New JBL's...........

[Mikado463]

What's old is new again, thoughts ?

JBL Celebrates 80 Years of Sound with the L100 Classic 80 Special Edition Loudspeaker

As part of its global 80th Anniversary celebration, Harman Luxury Audio Group announced the release of the JBL L100 Classic 80, a limited edition of the legendary JBL L100 loudspeaker that honors eight decades of audio innovation, engineering excellence, and cultural impact. An iconic design...

audioxpress.com

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Still looks like those old box speakers I bought 30 years ago and would never buy again.

 

[lovinthehd]

Ouch $7500 a pair. IIRC JBL L100 back when I was considering them (72/73) were $400/pr or so ?

 

[Mikado463]

Ouch $7500 a pair. IIRC JBL L100 back when I was considering them (72/73) were $400/pr or so ?

I hear ya and back in '72/73 one could buy a nice home for 50k too.........

 

[Mikado463]

Still looks like those old box speakers I bought 30 years ago and would never buy again.

considering most on this forum own 'box' speakers what was so lacking in yours back then ? Versus what these are now ?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

considering most on this forum own 'box' speakers what was so lacking in yours back then ? Versus what these are now ?

Probably nothing was lacking in my old speakers back then compared to now.

 

[shadyJ]

What's old is new again, thoughts ?

JBL Celebrates 80 Years of Sound with the L100 Classic 80 Special Edition Loudspeaker

As part of its global 80th Anniversary celebration, Harman Luxury Audio Group announced the release of the JBL L100 Classic 80, a limited edition of the legendary JBL L100 loudspeaker that honors eight decades of audio innovation, engineering excellence, and cultural impact. An iconic design...

audioxpress.com

Looks like just an edition that adds some aesthetic touches to the L100 Classics I reviewed a few years ago. It also comes with some stands. Basically, you are paying an extra $2k for a limited run speaker with a new real wood finish, some fancier trim pieces, and an autograph. If you just care about the sound, just get the regular L100 Classics, they are pretty good speakers.

 

[lovinthehd]

I hear ya and back in '72/73 one could buy a nice home for 50k too.........

LOL yeah my dad had just purchased that place in 72, believe about 42k on the house itself, plus 12k for the antique furniture which was of good quality and mostly good condition, even two victrolas from the audio side of things . He had a cash crunch in his business a bit later and was able to sell the house for 100k or so, and thought he did well. Checking on the property over the years seems it hasn't moved again and was valued at a peak of 2.6M a few years ago (height of Covid fwiw).

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Ouch $7500 a pair. IIRC JBL L100 back when I was considering them (72/73) were $400/pr or so ?

$7500 for some boxes? They must be out of their gods loving minds.

 

[lovinthehd]

$7500 for some boxes? They must be out of their gods loving minds.

Then again many speakers in that price range can be described that way

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Then again many speakers in that price range can be described that way

They’re all out of their minds.

 

[Cos]

I just don't get it, I am old enough to seen what those old style speakers looked like, just ugly, are audiophiles just that into retro?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I just don't get it, I am old enough to seen what those old style speakers looked like, just ugly, are audiophiles just that into retro?

Maybe it’s just nostalgia - remembering the good old days when they were 18 years old (without taste or money).

 

[TLS Guy]

I just don't get it, I am old enough to seen what those old style speakers looked like, just ugly, are audiophiles just that into retro?

I agree. They look like particularly noxious excrement.

The speakers they are based on were really awful, even for back then. At that time decent speakers in North America were almost impossible to come by at any reasonable price. So that made my DIY designs and builds absolutely imperative. The quality gap between my speakers and what was generally available back then was more like a deep canyon.

 

[Kingnoob]

Ouch $7500 a pair. IIRC JBL L100 back when I was considering them (72/73) were $400/pr or so ?

They must be made with ultra high end parts today. How many would the original sell if it was say $4k a pair …

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The speakers they are based on were really awful, even for back then. At that time decent speakers in North America were almost impossible to come by at any reasonable price. So that made my DIY designs and builds absolutely imperative. The quality gap between my speakers and what was generally available back then was more like a deep canyon.

The $99 NHT SuperZero back around 1990 had a FR of +-/1.0dB.

Not sure how the speakers prior to the 1990’s measured.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

They must be made with ultra high end parts today. How many would the original sell if it was say $4k a pair …

Probably not that much. Probably inflation. Probably because they think they can get away with it.

 

[lovinthehd]

They must be made with ultra high end parts today. How many would the original sell if it was say $4k a pair …

More like they're trying to cash in on a previous speakers' iconic status. Inflation plays a role for sure, but.....

They apparently have improved a few things, tho.

 

[Kingnoob]

The $99 NHT SuperZero back around 1990 had a FR of +-/1.0dB.

Not sure how the speakers prior to the 1990’s measured.

Looks like they make higher end models now. Still got one NHT Super satellite. Original gone

More like they're trying to cash in on a previous speakers' iconic status. Inflation plays a role for sure, but.....

They apparently have improved a few things, tho.

yeah they are iconic and my uncles house my parents & us no longer go over too he had 80s jbl studio monitors with l pads and 12” woofers. That’s closest I’ve heard to l 100… a lot different I bet . Can’t imagine ever being able to afford 8k speakers.

 

[MrBoat]

I can vouch for the newer L100 classics sounding about as good as anything I care to hear, these days. That's what I would buy, if I was not already overflowing with speakers, subs and amps.

I don't really see these "special edition" models out of place with all the other "30/70" designs that are all the rage now. 30% function and 70% fluff, of some sort. The 70% portion is one of the biggest motivators to instead, DIY speakers, as a way to opt out of expensive things that otherwise do nothing for the ears.