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Now that's style. The JBL L100BG Classic Black Edition bookshelf lousdspeaker updates the retro-modern appeance of the acclaimed JBL L100 Classic model with a special Black Edition overhaul that extends to a high-gloss black-painted cabinet finish; gold labels on the front and rear; and a black Quadrex foam grille with a gold JBL logo accent. L100BG Classic also benefits from a Black Edition Performance Package consisting of acoustic refinements to the drivers and an upgraded crossover network with a premium bi-wire input terminal cup.
As an irresistibly modern version of the L100, the best-selling speaker in JBL's storied history, L100BG Classic honors its predecessor's unparalleled legacy and penchant for accurate, studio-quality performance all the while taking listeners deep into the 21st century with newly developed acoustic technology. Featuring head-turning styling that extends to the hallmark Quadrex foam grille, L100BG Classic also comes with a wood walnut veneer enclosure for aesthetics that stand out as much as this three-way model's sound. About those sonics: Wow. Then there's the speaker's storied history.
Many audiophiles doubtlessly remember the unforgettable sound of the L100. And even for those that don't recall it, fans of classic advertising design will recognize the iconic Maxell ad, "The Blown-away Man," in which the listener sitting in his chair literally gets blown away by his speakers – L100s. They were chosen because listeners who cared about full-frequency response, tremendous dynamic swings, and studio accuracy were playing the day's best records on their own JBL speakers.
After all, L100's internal components were being used as studio monitors around the globe to assist in the recording of the world's best-selling albums. And, as it is now, it was rare at the time to find a loudspeaker that could please classical music lovers and high-energy rockers with equal unanimity. L100 did. Built to exacting standards with a cool sense of retro appeal, L100BG Classic carries on that tradition.
Equipped with a 12-inch white, Aqua-plas-coated pure-pulp cone woofer with cast frame, a five-inch pure-pulp cone midrange driver, and a one-inch titanium dome tweeter, L100BG Classic plays with a combination of refinement and authority, grace and impact, liveliness and trueness, and overall naturalism that instantly tells you you're in the presence of something special – and a speaker engineered to live up to and exceed the status of its forerunner that, by nearly all accounts, stands as the best-selling model of the entire 1970s. True to JBL heritage, L100BG Classic handles every style of music with aplomb, making it a terrific choice for listeners with diverse tastes and record collections. Its ability to be positioned horizontally or vertically adds to its exceptional versatility.
Retaining fundamental elements of the original L100 – and subsequent L100A and L100 Century evolutions – L100BG Classic touts significant improvements to the transducers, enclosure tuning, and crossover network design. Designed by Chris Hagen, the same acoustic system engineer that created JBL's L100T3, L100BG Classic uses a newly developed JT025Ti1 titanium dome tweeter mated to a waveguide with an acoustic lens for optimal integration to the JM125PC cast-frame, pure-pulp cone midrange driver located directly below. Its vertical high- and mid-frequency transducer arrangement is slightly offset to the right of the woofer below, with high- and mid-frequency attenuators located on the upper left of the front baffle. Deep bass comes by way of the 1200FE cast-frame, white pure-pulp cone woofer operating in a bass-reflex enclosure system tuned via a single, front-firing port tube with flared exit.
As you process these details and specifications, ask yourself: When was the last time you heard the bottom-end solidity of a 12-inch woofer? Remember, we're not talking about multiple 6.5-inch drivers. We're talking about the ability to move air with concert-like low-end responsiveness that produces the realism associated with live shows. Any speaker's midrange driver is critical to getting everything right, and again, L100BG Classic's five-inch driver delivers accurate tonality and lifelike dynamics – be they from a human voice, or tone of a guitar, a piano, a snare drum, or other instrument. And the tweeter in L100BG Classic updates that of JBL's finest one-inch titanium driver. It features incredible extension, yet also delivers an ultra-natural portrayal of upper octaves that give music its valued breath of life.
We highly encourage an in-home audition. But if you take us up on it, do yourself a favor and hold on to your drink. (We are not responsible for anything that gets blown away!) All you need to do is connect your system to the pair of gold-plated binding post terminals on the L100BG Classics' rear panel. They round out an ear-opening instrument that measures 25 inches tall x 15 1/3 inches wide x 14 2/3 inches deep and weighs 58.5 pounds apiece. (Optional black metal floor stands with adjustable carpet spikes are available.) Behold, an instant classic is at hand.
"This loudspeaker gets things done it is own sweet way: it is loud and proud, a design that doesn't so much have character as ooze charisma. Tonally it's bright and vivid, really 'waking up' whatever recording you care to play. It also has a wonderfully animated rhythmic quality, so you can't stop tapping your feet. It's dynamic in its own way too but, perhaps contrary to what you might expect, far better at tracking subtle accents than the epic, earth-shattering crescendos of an orchestra at full tilt."
– Nick Tate, Hi-Fi News, Editor's Choice
Spec's
System Type: 3-way Bookshelf Loudspeaker
Tweeter: 1-inch Titanium dome with soft surround (JT025TI1-4)
Midrange: 5 1/4 inch Polymer-coated, Pure Pulp cone (105H-1)
Woofer: 12 inch Pure Pulp cone (JW300PW-8)
Impedance: 4 Ohms
Recommended Amplifier Power: 25-200 Watts RMS
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m): 90dB
Frequency Response: 40Hz-40kHz (-6dB)
Crossover Frequencies: 450Hz, 3.5kHz
Controls: Attenuators for Mid- and High-Frequency Drivers
Connector Type: Five-way gold-plated Binding Posts
Finish: Genuine Walnut veneer cabinet (with Quadrex Foam Grill, choice of Black, Burnt Orange or Dark Blue)
Dimensions (HWD): 25.06" x 15.34" x 14.625"
Weight: 58.5 lbs.