JBL L300 Vintage 1970's Loudspeaker
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- stores.ebay.com...
This 3-Way vintage set of L300 may be the best home speaker JBL ever made. Using the superb ALNICO JBL drivers from the 1970's this speaker helps music spring to life when played through them. For this and more great audio items click the link above to Theaterboys eBay store
Music is from the fantastic Guitarist, Singer, Song & Soundtrack writer Joe Meyer all his music is available online www.joemyers.net - song is called - Rode the Elevator with Jesus - From his Hotel Chelsea CD
In 1983 I purchased the last known pair of new in sealed cartons JBL L300A from the Northridge warehouse for $900. It was an employee sale and they wanted to get rid of all the leftover new old stock inventory. $900 was a lot of money back then and I had to borrow from the credit union. I still have the speakers today, and my wife hates them because they take up a lot of space in the family room. I gently remind her that I met my L300's long before I met her.
Considering they were 2500 retail back in 1979 you got one hell if a deal. Yeah, I had a set. Paid 1800 back then.
I purchased my L300's from an estate. Woofers needed new foam. I paid $150 for them. They're my personal "Corvette in a barn" find!
If you are an audio guy that was around when speakers like this were built - it is very difficult to give up the big and dynamic sound these vintage designs make. Tech like many things is driven by what the manufactures think will sell and the typical consumer keeps asking for things to be smaller or disappear in there home decor. So you get smaller speakers or in-wall as a focus. Old timers find the sound of these compromises difficult to take
Speakers like these are a work of art. Absolutely beautiful.
Love them! I've got a set of the L65 (Jubals) that I picked up from a Habitat for humanity here in town for 15 dollars!! All they needed was the woofer surrounds replaced, and a little Deoxit to clean up the mid & high potentiometers, and they're gold. Love me some 1970's era JBL's!! 🎶🙂❤👍
You are one lucky so and so.
The best Pink Floyd "DARK SIDE of the MOON" demo I have ever heard was on these L3OO Summits in the 1970s.
Bought a pair of these in 1975 I believe. Fantastic sound any way you looked at them. Rebuilt the woofers in the late 80's and sold them for cheap.
Bought my L220s back in 1979. still have them and the best sounding speaker to this day.
I had the L220 and the L112, the L112 been a smaller speaker sounded much better than the 220's
I heard a pair of these speakers in a well-to-do friend's music room, powered by a Carver sound system and playing an LP of the Doors' "L.A. Woman". I was totally blown away. I has heard that song 1000 times, and had never heard it sound so live and real before. If you can get your hands on a pair of these and have the right equipment to power them, DO it!
Had a chance to hear this speaker in vintage record shop and really amazing .As good as anything today
Agreed
No. Better quality of speaker.
i bought a pair of L26 and L36 in 1973. still have the 36, sold the 26; incredible sound
This is JBL history. Im impressed with the guitar music background. I saw the lower comments: "I Rode The Elevator with Jesus" by guitarist Joe Myers. A very touching well presented 📹 video/ audio.. 🌈 ☺🔈🔈
Thanks for the kind words
I'm finally at a point in my life and career where I can afford nice speakers, and I still want these over anything out today! I see the market is around 3-5k for a set, I am on the lookout now.
I totally get where you are coming from and you will never be sorry if you acquire a set of L300’s - they will always be worth what you payed for them or go up as they consistently have over the past years. While modern speakers do some things better none of them have any more fun factor than these vintage JBL’s. Also many will not be able to do the dynamic swings the L300’s can.
I worked at a high end stereo shop in the late 70’s early 80’s and sold a few pair of these unbelievable speaker and company back then
I have a pair of L300's bought them a few years ago form a guy in Hawaii. I think they are awesome with my MC7270, C33, SL1200mk2, Squeezebox
At age 15 my dad gave me a set of JBL 100's and paved the path of loyalty to those 3 letters. Sure I've have had all the others but there is a reason you see JBL at concerts and theaters. Now I have 4747's and pop's the L200's. Love playing loud from Jazz to Spanish to Rock to Electronica. Try some Groove Armada "Paper Romance" Lovely set, thanks for the post. JBL Always
I heard a pair of these at as friend's house powered by a Carver preamp/power amp system. That was the day I feel in love with the Doors' "L.A.Woman". The song had never sounded so lifelike before.
