available (other DIY DSP options are out there). The monkey coffin cabinets can be copied with not much more than a table saw, router, and time. The builder will have to decide between matching the factory black vinyl or opting for a stylish veneer. Of course this is cloning a JBL design and not creating a new one. It is cost effective if you already have the tools and ignore the value of your time. If nothing else, it harkens back to the time when JBL and others sold driver/crossover kits for hobbyists.
at the end of the day it isn't any "cheaper"but if you enjoy building things that are useful, functional and beautiful then it is fun.
nope, I've done similar in the past and the there is no real substitute for the original drivers. I did a pair of Infinity Reference Fives with an aftermarket EMIT R and they sound close to what I remember of infinity on some music, but have tendency to sound harsh or hollow and 'tinny'. A recap may help a little but I doubt will fix them ( but the look really good in maple). For this project I bought the JBL LE10A's, 044's and the identical L112 crossovers off of eBay. will likely get the LE5-12's there of reverb. and no I'm not going to same any money here but the die is cast. it should be a fun project.
I believe this 100%, especially if you are into Alnico magnet speakers. There's a difference between vintage JBL, Altec, Fane, CTS, and Jensen Alnicos, too.
Of the dozens of large speaker cabinets I have built in my life, without exception it is orders of magnitude cheaper to build rather than buy factory speaker's retail. In every case, my constructions are much stouter with unique design features and functionality compared to the factory cabs. That includes using factory drivers and parts. But as donprice states, it takes your time, tools, and expertise. The only way it would cost more than 50% of retail is if you massively screw up and need to scrap and re-work, and perhaps if the cost of the tools is factored in. But as in any production build, the more you build the more the unit cost, and time, goes down. Also, if the speakers are mass produced, small and inexpensive (think cheap bookshelf size or smaller), then it is hard to match retail costs with DIY builds.
Yes, I'd imagine that if you have the tooling and expertise—and know wood and its sonic characteristics—building a custom cab may not only be cheaper but also better for your individual needs.
]. A friend and I built one based on some specs he gathered at JBL. He had a summertime HS internship there.
Cheaper than buying new equivalent audio quality speakers at MSRP? Yes absolutely, but cheaper than buying used (i.e vintage JBL l96/L112etc..), don't kid yourself.
We are comparing cabinets and drivers - why are you including electronics? I don't need to kid myself; I have done it and it is cheaper than either new or used and I have no hesitation stating it. But the used would need to be of equivalent excellent quality, but even then you are comparing a used cabinet to a freshly built higher quality DIY. There are a few exceptions to every rule, but if you are comparing to road rashed and abused cabinets then of course!
I don't consider crossovers electronics when talking only inductors, capacitors and autotransformers. I am building Klipsch designed AB-2 with super premium components for $300; Crites AB-2's are $650 without the premium components. Others are thousands...
Show me yours and I'll show you mine
