Rallye_punk
pfm Member
As above, I love how they look but some of them fetch crazy money these days. Never put JBL down as a premium brand I guess?
Why are vintage JBL speakers so expensive?
- Thread starter Rallye_punk
- Start date
kasperhauser
pfm Member
I blame zealous Japanese collectors. Ok, not really. Well, maybe a little.
It's really only the UK that ignored how good JBL's where....hence they are expensive.
Luckily up until very recently if you could find a good pair here the UK they were often undervalued and could be picked up at reasonable prices against what you would have to pay elsewhere in the world.
I wouldn't part with my 4425's or 4311's
Luckily up until very recently if you could find a good pair here the UK they were often undervalued and could be picked up at reasonable prices against what you would have to pay elsewhere in the world.
I wouldn't part with my 4425's or 4311's
kasperhauser
pfm Member
I sold a pair of L100s recently, and have a pair of L46s that I'll probably never part with. I take 'em out every once in awhile and have them in the system for a week or so.
Rug Doc
pfm Member
I'd love a pair of 4425s or 30's... not because I know they might sound good, but because they just look so darn cool!!! .....That's why they're expensive.
ff1d1l
pfm Member
Also have a pair of Urei 809's, which have the drivers used in 4425's, but mounted as a dual concentric...oh, they sound pretty good...and that's the reason for the price, not cool cabinetry methinks
If you look at JBL drivers of that era from pro studio gear, then look at what Kef or Linn were using in the domestic hi fi arena you see why the pros chose JBL. Of course, the mags assured us of the pros deafness and insanity - and we listened - so unlike the US, nice JBL's are thin on the ground.
For drooling, check out Kenrick sound on youtube....
joel
Painter of Dragons, Maker of Mirrors
JBL monitor speakers were never cheap, and have always been, I think, most loved in Japan.As above, I love how they look but some of them fetch crazy money these days. Never put JBL down as a premium brand I guess?
Haruki Murakami (a novelist who has not won the Nobel Prize for Literature) famously fell in love with the brand as a student working part-time at a jazz coffee shop (jazz kissaten) that had a pair in the early seventies. He was far from alone.
Their popularity here was helped enormously by having Sansui as local distributer from the 60s until, I think, the 90s when Harman took over the reins.
Modern JBL designs such as the Everest and K2 series have always been extremely expensive speakers.
they command crazy prices here in Malaysia.
Everyone makes a big deal about the alnico magnets of the vintage drivers for some reason.
I have modified a old L 200 from two-way to three-way adding the 2405 'super tweeter' and using JBL circuitry but with much better components.
(the components used in those nice aluminium boxes are absolutely horrendous and I would recommend anybody who is serious about any speaker of that generation to change them)
I had to make new cabinets because the fiberboard boxes from the early 70s disintegrated in the humid conditions here, so I followed the dimensions of a professional JBL model that escapes me.
They sound quite fun, but unfortunately, dad bought the worst possible model.
The LE 15 B is probably the worst bass driver they made.
I believe the professional version of the L 200 ruined JBL's reputation in Europe as a serious studio speaker manufacturer.
it's flappy and wooly - apparently it was designed for the burgeoning rock fan base !
I use them in a second system .
Everyone makes a big deal about the alnico magnets of the vintage drivers for some reason.
I have modified a old L 200 from two-way to three-way adding the 2405 'super tweeter' and using JBL circuitry but with much better components.
(the components used in those nice aluminium boxes are absolutely horrendous and I would recommend anybody who is serious about any speaker of that generation to change them)
I had to make new cabinets because the fiberboard boxes from the early 70s disintegrated in the humid conditions here, so I followed the dimensions of a professional JBL model that escapes me.
They sound quite fun, but unfortunately, dad bought the worst possible model.
The LE 15 B is probably the worst bass driver they made.
I believe the professional version of the L 200 ruined JBL's reputation in Europe as a serious studio speaker manufacturer.
it's flappy and wooly - apparently it was designed for the burgeoning rock fan base !
I use them in a second system .
joel
Painter of Dragons, Maker of Mirrors
Unsurprising as big heavy equipment that is expensive to transport into a relatively small market I'm afraid.
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?4031-The-Great-Alnico-Ferrite-Debate
The second post in this thread is from Greg Timbers, one of the best speaker designers of all time, all-round excellent no-BS person, and long-time JBL employee.
cooky1257
pfm Member
Background on the L200 here:
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulle...ak-Veneer&postid=5964&highlight=4325#post5964
That said the follow up L300 was one of the most exciting and enjoyable speakers I've ever heard.
paulfromcamden
Baffled
In the UK they seem to either go for loads or peanuts.
A few years ago I had to sell a pair of L36s in a hurry and they went for £35 (the guy who collected them was shocked - but not so shocked he give me any more cash)
No big deal - I picked up a pair of L40s in need of a little TLC a while later for £50...
I guess part of the problem is that JBL are known now for ipod speakers and so on so maybe aren't seen as a serious hi-fi brand in some peoples's eyes. I think also some people see the form factor and think of them as 'party' speakers - plenty of welly but not much fidelity
To me they're just sensible well made speakers with a pro audio heritage.
A few years ago I had to sell a pair of L36s in a hurry and they went for £35 (the guy who collected them was shocked - but not so shocked he give me any more cash
)No big deal - I picked up a pair of L40s in need of a little TLC a while later for £50...
I guess part of the problem is that JBL are known now for ipod speakers and so on so maybe aren't seen as a serious hi-fi brand in some peoples's eyes. I think also some people see the form factor and think of them as 'party' speakers - plenty of welly but not much fidelity
To me they're just sensible well made speakers with a pro audio heritage.
Demand from collectors in the Far East. WE, Marantz, McIntosh are also highly prized.
As above, I love how they look but some of them fetch crazy money these days. Never put JBL down as a premium brand I guess?
merlin
Avatar changed - Town names deemed offensive.
The larger Four Series monitors are genuine classics that are genuinely addictive IME.
As Mr Sukebe says, man do they do their job well!
I've been lucky enough to have owned "high end" Focals, ATC's, Proacs, Martin Logans, TAD's and Harbeths to name just a few. My JBL's are magical - especially surprisingly at late night levels.
Big old paper cone, midrange horn and good magnets. Same old recipe for decades. If it ain't broke as the saying goes. Acoustic bass actually sounds like acoustic bass - I like that in a speaker Voiced from the bottom up. Many modern speakers seem to be voiced from the top down.
As Mr Sukebe says, man do they do their job well!
I've been lucky enough to have owned "high end" Focals, ATC's, Proacs, Martin Logans, TAD's and Harbeths to name just a few. My JBL's are magical - especially surprisingly at late night levels.
Big old paper cone, midrange horn and good magnets. Same old recipe for decades. If it ain't broke as the saying goes. Acoustic bass actually sounds like acoustic bass - I like that in a speaker Voiced from the bottom up. Many modern speakers seem to be voiced from the top down.
Yes thats the article that damns the L200 (and the 4325/6 ) !
Many L200s were sold in the far east though
The bass unit in the L300 (and the professional version, 4333 methinks) is the 2235/136A - a far superior device to the LE15B.
If i ever find a pair of 136A woofers out here ( or the PA driver 2225 which can be reconed and 'transformed' into the 136A) i would make new X overs and i would sorta have the coveted L300/4333 !
Not easy to get here in Malaysia or anywhere except the US i guess.
joel
Painter of Dragons, Maker of Mirrors
I love the way way the classic JBLs look: Elegant, functional and blue. They (mostly) sound great, too.
wheres vuk
pfm Member
Only blue in Nihon