No room for them, but I do have a pair of L100Ts and a pair of L36s suspended above them. They do the job ;-).
I used to have a Carver M400 magnetic field amplifier, wao it sounded mediocre, never talk about carver on audiophile systems, better was APT Holman
I own these speakers. I was buying a HIGH END system in the early 1980's and was listening to different speakers. I listened to speaker set after speaker set and did not like what I heard until I got into the 3k to 6k range. I was bummed because that was simply not going to happen. Then the sales guy says, hay, I got something you might like that is more affordable. He had a lightly used set of JBL L300's in another section of the store, not in the speaker demo room. He brought them in and hooked them up and the search was over, these speakers sounded every bit as good as the best high end speakers he had. I bought them right then along with some hardware. Still got everything. The speakers need new foam supports so I'm getting ready to buy those and re-deploy these speakers.
Change your will to have your coffin made from the wood of the speaker cabinets and then have the drivers and crossovers entombed with you when you finally pass away. These are KEEPERS.
Robert B
Make sure you get your replacement foams from Rick Cobb on e bay
Looney tunes 2002
@@seeyoujimmy188 If I did re-foam my JBL L300 speakers I would have had it done by ether a local guy who rebuilds/re-foams speaker as a side business and knows what he is doing, or I would take or send them to a authorized JBL service center. What I ended up doing is finding my JBL L300 speakers an enthusiastic new owner about 6 months ago.
JBL indeed are the best speakers of all times .......final
I love how every separate component has it's own serial number. Obviously built to last.
Love these old school gems.
Verry nice presentation *****
I use to sell the great JBL products in Montreal,QC dealer's and L300 and studio monitor 4333
Was nice to ear them, all these speakers in 70's,
I should buy them in that time for employe purchase 50% off for 800.$ CDN !
I still have my nice decade L36
Peter
Yes it would have been nice to purchase them back then - especially if you could've got them on an employee purchase. There was no way to know how desirable these speakers would become so many years later but even at the prices collectors are willing to pay now they are stellar performers
Pierre Laurendeau i had the decades then a hybrid l300 with an le5-2,,,,,replaced them with the le85/hl 91 and enjoyed them for 20 years,,,,sorry i ever sold them,but they were getting tired and i was unaware that you could restore them relatively cheaply
+Pierre Laurendeau I was going to buy four Sovereign S8rs for my four channel setup but they were discontinued. So I built two Patrician 800s from EV blueprints instead. I would have kept the JBLs had I been able to buy them. I think they were superior to the Paragon on the low end as the D44000 was not designed using boxplot calculations. (I've heard)
buckandoti
A piece of history here!
The L100 was my favorite from this time period. A couple of my "lucky" friends owned them. The foam grills put the icing on the cake.
The L112 was better
Yessss indeed I remember a friend of mine bought those just for classical & opera music with a Marranz amp and thorns turntable.Thanks
The Guitarist is Joe Myers all his music is available online - I have added a link to his website in my description - song is called - Rode the Elevator with Jesus - From his Hotel Chelsea CD
Without a doubt it’s their best ever.
Wow, amazing speakers! I would be inclined to agree, I can only imagine what those would sound like!:)
L300好きだったんだよなあ。グラストップとスラントした前のバッフルがおしゃれだった。ヤマギワでよく聴かせていただいたもんだった。
Competitors to Altecs Model 19. Both sensational speakers in their day. Each had their fans. Some folks preferred British speakers like IMF, Spendor, Radford, Kef, etc. which sounded more grainless and refined but not as dynamic or punchy. I think it depends on choice of music.
I think you have a pretty accurate analysis of the period of time these were produced
It's cool seeing these speakers but holy shit , Joe Meyer , amazing . Sonic perfection and beautiful composition , good god man .As I listen on my Genelecs .
