{"product_id":"jbl-l100-century-vintage-speakers-original-first-generation-survivors","title":"JBL L100 Century Vintage Speakers - Original First Generation Survivors","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGeneral:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe JBL L100 Century is one of the most iconic loudspeakers of all time, easily ranking among the top five most recognizable speaker designs ever made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally introduced in the early 1970s as the consumer version of JBL's legendary studio monitors, the L100 became a favorite among music lovers and audiophiles around the world. They also gained legendary status as the speakers featured in the famous Maxell \"Blown Away\" advertisement.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEach speaker features JBL's classic 3-way design, consisting of a 12-inch white-cone woofer, a 5-inch midrange driver, and a 1.4-inch tweeter. This combination delivers the dynamic, lively sound that these speakers were famous for including deep bass. Their high sensitivity also means they pair beautifully with both vintage solid-state amplifiers and classic tube gear.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eThis particular pair of JBL L100 Century speakers shows some cosmetic wear consistent with their age but still presents very well for being over 50 years old. We've also upgraded the original speaker terminals with high-quality banana-compatible binding posts, providing a more secure connection and making them easier to use with modern speaker cables.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eWith serial numbers 23462 and 23471 this closely matched pair dates to approximately 1971–1972, making them early examples of the legendary L100 Century. These desirable early-production models feature the original vertically aligned driver configuration, predating the later L100A Century.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eAs with all pre-owned speakers that leave our shop, this pair has been thoroughly tested and carefully auditioned by our staff. They sound fantastic and are ready to be enjoyed for many years to come.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eWith a new pair of JBL L100 Classics currently retailing for $5,280, this vintage pair offers a $1,600 savings, along with the charm and character of the original design.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease note:\u003c\/strong\u003e this pair does not include grills, but we think they look their best showing off the recognizable white woofers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore from JBL:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen it was found that musicians, engineers, and other discriminating professionals in increasing numbers were purchasing the JBL studio monitor for home use, JBL introduced the L100 - acoustically identical to the studio monitor, yet offering provocative styling appropriate to the home environment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTruncated pyramids of the Quadrex 2 grille dramatize unique lineage and advanced engineering of the L100.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNew methods of sculpting semi-rigid foam material gave JBL the freedom to explore texture, color and shape. This reticulated (open-pore) foam - substantially the same material used for quality microphone windscreens - has been proven to transmit sound as well as even the most acoustically transparent grille cloths.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSkyFi Cosmetic Notes:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThese speakers arrived in slightly rough shape cosmetically. We filled a handful of gouges, applied Howard's products, and touch ups as needed. The cabinets are not going to win any beauty contests but the drivers are in excellent condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSkyFi Technical Notes:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis pair is very close in serial numbers: 23471 \/ 23462. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe original push pin terminals were damaged. We opted to replace them with low profile banana test jacks which makes connections to banana terminated wires a breeze.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eOwnership:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSecond Owner\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eConnections:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBannana speaker input jacks\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eGeneral Sound:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSmooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCosmetic Condition:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5\/10 = Average. Multiple scratches, including some on the front faceplate. See our detailed rating description \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/skyfiaudio.com\/pages\/our-rating-scale\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWorking Condition:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWorking perfectly and tested in our lab and listening room.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIncluded:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJust the Unit\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePacking:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWill be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.\u003ciframe width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wuWesEecAbE?\u0026amp;autoplay=1\u0026amp;mute=1\" title=\"This Is How We Pack Sensitive Electronics at SkyFi Audio, Less Than 0.2% Shipping Damage\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cb\u003eSpecs:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- Model: JBL L100 Century\u003cbr\u003e- Type: 3-way bass-reflex bookshelf speaker\u003cbr\u003e- Woofer: 12 in (300 mm) 123A \/ 123A-1\u003cbr\u003e- Midrange: 5 in (130 mm) LE5-2 \/ LE5-3\u003cbr\u003e- Tweeter: 1.4–1.6 in (40 mm) LE25 \/ LE25-1\u003cbr\u003e- Impedance: 8 Ω\u003cbr\u003e- Sensitivity: 91 dB (1 W \/ 1 m)\u003cbr\u003e- Power handling: 50 W continuous program\u003cbr\u003e- Recommended amplifier: 10–150 W\u003cbr\u003e- Frequency response: 45 Hz – 20 kHz\u003cbr\u003e- Crossover frequencies: 1.5 kHz and 6 kHz\u003cbr\u003e- Controls: Front-panel midrange and high-frequency level controls\u003cbr\u003e- Cabinet: Bass-reflex, walnut veneer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e14.3\" x 23.5\" x 13.6\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e55 lbs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eApproximate Age:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1971\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRecommended Cables:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Kimber Kable - 8TC Ascent Series Speaker Cables - SkyFi Audio\" href=\"https:\/\/skyfiaudio.com\/products\/kimber-kable-8tc-8-tc-ascent-speaker-cables-pair-new\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKimber Kable - Speaker Cables\u003c\/a\u003e - Good\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Kimber Kable - MONOCLE XL Summit Series Speaker Cables - SkyFi Audio\" href=\"https:\/\/skyfiaudio.com\/collections\/our-kimber-kable-collection\/products\/kimber-kable-monocle-xl-speaker-cables-pair-new\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKimber Kable - Speaker Cables\u003c\/a\u003e - Better\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTesting Process:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOur speaker evaluation process starts with a visual inspection of all drivers. We are looking for damaged or deteriorating woofer surrounds, dented tweeter domes, and cone damage. We also inspect the speaker connection points for loose or broken connectors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter the initial visual inspection we connect the speakers to a reference amplifier with our preferred test tracks. With the speakers placed with proper distance we listen to each driver to make sure that they are producing the intended frequencies with no signs of distortion or rattle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuring listening tests with test tracks we check for proper stereo imaging and bass response at various listening levels. If there are any audible signs of issues, the speakers are taken to the bench where we perform a frequency sweep to isolate the issue so that it can be resolved by component repair or replacement. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOur subwoofer evaluation process starts with a visual inspection of all drivers. We are looking for damaged or deteriorating woofer surrounds, cone damage, or rubbing voice coils. We also inspect the input connections for damage.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter the initial visual inspection we connect the sub at our bench and perform a sine wave sweep from about 200 Hz down to around 10 Hz. During this sweep we are listening for excessive rattle or other signs of improper function.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf the sweep passes we then increase the input level to evaluate how the woofer performs at high output levels. If the woofer has built-in crossover adjustments or multiple connection options these features are tested at this time. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe complete the subwoofer evaluation by feeding the unit with an audio signal in conjunction with our house music system to see how it responds to low frequency content in real world conditions while paired with a full range system.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"JBL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48561027580158,"sku":"107881","price":3690.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0003\/3275\/9084\/files\/jbl-l100-century-vintage-speakers-original-first-generation-survivors-991.jpg?v=1791556449","url":"https:\/\/skyfiaudio.com\/products\/jbl-l100-century-vintage-speakers-original-first-generation-survivors","provider":"SkyFi Audio","version":"1.0","type":"link"}