- A new version of the L100 loudspeaker, first launched in 1970
- Limited to 800 pairs worldwide for JBL’s 80th anniversary
- $7,499 (approx £5,449 / AU$10,700)
JBL has released a new version of its legendary speaker, the L100. The L100 was first launched in 1970 and became the best-selling speaker in JBL’s history. The L100s are prized for their warm, deep low end and dynamics, which is why they’ve been in production for decades with occasional updates, such as the L100 Classic in 2019 and the L100 Classic 75 in 2021 – and now they’re back in a new, strictly limited edition of JBL speakers to mark 80 years.
The L100 Classic 80 will be limited to just 800 pairs worldwide, and while the exterior retains the iconic 70s styling, these are thoroughly modern speakers.
I know the word ‘iconic’ gets thrown around in hi-fi, but the JBL 100s really are: they have a very distinctive design that’s instantly recognisable, and they even ended up in an – that word again – iconic advert: the 1983 Maxell ad depicting a man being blown away by music.
The JBL L100 Classic 80 comes with box expectations
The very retro design features the iconic ‘quadrex’ foam grille that makes the JBLs look like they’ve been transported from a 1970s bachelor pad – that’s a compliment – and in this version it’s a very retro shade of brown sitting in a black satin frame. The cupboards are made of oak veneer.
Each pair sports anniversary edition badges on the front and back, including a numbered plaque signed by lead engineer Chris Hagen. And on the back you will find two sets of gold-plated binding posts.
The drivers are a 12-inch (300 mm) pure-pulp cone woofer paired with a front-firing tuned bass reflex port; a 5.25-inch (130 mm) pure-pulp midrange driver; a 1-inch (25 mm) titanium dome tweeter paired with an acoustic lens waveguide; and high and mid-frequency level attenuators. The frequency response is 40Hz to 40kHz, the impedance is 4 ohms and the sensitivity is 90dB/1W/1m.
The JBLs are sold as a pair with stands included, and arrive in a “specially crafted” wooden case. They’re yours for $7,499 (approx £5,449 / AU$10,700).
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