I bought mine at my local dealer who happens to be a JBL authorized dealer. I did get them for under list price. Apparently, he's sold quite a few pairs of these. These are far from the most expensive speakers I've ever owned but right now, these are my favorite speakers. They are just plain fun to listen to! I haven't heard a pair of originals since about 1982 so I don't know how much or how little they sound like the originals. Before I went to demo them, I expected the worst. Bright and boomy. They are the exact opposite of that. I am extremely sensitive to bright speakers but these are not bright at all but are very detailed. They seem to have a bit of a rise in the midrange which makes them sound a bit forward, but not too in your face. I've read comments where someone said they lack bass. Absolutely not in my setup! They hit hard and go quite deep. They do sound HUGE though! They really kick with Rock music! I listen to a lot of Jazz and Classical these days and they sound great with both as well. These speakers were one of the best purchases I've made in a long time. I'm very happy with them and they aren't going anywhere!
Thank you!! I think they’re purposely being snubbed by the audiophile elite crowd. It’s a disservice to the people who would really like a speaker like this.
Never owned a pair of these. I owned (and still do) AR3a. I knew a guy that had a pair and I always thought they were pretty good for rock. A good example of what used to be called "west coast" sound. I was always a fan of "east coast" sound.
Yes, it's interesting and disturbing that there are a lot of little articles and posts out there on-line about these speakers that do nothing but call them stupid or overpriced by people who don't appear to have actually listened to them! Just the first page of a Google search brings up many such posts. As for the price, I certainly don't feel ripped off! I think they do many things substantially better than another pair of speakers I own which are priced almost the same. Honestly, I'm quite surprised at just how great these sound.
Exactly! It’s like I’m in on something that nobody else is. Like the twilight zone. How many posts do we see on here where people are asking for advice on how to make their raved about speakers sound good? No bass, thin sounding, needing to upgrade etc etc. maybe if they had these, that would no longer be necessary. I feel $4,000 is absolutely worth it compared to the boutique stuff that’s out there.
I paid $500 for my AR3a back in 1969. That's $3,500 today. I believe the L100 were about the same price. I wouldn't worry about what you read on the net. The important thing is that you enjoy them. SOMEBODY is always trying to rain on someboy's parade.
I’m happy to be at a point where I can enjoy what I like, despite the nonsensical audiophile BS. I’ve wasted so many years, and $ on bunk recommendations etc.
Sure-well that's why I have built, or modified classic designs the last 20+ years. No speakers is perfect. Especially when you consider every listening environment is different. Floors walls, furniture etc. Having a understanding, and willingness to take the leap, educate oneself-and you won't be spending $$ year after year. The fact people are spending the 4K, is the same reason the upgrade. Heard it all the time-"I'm done upgrading". One piece of equipment I have found useful for adjusting speakers to a listening environment is the Black Ice FOZ SS-X. Best $288 I have spent in 20 years.
I think L100s are a lot like the film Bohemian Rhapsody. Audiophiles and some critics, are somewhat ho-hum about them and love to piss on them however they have always had a large fan and buyer base and a lot of music lovers really enjoy the sound they bring to rock and roll and even jazz records. I know I am one of those fans.
The original L100s listed for $599 back in the mid 70s. I bought my first pair with orange foam grills in 1974 and paid close to $600. I had them until they were stolen in 1985 or so. I loved those speakers. Have a refurbished paid now in my downstairs second system. They are still fun.
As far as other "pissing" on them-who cares? If you like them cool-if you don't-cool too. Frankly I don't get people being offended by opinions-they are what they are- we all have them-we all the same-yet different as well-that's life-learn to move on!!
If you read my posts, I am a fan of them. They are just not loved by lots of audiophiles and our host here.... But they are crowd pleasers for sure.
I’m not offended by the opinions. Just like I can’t stand magnepan speakers, that doesn’t mean they aren’t good, or enjoyed by many people. The problem is when they get dismissed entirely without giving them a fair listen.
Well, from my personal experience with these, they are decidedly not audiophile speakers, and priced at $4000, they're competing against a lot of heavy hitters that are. So, it makes sense to me that they haven't gotten much critical love from nerdy audio-OCD publications. That said, they do seem to be popular. Music Direct told me they've been big sellers, and at the Harmon store in NYC the salesman told me there was a two month wait list. The people buying these things probably have very different priorities from your typical user of this forum. I can't imagine a JBL100 owner pulling out a usb microscope to get their SRA at 92 degrees. That's not a slight; it's just a recognition that different buyers have different priorities. I think you can definitely get speakers for $4000 that sound better than these. But not everyone obsesses about "better" the way most of us here do, and these are pretty good. And they come with bitchin' orange grilles.
Sure-well I imagine they have improved. In the 70's bass reflex calculations were hit and miss for example. With computer modeling-you can get close to the transient response of sealed systems-well at least "sound wise". That's the biggest thing I have found-comparing B.R. bass speakers, to current models. You hear way more nuisances and textures then the previous generation. Currently have 2 pairs of modded ESS AMT3's from the 70's. After a lot of work, I updated the bass/woofers into a sealed system-that is a way better match for the Great Heil and midrange driver then the leaky B.R. system they has before. I tried dozens of bass reflex combo's-it's way harder then you think! Sealed systems have their draw backs as well-but boy the bass if full detailed, deep, and big, without boom. I think a lot of 70's bass reflex systems were boomy-and that gave them a bad rap-despite the other parts were fine. The AMT3's were just the opposite. Weak bass.....
To add-to really get the bass to high end level, "audiophile" if you must required additional cabinet bracing, internal cabinet treatments, and additional damping material. Each speaker now weighs 25lbs then stock-so they are pushing 110+ lbs each. The last speaker I heard with this big fast sound like my modded AMT3's were Legacy's...much larger then the AMT3's... Pretty amazing Schiit IMHO-couldn't be more happy!!
What I do love about L10os (at least the old ones) is that they pretty much sound great in the entire room. Good for parties and really rocking out. They are speakers you don't have to futz with by tweaking a quarter inch in or out and so on. You don't have to be the one and only lonely guy sitting in the sweet spot all of the time. Music in your entire room sounds pretty awesome
That is a very good point. Every pair of speakers I had before this, I would spend half a listening session tweaking placement.
It's not meant as a slight. I mean, there's literally a knob to adjust the volume of the tweeter. That's the most anti-audiophile thing I've ever heard of.