As you said Joe is truly amazing and on your Genelecs you would be getting it all
Warum ist das heutzutage nicht mehr möglich? Zu angemessen Preisen! Nicht das was jbl jetzt veranstaltet. Retro series black.+800$
My dad had a pair of Flair L45's. At one point he had 375's with the Hartsfield lenses set on top. I have a pair of L45's that have 2205's and 2405's only the crossovers and mids are original and they sound great.
I really like the L45 - I had a set and made a video on them - As you mention you can experiment with other JBL driver components and get even more performance
C'était un moment cette enceinte JBL vintage 😊
Sigh, I hope to own one of these one day. Living in Sacramento I have a feeling SOMEONE within a 200 mile radius in this state has a pair.
Hey, I got a pair of Klipsch Bell's and that was a needle in a haystack chance. Fingers crossed!
My coming of age for high end stereo was hearing a pair L300s at a Franklin Music (later bought out by Sam Goodie) store, c. 1973. Neil Young's "Old Man" was on, and it was a life changing event. Not that I liked Neil Young all that much, but the sound was Incredible. Here's to 'vintage' gear. Truly, they don't make them like they used to. A pair of JBLs or ARs or even Advents (high quality & value) are not made today.
Very nicely done. I have been a JBL nut going on 40 years.Though, I must say...the 4430 sounds much nicer in every way. But, it IS a pro speaker. And hard to argue the beautiful cabinet and glass tops on the 300...
Regardless...this video brings back good memories. And boy they sure had build quality back in the day...(I am biased....I still own 4430's) Great video, and thanks for the memories!
My pair of JBL Studio 530s have time aligned drivers.
Guitarist is Joe Meyer - all the info on the track is included in the about section - just click on the show more tab
These are great speakers
Speaker tech may change but I know guys in their 60,s wont part with their old sound systems.To hear them you understand why.
59, and still have my Concept 11.0 receiver (1978) JVC AX-4 amp and tuner (1980), and JBL L36 speakers. Can't find anything better except in high-end audiophile shops these days.
great sound
Simplesmente maravilhosas,,,,Simples assim.!!!
had a pair for years
Back in the early 1980's a buddy had the JBL L-166 Horizons. They were fantastic as JBL finally ditched the West Coast sound. Far superior to the L-100's. He used an SX-1050 and SL-D3 for a killer setup. Also heard the JBL L-212's, the first sub/satellite system I ever heard. I lucked into a restored (cosmetically and sonically) pair of Ohm Acoustics model H's, circa 1980, a fantastic deal. Don't nobody build speaker systems with big woofers no more?? Today, all Gods children got vented speakers. I remember when Electro-Voice and Ohm Acoustics built the only good vented systems using Thiele/Small theory in the early 1970's. Would really dig trying out these L-300's.
Agreed - without a larger woofer say 12" or 15" speakers just don't move air to recreate a live performance
@@theaterboyeBay yup. My Ohm H's have 8" woofers and 12" passive radiators (drone cones) for bass down to 32Hz (+/-3dB). That's clean bass too. And especially for Classical, Baroque and Rococo music a solid foundation is essential for realistic sound levels. Really deep bass (below 40Hz) is more "felt" than heard. But these L-300's would be a blast to try out. Nice video.
Wonderful sound my friend! You're right. This may well BE JBL's finest hour! I have a pair of L100's which I love, EXCEPT for that nasty 6k peak due to the inferior design of the cross-over - or I should say, LACK of a true cross-over. Do any of you here have any experience with the Jantzen L100 cross-over upgrade kit? It has gotten rave reviews online. Thank you to all that reply and Vintage Audio rules! :) -Dave
I restored a pair of these in the UK and sold them through my audio business to a customer in Bulgaria. Really not my taste in loudspeakers at all but some like them enough to pay good money. I also restored a pair of L150's and actually preferred their sound stage to the L300's but it is my humble opinion that loudspeakers have progressed since the days of these JBL's and it's really nostalgia that builds such enthusiasm in them 😉
@ I am audiophile, speaker builder, I repair amps, preamps and many things, so my life is audio and let me tell you that I have heard the L300, L220, L100, L26, L112 and the most musical and natural sounding is the L112...the L150 is the same L112 but with a passive radiator with same woofer, mid and tweeter so I no doubt that DJWerks have a point here, maybe the L150 is the best sounding JBL speaker ever
The L300 sounds very good but not as natural as the L112, it's 075 tweeter which is a variant of the 2405 but with a cristal is a complete jewelry, the only problem of the L300 is the midrange which is a compression horn driver which is good to make several SPL's but at home is not necesary and is the villain in the L300 that makes them not to sound as natural as the L112 or L150
Eitherwise the L300 in the condition you have it is a visual pleasure, keep enyoing it, I would also have it
My sentiments exactly.Im going down the old road after Denon let me down badly.Hopefully I can get real wood cabinet speakers.
