History Lesson (1 Viewer)

[Fletch]

Okay,When I was a high schooler some 30 years ago, my band director had a pair of JBL studio masters.Since then I have been looking for info on them. They were massive, with 15 in. drivers and a horn unlike any I have seen since. Anyone out there know the whereabouts of such a monster?

 

[Tom Brennan]

Fletch---JBL made several studio monitors and home speakers with 15" woofs and horn treble. The horns used acoustic lenses, a device made of several aluminum slats, to control dispersion. You may be thinking of the L-200 home speaker or the 4430 monitor.
For information look at the excellent Lansing Heritage website at www.audioheritage.org In the library section you will find old JBL catalogs, both consumer and pro. You wil have no difficulty finding info on the speaker you refer to.
I see these speakers on ebay often, indeed a set of 4430s are on ebay now. Vintage JBLs have quite a following, many people prefer them to any modern speaker and with good reason. They can be expensive.
www.chicagohornspeakerclub.org

 

[Fletch]

Thank you Tom. I pretty sure they were the L200 home speakers..my hearing was a lot better then. I have not heard a speaker that was as accurate as this .Anyway,it would be nice to listen to a pair again someday.

 

[Guy Usher]

These old JBLs do indeed sound good. The best I had were L112s, a 12 inch mirror imaged 3 way, also owned the L150, L150A, L212 (with powered sub) and the infamous L250. Had several JBL subs, a 12 and a 15 from that era, I have had the opertunity to hear the L112s again, you can't go back, it is not the same now as then. Last few years I have been listening to DIYers with Dyna Audio drivers to name one in cabs that were built right, talk about accurate. The old JBLs are great speakers but we were different then. . .