Return of the JBL L100 classic speaker

[Flint]

www.audioxpress.com/news/jbl-introduces-updated-jbl100-classic-loudspeaker-at-ces-2018

Ever regret not buying a pair of JBL L100 speakers when they were all the rage? Well, like the vast majority of the world who also didn't bother buying them, for some reason, now everyone can get a pair of newly updated L100s for your vinyl rig!

 

[AndySTL]

Wow, $4,000?

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

I gotten a lot of mileage from my JBL 4412 monitors, using them in their intended role as recording monitors. However, I can't in any way say that these speakers and presumably the L100 should be seriously be considered for audiophile playback intentions. They are just simply too crude sounding for lack of a better description. If you mostly play crude sounding vintage recordings, you'll probably be in hog heaven (pass the bong). Otherwise, I'd take a pass.

 

[Flint]

IIRC, there were several LPs released in the early 1980s which were mixed and mastered on JBL 4412 monitors and had the "reference" levels listed in the liner notes. The label or artist recommended using the JBL L100 or the monitor equivalent for the consumer to recreate the very experience the artist, producer, and mixing engineer experienced in the studio. I have the Zappa album with that listed, it was "Ship Arriving too Late to Save a Drowning Witch" which included the hit "Valley Girl" on it - by far the worst of all the songs on that particular album.

 

[Towen7]

If you mostly play crude sounding vintage recordings, you'll probably be in hog heaven (pass the bong).

I have the Zappa album ...

Looks like Rammis is right on both counts.

 

[Flint]

Why you hate on Zappa? His recordings were audiophile, don't ya know!