Denon ?
I remember those...seriously expensive back in the day. I am running a pair of JBL Model L96. Painstakingly refurbished to respect original design. Mids and woofers were spent. Found some exact replacement mids...perfect. The woofers had to be professionally matched up. Got with the experts at Simply Speakers and Parts Express...ended up using the Eminence Legend CA1059 10" Bass Guitar Speaker (8 ohm). American made classics...perfect fit and sound to replace the white, stock JBL 10" woofers. The L96's were expensive too back in the day (1981). But, most preferred the L100 over the L96.
Thank goodness companies like Simply Speakers & Parts Express are out there allowing all of us to keep these superbly designed speakers alive. Congratulations on your restoration project - there is something special about bringing these speakers back to full performance as they are superb performers when you get done.
One pair for me, please!!!
Excelente qualidade de som aprovado
sounds like Michael Hedges or Pierre Bensusan . Nice vid !
Fabulosos parlantes,como se llama la melodia y quien la ejecuta?.....
Cuanto cuestan el par de bafles?
I'm sorry this video left out one of the most important things - The crossover.
Back in the day, Jbl did not spend much on XOs....not until about '93, when Greg Timbers designed the biased XOs for the Everest of that year. But one can certainly build their own biased XOs for any speaker that is worth the effort...I certainly did for another '70's era JBL...L212.
@@mjjm6220 Greg Timbers designed the crossovers used in the L300 / 4333 pro equivalent. He didn't scrimp on either but designed them as best he could back then. Of course today and in the 90's, he would have much more to work with as we do now.
I'm doin L200hundeis with Raal tweek
The 3ohm bullet tweeter makes this speaker only.
Building a "replica" with 2235h. Le85 and 077
I'm in a 10.5 W x12 with 9ft ceiling. There an 10 x 11 room behind the seats in audio room. Can these work? Or would you go smaller?
Your room is almost a cube which means the standing waves in the low bass will likely load the room at similar points and cause a pretty large bass hump which may mess things up a bit. If the audio room is fully open to the room behind it that would change things for the better. But if there is just a door or hallway between them that would not help much. This being said the L300's are front ported so placement more near a wall is not as bad as rear ported designs. Also there is never a way to fully calculate for certain how a speaker will sound in a particular room. So if you find a set in your local area at a reasonable price I would not hesitate to give them a try. If they don't work out you will never loose money on a set of L300's when you go to sell them. You might even make a few bucks. Cant say that about modern speakers
@@theaterboyeBay sorry for the delay response. yes the room behind the actualy listening room is the office part of the room with no barrier between the 2 rooms. i removed the wall while the house was being built. i thought about a pony wall there but for the reason you mentioned, i thought it could make the sound more congested. .. i also have a family room/slash game room in the basement, i could use some L300s there as well. bigger room
@@charlesmontgomery215 If you can find a set of L300's in your local area it would be worth the effort to give them a try in your room. Good luck with your pursuit and let me know what you think if you get ahold of a set
@@theaterboyeBay tough find here salt lake. But will keep in the look out. I actually sold jbl and jbl synthesis here local dealer for a few years so im familiar with the jbl sound. A dream would be to have everest or maybe a vintage 4300 series modded by Kenrick sound . But one would have to shell out for those
Is the audio track of this video recording a pair of L300's? If so, what electronics and cables were being used?
