I loved mine from the 1970's but then I was not into metal or heavy bass rock. Beatles, Airplane, Leon Russell to Blues then to Jazz and I think the L-100 Century's did an outstanding job. They were perfect on acoustic jazz. The 4G price tag is MSRP that no one pays.
There’s a stellar review in the Australian edition of HiFi. It’s the latest issue so the link won’t bring up the review, but it’ll probably be available soon. AVHub
I am still satisfied with my L100t3's; but, the new Classic is compelling. I also find the 4429's even more compelling and I've found a JBL Synthesis Dealer offering them for $4000. This makes me believe I will get more of what I want (volume/detail without strain) from the 4429's at about the price I'd expect to pay for the Classic's.
Someone on another (closed) thread described the L100's bass as "fun but fake". What might the "fake" mean? Just wondering, as I've got a pair of L100's (working) and a pair of Infinity Kappa 6.1 (one woofer needing a refoam, so I don't really know what these speakers sound like) and wouldn't know which of the two has more "accurate/genuine" bass, if there is such a thing.
Were they referring to the original L100's or the L100 Classics? I do not own original L100's but I do own L100 Classics. With the L100 Classic speakers, the bass is full and deep but not boomy or exaggerated in my room. I'm not really sure what "fake" bass would even sound like other than possibly loose and underdamped.
I also have the new L100’s and the bass is absolutely not boomy at all. They just get better and better every day. They provide a level of authority that no real “bookshelf” speaker could ever come close to. An absolutely incredible speaker and IMHO, an outright bargain compared to the alternatives.
HA! I still have about ten copies of Sessions, the LP JBL gave us salespeople to sell these speakers. I wonder how it would sound with the new ones.
That's ridiculous. Those were good, but they weren't THAT good. And electronics has been going down in price, not up. Unless they make those on the 20th floor of the World Trade Center and only with college educated people and by hand, there is no reason they shouldn't be in the $800 a pair range.
Cool! So you've heard the L100 Classics and compared them to various speakers ranging from $800-$4,000? I own L100 Classics and I own B&W CM10S2s which were also $4,000. The JBLs sound different than the B&Ws but they definitely belong in the same class performance-wise! I'm glad I had the opportunity to compare them to various other similarly priced speakers at the dealer before bringing them home. They aren't going anywhere now!
$800 today would have been $179 in 1975. JBL L100s were $600 in 75 which (if everything were the same) would be $2800 today.
Then I suppose you could say that about all other speakers. I’ve a had lot of speakers come through my listening room, and without taking price into consideration, they are by far my favorite. “Going down in price??? Some of prices for equipment nowadays is pretty much absurd. I can’t see how these should be $800. I’d put them up against any boutique $4k speaker any day and they’d eat their lunch.
I also have a pair of Golden ear triton 5’s that I was going to keep to occasionally swap out for the difference in presentation. It’s not even worth keeping them around so I’m selling them. They can’t even come remotely close to the performance of the L100. I realize they were half the price, but still, in my opionion, the JBL’s just demolish them.
I used to sell them. My wife owned them before we were married. Perhaps the B&W's are overpriced, or the perceived value of such quality has gone up. Maybe that is why speakers are DIY for me now.
Thing is, I think this stuff has more in common with computers than cars. i.e. I expect the price to go down, not up. Back in the early 80's I sold 50" TV's for $3500. A CD player was $1200.
Wow, tough crowd on the new L100's here! JBL has quietly put out some really good speakers in recent years, and the L100's are part of that new wave. Nothing like the old ones. Would spank many in their price range imo. Fun but fake terminology was spoken of old L100's and Pioneer HPM 100's due to their not so flat documented responses I believe. Folks liked em but they were denigrated on the side. I like em myself.
Back in the 70's when I sold L100's, I really liked them, but I felt they were overpriced. I was also big on all the new technology while they still used a cone tweeter. I have no idea how good the new ones sound. Perhaps they are the equivalent of a modern Dodge Challenger vs a 1970 Dodge Challenger.
I have a pair of those Pioneers. I’ve always wondered how they compare. I read somewhere they they were an updated version of the JBLs. I also wonder how they compare with the new JBL versions. I’m always assuming my Pioneers—as good as they sound—are out of spec.
I have an old pair of HPM100's too in the closet and in the living room a pair of the HPM200's. The 200's are really cool looking speaks and large, if you've never seen them in person. A buddy has the HPM 100's in his basement system and they really sound nice, think still all stock.