Cable clown
sweet
J'adore JBL vintage mais ce n'est pas en français ?
l had a pair of these for 10 years , bought them brand new cost me heeps
i've got some JBL decade l26s
Any idea how these compare to Klipsch Cornwall’s? They look kind of similar
Yes they are similar in that they are both highly efficient large 3 way designs - think of the JBL L300 as a more refined speaker which is to be expected as it was in a much higher price range. Everything from the cabinet to the drivers are enhanced compared to the Cornwall. The cabs are heavier with more bracing and the front baffle is sloped for time alignment. The L300 woofers have cast baskets with Alnico magnets compared to stamps steel and ceramic magnets in the Cornwall. The mid compression driver has a larger Alnico magnet and the bullet tweeter does as well. Both are big fun speakers - The L300 just presents a more refined sound
@@theaterboyeBay As we age, our hearing range diminishes, low frequencies first. Both JBL and Klipsch Heritage are efficient designs and their dynamic range and lack of harmonic distortion with "presence" and clean output because diaphragms on mid and treble drivers are scarcely moving helps makeup for my loss of acuity. Law of physics dictate transducers that couple most efficiently with room air are more accurate, partly from not taxing the amps in producing concert levels. Small speakers may bark but they sound strained and small in their interface with listening environment. It's been true since the 1920s and is true today. Don't blame me for what Bell Labs knew years ago. Blame that rascal Reality. Either speaker will more than satisfy you for a lifetime of listening, as I'm sure you will agree. I first dropped that needle on a record in 1940. What a ride!
@@roberte.andrews4621 totally agree with all your comments and if you first dropped that needle in 1940 you speak from experience
what's the rms power of these speakers ?
They are passive Justin.. no RMS power included.
제대로 매칭하면 무서운 소리가 나지요 저는 오디오 리서치 60 파워에 한동안 즐거움을 느껴지요
Tenho duas tudo original quero vender. Sou de Araçatuba sp
What is the guitar tune being played here?
what's that piece of music?
聞いいているスピーカーが良くないのにすごい音質を感じます。
Jbl 4333B vs L300, what is better? Thanks
They are pretty much the same system inside - the cabinets are studio boxy and can be had in oiled Walnut or studio grey, all business vs Scandinavian styled Walnut veneer home cabinet. The 4333B has ferrite magnets on the woofers (which actually have less distortion) and has a biampable crossover with a sometimes problematic rotary switch, the slot tweeter is slightly different - both can be alnico, the L300 has the 077 slot tweeter with sexy clear lucite / acrylic phase plug, the 4333B has the pro version 2405 alnico or 2405H ferrite tweeter with black painted aluminum phase plug. The mid driver and horn is exactly the same except for color - the consumer model is LE85 driver/H92 horn and the pro version is the 2420 driver / 2312 horn - Both use an acoustic slant lens, consumer L91 / pro 2308. Both are essentially sonically equal given same driver condition and function.
что за музыка играет?
Expensive?
Seen them go for $2,000.00 to $5,500.00 depending on condition
5 grand? .......I guarantee you I can put something up against these for a fifth of that cost ....I see sentiment nothing else ....and ppl are paying a premium
Only one part of your comment is a fact. People are paying a premium for Vintage JBL like this L300. They cost much less when introduced. However one would be hard pressed to find anything factory manufactured with all the attributes of the L300's for 5K these days. The rest of your comment is just misguided opinion. There is nothing you can - as you say - buy at 1/5 the cost of these JBL's that will match this speaker. Even if you just paid $1000 in parts and did not value your own time on some kind of DIY build you would come up short. Plus 5K is the price of a fully restored set so you can at times pay half that for a good sounding used set. It's ok to be a dreamer - your not the only one.
I disagree with everyone here 😂 beautiful sound but they're ugly. The only ones I'd keep covered.
I think the most important issue is the impressive beautiful sound they give. And the cabinet is very very nice.
I'm a retired industrial designer and I'll take a functional design over frou frou any day.